SCIENCES

Brief Candle in the Dark: My Life in Science

by Richard Dawkins
Ecco: HarperCollins. Sept. 2015. 416p. ISBN 9780062288431. $27.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062288462. BIOG
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Internationally acclaimed scientist, writer, and professor Dawkins returns to the subject of himself in this second autobiographical work following 2013's well-received An Appetite for Wonder, which chronicled his childhood and early academic work. In this new title, he charmingly relates stories concerning conferences, publishers, awards, and television productions—extolling the public spaces that allow scientists to share their work and ideas. Dawkins saves his highest praise for his colleagues and collaborators, reiterating the point that the most successful and respected teachers are those who keep learning. The book's last section is saved for an explanation of the major ideas put forth in the author's 12 published works.
VERDICT Dawkins, a convincing speaker and writer, is in some circles considered controversial for challenging religious viewpoints. This work provides a welcome companion to his previous books. New readers looking to acquaint themselves with Dawkins's research on religion and evolutionary biology should start with his prize-winning works The God Delusion or The Selfish Gene.
Reviewed by Catherine Lantz, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago Lib. , Jun 15, 2015
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