When Carl Sagan received the highest award of the National Academy of Sciences in 1994, the citation read: "No one has ever succeeded in conveying the wonder, excitement, and joy of science ... and few as well". Time and time again Sagan has earned that accolade with, among others, The Demon-Haunted World, Pale Blue Dot, and Cosmos. Now, in Billions and Billions, he applies what we know about science, mathematics, and space to everyday life as he leads his readers on a fascinating journey from the invention of the game of chess to the question of life on Mars, and from global warming to the abortion debate. In addition, we are given a rare glimpse of Sagan himself with "In the Valley of Shadow", his moving, very personal account of his valiant struggle with the disease myelodysplasia.

Throughout, Sagan provides clarity and understanding for an audience eager to make sense of the world around it as it prepares for the challenges of the coming millennium and, in the process, he illuminates our ability to understand ourselves and to change the world for the better.