Overview

'Gould's astonishing success as a populariser of science is the result of his writing ability and his massive learning' - Literary Review Stephen Jay Gould's writing remains the modern standard by which popular science writing is judged. Ever since the late 1970s up until till his death in 2002, his monthly essay in Natural History and his full-length books bridged the yawning gap between science and wider culture. In this fascinating new collection of essays from Natural History, Gould applied biographical perspectives to the illumination of key scientific concepts and their history, ranging from the origins of palaeontology to modern eugenics and genetic engineering. The essays brilliantly illuminate and elucidate the puzzles and paradoxes great and small that have fuelled the enterprise of science and opened our eyes to a world of unexpected wonders.

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Stephen Jay Gould was the Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology and Professor of Geology at Harvard University, and the Vincent Astor Visiting Professor of Biology at New York University. During his illustrious career, his publications included Ever Since Darwin, Eight Little Piggies, Life's Grandeur, Questioning the Millenium, Leonardo's Mountain of Clams and the Diet of Worms, Bully for Brontosaurus and Wonderful Life. Wonderful Life won the Science Book Prize for 1991. Stephen Jay Gould died in 2002, aged 60.

Gould has an infectious and joyful understanding of the intricacies of his subject, be it an appreciation of Carl Sagan, the dangers of scientific fraud or a brief homage to Mozart. With Lying Stones we have one of our last chances to appreciate these virtues and assess a scientiest who has become a Western Science phenomenon. His quirkiness, his ability to coalesce seemingly unconnected topics, and his individual passion are qualities that help make him such a powerful writer Observer It is a hallmark of Stephen Jay Gould's craft, brilliant paleontologist that he is, to retrieve long-buried evidence from oblivion and breathe vibrant life into it, making fascinating connections between science and the human predicament... extraordinary Sunday Times The most readable of scientists. Whether linking the death of textile workers in New York with Darwin's theory of natural selection, or the sale of fake fossils in Morocco with an 18th-century paleontological hoax, Gould proves that he is a master bridge builder Financial Times One of the best essayists in the business. He uses his wide background knowledge (anything from baseball to the political history of revolutionary France) as a bridge to entice non-scientists into sharing the excitement of scientific discovery and the curious, convoluted path of new ideas through history Scotsman

[Gould's] passionate commitment to precision and his sensitivity to the little wriggles of a million might have beens' make The Lying <br>Stones of Marrakech not just accessible but stimulating as well. <br>-- The New York Times Book Review <br> Vintage Gould: stimulating, erudite, and eminently enjoyable. <br> -- Kirkus Reviews <br> This collection evinces no dimming of Gould's humanistic brilliance. <br> -- Booklist

"""Gould has an infectious and joyful understanding of the intricacies of his subject, be it an appreciation of Carl Sagan, the dangers of scientific fraud or a brief homage to Mozart. With Lying Stones we have one of our last chances to appreciate these virtues and assess a scientiest who has become a Western Science phenomenon. His quirkiness, his ability to coalesce seemingly unconnected topics, and his individual passion are qualities that help make him such a powerful writer"" Observer ""It is a hallmark of Stephen Jay Gould's craft, brilliant paleontologist that he is, to retrieve long-buried evidence from oblivion and breathe vibrant life into it, making fascinating connections between science and the human predicament... extraordinary"" Sunday Times ""The most readable of scientists. Whether linking the death of textile workers in New York with Darwin's theory of natural selection, or the sale of fake fossils in Morocco with an 18th-century paleontological hoax, Gould proves that he is a master bridge builder"" Financial Times ""One of the best essayists in the business. He uses his wide background knowledge (anything from baseball to the political history of revolutionary France) as a bridge to entice non-scientists into sharing the excitement of scientific discovery and the curious, convoluted path of new ideas through history"" Scotsman"

This is scientist and writer Gould's ninth volume of essays (originally published in the journal Natural History. It is also, he says, the penultimate one. What is a reviewer to say about this polymath of science? For the many people who have read him in the past and become addicted, simply saying: his latest title is available, is no doubt sufficient. For others, it should be said that the essays here are far more than simple statements on the ways of the world. They cast fresh light on the history of science and bring to life the people who have played a part in its discovery. They also look ahead. The focus is natural history, but the topics here are wide ranging. In one, for example, Gould writes about the familiar topic of dinosaurs, taking as his starting point the 19th century anatomist Richard Owen who gave them their name (meaning 'terrible lizard'), and manages to make every word fresh. In another he deals with the current controversies of genetic engineering. This enthusiasm for his work shines through; he seems to write as much to revel in his own delight at the world's puzzles and marvels, as to act as a popularizer in the conventional sense. It should be remembered too that many matters relating to natural history remain contentious. For example, Dawkins (whose books on evolution include The Selfish Gene and The Blind Watchmaker) regularly clashes swords with Gould over the pace at which evolution proceeds. Given the uncertainties of the state of current knowledge, it is to be hoped that such erudite and entertaining writers will long continue to cast light on the developing picture. (Kirkus UK)

Author Information

Stephen Jay Gould was the Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology and Professor of Geology at Harvard University, and the Vincent Astor Visiting Professor of Biology at New York University. During his illustrious career, his publications included Ever Since Darwin, Eight Little Piggies, Life's Grandeur, Questioning the Millenium, Leonardo's Mountain of Clams and the Diet of Worms, Bully for Brontosaurus and Wonderful Life. Wonderful Life won the Science Book Prize for 1991. Stephen Jay Gould died in 2002, aged 60.

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