Customer Reviews

The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2004 (The Best American Series)

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This is an enjoyable as well as very informative collection of essays on science and nature. The book contains a couple of dozen articles on different topics, too many to go into here, so I will limit my comments to discussing just a few of them. But if you're considering purchasing the book, you could look at the table of contents and some of the articles themselves to get a better idea of what topics the articles cover before buying.

I hadn't read a book of nature writing like this in several years (I pride myself on reading the more technical literature usually), but time constraints impelled me to take a look, and I was glad I did, as you will find some excellent articles and science writing here. But be aware that this is not the same as reading, say, the articles in Scientific American, let alone the more technical literature. They aren't at the same level of rigor or scientific depth and detail. If you have the sort of fortitude necessary to stick with S.A. for year after year, you probably don't need books like this. But for the average reader, this collection of essays, and the overall series, is an enjoyable and readable way to keeps tabs on some of the important developments going on in science.

The essays vary a bit in level of difficulty and in the topics covered, and the subjects range from scientific ethics to modern cosmology. One is even a brief (and somewhat racy) bio of Watson, the co-discoverer of DNA, who basically admits that getting laid is his top priority when he isn't thinking about science. :-) It also discusses his often strained relationships with his peers; for example, in his biography he once remarked that he had never seen Crick in a modest mood. His acerbic wit and tongue therefore didn't exactly endear him to his fellow scientists, and after he got passed over for promotion at Harvard, he left for Cold Spring Harbor, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Most of the essays, however, aren't such intimate portrayals of famous or controversial scientists, but they're still worth reading :-). For example, the amazing career of the driven and intrepid Dr. Francis Moore, who pioneered burn therapy and surgery and many other treatments, and often bucked the traditional medical establishment and medical wisdom to create his advances, should be an inspiration to any young physician. The essay on cosmology and parallel universe theory discusses some of the mind-boggling discoveries and speculations being made about our universe there. And the essay by Robert Sapolsky on Toxoplasma gondii, a protozoan organism that for some reason infects the brains of more Europeans than Americans, but usually doesn't cause any problems, was interesting too, in its amazingly specific effects on its other hosts (it can live in rats and cats also, but can only reproduce in cats). For those of you who don't know Sapolski, he is one of the most entertaining science writers I've encountered recently, besides being a noted neuroscientist.

Overall, a fine collection of essays drawn from diverse magazines and sources by some of the top science and nature writers today.

If it's literary nonfiction essays you seek, look no further than the 2004 edition of Best American Science And Nature Writing as it showcases the finest nonfiction writing on diverse scientific topics published in 2004, from the psychology of suicide terrorism and the war on obesity to the diversity of DNA and medical pioneering efforts. A diverse collection which ranges through all scientific disciplines to provide only the best.

There are a lot of fine essays in this wide ranging collection, but my favorite is a piece from "Scientific American" by neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky, "Bugs in the Brain." In cogent, lively, humorous prose this short piece opens the reader's eyes to the marvelous and horrible ability of some microscopic parasites to infiltrate the host's brain and change its behavior.

The rabies virus, for instance. "There are lots of ways rabies could have evolved to move between hosts." Sneezing, for one. Instead it invades the brain, zeroes in on aggression, and stomps the pedal to the floor. Lots of scientists study aggression; there are whole conferences on various aspects of the phenomenon. But no one studies rabies to see how the trick works.

Even more beauteous is the diabolical specificity of the toxoplasma protozoan. The bug gets eaten by a rat where it creates cysts until the rat is eaten by a feline. The cat is the only animal taxoplasma can reproduce in; so it behooves the bug to make sure the right predator eats the rat. How does it do this? Simple. It deprives the rat of its congenital, hard-wired, instinctive fear of cats. Nothing else in the rat's behavior is affected.

As Sapolsky puts it: "This is akin to someone getting infected with a brain parasite that has no effect whatsoever on the person's thoughts, emotions, SAT scores, or television preferences but, to complete its life cycle, generates an irresistible urge to go to the zoo, scale a fence and try to French-kiss the pissiest-looking polar bear."

