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Distillation of a Lifetime of Learning
A wonderful tour de force in the tradition of the "Last Lecture" wherein scholars sum up their achievements.Perhaps a little over-priced given its brevity, but in my view well worth every penny.

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Disappointing book from a great man
I'm a big fan of David Suzuki, having been to four of his lectures.
I ordered this book as soon as I heard about it, thinking that something with such a title from Dr. Suzuki must be great. Unfortunately, the book is a huge let-down.
The book is divided into three parts of roughly equal length. The first, "Evolution of a Superspecies," is a brief review of how humans evolved to be such a successful and numerous species, and how we're responsible for today's environmental problems. None of this will be new to any environmentalist or fan of Dr. Suzuki. The second secton titled "Finding a New Path" explains the disconnect between economics and government policy and nature; again nothing new to those most likely to purchase the book. Lastly, "A Vision for the Future," where one expects to finally find some great ideas and concrete solutions, simply tells the reader that humans are part of nature, that we have the potential to change our ways, and that we need to change our point of view. As much as I wanted to like this book, none of the above meets my definition of the book's subtitle: An Elder's Vision for our Sustainable Future.

The Legacy - a lost opportunity
Dr. David Suzuki is now touring Canada promoting his new book, "The Legacy - An elder's Vision for our Sustainable Future".The speech he gave this evening in Ottawa at the Dominion Chalmers Church was essentially a summary of the book, with much of the book's text used verbatim in the presentation.The book is a strange combination of environmental mysticism, science and folklore that leaves one wondering what is real and what is simply David Suzuki's imagination or wishful thinking. While both the book and the presentation are superb works of communication, they contain far too much native environmental spirituality, and significant science mistakes, to be of much use to most western readers who need a serious, rational basis for the important decisions about the environment and society that we must make today.

First, his focus on the "sacredness" of nature is foreign to most people.He promotes the concept that the air, the soil, the water and fire are all sacred.Suzuki writes, "biodiversity, the web of life itself, should be considered a sacred element, in addition to the other four elements."It is unclear whether or not he actually believes this or simply says this to try to get people to care for natural things more.Perhaps it is both.Regardless, it may very well originate with his father who, Suzuki writes, "found great strength in the Japanese tradition of nature worship."

Some of the book delves into what one may consider environmental mysticism.Saying that, because air is in and around us, we are air and since we all share that air, then "I am you".Because plants and animals ultimately come from the soil and we eat plants and animals, then "we are earth." In referring to animals and plants, Suzuki says, "All life on Earth is our kin. And in an act of generosity [a strange concept to attribute to species other than humans], our relatives create the four sacred elements for us."

There are many science mistakes in the book too numerous to list here but here is one that illustrates how far Suzuki has strayed from a rational assessment of main stream science (p. 17):

"We have become a force of nature ... Not long ago, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, drought, forest fires, even earthquakes and volcanic explosions were accepted as "natural disasters or "acts of God."But now, we have joined God, powerful enough to influence these events."

This is either complete nonsense (in the case of volcanoes), or mostly nonsense (in the case of hurricanes and floods and forest fires).

And of course tonight, Suzuki strongly, even angrily, promoted the human-caused climate catastrophe hypothesis - no one dared contest him in the question period.

The book was an opportunity to bring Canadians together across the political spectrum to work on our shared environmental problems.Instead, it alienates many readers who quickly recognize that the book has little to offer us in terms of concrete workable solutions.

Tom Harris
International Climate Science Coalition
Ottawa, Canada ... Read more

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If you care for this precious, blue planet...
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"Unless we can find a way to live in balance with the natural systems that sustain us, our species will ultimately reach a dead end.

That's the bottom line...

We live in a fractured world, pummelled by random information, very little of which actually addresses this bottom-line reality...

This book, a selection of essays [first published under the title "Science Matters"] compiled to help readers put some of the fractured pieces back together, represents a modest start inthat direction.It's not comprehensive, by any means.In truth, it will probably raise more questions than it answers.But perhaps that's a good thing...[We] need to step back...and try our very best to see the big picture [so as to put everything in proper context]."

The above is found in this down to Earth, easy-to-read book by Dr. David Suzuki and David Taylor.Suzuki is a scientist (geneticist), environmentalist (being recognized as a world authority in sustainable ecology), broadcaster, author, and professor emeritus (being a professor for over thirty years).Taylor is a writer and journalist.

