A wide-ranging and often engaging discussion of the workings of the observable, living world.
This thought experiment–turned-manifesto delves into the possibilities of intelligent-design theory.
Simmons (To Glue or Not To Glue, 2009, etc.) brings his multifaceted interests and his background as a medical doctor to this sweeping discussion of macroevolution and intelligent-design theory. The ambitious scale of the book belies its relatively straightforward purpose: to make a case for intelligent design through examples of intricate complexity in nature and humans’ own innate interest in re-creating versions of themselves—from dolls to robots to clones. He discusses a wide range of topics, including the water cycle and the history of corrective lenses, to offer evidence of what he sees as the unlikelihood of evolutionary development. Along the way, the author uses colloquial language, such as “scare the bejesus out of us,” to create moments of humor in an otherwise sober manifesto. Some chapters provide intriguing intersections of ideas—for example, in one, he argues that the sense of hearing is so diverse and complex in nature that it must have been made by design, while also noting that we, as humans, have the capacity to create robots that can hear. The most enthralling sections, though, focus on the wonder and complexity of life on Earth; at times, the author’s refrain about intelligent design fades into the background as his sheer fascination regarding life’s breadth, and the intricacy of such processes as locomotion, takes center stage. The book also offers thought-provoking quotes between chapters from famous and nonfamous people, which adds to the meditative tone of some discussions, and a substantial portion of the text is dedicated to the concept of self-awareness and the question of how nonhuman life thinks. The conclusion offers an insightful look forward.
A wide-ranging and often engaging discussion of the workings of the observable, living world.Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-69501-293-6
Page Count: 308
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Nov. 20, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An extravaganza in Bemelmans' inimitable vein, but written almost dead pan, with sly, amusing, sometimes biting undertones, breaking through. For Bemelmans was "the man who came to cocktails". And his hostess was Lady Mendl (Elsie de Wolfe), arbiter of American decorating taste over a generation. Lady Mendl was an incredible person,- self-made in proper American tradition on the one hand, for she had been haunted by the poverty of her childhood, and the years of struggle up from its ugliness,- until she became synonymous with the exotic, exquisite, worshipper at beauty's whrine. Bemelmans draws a portrait in extremes, through apt descriptions, through hilarious anecdote, through surprisingly sympathetic and understanding bits of appreciation. The scene shifts from Hollywood to the home she loved the best in Versailles. One meets in passing a vast roster of famous figures of the international and artistic set. And always one feels Bemelmans, slightly offstage, observing, recording, commenting, illustrated.
Pub Date: Feb. 23, 1955
ISBN: 0670717797
Page Count: -
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1955
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