Expanding infinitely outward, Max Tegmark's "Parallel Universes" (also "Scientific American) argues quite reasonably for infinite versions of you on infinite earths. "If anything the Level I multiverse sounds trivially obvious. How could space not be infinite?" From Level I this elegant theory moves through physics, with some progressive changes in initial conditions, constants and particles (Level II), quantum mechanics (Level III) and different physical laws (Level IV). It's the kind of article that makes you aware of how limited our mental constructs and perceptions are.

Atul Gawande's profile of maverick doctor Francis Daniels Moore, ("Desperate Measures," "The New Yorker") inspired by the horror of Boston's Cocoanut Grove fire and an innovative treatment at his hospital, Mass General, to embark on a career of aggressive pioneering, is a dynamic, riveting view of a dedicated, driven, sometimes ruthless man.

Austin Bunn's "The Bittersweet Science," ("The New York Times Magazine") is an illuminating portrait of diabetes and early treatment, told through one patient's life story, and Ronald Bailey's "The Battle for Your Brain" ("The New York Times") discusses the pros and cons of neuropharmaceuticals. Other medical articles profile DNA's James Watson and discuss obesity in sympathetic terms of the biological imperative.

Genes crop up in Horace Freeland Judson's "The Stuff of Genes," ("Smithsonian), a celebration of its 50th anniversary and, more engagingly, in two "New York Times" articles from Nicholas Wade, "In Click Languages, an Echo of the Tongues of the Ancients," and "A Prolific Genghis Khan, It Seems, Helped People the World."

There are whimsical psychological musings, like Peggy Orenstein's "Where Have All the Lisas Gone," ("The New York Times Magazine") on changing fads in baby names, Virginia Postrell's "The Design of Your Life," on the personalization of design and Jonathan Rauch's "Caring for Your Introvert," ("Atlantic Monthly"), which is basically a justification for peace and quiet.

"We're All Gonna Die!" ("Wired") by Gregg Easterbrook reviews the latest doomsday theories and

Mike O'Connor's "Bird Watcher's General Store" (The Cape Codder") is a hilarious and informative selection of bird watcher columns, and other animal pieces include "Through the Eye of an Octopus" ("Discover"), a poignant portrait of a creature who doesn't live long enough to be as smart as it is, and anthropologist Meredith F. Small's contemplative "Captivated" ("Natural History") on visiting monkeys at the zoo.

Editor Steven Pinker's bias for clear, informative and entertaining writing serves us well. There's a bit of something for everyone in this balanced and eclectic collection and every piece is well written, many are witty, and a few are as funny as they are informative.

It must have been a capricious sprite that convinced Series Editor Tim Folger to select Steven Pinker to choose the essays in this collection. In any collection of science and nature writings there will be some of wide, even intense interest, while others may appeal to a limited few with special interests. This anthology is no exception. While the majority of them are good [best!] articles over a range of topics, Pinker added a few "ringers". These latter certainly lighten the mood of the set even while imparting compelling information on their own. Perhaps surprisingly, some of these deal with the vague field of "demographics".

"Hard" science in this collection is covered by an article on diabetes, one on "the stuff of genes" and an introduction to octopus life. Another element of life is the role of parasites on behaviour. Carl Zimmer's "Parasite Rex", an excellent introduction to this topic, is furthered here by neurologist Robert Sapolsky. Cosmology isn't ignored, with Max Tegmark suggesting you glance over your shoulder to learn whether a duplicate of you isn't reading the same article in a parallel universe. Public health may not be a hard science, but it must firmly rest on top research to be effective. Atal Gawande's brief history of the career of Dr Francis Moore is enlightening and provocative - as was Moore.

