Scientific Books

Bully For Brontosaurus
Stephen Jay Gould

Bully for Brontosaurus is a collection of 35 science essays by the renowned science author, Stephen Jay Gould. He is well known throughout the field for bringing technical scientific stuff into the reach of the common people. His essays cover all fields, from the statistical improbability of Joe DiMaggio's hitting streaks to hoax 2000-lb "people" dug up in Cooperstown to an article "Tits and Clits" about vestigal characteristics on males and females. He explains, people are one species, so men and women have nipples (and indeed both sexes of all animals), while, bizzarely, men and women both have penises - though it is named the clitoris in women, is much smaller, but maintains the same erectile and orgasmic function.

Keep in mind, Stephen Jay Gould is a true science writer. He isn't perverted in the discussion of these topics; and one can learn quite a lot from his book. He also includes useful diagrams and pictures that help illustrate his point. One of Gould's most favorite topics is evolution - he argues a lot against creationist viewpoints. I agree with this full-heartedly, but to some theists I know, it seems degredatory to them; he hate his essays arguing for evolution.

The format is somewhat interesting, how there are many separate essays. This is a book that need not be all in one reading, or even consecutively without reading other books inbetween. Each of the 35 essays stands on its own, and this could be a good coffee table book; pick it up every so often and read another informative essay.

You really do learn a lot, but at some points the topic matter may become somewhat boring. I read completely all the articles on evolutionary traits and other science, but some of the columns brought up ancient history or baseball or other weird stuff like that. So I sort of skipped around in those columns to get to the good part. This is the only major qualm I have with this collection of essays: there's a large variety, but inevitably there's something in this book to bore everyone.