Having already read his other two works, “The Lives of a Cell” and “The Medusa and the Snail“, I thought I was reasonably familiar with Thomas’ ideas and beliefs, but he still managed to amaze me. Reading this book was like listening to a piece of music with a familiar lyrical tune, there were pleasant wonders here and there, and near the end there was a climax followed by a […]
Read moreLatest Post
“Guns, Germs and Steel” by Jared Diamond
Why are wealth and power unevenly distributed among the nations? Jared Diamond asks the intriguing question in the Prologue, and then proceeds to review the geographical, ecological and agricultural environment of the ancient societies and argue that geographical and ecological factors affect food production, the diffusion of crops, ideas and technologies, and ultimately the distribution of wealth and power. Summary Domestication of wild animals and plants are necessary for food […]
Read more“The Elegant Universe” by Brian Greene
I enjoyed this book on three levels, though initially I felt it made my brain expand. Firstly, understanding physics theories. Greene did a great job explaining the complex physics concepts using analogies and thought experiments. For example, I would have never imagined that quantum tunnel has anything to do with balancing bank accounts or people walking through walls. I’d prefer, however, that he emphasize the Fundamental Postulate and the logical […]
Read more“A Brief History of Time” by Stephen Hawking
Also Read: “A Briefer History of Time” by Stephen Hawking Hawking recounts the evolution of cosmology/physics from the time of the ancient Greek to the present, with emphasis on Newton’s law of gravitation, Einstein’s theory of general relativity, Planck’s quantum and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principles in quantum mechanics, Feynman’s “sum over histories” approach, and the string theory. He also examines the existence of the Big Bang, black holes, worm holes and […]
Read more“The Odyssey” by Homer
An epic story of the hero Odysseus’ journey home from war against all odds. He endured many hardships and troubles, perils on the sea, on the land, man-eating monsters and giants, nymphs and witches, the Olympian gods who were angry with him, and above all, he had to overcome the folly and greed of his own gluttonous companions who perished because of their own madness, and the murderous men in […]
Read more“The Medusa and the Snail” by Lewis Thomas
Altruism “I don’t see why it should be unreasonable for all human beings to have strands of DNA … coding out instincts for usefulness and helpfulness. Usefulness may turn out to be the hardest test of fitness for survival, more important than aggressiveness, more effective, in the long run, than grabbiness.” To Err is Human The capacity to blunder slightly is the real marvel of DNA. The word “error” came […]
Read more“The Lives of a Cell” by Lewis Thomas
Reading Thomas’ books is like watching a brilliant, inquiring mind at work, or rather at play, filled with wonder, wit and humor, exploring diverse subjects such as a cell, the earth, the universe, human body, the mind, music and language, and yet remaining coherent and fully accessible as if he was talking with the reader face to face. Cells as Ecosystems The mitochondria and chloroplasts in animal and plant cells […]
Read more