and other great essays in science
Chosen and Introduced by Martin Gardner
From Darwin on evolution to Einstein on relativity, covering subjects as diverse as science and literature, the sea, the laws of physics, the beautiful woman, logic, the bee, and the moon, this is a lively and lucid collection of essays by thirty-two leading interpreters of science.
The essays are drawn together and provided with an entertaining and perceptive commentary by Martin Gardner, who explains that his selection was governed not by a desire to teach, or to bring us up to date on new trends and discoveries, but 'to spread before the reader, whether his interest in science be passionate or mild, a sumptuous feast of great writing—absorbing, thought- disturbing pieces that have something important to say
about science and say it forcibly and well'. His explanatory and biographical sketches make this book not only a rich collection of good reading, but also an informal history of the people and ideas that have shaped our culture and moulded our everyday lives.
Martin Gardner is a mathematician whose numerous books on science, mathematics, and philosophy include Science: Good, Bad and Bogus and Order and Surprise (both available in Oxford Paperbacks). In 1983 he was named Science Writer of the Year by the American Institute of Physics.
