Now then. . .I'm a reader that likes science and history. This books got'em both. For example, I just loved the one book I read - "The Discoverers". The selling point for Alan Lightman's book to me was that this book includes original papers from the scientists that made the discoveries. Who like me wouldn't want to read original papers from Heisenberg, Watson and Einstein. And Hey! I'm well read! Least I think I am - some people more than me, some less. Even though I may not be a scientist - lacking the language, education, discipline, training and experience - I could still just read the papers and get the jist-of-it.

In a word - wrong!

Broadly speaking an every word from cover to cover reading of Lightman's book, it was tough. The technical and symbolic jargon of the scientist's papers out did me. I must confess, more than once I found the paper I was reading a maze of confusion. This even with multiple rereading of sentences, paragraphs and whole pages and papers. Good example - "The Movability of Genes" (Hmmmmm - my spell check doesn't like movability.) {or Hmmmmm - lol} by Barbara McClintock. Lightman even points to her paper as being technical in its' detail.

Now this is a good book if not great in my eyes. Lightman's intro to each chapter, his historic background and broad explanations makes this worth the effort. But they are the easy part of the book.

If you're ready for a Graduate Course in science history, you're ready for "The Discoveries."

Enjoy - I release this at the library in Arvada, CO

Oh - Please pardon the water damage. It's pretty minimal. I don't think it will shorten the life of the book by much if at all. My water bottle leaked one afternoon - :D