Anónimo

Humorous, Enjoyable Treatment of a Dark Subject

Revisado: 11-25-20

Katie Mack is a cosmologist with a wonderful and irreverent sense of humor. This is a valuable trait in one who is writing about something as potentially dark about how the universe will come to an end. I trust her science is good. But to have the bonus that she puts it in a way that had me smiling and sometimes even laughing as I listened is a wonderful addition. Some of the science is a bit extreme for my brain but she generally simplifies (and acknowledges that she is doing so) in the interest of making something comprehensible while still true.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 3 personas

Amusing and Yet Tells a Cohesive, Well-done Story

Revisado: 11-25-20

The author's thesis, hardly earth shattering, is that we are the products of our evolution and, thus, this means we have detritus from our evolution that we could well do without, but which occur be were evolved and were not created all at once. The author shows what this detritus is, what effects it has on us, and how it came about. It is, thus, a strong argument for the view that we are an evolved species, not one created all at once. It seems self-evident that this is the case based on all the evidence of today and yet there are far too many who dispute that. Or, to put it a different way, if we were created "in god's image," then how messed up is that deity.

The author writes well and keeps the interest going from start to finish. The narrator is understandable and personable. Very enjoyable.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Bit Too Much True Believe

Revisado: 09-07-20

As a local library commissioner, I was looking forward to reading this book. It promised to tell me how libraries should adapt and change for the digital age while remaining true to the purpose. The author has done a lot in terms of libraries and in bringing forward what is needed for the digital challenge faced by libraries today. But I got more of a sense of a book by a true believer pontificating to like-minded individuals than to setting forth a well-reasoned proposal for action. Mr. Plafrey has done a lot of great things since getting involved with libraries and the Digital Public Library of America. But as a local library commissioner I could not find a good clear path forward to whatever his ultimate vision is. I was left with the feeling that whatever truths existed here in 2015 when the book was published, by 2020 the digital world had passed it by.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 1 persona

Addresses are fascinating

Revisado: 07-20-20

Maybe I am a geek but I found this book full of absolutely fascinating information. Plus it brought its subject right to today’s headlines — streets named for Confederate generals and how the lack of an address is one of the biggest problems being faced by those experiencing homelessness.

Have you ever wondered why there are all these anomalies in Manhattan building addresses? What alternatives are there to addresses and what do they say about that country’s culture? These are just a couple of the issues raised in this book.

Absolutely fascinating and well told.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Fabulous Story about Important Science

Revisado: 03-03-20

Jennifer Doudna should be one of those who gets the Nobel Prize when it's awarded for Crispr. But in this book she, instead, weaves wonderful stories all about how she came to be involved in one of the most important scientific developments in history. She manages to keep us out of the weeds about Crispr while still understanding its basics. And she lets us know about the people involved, especially including her. And, like the good scientist that she is, she also leads us down the ethical path she walked once Crispr worked and created the ethical dilemmas that the science creates.

Update: Doudna (who has a last name that ends in DNA) was co-winner with Emmanuelle Charpentier of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2020 for their discovery of Crispr-CAS9. This should settle the issue of who rightfully bears the credit (ignoring the fact that we've gotten to the place in most all science awards that it takes a village. But to the extent it does take such a village, Doudna and Charpentier deserve to be the mayors.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Good but More Statistics than Biology

Revisado: 02-08-20

I bought this title following a story on Science Friday about it being a book about biological statistics. This is true to some extent and I believe that is the author's field. But it is much more a book about statistics. That is not meant as crticisim about a very good book about statistics including algorithms. And the 7 principles that form the subtitle of the book at made part of the chapters but never by name and not as being what the subtitle refers to until the last part of the last chapter.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 33 personas

Great but a little hard to follow orally

Revisado: 01-25-20

This book is a compelling telling of McWhorter’s view as to how we really got our English language which is at odds with the “traditional” arguments. While we will never know the actual truth, McWhorter makes a very good argument for his position. I am not a linguist so I cannot tell which position is more likely but am glad to get this view — and McWhorter also gives the “devil” his due as well in presenting the arguments against them.

The only issue is much of the arguments are based on sound patterns which are not clear to my ear in the spoken form of this book but probably are clearer in the written form.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña