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This Ordinary Stardust: A Scientist's Path from Grief to Wonder Kindle Edition

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 117 ratings

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"[A] remarkable account of a shifting consciousness” - Publisher’s Weekly, starred review

“An extraordinary, powerful book” - David Quammen, author of
The Heartbeat of the Wild and Breathless

A compassionate exploration of scientific wonder that offers “a fresh perspective on life, death, and the bittersweet consequences of impermanence,” (Jon Krakauer) as illuminated through the tragic dual cancer diagnoses of author Dr. Alan Townsend’s wife and daughter.


A decade ago, Dr. Alan Townsend’s family received two unthinkable, catastrophic diagnoses: his 4-year-old daughter and his brilliant scientist wife developed unrelated, life-threatening forms of brain cancer. As he witnessed his young daughter fight during the courageous final months of her mother’s life, Townsend – a lifelong scientist – was indelibly altered. He began to see scientific inquiry as more than a source of answers to a given problem, but also as a lifeboat: a lens on the world that could help him find peace with the painful realities he could not change. Through scientific wonder, he found ways to bring meaning to his darkest period. 

At a time when society’s relationship with science is increasingly polarized while threats to human life on earth continue to rise, Townsend offers a balanced, moving perspective on the common ground between science and religion through the spiritual fulfillment he found in his work. Awash in Townsend's electrifying and breathtaking prose, THIS ORDINARY STARDUST offers hope that life can carry on even in the face of near-certain annihilation.

From the Publisher

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"[A] remarkable account of a shifting consciousness that's likely to shift the reader's own." ―Publisher's Weekly, starred review

"This is not a book that provides easy answers to life’s most difficult questions, but one that suggests plausible means of reconceiving our place within a relentlessly fluid universe. An insightful exploration of loss and the role of intellectual curiosity and spiritual openness in addressing it." ―
Kirkus

"
This Ordinary Stardust is a wondrous book that reduced me to tears and brought me a fresh perspective on life, death, and the bittersweet consequences of impermanence. It also happens to be a page turner I couldn’t put down."―Jon Krakauer

"This is an extraordinary, powerful book full of science and suffering, spirit and love. It’s rare to encounter such a rich mix, and Alan Townsend’s steady voice makes it all work."―
David Quammen, author of The Heartbeat of the Wild and Breathless

“In sharing his own story through searing grief, Alan Townsend shows us — in a way that nobody else could — how scientists are first and foremost people, with hearts both delicate and resilient.”―
Hope Jahren, author of National Book Critic’s Circle Award-winning Lab Girl

"Watching his wife receiving a last-ditch experimental treatment for her brain cancer, Alan Townsend contemplates “the fusion of science and love.”  This pairing seems deeply oxymoronic…unless you actually know scientists for whom science and emotion are mutually sustaining.  This beautiful, powerful book tells how Townsend, amid unimaginable pain, finds solace in science – both for what it can explain and for what we know it never purports to."―
Robert Sapolsky, New York Times bestselling author of Behave

"Alan Townsend's 
This Ordinary Stardust is an immortal monument to one man's daughter and late wife as well as one scientist's impassioned hopes for humanity and the planet. A towering achievement."―Jayson Greene, author of Once More We Saw Stars

About the Author

Dr. Alan R. Townsend is a scientist, author, speaker, and dean of the University of Montana’s W. A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation. He is a highly cited author of more than 140 scientific articles and has served in multiple prominent leadership roles. He was named an Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow and a Google Science Communication Fellow and was one of six scientists chosen to be in the Let Science Speak documentary film series, which premiered at the Tribeca TV Festival in September of 2018. He lives in Montana with his family and two ridiculous dogs.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CH82QG3M
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Publishing (June 4, 2024)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 4, 2024
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1716 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 262 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 117 ratings

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
117 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's narrative compelling and inspiring. They praise the beautiful prose that contemplates nature and science. The story is praised for its thoughtful reflections on love and loss, as well as the portrayal of family relationships.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

6 customers mention "Storytelling"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the storytelling compelling and inspiring. They describe the book as a sad tale but uplifting, with an insightful portrayal of family. The story is richly woven, touching them on many levels and leaving them in tears. Readers find the narrative honest, beautiful, and raw.

"...the protagonist almost seems “too good to be true” - brilliant, empathetic, extraordinarily driven, a caring warrior-mom, all packaged into a..." Read more

"...Townsend writes a compelling story of family alongside insightful portrayals of the natural world, ultimately investigating the entanglement of..." Read more

"Not for the casual reader but a tale of overcoming grief." Read more

"Inspiring story filled with science, love, imagination, and loss. It touched me on so many levels and left me in tears." Read more

5 customers mention "Readability"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read. They appreciate the beautiful prose and contemplative nature themes. The book is filled with science, imagination, and loss, exploring the mysteries and wonders of the universe.

"...the same note, the protagonist almost seems “too good to be true” - brilliant, empathetic, extraordinarily driven, a caring warrior-mom, all..." Read more

"...for anyone and everyone to explore the great mysteries and wonder of the universe - what we can learn from the lives of those around us, the natural..." Read more

"Inspiring story filled with science, love, imagination, and loss. It touched me on so many levels and left me in tears." Read more

"...offers a powerful narrative of how being a true scientist - humble, wondrous, curious, complex - helps him navigate two simultaneous hardships of..." Read more

5 customers mention "Thought provoking"5 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's thoughtful and honest storytelling. They find it explores the mysteries of nature and science through Diana's passion for science. The writing is described as beautiful.

"...What was special about this story was how much Diana’s passion for science, her intense curiosity and drive to learn, was so a part of living for her..." Read more

"...It is a book for anyone and everyone to explore the great mysteries and wonder of the universe - what we can learn from the lives of those around us..." Read more

"Inspiring story filled with science, love, imagination, and loss. It touched me on so many levels and left me in tears." Read more

"...Townsend's tribute to Diana and their journey together to be honest, beautiful, and raw...." Read more

3 customers mention "Love"3 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the story's love themes. They mention the love of parents for their children, a husband for his wife, and living life to the fullest.

"...Love of parents for their child, a husband for his wife, and also for living life to its fullest...." Read more

"...wife Diana, who in the face of devastation, is all the more generous, loving, and luminous as she interacts, connects, and ultimately departs from..." Read more

"Inspiring story filled with science, love, imagination, and loss. It touched me on so many levels and left me in tears." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2024
    This Ordinary Stardust is a deep and richly woven story about love and loss. Love of parents for their child, a husband for his wife, and also for living life to its fullest. The book jacket describes it as “A scientist’s path from grief to wonder” but that description made the story sound more linear than I found it to be. Both grief and wonder were woven throughout. As a scientist myself, I was taken by the concepts introduced about how our minds try and make sense of it when bad things happen to us, often trying to extrapolate too much causation when statistically improbable things happen, like a mother and daughter being diagnosed with completely unrelated different types of brain tumors within just a year or two of each other. Sometimes lightening does just strike twice, and it can be hard for the analytical part of our brains to accept that. On the same note, the protagonist almost seems “too good to be true” - brilliant, empathetic, extraordinarily driven, a caring warrior-mom, all packaged into a person with a wicked sense of humor and a smile that literally lights up the room. As improbable as it seems for all of these amazing characteristics to coalesce in one person, they did in Diana. I know because I knew her, and as I read memories of her leapt out at me from the pages. I also feel like on a certain level I got to know her better than I had while reading, and for that I am grateful to Alan for writing this book. Whenever I hear about someone dying before their time, it causes a reaction of - you never know what can happen, don’t put off what you want to do for “some day” - do it now! Sometimes this results in conversations with my husband about when we can retire from our jobs so we can really start “living.” What was special about this story was how much Diana’s passion for science, her intense curiosity and drive to learn, was so a part of living for her, and how it helped her in diverse ways when faced with crushing challenges. As someone who often gets pulled into the stresses that a scientific career can bring, this story reminded me of that spark, that curiosity, and how extraordinarily lucky I am to do what I do for a living. As much as I wish I was bumping into Diana at scientific conferences and talking about microbial community dynamics over a beer and not writing this review, and though I shed more than a few tears while reading this book, I am glad that I did.
    27 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2024
    This is a book I looked to pick up any free moment I had, but also to savor for its beautiful prose and thoughtful reflections. Townsend, shares his family's story and that of his wife Diana, who in the face of devastation, is all the more generous, loving, and luminous as she interacts, connects, and ultimately departs from the world amidst her pursuits in science. Townsend writes a compelling story of family alongside insightful portrayals of the natural world, ultimately investigating the entanglement of science, nature and the incomprehensible meanderings of our human lives.

    It is a book for anyone and everyone to explore the great mysteries and wonder of the universe - what we can learn from the lives of those around us, the natural world, our faith in something greater, and science.
    16 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2024
    Not for the casual reader but a tale of overcoming grief.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2024
    Inspiring story filled with science, love, imagination, and loss. It touched me on so many levels and left me in tears.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2024
    Everyone loves and grieves in their own way - there is no measure of either as the depth cannot be quantified. I believe in some way this is what Dr. Townsend was attempting to express along with many other facets of trying to rationalize the random unfairness of illness, particularly the kind that has no current cure. For all that science has demonstrated, there are limits and these limits require our faith and trust even at the most challenging times. The fact that Dr. Townsend loved, admired and respected his wife - her strength, dedication to her chosen profession, support of her husband, deep devotion to her child - is readily apparent in the pages, even when told in snippets of italicized conversation. It goes without saying they were both devastated by the diagnosis of their daughter, who appears to possess wisdom and fortitude beyond her tender years. The fact that both mother and daughter faced such grave diagnoses, did indeed defy all odds. And at such times it’s understandable one would seek explanations, rationalizations, provide hope, offer comfort. While some look to religion, Dr. Townsend turned to what he knew best - science.

    In reading his account, I was able to appreciate his despair, anger, determination, devotion and educational acumen. I wasn’t quite as able to appreciate the reconciliation of grief from a scientific perspective. I’m glad it worked for Dr. Townsend, but I’m unable to draw on any personal insights or inspiration for myself.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2024
    I found Alan Townsend's tribute to Diana and their journey together to be honest, beautiful, and raw. As a fellow biogeoscienist, Alan was able to put words to his love of science that resonated so deeply. Strongly recommend as a gift to the natural scientist in your life or anyone who loves the natural world and is in a space of transition
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on June 30, 2024
    Alan Townsend offers a powerful narrative of how being a true scientist - humble, wondrous, curious, complex - helps him navigate two simultaneous hardships of crisis and grief.
    3 people found this helpful
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