Anticipating a pair of total eclipses that will end a 99-year-long "eclipse drought" in mainland North America, Aveni (Apocalyptic Anxiety), a pioneering cultural astronomer at Colgate University, takes a fresh look at the science-and spectacle-of solar eclipses. The earliest known record of a solar eclipse comes from a Babylonian cuneiform tablet that dates to the second century B.C.E., though ancient Chinese documents supposedly describe an eclipse that occurred in 2137 B.C.E. Recording eclipses-and, later, predicting them-kept mortals informed of the gods' behavior; they marked the most auspicious time to carry out wars, religious ceremonies, and more. Many cultures saw eclipses as omens predicting military loss or natural disaster, Aveni explains, a habit that astrologers maintained long after humans understood how eclipses happen. Aveni relates how we've watched eclipses over the centuries, and his greatest pleasure is in those reports that record the observer's emotions alongside the event. From the first recorded eclipse-chaser (who crossed North Africa in 1433 C.E. to capture the event) to the celebrated 1878 Pike's Peak expedition and the 1925 eclipse that captivated a winter-bound New York City, Aveni's accessible and welcoming work celebrates the enthusiasm of umbraphiles through the ages. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

North America is entering a special era for solar eclipses: one crosses the entire US (from coast to coast) this year and another (from Texas to the Great Lakes) will happen in 2024. In preparation for these events, In the Shadow of the Moon is a comprehensive guide for a general audience, including young adults, to this magnificent phenomenon. With an engaging, conversational style that draws readers in, Aveni (Colgate Univ.), who has personally observed eight solar eclipses, reviews how ancient societies around the world came to predict such eclipses, describes the mechanism behind their perpetual occurrence, provides riveting stories on many of today's eclipse chasers, and tells readers what eclipses are good for (i.e., providing more accurate data on the sun's diameter and its corona). A longtime archaeoastronomer, the author also uniquely shows how various cultures' reactions to solar eclipses shed light on their world views. Aveni writes, "Seeing an eclipse leaves you breathless even if you know what's going on." This book will make readers who cannot travel to an upcoming eclipse's path feel as though they are right there. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. --Marcia Bartusiak, Massachusetts Institute of Technology