Helpful Score: 3
This was a wonderfully engaging, insightful read. I have read numerous books on scientific topics, including criticisms of Darwinian evolution. I also have a Ph.D. in biology so I have practical experience with the realm of scientific academia. This book was the most objective one I have read on the topic; I was especially impressed that there was no persuasive talk of creationism or intelligent design, just the criticisms against MAJOR case studies/illustrations used to shore up the science of evolution. I was aware of some of these so-called "icons" being false or misleading, but even I was quite surprised by others. Several of which I remember teaching intro biology students myself as a graduate student, thinking, this just does NOT make sense to me so why am I required to teach it!
If you would like to read an objective criticism of the Darwinian evolution being taught in biology classes across the U.S., without reading about intelligent design per se, I HIGHLY recommend this book! I am recommending it to some of my colleagues as well. I only hope that they will read it; usually people staunchly on either side of the debate are not willing to read the criticism! Also, unlike one of my other personal favorites (Darwin's Black Box by Michael Behe), this one is written on a good layperson level with a minimum of jargon and it is simply explained. (although Behe provides wonderful asterisk-marked insets of "technical info" to skip if you're not into it!) If you're going to read ONE book critiquing evolution, make this the one!
If you would like to read an objective criticism of the Darwinian evolution being taught in biology classes across the U.S., without reading about intelligent design per se, I HIGHLY recommend this book! I am recommending it to some of my colleagues as well. I only hope that they will read it; usually people staunchly on either side of the debate are not willing to read the criticism! Also, unlike one of my other personal favorites (Darwin's Black Box by Michael Behe), this one is written on a good layperson level with a minimum of jargon and it is simply explained. (although Behe provides wonderful asterisk-marked insets of "technical info" to skip if you're not into it!) If you're going to read ONE book critiquing evolution, make this the one!