How the public views research and its implications is a topic of increasing importance. Daniel C. Dennett's explanation of why the notion of "genetic determinism" must be shelved is essential reading. Gregg Easterbrook's "We're All Gonna Die!" deals with perceived threats to society and life. Unsuccessfully challenged by a recent book, Easterbrook's article lists scenarios that could lead to disastrous consequences if not approached wisely. Will an asteroid do for us as it did to the dinosaurs? What if a particle accelerator created a "strangelet" that might gobble the planet - or the entire universe? The Earth's magnetic field has reversed itself many times over the past many millions of years. What will be the result on human society when it flips again - beyond making all our compasses point the "wrong way"? And what can, or should, we do about it?

While you're worrying about these threats, take a moment to consider Peggy Orenstein's plight. Like any expectant mother, she's pondering a name for her new baby. Delving into the [USA's] Social Security Administration's database, she's spent hours tracking the history of names. "Melanies" have come and gone in popularity, as have "Aidans" and "Hannahs". "Michael" remains a standby for boys, but Peggy's expecting a girl and the subject lapses. If you would rather go outdoors than spend time searching names, take note of your avian neighbours. Mike O'Connor does. He has to, he runs a birdseed store and a Web site answering questions about human-bird relationships. Should you throw rice at weddings? Perhaps not, if the birds eat it and swell up. Is a hair-dryer the chosen method for freezing a heron caught in a pond's early-winter ice? How does the chickadee stand in popularity? O'Connor handles these questions with hilarious finesse.

It seems no North American science writing can reach the public without dealing with the Christian movement to invade the public schools. This book opens with that essential topic. Folger addresses the growing threat to both education and support for science in his Forward. Clearly this insidious movement impacts how science is viewed and Folger hopes volumes such as this one will help bastion education and interest in science among the young. Give this book to a child to read and treasure. After you've read it yourself. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

I am not a scientist, but in past years I've enjoyed the stretch of reading the "best" series. I have counted on really good, meaty articles that offered up some of the most interesting and stimulating thinking about science and nature to be brought within the reach of readers like me.

Not so this year. The majority of the articles in this anthology are simply entertainment. A superficial personality piece about James Watson. An article about trends in baby names. Etc. This is waiting room material--good for passing time, but not for learning or provoking thought.

Normally, I only bother to write reviews when a book is so wonderful I want to encourage others to read it. But this one was such a letdown, I wanted to take the trouble to warn others away. I don't know if the editors just made bad selections this year, or if the material they included really WAS the best of 2004. If the latter, it's a scary thought!

The average science reader can not keep abreast of a dozen fields of science to any great depth. Skimming the best of this year's science and nature writing is often the only way to peek into other areas without being bogged down by the original work.
These books have become so popular simply because they fulfill the timesaver niche. Basically a science and nature "Reader's Digest" When presented with the opportunity to read portions of this book I found I was driven to read it completely. There is a littler here for everybody; the hilarious excerpts of Michael O'Connor's newspaper column "Ask the Bird Folks", to the serious societal problem of modern mind altering drugs in the pipeline with impacts way beyond that of Prozac that can produce "better" personalities and citizens.
Some articles are real eye-openers, a historical look at juvenile diabetes in the recent past, when the disease was considered a death sentence, the patient's stark choice, a starvation level Atkins type diet to prolong your life or an "enjoy life while you can splurge". Other thought provoking articles cover, parallel universe theory, the smarts of an octopus,surprising when compared to its station on the evolutionary tree. And some unsolved mysteries, how can a microbe that must be injested by a cat latch onto just the right circuitry of rat's brain to make it unafraid of cats.
This book is generally a fast read, no math and all the material is well explained. Kudos to the editors, they did a great job choosing material for this book. A lot of bang for the buck.

I was originally introduced to this book because I was told to read "caring for your introvert", which is a hiliariously bitter essay by a self-professed introvert. I then read the rest of the book, and was overall very impressed.
As is in all of science and nature study, there are some essays that are a bit controversial (the book starts out with "genesis of suicide terrorism", to give you an example). There are some essays that will appeal to a lot of people ("Sex Week at Yale", "Bugs in the Brain") while others will only appeal to a certain subset of the population ("Ask the Bird Folks" if you are really into birds, "through the eyes of a octopus" if you are into that sort of thing"). Perhaps the wide spectrum of essay selection is both its strength and weakness. Overall, a highly readable book and a contribution to scientific dialogue.

