A moment of reflection
Helpful votes received on reviews & lists:
88% (11,786 of 13,540)
Nickname: bigbunyip
Location: Ottawa, Ontario Canada
Birthday: 9 Aug (Saved Remind mePlease RetryPlease Retry)
In My Own Words:
An avid reader since inheriting a full bookshelf many years ago, few topics fail to interest me. From a focus on history and society, i've tended to delve into various science fields [for 'delve,' read 'skim.'] In the words attributed to Erasmus, 'When i have little money, i buy books. If i have any left over, i buy food and clothes.' Debating the topics of my reading is the final fulfillment. … Read moreAn avid reader since inheriting a full bookshelf many years ago, few topics fail to interest me. From a focus on history and society, i've tended to delve into various science fields [for 'delve,' read 'skim.'] In the words attributed to Erasmus, 'When i have little money, i buy books. If i have any left over, i buy food and clothes.' Debating the topics of my reading is the final fulfillment. I enjoy debating the topics of my reading, so don't hesitate to send your views along.
the Bunyip
stephen
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Reviews
Reviewer Rank: 10 - Total Helpful Votes: 11786 of 13540
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9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
It's a sad commentary that any introductory book on biology published in the US must devote pages and ink to refuting the rants of "anti-Darwinists" in that nation. Richard Dawkins ["The Selfish Gene"] holds a chair at promoting "Public Understanding of Science" at Oxford. Carroll, whose role as a professor of genetics provides firm underpinning, is establishing himself in a similar niche in the US. This book is an example of how well he can fulfill that undertaking. In his previous work "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", Carroll described some of the manifestations of the genome's activities. In this book he delves more into today's operations within the genome and how those were derived from… Read more
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28 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
Folklore, ancient or modern, is one of the major foundation stones of the Discworld books. Human nature being another, one assumes. Discworld folklore is a trivia test among Discworld fans who will slyly ask one another [generally over a pint], if they can identify the origins of a certain figure or idea. With some slight discrepancies between UK and North American versions, such exchanges can become, well, spirited. "Elves or elfs?" is always good for starting an evening.
Pratchett and Simpson sort all this out - and much else besides - in this delightful work on matters folklorish. Typically, the prompt for the book was Pratchett chanting as he signed a previous release: "How… Read more
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
Combining a long career in the field with a fine narrative style, Renfrew provides a succinct summary of human origins. In a brief overview, the author manages to trace the beginnings of humanity in Africa and how we learned to follow its track across the planet. Well formulated for the reader new to the various research tools that have helped this process, it's also an excellent reference for those conversant with the basics to enlarge their view.
Relying on a global perspective, his account stretches from African beginnings through Asia and Europe and to Mesoamerica. His expansive view allows him to address the question of "how we came to be" with deep insight. "Prehistory",… Read more
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