Gregory Rummo has shared several reviews of C.S. Lewis books on the blog this summer. This is his last, the first of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia. Spoiler Alert: Because the book is familiar to many, Rummo includes discussion of the plot outcome. If you are new to the Narnia stories, you may wish to refrain from reading this review until after you've read the book. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe is the first[1] of C. S. Lewis's seven-part series, The Chronicles of Narnia. It is a fantasy story about four … [Read more...] about Review: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
Book Review
Science Book Review: Complexity – A Guided Tour
When I reviewed Underbug a couple of weeks ago, I supposed many readers would enjoy the storytelling skill of author and journalist Lisa Margonelli even though I was hoping for more science. Complexity: A Guided Tour by Melanie Mitchell has plenty of math and science, which is fine by me yet may not be to everyone's taste. As it happens, the subjects of both books overlap; the complexity of termite mounds is one stop on Mitchell's tour. Notably, neither book offers a compelling conclusion to the search for unifying … [Read more...] about Science Book Review: Complexity – A Guided Tour
Science Book Review: Programming the Universe
Maybe "review" is overly generous, and it's not like anyone is on the edge of their seat for my opinion of a 13-year-old book; still, I wanted to bring up a few ideas from the book for discussion. Programming the Universe is Seth Lloyd's introduction to quantum computing. After a primer on information theory--one of the mathematical foundations of computing--and the inner working of classical computers (like the one I'm typing on and the one you're reading on), Lloyd explores two main topics. The first is how quantum … [Read more...] about Science Book Review: Programming the Universe
Science Book Review: Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?
Yes! But you probably want more details. In that case, I recommend reading Ian Hutchinson's new book by that title, Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles? He answers that and over 220 other questions, all of which were posed to him during his years speaking to university audiences on science and theology topics through the Veritas Forum. The result is a wide-ranging exploration of issues both specific to the present science-faith conversation and perennially of interest to skeptics and curious seekers, like how a good & … [Read more...] about Science Book Review: Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?
Book Review: Frankenstein
This year marks the 200th anniversary of one of my favorite books – Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Actually, its full title is Frankenstein: Or the Modern Prometheus. And that is a good reminder that this novel is really about Frankenstein the man, not about his creation. Frankenstein is the one who steals from the gods (God?) the ability to create life from that which is lifeless. And, as long as we are clearing up misconceptions, the novel is not about re-animating the dead, as is often popularly shown in the movies, … [Read more...] about Book Review: Frankenstein