A must for fans of Gardner, and for rationalists of all stripes.
America’s favorite skeptic (Visitors From Oz, 1998, etc.) presents another smorgasbord of common sense, practical criticism, and entertainment.
The subtitle only begins to do justice to the range of these essays from various periodicals, primarily Gardner's long-running column in the now-defunct Skeptical Inquirer. For many readers, the real fun will consist of watching the author turn his microscope on the pseudoscientific and irrational. You can practically see him shaking his head at some of the interpretations of the classic fairy tale he examines in “Little Red Riding Hood.” And his essay on Ernest Hemingway, which Gardner himself frankly describes as “a hatchet job,” will likely make even that writer’s admirers think twice about Hemingway’s brutal egotism. Nor does the author find much to admire in Indian guru (and messiah of theosophy) Krishnamurti. But Gardner’s full arsenal of indignation only becomes apparent in essays on medical or psychological quackery such as therapeutic touch, primal-scream therapy, and facilitated communication. The psychologist Bruno Bettelheim, whose work with autistic children was once considered definitive, does not escape Gardner's scorn for his contention that maternal coldness is at the root of autism. His exposé of primal-scream therapy concludes with a transcript of therapists bullying a young girl through a “reenactment” of her birth—a session that resulted in the child’s death. The menu is not restricted to debunking, however; Gardner displays his enthusiasms for GK Chesterton, L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, and mathematical puzzlements. His sense of humor peeks through in clerihews and parodies, as well as in occasional asides about his more serious subjects. There are copious notes for readers interested in following up the author's research.
A must for fans of Gardner, and for rationalists of all stripes.Pub Date: July 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-393-05742-9
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Norton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2003
An intriguing meditation on the nature of the universe and our attempts to understand it that should appeal to both...
Italian theoretical physicist Rovelli (General Relativity: The Most Beautiful of Theories, 2015, etc.) shares his thoughts on the broader scientific and philosophical implications of the great revolution that has taken place over the past century.
These seven lessons, which first appeared as articles in the Sunday supplement of the Italian newspaper Sole 24 Ore, are addressed to readers with little knowledge of physics. In less than 100 pages, the author, who teaches physics in both France and the United States, cogently covers the great accomplishments of the past and the open questions still baffling physicists today. In the first lesson, he focuses on Einstein's theory of general relativity. He describes Einstein's recognition that gravity "is not diffused through space [but] is that space itself" as "a stroke of pure genius." In the second lesson, Rovelli deals with the puzzling features of quantum physics that challenge our picture of reality. In the remaining sections, the author introduces the constant fluctuations of atoms, the granular nature of space, and more. "It is hardly surprising that there are more things in heaven and earth, dear reader, than have been dreamed of in our philosophy—or in our physics,” he writes. Rovelli also discusses the issues raised in loop quantum gravity, a theory that he co-developed. These issues lead to his extraordinary claim that the passage of time is not fundamental but rather derived from the granular nature of space. The author suggests that there have been two separate pathways throughout human history: mythology and the accumulation of knowledge through observation. He believes that scientists today share the same curiosity about nature exhibited by early man.
An intriguing meditation on the nature of the universe and our attempts to understand it that should appeal to both scientists and general readers.Pub Date: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-399-18441-3
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Riverhead
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The Johnstown Flood was one of the greatest natural disasters of all time (actually manmade, since it was precipitated by a wealthy country club dam which had long been the source of justified misgivings). This then is a routine rundown of the catastrophe of May 31st, 1889, the biggest news story since Lincoln's murder in which thousands died. The most interesting incidental: a baby floated unharmed in its cradle for eighty miles.... Perhaps of local interest-but it lacks the Lord-ly touch.
Pub Date: March 18, 1968
ISBN: 0671207148
Page Count: 312
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1968
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