The controversial Richard Dawkins’ new book responds to creationists’ question, “Where is the proof?” The Greatest Show on Earth generally takes a gentler, more persuasive tone than his previous books, but Dawkins may be preaching to the choir. Given his reputation and the vitriol of his earlier The God Delusion, it would be surprising if creationists can approach the book with an open mind, or if most even care to read it.

Dawkins refrains from creationist bashing for the most part, except for some passages in the book’s introduction “Only a Theory”, which is an unfortunate placement in a book meant to persuade the doubtful. Those who believe the earth is less than 10,000 years old, however, are not spared from Dawkins’ continuous derision. Dubbing these young earthists “history deniers,” Dawkins draws a controversial parallel with Holocaust deniers.

In contrast, the meat of the book is accessible and straightforward. In “Dogs, Cows, and Cabbages,” Dawkins begins with a discussion of artificial selection in domesticated animals to soften up the doubtful reader. He progresses to the process of sexual selection, and finally to natural selection. The transitions are deftly written and considerably persuasive.

Fascinating case studies abound, of which my favorites were the mbuna of Lake Malawi, the lizards of Pod Mrcaru and Pod Kopiste, and Dr. John Endler’s livebearers. While the segments on plate tectonics and sedimentary rock may drag a bit, The Greatest Show on Earth blends powerful evidence with wit. Dawkins relates an amusing exchange between J.B.S. Haldane and woman in attendance of his lecture:

Skeptic: Professor Haldane, even given the billions of years that you say were available for evolution, I simply cannot believe it is possible to go from a single cell to a complicated human body with its trillions of cells organized into bones and muscle and nerves, a heart that pumps without ceasing for decades, miles and miles of blood vessels and kidney tubules, and a brain capable of thinking and feeling.

Haldane: But Madam, you did it yourself. And it only took nine months.

The ire that Dawkins inspires notwithstanding, The Greatest Show on Earth is a much-needed book filled with cogent arguments. I’m inclined to agree with his claim that no unbiased reader will finish the book without recognizing evolution’s explanatory power.

Final Grade: B+

See larger image The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution (Hardcover) By (author) Richard Dawkins List Price: $30.00 USD New From: $9.99 In Stock Used from: $7.85 In Stock

First off, I apologize that my review has been a long time coming. I am in the middle of a big move, and I’m afraid my blogging has suffered as a result. However, I would like to offer a brief defense of A Game of Thrones. I initially read the book several months ago and was instantly smitten with the series. While I typically don’t read epic fantasy, the sheer unpredictability of A Game of Thrones distinguished it from similar efforts in the genre.

At times its unpredictability stems from plain good storytelling, and the plot boasts several startling surprises. But more often, George R.R. Martin toys with reader expectations. A likeable protagonist? Martin will kill him off. Time for a happy resolution? Guess again. The end result is that nothing and nobody seems safe from Martin’s calculated brutality, and the reader needs to keep guessing.

I can see how this would not appeal to all readers, and A Game of Thrones has other flaws. At times the gargantuan and intricate plotlines lag under their own weight, and the lack of a clear protagonist can leave a reader feeling lost. But ultimately, Martin’s clever character studies, skilled storytelling, and unpredictable (even cruel) plot twists make A Game of Thrones an outstanding fantasy.

Final Grade: A-

See larger image A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, Book 1) (Paperback) By (author) George R.R. Martin List Price: $16.00 USD New From: $7.03 In Stock Used from: $3.94 In Stock Release date May 28, 2002.

Our book for December is George R.R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones.

Synopsis from Publishers Weekly:

In a world where the approaching winter will last four decades, kings and queens, knights and renegades struggle for control of a throne. Some fight with sword and mace, others with magic and poison. Beyond the Wall to the north, meanwhile, the Others are preparing their army of the dead to march south as the warmth of summer drains from the land [...] Although conventional in form, the book stands out from similar work by Eddings, Brooks and others by virtue of its superbly developed characters, accomplished prose and sheer bloody-mindedness.

Have you read A Game of Thrones? If so, tell us what you thought in the comments! If not, feel free to read along with us, and check back for our reviews later this month.

Updated 1/1/10:
Check out our reviews: Kim’s, Ranjana’s, and Sina’s.

When I read that The Shadow of the Wind was “Gabriel García Márquez meets Umberto Eco meets Jorge Luis Borges” I set my expectations pretty high, but I was not disappointed. The self-reflexive convolutions of Borges merge with García Márquez’s eroticism and colorful personages to produce a mystery novel akin to The Name of the Rose.

The story concerns a young book dealer’s search for the mysterious author Julián Carax, whose books are being systematically destroyed by a man bearing the name of one of Carax’s characters. As a bookworm myself, it was easy to relate to the bookish protagonists. Carlos Ruiz Zafón waxes poetic about literature: the intimacy between reader and author, becoming engrossed in a book as a child, the romance between the reader and his favorite book. In fact, Ruiz Zafón often equates reading with romance:

“Never before had I felt trapped, seduced, and caught up in a story the way I did with that book… Have you ever kissed a girl, Daniel? Well, you’re still very young. But it’s that same feeling, that first-time spark that you never forget.”

As a mystery, The Shadow of the Wind is somewhat flawed. The outcomes are often predictable, if still satisfying. However, the interest is more in the space between the mysteries and their resolutions than in the resolutions themselves. For instance, the true identity of Laín Coubert comes as no revelation, but it is easy to lose yourself in the intricate subplots which spur his transformation.

The portentous tone of The Shadow of the Wind is offset by Ruiz Zafón’s humor and whimsical turns of phrase, which make the book a delightful read. A lost memory remembered is “an old cutting…fallen out of the pages of a book.” A ten year old Julián Carax wonders what Velásquez would have chosen to paint had he not been “obliged to paint so many time-consuming portraits of mentally retarded royals.” Daniel’s sidekick Fermín is a gem of a character, a shabby left-wing intellectual whose hilarious commentary keeps the novel sprightly.

At times, the story verges on the fantastic but ultimately creeps away from the supernatural. Both the characters and the Barcelona of The Shadow of the Wind feel haunted, but the ghostly presence is always history – whether it be familial scandals or the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War.

In short, an engaging and somewhat improbable story brilliantly executed.

Final Grade: A-

See larger image The Shadow of the Wind (Paperback) By (author) Carlos Ruiz Zaf�n List Price: $16.00 USD New From: $7.38 In Stock Used from: $0.75 In Stock Release date January 25, 2005.