Here generally is what each chapter is about:

(1) Science, research, and ignorance
(2) Interconnections in the Earth`s biosphere. (The biosphere is the zone of our planet where life naturally occurs.)
(3) Planet biodiversity and how to protect it. (Biodiversity is diversity or variety in living things.)
(4) Natural services provided by our planet and human economics. (Natural services or ecosystem services are essential services provided free of charge by the planet like stable climate, clean water, and fertile soils.)
(5) Climate change and global warming
(6) Global transportation (including car culture)
(7) Food: feeding humans on our planet in the 21ST century
(8) Technology and consumerism
(9) The media and social change
(10) Sustainable planet public policy

As you can see, this book does not just look at our environmental problems but actually looks beyond them to detail the forces that prevent real beneficial change from occurring.The result is a book that examines many spheres such as the scientific, psychological, sociological, environmental, technological, medical, and political.Also included is some of the latest research.

In my case, there were a couple of things said that I did not agree with.But overwhelmingly, Suzuki made some excellent and interesting points.

This book may get some people angry because some people may not have thought about our environmental predicament as thoroughly as Suzuki has.

Finally, the only problem I found is that this book has no references or notes.Informal references are included in the main narrative itself but I would have liked to have seen some formal references as well as footnotes to back up some figures that were included.

In conclusion, this is a much-needed book.I leave you with its very last paragraph:

"But ultimately, you take away all our scientific knowledge and all our technologies, all of our art, and all of our culture, and we are still another species.We need air to breathe, water to drink, and food to eat just like every other organism on our little planet.We are but a small, shiny cog in the big wheel of life on Earth. And as shiny and fascinating as we are, we need the humility to recognize that fact, because in the end, the Earth doesn't need us.

But we certainly need it."

**** 1/2

(first published 2009;preface;10 chapters;final words;main narrative 270 pages; acknowledgements;index;about the authors;about The David Suzuki Foundation)

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Brillant!! Should be required reading.
I only recently stumbled upon this book, so I can't compare it to its previous incarnation. This book is a pleasure to read. It is well researched and includes a wide variety of quotes from literature and science alike.While providing the most coherent "Land Ethic" I've read (better than Wendell Berry and Leopold), it also provides a basic scientific primer for the natural processes of the world.
You will learn from this book, how to live in this world and why you should. But as importantly, it will also provide you a glimpse into other sources to learn more.

Extensive notes and an index round out this powerful treatise
Now in an updated and expanded edition ten years after its initial publication, The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature remains a monumental testimony concerning the repercussions of human society's impact on the natural world, both for the planet and the people living on it. Geneticist and environmentalist David Suzuki reveals how connected and dependent humankind is upon the planet's water, soil, sunlight, and the breath of its vegetation; as well as the threats to the planet's balance ranging from toxic pollution to the impending cataclysm of global warming. Extensive notes and an index round out this powerful treatise concerning the immediate need to rethink human behavior and find a new way to live in balance with the planet's ecosystem. Highly recommended. ... Read more

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World-renowned violinist David Cerone has produced a recording of the music from this volume of the immensely successful Suzuki Violin School. The CD features an exquisite rendition of the violin part with piano accompaniment. Titles include: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star Variations (Suzuki) * Song of the Wind * Etude (Suzuki) * Minuet 1 (Bach) * The Happy Farmer (Schumann) and more. ... Read more

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Far better than the Suzuki CD but a bit too fast
Far, far better than the CD that comes with some of the Suzuki books (which sounds like they played it on a synthesizer), this David Cerone CD is good for listening.It is a bit too fast in tempo for most students of that level to be able to play along.My son's violin teacher has assigned him a certain amount of listening time as he progresses to each new song, and this CD is perfect for that (I just put it in the van's CD player and set the song to loop until we're all humming it).I wish they would release a second CD at half this tempo- several of the songs feel rushed, even just as listening music. ... Read more

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A great autobiography of a scientist and environmental activist
I thoroughly enjoyed this tracing of David Suziki's life from his early encounters with racism through his life-long efforts to inform others of the need to safeguard the Earth's resources and his role to do something about it. This is indeed the story from the one who lived it of a great scientist and environmentalist. Highly recommended.

