The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing is an anthology of scientific writings, arranged and introduced by Richard Dawkins of the University of Oxford. Published first in March 2008, it contains 83 writings on many topics from a diverse variety of authors, which range in length from one to eight pages. All inclusions are dated post-1900, and include poetry, anecdotes, and general philosophical musings.
The book is divided into four segments. The following is a list of pieces included in each segment.
from:
The Mysterious Universe by James JeansJust Six Numbers by Martin ReesCreation Revisited by Peter AtkinsThe Ant and the Peacock by Helena CroninThe Genetical Theory of Natural Selection by R. A. FisherMankind Evolving by Theodosius DobzhanskyAdaptation and Natural Selection by G. C. WilliamsLife Itself: Its Origin and Nature by Francis CrickGenome by Matt Ridley"Theoretical Biology in the Third Millennium" by Sydney BrennerThe Language of the Genes by Steve Jones"On Being the Right Size", an essay by J. B. S. HaldaneThe Explanation of Organic Diversity by Mark Ridley"The Importance of the Nervous System in the Evolution of Animal Flight" by John Maynard SmithMan in the Universe by Fred HoyleOn Growth and Form by D'Arcy ThompsonThe Meaning of Evolution by G. G. SimpsonTrilobite! by Richard ForteyThe Mind Machine by Colin BlakemoreMirrors in Mind by Richard Gregory"One Self: A Meditation on the Unity of Consciousness" by Nicholas HumphreyThe Language Instinct and How the Mind Works by Steven PinkerThe Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee by Jared DiamondThe Life of the Robin by David LackCurious Naturalists by Niko TinbergenSocial Evolution by Robert TriversThe Open Sea by Alister HardyThe Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson"How Flowers Changed the World" by Loren EiseleyThe Diversity of Life by Edward O. Wilsonfrom:
The Expanding Universe by Arthur Eddingtonthe Foreword to G. H. Hardy's A Mathematician's Apology by C. P. SnowDisturbing the Universe by Freeman Dyson'War and the Nations' by J. Robert Oppenheimer'A Passion for Crystals' by Max F. Perutz'Said Ryle to Hoyle' by Barbara and George Gamow'Cancer's a Funny Thing' by J. B. S. HaldaneThe Identity of Man by Jacob Bronowski'Science and Literature', 'Darwin's Illness', 'The Phenomenon of Man', the postscript to 'Lucky Jim', and 'D' Arcy Thompson and Growth and Form' by Peter MedawarSelf-Made Man by Jonathan KingdonOrigins Reconsidered by Richard Leakey and Roger LewinLucy by Donald C. Johanson and Maitland A. Edey'Worm for a Century', and 'All Seasons' by Stephen Jay GouldLife Cycles by John Tyler BonnerUncle Tungsten by Oliver Sacks'Seven Wonders' by Lewis ThomasAvoid Boring People by James WatsonWhat Mad Pursuit by Francis CrickThe Unnatural Nature of Science by Lewis WolpertEssays of a Biologist by Julian Huxley'Religion and Science' by Albert EinsteinThe Demon-Haunted World by Carl Saganfrom:
The Character of Physical Law by Richard FeynmanWhat Is Life? by Erwin SchrödingerDarwin's Dangerous Idea and Consciousness Explained by Daniel DennettThe Growth of Biological Thought by Ernst Mayr'The Tragedy of the Commons' by Garrett HardinGeometry for the Selfish Herd and Narrow Roads of Geneland by W. D. HamiltonHow Nature Works by Per Bak"The Fantastic Combinations of John Conway's New Solitaire Game 'Life'" by Martin GardnerMathematics for the Million by Lancelot Hogben"The Miraculous Jar" in From Here to Infinity by Ian Stewart"The Mathematical Theory of Communication" by Claude E. Shannon and Warren Weaver"Computing Machinery and Intelligence" by Alan Turing'What is the Theory of Relativity?' by Albert EinsteinMr Tompkins by George GamowThe Goldilocks Enigma by Paul DaviesThe Time and Space of Uncle Albert by Russell StannardThe Elegant Universe by Brian GreeneA Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawkingfrom:
Truth and Beauty by S. ChandrasekharA Mathematician's Apology by G. H. HardyDreams of a Final Theory by Steven WeinbergThe Life of the Cosmos by Lee SmolinThe Emperor's New Mind by Roger PenroseGodel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas HofstadterGeons, Black Holes, and Quantum Foam by John Archibald Wheeler and Kenneth Ford listingThe Fabric of Reality by David DeutschThe Periodic Table by Primo LeviLife: An Unauthorized Biography by Richard ForteyThe Meaning of Evolution by George Gaylord SimpsonLittle Men and Flying Saucers by Loren EiseleyPale Blue Dot by Carl SaganThe book received extremely favourable reviews, with New Scientist proclaiming that "if you could only ever read one science book, this should probably be it". Peter Forbes of The Independent praised Dawkins' inclusions, stating that "every reader is likely to make a discovery or two". Steven Poole in The Guardian described it as "a beautiful volume" and "a labour of love" on Dawkins' part. A number of science bloggers did criticise the lack of women scientists included in the book.