This issue of the yearly publication, The Best Science & Nature Writing of 2004 is as good as watching IMax with surround sound and getting all the popcorn you can eat, delivered to your easy chair.

My favorites are "Bugs in the Brain" (about how parasites direct hosts' behaviors) and "The Battle For Your Brain" (about the ethics surrounding psychotherapeutic drugs in development).

Excerpts from "Bugs...":

Certain parasites control the brains of their hosts. The rabies virus is one such parasite. Rabies causes its host to become aggressive so that the virus can jump into another host via saliva from the bite wound. "Scads of neurobiologists study the neural basis of aggression. Aggression has spawned conferences, doctoral theses, petty academic squabbles, nasty tenure disputes, the works. Yet all along, the rabies virus has 'known' just which neurons to infect to make the rabid victim aggressive."

The parasite called Toxoplasma gondii ideally uses only cats and rodents as its hosts. The rodent eats the cat feces, the cat eats the rodent. The infected rodent, previously instinctually terrified when it smells the cat pheromone, loses its fear of cats!! Everything else is pretty much intact. "This is akin to someone getting infected with a brain parasite that has no effect whatsoever on the person's thoughts, emotions, SAT scores, or TV preferences, but to complete its life cycle, generates an irresistable urge in its host to go to the zoo, scale a fence, and try to french kiss the pissiest looking polar bear - a parasite induced fatal attraction!"

Interestingly I counted at least 1/3 of the articles which were fairly light in science, but made great reading anyway. Out of 23 articles, I gave only 3 a thumbs down. I read Scott Atran's article first, not because it was first, but because I loved his excellent book "In Gods We Trust."

I look for this annual every year, along with its also superb rival by a similar name, "The Best American Science Writing of 200_", and recommend them both highly.

Another wonderful edition to the series. Pinker in his introduction says the best science articles "delight by instructing" and goes on to explain the lessons of each of the articles. Thus the Introduction adds a new dimension that some others in this series are missing, a master teacher explaining why some ideas are so important. After reading the Introduction last, I realized that the articles I didn't give much thought too were some of the most important, while the ones I thought were best were more lightweight. Such is the case when crossing minds with Steven Pinker. Although written in 2003, most of the articles have aged well, Pinker largely stayed away from topical hot button newsy articles.

My favorite articles include "The Bittersweet Science" in which Austin Bunn transports us back to the early 20th century and re-creates the period just before the discovery of the cause of diabetes and its cure insulin, a reminder of how lucky we are today. In "Desperate Measures" Atul Gawande takes us another trip into the history of medicine, profiling Francis Moore one of the most important surgeons of the 20th century whose seemingly reckless experimentation killed thousands and ultimately saved millions. In "Caring for your Introvert" Jonathan Rauch describes and explains the 25% of the population who would rather just be left alone most of the time, thank you very much, but does so lovingly and without judgment. In "Sex Week at Yale" Ron Rosenbaum attends a sex conference at Yale where he humorously observes academia off the deep end. In "The Cousin Marriage Conundrum" Steve Sailer explains that over 40% of marriages in Iraq are between first cousins, creating a social dynamic completely different from our own experience. This was the best article of the book as it has totally changed my perspective on the Middle East and Arab culture, very important and fascinating. Iraq is like the worst Appalachia county of inbred family fighting Hatfield and McCoys. Finally the most challenging article but also most mind expanding is "Parallel Universes" by Max Tegmark in `Scientific American`. He describes 4 theories on universes outside of the observable one. Somewhere out there in infinite space there is another person just like you.

Save your money. These authors have better to offer, as does the science collective as a whole. Look elsewhere for insightful musings.