"This is a wonderful and truly unique book about the search for connection. Steve has skillfully woven together the story of witnessing a solar eclipse with tender anecdotes of his father-son relationship, and awe-inspiring contemplations of the deepest workings and meanings of the universe derived from the latest scientific understanding. All he writes is in service of helping us find deeper connection - to ourselves, to loved ones, friends, the land we live on and the entire cosmos. His writing touched my heart in so many ways."
- Dr. Mark Westmoquette, Astrophysicist, Zen teacher and mindful stargazing guide
"Steve Martin's moving account of witnessing a lunar eclipse with his son highlights a rare and intimate cosmo-ecological moment. His deep understanding of the universe story, as it is embedded in such an event, makes for engaging and illuminating reading. We are drawn into this eclipse experience with a fresh awareness of our belonging within Earth's living community amid the vast unfolding universe."
- Mary Evelyn Tucker, co-author of Journey of the Universe book and film; Co-director, Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
"Reading Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon, I felt like I was carried along with Stephan Martin, astronomer and mystic, his son Lavender, and fellow seekers on their journey to Baja California. Drumming, dancing, ritual, and swimming with dolphins all led toward four minutes and twenty seconds of awe beneath the darkened sky. Through Stephan's expansive vision, we come to realize that all life forms participate in the great unfolding universe. Diversity is essential, and communion among all Earthlings is the only way forward. An elegant, powerful, and deeply poignant book."
- The Reverend Dr. Lauren Artress, Author of Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Practice
"Scientists are universally drawn to their life work by the sense of wonder they felt as children for some aspect of our magnificent universe. Then they enter graduate school where they learn that to become professional scientists, they need to discard their wonder as without intellectual significance. A few manage to survive, including astronomer Stephan Martin. By deepening both his knowledge and his awe of the universe, Martin's Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon is akin to a sacred script for our time. In telling his fascinating story of the approach and experience of totality with his son and friends, he melds scientific data with the wisdom traditions of women and indigenous nations. His work lives in a new era where science itself will become a wisdom tradition. This is the book I will be recommending to anyone looking for a quick journey into the ideas and experiences of the new cosmological story."
- Brian Thomas Swimme, cosmologist and author of Cosmogenesis and The Hidden Heart of the Cosmos
"Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon is a quietly gripping read—thoughtful, vivid, and deeply human. The book draws you into the deepening relationship between Stephan and his son Nathaniel as well as the Cosmic story - linking inner reflection with the vast, steady presence of the sky—so that wonder never feels distant, but personal.
The result is a balance of wonder and introspection, full of scenes you can almost see and insights that stay with you long after the last page. If you enjoy writing that feels both intimate and expansive, Traveling in the Shadow of the Moon is exactly the kind of book you'll want to keep close."
- Anita Braganza CJ., Executive Director, Springbank Retreat, South Carolina
