Science & Nature How Intelligence Happens By John Duncan Yale University Press, $28.00, 256 pages John Duncan recognizes how order is born out of what seems to be chaos. It is through curiosity and study that we find order in chaos. He describes the essence of how things are, and why they are that way, as a machine — the thing to study. There we must seek out the regularity within the machine. Then the author surprises us by delving deeper into understanding how it is that our sense of logic emerges from our sense of perception. It is rather like getting into a gripping novel, and then, just when we get our minds in tune with what drives us into the story, the plot thickens. Duncan’s arguments make a great case for Gestalt Theory and Mental Set. With these tools described in layman terms, he reveals How Intelligence Happens. The book is an invigorating read, giving the reader a chance to reflect on how the principles Duncan poses reflect on what we perceive as thinkers. It’s an easy and energizing read. It’s winter reading at its best. Reviewed by D. Wayne Dworsky You Are the Earth: Know Your World So You Can Help Make It Better By David Suzuki and Kathy Vanderlinden Greystone Books, $16.95, 144 pages David Suzuki has spent a career sharing his interest in natural history and environmental responsibility, especially with young people. In You Are the Earth, he draws together a medley of information on our threatened natural world, and the way salvation is at hand if our surroundings are treated with respect rather than exploited. It’s not a unique idea but Suzuki, co-author Kathy Vanderlinden, and illustrator Wallace Edwards present their case in a gripping manner, mostly filling the pages with hands-on experiments alongside folktales that illustrate the universality of the subject. The activities invite more stimulating opportunities than a classroom allows, and Suzuki’s enthusiasm comes across as he includes his own childhood experiences. At times the voice is open and direct with the readers, but in patches it seems to be directed at a much younger audience; the two tones don’t quite blend.
This is not a book for a quick read. It’s chock-a-block with a wealth of ideas to be enjoyed with friends or siblings who will soon be captivated with the same gusto as the authors. Reviewed by Jane Manaster In Search of the Multiverse: Parallel Worlds, Hidden Dimensions, and the Ultimate Quest for the Frontiers of Reality By John Gribbin Wiley, $24.95, 240 pages John Gribbin, an acclaimed science writer and astrophysicist, tackles a number of subjects in his new book, In Search of the Multiverse. People are often sent running for the hills when they hear terms like quantum mechanics, and string theory, not to mention the important differences between general and special relativity. The key with Gribbin is that he doesn’t hold back in throwing the reader into the thick of all this scientific thought and theory. He then leaves them there, but acts as a life-saving guide, taking readers along step-by-step, explaining terms and ideas in their simplest form and in a way that any reader can appreciate and understand. He also provides numerous examples with normal everyday settings, and fully admits that there are areas of the above mentioned terms that no one fully understands, at least not yet. Quantum mechanics for one: the idea that every possibility in a particular situation can be achieved in an instant to the point where possibilities in other dimensions are reached. It all sounds like science fiction, and yet results have somehow been achieved. Gribbin takes you through, thoroughly, so in the end – at least for a little while – you are able to grasp what’s going on. The other key to In Search of the Universe is that it’s not a 600- to 800-page tome, but a relatively short 200 pages, with concise chapters, making it easier for the reader to get through these complex subjects at a decent pace and to reread, if necessary. And how many parallel universes are there out there? Well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out. Reviewed by Alex Telander National Geographic Kids: The Ultimate Dinopedia By Don Lessem National Geographic Children’s, $24.95, 272 pages The Ultimate Dinopedia is divided into four main sections. The first section tackles general information such as extinction, mi-
gration, and paleontologists with two pages of easy-to-digest information, illustrations, and photographs per subject. One section each is devoted to plant eaters and meat eaters. Each dinosaur gets two pages: one large illustration and one information page including things like physical description, geographic area, and interesting facts. There are also photographs that are relevant to dinosaurs: fossils, tools, similar existing animals. The final section is a dictionary which organizes the dinosaurs alphabetically. After life with two young dinosaur enthusiasts, I thought I knew everything about dinosaurs. But I happily learned many new facts from The Ultimate Dinopedia. This book will have a long shelf life: Younger readers will soak in the action packed illustrations while older readers learn from the text. You’ll appreciate the page number references in many dinosaur descriptions that lead you to others with similar characteristics. I strongly recommend this sturdy, oversized book for school libraries or classrooms. Reviewed by Jodi M. Webb Hope Beneath Our Feet: Restoring Our Place in the Natural World By Martin Keogh, Editor, Michael Pollan, Contributor, Barbara Kingsolver, Contributo, Alice Walker, Contributor, Howard Zinn, Contributor North Atlantic Books, $18.95, 319 pages Although politicians may quibble over the reality of global climate change, it seems most of us have accepted the fact that the environment is at a tipping point—and that we humans are responsible. With that in mind, Hope Beneath Our Feet seeks to answer the question “If our world is facing an imminent environmental catastrophe, how do I live my life right now?” The question is answered in more than four dozen responses written by environmentalists, activists, and leaders from various walks of life. The essayists waste little time in convincing readers that the issue is, in fact, an issue. Instead, most either suggest ways that individuals can do even little things that might have lasting positive effects on the planet or describe some of the practices they are putting into action in their own efforts to create positive change. Though at times strident and repetitive, this collection of essays does resonate.
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And although some readers may find some of the advice and tools a little impractical, other suggestions, such as growing your own food, may be more accessible for many. More than a book to simply read and ponder, Hope Beneath Our Feet offers thoughtprovoking suggestions for implementing real change. Reviewed by Kelli Christiansen Peak of the Devil: 100 Questions (and Answers) About Peak Oil By Chip Haynes Satya House Publications, $14.95, 224 pages Do we need another book on “peak oil”? By using his quirky sense of humor, Haynes is a peak oil evangelist with an unusual style, raising awareness that global oil production has or soon will peak and then slowly decline. He does not preach, recite many facts, or wade into controversies or politics. Rather he stays on message in a chummy, disarming, semi-serious -- and upfront -- manner that this indeed is a big deal. He gives a page-and-a-half, freewheeling answer to each of one hundred questions (or topics). For example: What to tell the kids; should I live in the woods; or what about ethanol or hydrogen? He focuses on our lives and little habits -- not geopolitical politics or science -- and reminds us frequently to keep the bicycle tires pumped and to consider living without oil for a day while we still have the choice. Somehow he does this without making us too gloomy. Does his approach work? If you are only vaguely aware of peak oil, or wonder if this is related to climate change (it isn’t), and you enjoy a disarming writing style, then this might be a good place to start. Or, it might be a good gift idea. If you don’t believe in peak oil, you will probably have trouble. If you already believe in peak oil, then you might not find the book particularly informative, other than an occasional interesting fact (WWII gas rationing was 5 gallons per week). I did object to his loose implications and his rapid dissing of alternative energies, until I realized what he was doing: raising awareness that this will be an age of transition, or “Dim Ages.” However, I cannot recommend the book. It avoids real controversies, is vague where it might inform (little oil is used for U.S. electricity), lacks an index, has no graph of Hubbert’s peak, and -- given the humor -- not even a single cartoon. Reviewed by Jim Rothstein
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