Customer Reviews

To Know a Fly

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An absolute classic little book that uses humor and cartoons to illustrate the joys of science and the scientific method. Perfect for students from junior high through university. I only wish it was still in print so I could assign it for the students in my animal behavior lab course.

I read this book when I was in college, many years ago, unfortunately-- after-- I had struggled through the science curriculum.

At the time, I thought how wonderful this book would be for a fifth or sixth grader whose opinion of the study of science has not yet been formed.

In this book, the author takes the reader on a journey through the curiosity of the human spirit, to wonder-- the human desire to discover how things work-- to know the value of asking questions--, along with the tedium, the failures, the successes and the rewards of finding answers to those questions. Such is the nature of scientific research.

That it was written with humor, on the study of flies, it was plain to see that the study or pursuit of science, is in fact FUN!

I assigned this little gem of a book to my psychology students when I was teaching at Antioch College in the late 1960's. I am now asking the teachers who are offering a Science and Math Summer Camp for Alaska Native middle school students to read it, to re-ignite their sense of the fun and excitement of scientific inquiry. Truly a timeless book, it is similar to "The Little Prince" in its capacity to stay in one's thoughts for decades.

A college professor gave me this book to read as I began my laboratory experiments at Indiana University. The anecdotes constantly amuse, and the simple applications of the Scientific Method are inspiring.

Stimulated by curiousity, the author set out to find out as much about the characteristics and behaviour of the common house fly as possible using only household items. No high-tech experimentation here. A great example of what can be done to investigate scientific questions thoroughly with minimal equipment and funds. Highly recommended for every science teacher as it gives multiple examples of controlled experiments

This book is too cute for words, and it's very informative. Read it now!

Title: To Know A Fly
Author: Vincent G. Dethier
Publisher: Holden Day; New Ed (June 1963)
Paperback: 119 pages
ISBN: 0070165742
Language: English

The complexity and simplicity of the "fly" has been ingeniously revealed to readers of all ages and breadth of scientific knowledge in Vincent G. Dethier's To Know A Fly. While the general reader may not be attracted to a book about flies due to the associated cultural stigma that brands flies as disgusting, ugly, useless pests this book brings attention to their value in regards to the advancement of scientific research.
To Know a Fly is a painless approach to the nature and value of the scientific method with the capability of exciting even the non-scientist. The employment of creative yet simple experiments are conveyed with both humor and wit. While trying to explain the importance of experimental controls Dethier tells a story of a man who believed he had trained a flea to jump. The man prepares an experiment where he progressively removes different appendages. First the feelers are removed and when the man requests "jump" the flea jumps. He continues to remove different parts and the flea continues to jump on command. Eventually only the flea's hind legs remain at which point he removes them and the flea fails to respond to the command. The man concludes that fleas hear with their hind legs. This statement is of course silly yet a great illustration that if experimental controls had been in place a more accurate conclusion could have been generated.
As the author artfully leads the reader on a journey of wonder exploring the many idiosyncrasies of fly, the reader is presented with many simple experiments that can be preformed at home. For example, in one experiment the reader is guided to answer the question: Do flies taste with their feet? First the fly is frozen in the freezer to immobilize him and then swiftly attached at the wings to a pencil that has been coated with hot candle wax. The fly is then lowered so that his feet touch the top of a bowl of water - if the fly is thirsty he will lower his proboscis. When he is done he will retract the proboscis. If the fly's feet are then lowered into a bowl of sugar-water he will quickly extend his proboscis and when quickly dipped into the water again he will retract the proboscis. I'm looking forward to trying some of these experiments myself once the snow melts and I can actually find some flies.
In addition to wondering if flies taste with their feet Dethier asks and answers some other silly yet curious questions, throughout the text, concerning fly behavior and physiology such as: Does the fly land on the ceiling by executing a half roll or an inside loop? To which Dethier reveals the answer is quite interesting. Flies actually hover below the ceiling, reach up above their bodies and attach their front legs to the ceiling and then flip their body over and attach the other legs. A more complicated question presented in the text is: What mechanism causes a fly to select different proteins at particular stages in life? Dethier not only provides several possibilities to explain this phenomenon but also suggests possible experiments to test these hypotheses.
Dethier asserts that the acquisition of fancy equipment and a college degree may help foster a great scientist but that there are two essentials: an insatiable curiosity about life and an experimental organism. He asserts that flies are the ideal experimental organism made up of over 50,000 species. However, today, 44 years after the publishing of this book, there are over 100,000 known species of flies. The validity of some facts in this book can be questioned due to the major advancements in technology that have taken place in the last 50 years. It is recommended that the information in this book be used as a guide rather than as a reference book for it is much too old and out of date.
However due to his credibility it is likely that information in this book was presented accurately based on the current information at the time it was written because Dr. Vincent G. Dethier was a prominent insect physiologist, research entomologist and an expert in his field. He wrote over 170 scientific papers and 15 scientific books of which To Know A Fly and several other books that were written for individuals that did not have a scientific background one of which, Crickets & Katydids: Concerts and Solos, won the John Burroughs Medal for distinguished Nature Writing
Dethier's common sense approach to science makes it enjoyable for anyone with a curiosity for the way the world works. This would be a great book for students starting out in science or students with an aversion to science because it is presented in a humorous tone with interesting antidotes to keep the readers attention. Because this book was written for a non-science audience there is not a lot of technical language among the 14 short chapters making this book easily read within two sittings.
From start to finish there are intertwined stories, experiments, facts, observations, cartoons, questions, and even excerpts from plays. This compilation of different types of writing within one book allows the reader to not only walk away with some noteworthy facts about the fly but also insight into the mind of a scientist. In addition, the simplicistic manner in which the information is presented is capable of provoking thought in even the most advanced scientists.

Dethier's To Know a Fly is a charming little book that provides a great introduction to the scientific method, especially as practiced by biologists. You also learn things about the housefly that you probably don't know - including how they land on ceilings.

Dethier's writing is delightful - warm, informal, and entertaining.

This book was required reading in my high school biology class, and I loved it. It is very readable, so you don't even realize you are learning about science and the scientific method. And the cartoons are priceless!