2 book reviews in 1
last week I breezed through “Zero” by Charles Seife. After reading “Here’s Looking at Euclid”, this book was a little repetitive. I’m not sure which came out first, but they have an amazing amount of similar content. Not word for word, but the paragraphs are structured strangely similarly (say that 10 times fast).
It was the history of Zero, but also the history of mathematics. If you’re into that sort of topic and don’t have much time to read, I would recommend this book. It’s quick, entertaining, and a great vacation book.
I also painfully made my way through this book. It’s written by Natalie Angier who writes on biology for the New York Times. In the science realm biologists are kind of looked down upon. They’re more historians than mathematicians and scientists. And many slowly grow into the role of Priest and Prophet for the church of Darwin (i.e. Dawkins and Hitchens). Natalie fits this description to a T.
The book is written in contemporary style, so a certain level of confidence is needed. But Angier turn this confidence into stark condescension. The first chapter on thinking like a scientist is supposed to high light the unbiased nature of scientific thought. But this may be one of the most biased chapters I’ve ever read. It’s irony was glorious. She rants about those darn creationists as if Natural Selection should have weeded them out millennia ago.
The language is cumbersome and forced. The facts are hidden and the reader treated like a toddler. If any naturalists states that biologists have risen above the need for religion, then hand them this book. She refers to her first high power microscope in evangelical terms. A Hallelujah escaped from her lips as she was finally able to see the light.
I would not recommend this book. And because of it, my recent fascination with scientific histories has waned. I’m changing directions.
I’m currently reading a biography of Harriet Tubman. It’s amazing and horrific at the same time. There have been two times I couldn’t see the page because of the tears in my eyes. I’ll fill you in next time.
