Secrets of the Moon
Myth and Mysticism, History and Science
Secrets of the Moon is an enthusiastic science book that is filled with interesting information about the moon and how it impacts life on Earth.
Andrew Osiow’s science book Secrets of the Moon boasts a wealth of knowledge about Earth’s heavenly neighbor and human efforts to understand it.
Embodying a sense of the moon’s centrality to human history, the text is organized to reflect the lunar calendar, beginning in January and moving through to the end of the year. Each season is made to correspond to historical ideas about the moon, covering topics like how the Assyrians responded to the spring equinox and the meaning of fall’s hunter’s moon. Shorter sections include quotations from famous people about the moon that add a further sense of context to the book.
There’s also a sense of loss here: after people walked on the moon, Osiow says, society became disenchanted with it. To counter this, his book reclaims the moon’s complex history, myths, and legends to regenerate intrigue about the moon. This work begins with the evocative image of the moon’s shadow crossing the earth, its darkness thrusting people back into a primordial state, leading to a mixture of spiritual enlightenment and scientific awakening. This image follows the book as it revolves around two central notions: that the moon is crucial for human survival, and that it has become a cornerstone of society.
Indeed, Osiow is an effective evangelist for the moon, positioning it as no mere minor planetary body, but a place that is special and that should be treasured more than it already is. Ranging anecdotes and historical facts pervade the text to support such notions, covering events like the Apollo missions with infectious enthusiasm. Here, every human move toward the moon feeds into a hopeful vision for the future of the species. The efforts of astronauts and others are heralded throughout as exemplary, as is the human impulse to strive toward the stars. Stories about humans and the moon are also used to suggest that people are intellectually gifted enough to better society’s trajectory. Still, the book itself does not move far beyond its hope-filled visions and historical trivia; many questions about the moon’s alluded-to hidden depths remain at its ending.
Secrets of the Moon is an enthusiastic science text that is filled with interesting information about the moon as well as visions about how it has impacted life on Earth and what it means for humanity’s future.
Reviewed by
Jeremiah Rood
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
