Difference between revisions of "An Appetite for Wonder"

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'''''An Appetite For Wonder: The Making of a Scientist''''' is the first volume of [[Richard Dawkins]]'s autobiographical memoir, the second being ''[[Brief Candle In the Dark: My Life In Science]]''. The book was published on ... and primarily focuses on Dawkins's childhood, family, and school and university days.
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[[Image:Appetite For Wonder, An - Making of a Scientist, The - Hardcover - UK - Bantam - 1st Edition.jpg|thumb|256x256px|UK hardcover, 1st edition.]]
  
==Status==
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'''''An Appetite For Wonder: The Making of a Scientist''''' is the first volume of [[Richard Dawkins]]'s autobiographical memoir, the second being ''[[Brief Candle In the Dark: My Life In Science]]''. The book was published on 2013-09-12 and primarily focuses on Dawkins's childhood, family, and school life. The school section includes grade school, university, and post graduate projects up until the publication of ''[[The Selfish Gene]]'' in the 1970s.
I do not own this book, but I am listening to the Dawkins-read audio book.
 
  
 
==Personal==
 
==Personal==
 +
After inadvertently reading Dawkins's second volume first, I made it a point to read this book immediately afterward while everything was still fresh in my mind. I finished it on 2020-05-02.
 +
 +
==Status==
 +
I do not own this book, but I've listened to the Dawkins-read audio book.
  
 
==Review==
 
==Review==
 
===Good===
 
===Good===
* I like that Dawkins gives a fairly uncensored view of British boarding school life including the abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse.
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* I like that Dawkins gives a fairly uncensored view of British boarding school life including the bullying, neglect, and physical and sexual abuse.
 
* It's refreshing to hear someone say that innate ability shouldn't be praise nearly as much as learned ability.
 
* It's refreshing to hear someone say that innate ability shouldn't be praise nearly as much as learned ability.
 +
* It's nice to read how even a militant atheist was once persuaded by the allure of religion as a child, until reason and science prevailed.
 +
* Dawkins uses an extensive vocabulary, which is refreshing.
  
 
===Bad===
 
===Bad===
* Dawkins says that the sexual abuse he and his colleagues received in school didn't appear to do any lasting harm to them, however, I would argue that, being blase about being sexually abused is lasting harm.
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* Dawkins says that the sexual abuse he and his colleagues received in school didn't appear to do any lasting harm to them, however, I would argue that, being blase about sexual abuse is indeed lasting harm.
  
 
===Ugly===
 
===Ugly===
Line 20: Line 25:
 
===Covers===
 
===Covers===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>
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Appetite For Wonder, An - Making of a Scientist, The - Hardcover - UK - Bantam - 1st Edition.jpg|UK, hardcover, Bantam, 1st edition.
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Appetite For Wonder, An - Making of a Scientist, The - Hardcover - USA - Ecco.jpg|USA, hardcover, Ecco.
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Appetite For Wonder, An - Making of a Scientist, The - Paperback - USA - Black Swan.jpg|USA, paperback, Black Swan.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
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{{Link|Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Appetite_for_Wonder}}
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{{Link|GoodReads|https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17924018-an-appetite-for-wonder}}
  
  
[[Category: Books]]
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[[Category: Books|Appetite For Wonder, An: Making of a Scientist, The]]
[[Category: Non-Fiction]]
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[[Category: Non-Fiction|Appetite For Wonder, An: Making of a Scientist, The]]
[[Category: Memoirs]]
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[[Category: Memoirs|Appetite For Wonder, An: Making of a Scientist, The]]
[[Category: Science]]
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[[Category: Science|Appetite For Wonder, An: Making of a Scientist, The]]
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[[Category: Books I've Read|Appetite For Wonder, An: Making of a Scientist, The]]

Revision as of 10:39, 18 August 2020

UK hardcover, 1st edition.

An Appetite For Wonder: The Making of a Scientist is the first volume of Richard Dawkins's autobiographical memoir, the second being Brief Candle In the Dark: My Life In Science. The book was published on 2013-09-12 and primarily focuses on Dawkins's childhood, family, and school life. The school section includes grade school, university, and post graduate projects up until the publication of The Selfish Gene in the 1970s.

Personal

After inadvertently reading Dawkins's second volume first, I made it a point to read this book immediately afterward while everything was still fresh in my mind. I finished it on 2020-05-02.

Status

I do not own this book, but I've listened to the Dawkins-read audio book.

Review

Good

  • I like that Dawkins gives a fairly uncensored view of British boarding school life including the bullying, neglect, and physical and sexual abuse.
  • It's refreshing to hear someone say that innate ability shouldn't be praise nearly as much as learned ability.
  • It's nice to read how even a militant atheist was once persuaded by the allure of religion as a child, until reason and science prevailed.
  • Dawkins uses an extensive vocabulary, which is refreshing.

Bad

  • Dawkins says that the sexual abuse he and his colleagues received in school didn't appear to do any lasting harm to them, however, I would argue that, being blase about sexual abuse is indeed lasting harm.

Ugly

  • Nothing.

Media

Covers

Links

Link-Wikipedia.png  Link-GoodReads.png