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  • The Demon-Haunted World

  • Science as a Candle in the Dark
  • By: Carl Sagan
  • Narrated by: Cary Elwes, Seth MacFarlane
  • Length: 17 hrs and 23 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (623 ratings)
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The Demon-Haunted World cover art

The Demon-Haunted World

By: Carl Sagan
Narrated by: Cary Elwes,Seth MacFarlane
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Summary

A prescient warning of a future we now inhabit, where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace

“A glorious book... A spirited defense of science... From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought.” - Los Angeles Times

How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions.

Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms.

Praise for The Demon-Haunted World

“Powerful... A stirring defense of informed rationality... Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing.” - The Washington Post Book World

“Compelling.” - USA Today

“A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference... A testimonial to the power of science and a warning of the dangers of unrestrained credulity.” - The Sciences

“Passionate.” - San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle

©1996 Carl Sagan (P)2017 Brilliance Audio, all rights reserved.

What listeners say about The Demon-Haunted World

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Arguments remain as valid as ever

The arguments in the book remain completely valid and even more so in today’s strange political climate.
Unfortunately the reading performance, is rather poor - the reader often speaks by, phrases rather than sentences, which renders it often painful, to listen to, and loses the passion that we know Sagan, was able to convey with his own voice. (Commas for effect of the voice...)

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34 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Poorly read classic

One of my fave books. However, I have no idea how this was authorised. The reading style is awful and makes it very difficult to follow. Suggest you look for the older recordings!

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29 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

S'alright

Mostly good. A bit dry at times, the narrator does not help this one bit in his monotony. The information is broadly given with a handful of specific mentions of events. There was this really weird bit where it almost felt like Sagan was advocating for not believing women when they've been raped, which not only was very out of place, made me feel supremely uncomfortable.

It's also very America-centric, but I suppose that's to be expected.

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15 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Utterly brilliant and timeless! Read it now!

Every chapter deals with an area of human vulnerability and highlights the villans and heros who have advocated or fought against ignorance and stupidity. I thought the subject might be dated but it is more relevant now in 2018 than before. Sagan would not want to be compared to the likes of Nostradamus but his writing has an eerie sense of the doom many of us feel today. Have we gone past the tipping point or can we somehow find a candle in the dark!

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12 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Clear writing expressing powerful ideas

A delightful celebration of intelligence, liberal values, humanity, tolerance and understanding. It reads as a contemporary text in its relevance to ignorance, brutality and lies.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Classic Sagan... And a classic from Sagan...

This excellent book from Carl Sagan is very much still relevant today as it was when he wrote the book 25 or so years ago...

The book is well thought out and the arguments so finely tuned that I find it hard to critique... The world is so much worse for the loss of the intellect and passion of Sagan...

Stupidity and moronic beliefs still hamper nations, governments and the populous that its hard to see how anything can lead us out of the darkness... But Sagan was right... If anything can it is science and reason...

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Sarcastic tone of Narrator let’s it down.

I loved this book while reading it,
Hearing it on this audible I felt at times throughout the book, annoyed by the tone the narrator.
He has a sarcastic and antagonistic tone that was never what I took from the book.
It’s really annoying and put me off hearing the full book.
I don’t believe The writers perspective was coming from an arrogant and dogmatic place( as the narrator seems to come from from) it was simply questioning beliefs, sharing facts
And asking questions that ask the viewer to enquire themselves into these topics
From a more balanced and grounded perspective.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A much needed skeptic view of the world.

The world remains filled with quacks and pseudoscience, it is very important to have the tools to perceive the reality and spot the baloney!

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A light not dimmed

Excellent audio book of a great book from the much missed Carl Sagan. You must own this book.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

preaching to the converted

hammers the point home. unnecessary for sceptics. great performance very clear. goes on a bit

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4 people found this helpful