Starlight An Introduction to Stellar Physics for Amateurs

From the reviews:

“Understanding stars without understanding maths (well, almost) is Robinson’s aim and he succeeds brilliantly in Starlight. There is a bit of maths but, on the whole, concepts such as radiative transfer, hydrostatic equilibrium and stellar evolution are thoroughly explained by diagrams and analogies … . If you would love to know why Cepheids pulsate or why hot stars don’t always radiate in the ultraviolet … this is the book for you.” (Chris Kitchin, Sky at Night Magazine, June, 2010)

“Astronomer Robinson … undertook the daunting task of exploring the concepts underlying the physical conditions in stars with words rather than in equations so that amateur astronomers might gain a deeper appreciation of these familiar and fascinating objects. … The author does a particularly good job describing the magnitude (brightness) and colors of stars. … Starlight is a lucid presentation of complex physical principles which will be richly rewarding to serious readers. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division under graduates and general readers.” (D. E. Hogg, Choice, Vol. 47 (9), May, 2010)

“Keith Robinson’s recent publication presents a good, easily accessible account of basic stellar physics. … It would be a good resource for, say, a GCSE-level or amateur astronomer, and I would recommend it to that readership. … However, the book’s aim of communicating the basics of stellar astrophysics at a beginner’s level is achieved. All in all, Robinson’s book is a well-put-together resource for the amateur astronomer, explaining the basic concepts and equations pertinent to the study of the stars.” (N. J. Dickinson, The Observatory, Vol. 130, October, 2010)