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Take Me To Your Leader

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Take Me To Your Leader

By: Neil deGrasse Tyson
Narrated by: Neil deGrasse Tyson
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Brought to you by Penguin.

If you met an alien, what might it be like?

Ever since childhood, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has wanted to be abducted by aliens. Here, he draws upon a lifetime’s fascination to explore the science of alien life – and to offer a practical guide to your first alien encounter.

Would an alien really be a humanoid with a pointy head, or might it look more like a worm, a roving cloud of gas, or perhaps a ‘testicle monster’? How should you communicate with an alien who didn’t speak English, and what does it have to do with the Pythagorean Theorem? Why has no alien (apparently) ever contacted us, and what does that say about our species’ likeability? And if an alien did demand ‘Take me to your leader!’, who are you actually meant to take it to?

Touching on Star Wars and Spielberg, UFOs and Area 51, Take Me to Your Leader is both a romping work of popular science and a love letter to our as-yet-uncontacted extraterrestrial friends. It is the most entertaining book ever written by one of the best-loved scientists in the world, and perhaps in the galaxy.

© Neil deGrasse Tyson 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

 Astronomy Astronomy & Space Science Cosmology History History & Philosophy Science Social Sciences
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Critic reviews

Close encounters of the hilarious kind…. A fun romp through the possibilities of alien lifeforms and the physics that might allow them to land in our backyards.
Delivering a refreshing fusion of science, pop culture, history, and esoteric humor, renowned astrophysicist, lecturer, and best selling author Neil deGrasse Tyson takes us on a whirlwind tour of UFO culture and speculations on how first contact might actually happen.…It's the perfect pocket-sized hardback that offers up Tyson's witty thoughts regarding alien abductions, UAP sightings, and flying saucer lore, as seen through his unique commonsensical delivery.
All stars
Most relevant
Excellent narration and a good rational scientific view on the search for intelligent life. Would be great if he could do a book on his thoughts on the best methods to find intelligent life and his views on the current methods.

Enjoyable listen

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I appreciate facts but it quickly became clear that the author was on a mission. His arguments were sometimes feeble and very tenuous. His only contribution to the incident where children had witnessed a UFO was to state, "how many child witnesses equal one adult witness and how many adult witness statements can be proved. Great analysis.

His style of refusing to be open in his thinking reminds me of the "qualified archeologists" who still insist that ancient Egyptians engineered huge blocks of granite, with smooth, polished edges and accurate 90 degree angles with corners all done with stone hammers, copper chisels and even sand because the facts are that those are the only artifacts that have been found and therefore it must be true.

Also, similar to the "qualified archeologists" who deny evidence of pre historic civilisations in America as evidenced in "America Before" by Graham Hancock.

As the author mentions once or twice, absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence.

Disappointing and ultimately boring.

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Mostly re-hashed scepticism from old interviews. Was expecting some insight on the disclosure campaign and recent US government hearings. Not dismissing the science but it was nothing new. Not good value, especially given the relatively short length.

Disappointing

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