In this book, three eminent scientists--an astrophysicist, an organic chemist, and an anthropologist--ponder some of the basic questions that have obsessed mankind through the ages and offer thoughtful, enlightening answers in terms the layperson can understand.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Library Journal
Origins is one of the most commonly used words in the titles of popular science books. Thus, when you see it, you should be skeptical as to whether the book contains anything truly original. Let's politely call this book unique, but not original. Casting their work as a play in three acts, the authors?scientists from different fields?pose and answer a series of questions related to the universe, life, and human evolution. This approach would work only if the structure made expository sense (it doesn't), the connections between subjects were seamless (they aren't), and the questions the authors ask themselves are the same as readers would ask them (they aren't). Furthermore, the book, first published in France, has an ethereal, New Age tone that can seem simplistic. Not recommended.?Gregg Sapp, Univ. of Miami Lib., Coral Gables, Fla.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Kirkus Reviews
A series of interviews with three French-based scientists presents current theories on the origins of the world we see around us, of life itself, and of our own species. Journalist Dominique Simmonet encourages her three guests-- an astrophysicist (Reeves), an organic chemist (Joel De Rosnay), and an anthropologist (Yves Coppens)--to speculate on the Big Questions. Each gets roughly a third of the book. Reeves leads off by sketching the story of cosmology from the formation of the basic building blocks of matter in the era after the Big Bang to the coalescence of our sun and its family of planets. De Rosnay then examines the conditions believed to have existed on the primitive Earth and how they may have given rise to life-- curiously, this topic is the one most amenable to direct laboratory study, yet in some ways the one about which we are least certain of the details. Finally, Coppens recapitulates the now-familiar African origin of hominids, their gradual development into our human ancestors, their invention of technology, and their spread throughout the world. Simmonet has somewhat artificially broken up the discussion into three ``acts,'' of three ``scenes'' each, a rather facile attempt to create links between the insights of these very different sciences. But the scientists present their summaries clearly, and Simmonet has the knack of anticipating questions an intelligent layperson would like to ask. The (uncredited) translation from the French is idiomatic and smooth. A useful though not especially deep summary of the current state of knowledge in three key areas of science. -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Understandable, factual and balanced. I recommend it.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Origins: Speculations on the Cosmos, Earth and Mankind (Hardcover)
Firstly, I should correct the amazon.com Kirkus review because journalist Dominique Simonnet is a man, not a woman (and I think his name is spelled Simonnet, not Simmonet.) Secondly, I didn't really read this particular book, I read the original French version ("La plus belle histoire du monde.") That said, I thought the book was very good. It was not written for the extreme scientifically oriented audience. It was aimed at the average person who is curious about a well reasoned hypothesis for the origins of the universe, life and mankind. This book doesn't answer every one of life's questions - but I didn't expect it to. The authors go out of their way to be sensitive and considerate of other points of view. Where they don't know or can't answer a question, they simply say so. This book is understandable, factual and balanced. I recommend it to anyone interested in an up-to-date scientific perspective regarding life and it's origins.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must read!,
By
This review is from: Origins: Speculations on the Cosmos, Earth and Mankind (Hardcover)
Being non-religious, this book is like the "real" Bible. A beautiful and fulfilling explanation on where we come from and our place in the universe to what we know scientifically. I believe this book approaches the true story of our existence, therefore it may be the most important book you read.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I found this book to be amazing,
By aura mitchell (winter park, Fl United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Origins: Speculations on the Cosmos, Earth and Mankind (Hardcover)
first and foremost this is the first book that I have read on this topic. only recently have I had the desire to learn about cosmology. it wasn't too complex to grasp so for a first time interest it was good. I definetly plan on reading this occasionally it is just a book that I loved to read and didn't like to put down. I highly recommend it.
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