Fancy a trip through the Universe in the company of a physics professor who
knows his stuff? Peter Coles of Nottingham University is one of the writers in
the 鈥淎 very short introduction鈥� series from Oxford University Press. His
Cosmology (拢5.99) outlines where the interesting problems lie, and
sketches out how we鈥檝e found out what we know. Cosmologists have a lot in common
with forensic scientists, says Coles. Neither can change variables or rerun
experiments: 鈥淭here is only one Universe, one scene of the crime.鈥� His clear
explanations and firm grip on unruly metaphors make it a pleasure to read.
If something more personal appeals, try the second part of Ray Monk鈥檚
biography, Bertrand Russell: The ghost of madness 1921-1970 (Vintage,
拢8.99). Jane Gregory of Birkbeck College in London reviewed the first
volume of this, describing Monk鈥檚 work as a 鈥渄iscomfortingly compelling
产颈辞驳谤补辫丑测鈥�.
Also worth a read are: James Lovelock鈥檚 Homage to Gaia (Oxford, 拢9.99),
Gayle Greene鈥檚 compelling biography of Alice Stewart The Woman Who Knew Too Much
(University of Michigan Press, 拢11.50), Jean Medawar and David Pyke鈥檚
Hitler鈥檚 Gift (Piatkus, 拢8.99), a fascinating account of the thousands of
Jewish scientists who left Germany under the Nazis and enriched world science,
and Deborah Rudacille鈥檚 The Scalpel and the Butterfly (University of California
Press, $17.95). Reviewing it last year (快猫短视频, 30 September 2000,
p48), Les Ward said: 鈥淩udacille explores the conflict between scientists who use
animals and the antivivisection movement . . . Her aim was not to duplicate
their research but to interpret it for a popular audience. The book is
informative, easy to read and, most importantly when dealing with this subject,
产补濒补苍肠别诲.鈥�
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