An exhilarating journey through the most exciting frontiers in astronomy, ranging from the scientific version of the story of genesis (the first stars) to the mysteries of black holes, the search for extraterrestrial life and the future of our universe (including the merger of the Milky Way with its neighbor Andromeda into a new galaxy, "Milkomeda"). Avi Loeb, Chair of the Astronomy department and Director of the Institute for Theory & Computation at Harvard University who made pioneering contributions to these frontiers, describes them at a layperson level from a firsthand experience. In 2012, TIME magazine selected Loeb as one of the 25 most influential people in space.

The second part of the book includes writings from Loeb's youth when he was drawn to philosophy while growing up on a farm. The book details Loeb's unusual career path from philosophy to science as well as his original views on taking risks in research and promoting diversity.

Below are some quotes from the book:

"… When I look up into the sky at night, I often wonder whether we humans are too preoccupied with ourselves. There is much more to the universe than meets the eye on earth. As an astrophysicist I have the privilege of being paid to think about the sky, and it puts things in perspective for me."

“When I look at the stars of the Milky Way on a clear night, they appear to me like the lights of a giant spaceship streaming through the universe. Are there any passengers around the other lights in this spaceship? It would be fun to know and perhaps, share experiences with them."

"I find it alarming that today’s young astrophysicists often invest their time conservatively in mainstream ideas that have already been extensively explored. There is a better path for doing science."

"Instead of defining our research objectives narrowly, we must open our minds to completely different and more exciting discoveries that may be lurking at the periphery of our field of view."

"Any ambitious construction project requires architects and engineers. As research shifts towards large groups that focus on the engineering aspects of linking data to existing models, architectural skills are becoming rare among young theorists."

"Science can only blossom if young researchers are rewarded for acquired skills and growth rather than inherited academic ancestry."

"To cultivate innovation, we should always encourage creativity beyond the comfort limits that we establish for ourselves. Keeping a wide variety of matches in our matchbox will guarantee that not all of them will be duds. Hopefully, a few will light up in the dark to guide us how to move forward."

"The barriers I had to overcome through my unusual career path taught me freedom in my choice of research topics and diversity in my selection of collaborators […]

Throughout my career, there were several junctions where I could have been diverted to less fortunate paths. Some of the main opportunities that benefited me arrived by pure chance. Since things could have turned out differently, there must be many ``Loebs'' out there with similar qualifications who did not have these opportunities. With this in mind, I am deeply committed to help young researchers fulfill their potential.

About a decade ago, I moved to my current home and discovered a broken branch on a young tree in the yard. The gardener recommended cutting off the branch, but close inspection revealed that living fibers were still linking the branch to the tree and so I chose to tie the branch to the tree with an insulation tape. Today the branch rises to the sky far above my height, but the insulation tape is still visible at my eye level. Every month I stare at the robust branch whose base swallowed the insulation tape in a slow kiss that lasted years, and think how important it is to strengthen young researchers at the fragile beginning of their career."