A look into the extraordinary life of one of the most passionate and visionary people on the planet!!!
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"Why would anyone else be interested in my life? I know people like to delve into the hidden parts of the lives of people who have acquired some notoriety, hoping to find juicy bits of gossip, signs of weakness or faults that bring the subjects down off pedestals, or simply to expand on what one knows about a public figure.It's not my intension to satisfy that curiosity.Instead, as an "elder," I hope my reflection on one life may stir the reader to consider those thoughts in relation to his or her own life."

The above is found in the last paragraph of the preface of this book by geneticist and environmentalist, the TV host of the acclaimed long-running program "The Nature of Things with David Suzuki," the founder and chair of the David Suzuki Foundation, and the author of more than forty books, David Suzuki (born 1936).

Suzuki explains the contents of his candid and honest book:

"This...is a story I have created by selectively dredging up bits and pieces from the detritus of seventy years of life.The first five chapters skim over the first fifty years...and the rest of the book describes events since then."

More specifically, the first five chapters begin with his childhood life in "racist British Columbia" in Canada, then goes on to his education in the U.S., his early career as a research geneticist, and his "new career" in radio then television.As the book proceeds, we see his transformation into environmental warrior where he recounts stories of his activism in British Columbia and eventually the Amazon, telling us of the plight of the indigenous peoples in this environmentally sensitive region.

In the second half of his book, he tells of his journeys to Australia.Suzuki fell "head over heels" for this country and says that "We [his second wife and him] have never regretted remaining in Canada, but we do feel privileged to be able to return to Australia again and again."He goes on to explain the establishment of the foundation named after him and describes some of its successes to date.Then he proceeds to tell us of his experiences at the Earth summit of 1992 and the world climate change conference held in Kyoto, Japan in 1997.

The last three chapters are especially interesting where Suzuki gives us his ruminations on science and technology, the cult of celebrity and old age respectively.

Throughout the book, two things are apparent:Suzuki cares deeply for his family and his passion for the environment.With regards to the latter, I thought I knew a lot about what's happening to the environment, but I learned much more from reading this book.I think I learned so much because of Suzuki's first-hand observations that he eloquently details and his explanations of what's going on are easy to understand.(My assertion here is actually incredible when you think about it because this book is actually an autobiography and not an environmental science book.)

This autobiography is chatty, intimate, full of interesting stories, and remarkably honest.Suzuki's decency and sincerity shines through practically every sentence of his book.

Finally, the book is peppered with photographs.Even though he sees the "cult of celebrity" as "frightening," you'll see Suzuki in photographs with Canadian and U.S. celebrities such as Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver, Tom Cruise, and Jane Fonda.My favorite photo is the very last one that has him posing naked with only a fig leaf on.The caption reads:

"The notorious fig leaf shot for the show "Phallacies" for [his TV show] "The Nature of Things with David Suzuki."

In conclusion, this is an elegant account of the life of a man who evolved from an academic geneticist into a T.V. and radio personality, first popular in Canada, then the world!!

(first published 2006;preface;18 chapters;main narrative 400 pages;index;photo credits)

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The economy and global competitiveness are the bottom line for society and governments, or so says conventional wisdom. But what are the real needs that must be satisfied to live rich, fulfilling lives? This is the question David Suzuki explores in this wide-ranging study. Suzuki begins by presenting the concept of people as creatures of the Earth who depend on its gifts of air, water, soil, and sun energy. He shows how people are genetically programmed for the company of other species, and suffer enormously when we fail to live in harmony with them. And he analyzes those deep spiritual needs, rooted in nature, that are also a crucial component of a loving world. Drawing on his own experiences and those of others who have put their beliefs into action, The Sacred Balance is a powerful, passionate book with concrete suggestions for creating an ecologically sustainable, satisfying, and fair future by rediscovering and addressing humanity’s basic needs. ... Read more

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A life changing, life enhancing read
The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place In Nature by David Suzuki offers a conceptual understanding of the human condition and an ecologically sustainable, satisfying and honorable way of life in the world enveloping us all in this day and age. Providing readers with a complete grasp of nature and its most fulfilling values, The Sacred Balance intuitively presents a new direction with which one might rightfully prosper in balance with nature and one's surroundings. As a unique and concise interpretive understanding of nature and each individual's placement amidst an ever-growing and progressing nature, The Sacred Balance is very strongly recommended as a life changing, life enhancing read.
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"Consume and compete!" The message of the economic treadmillis loud and constant. But in this seminal work, David Suzuki arguesthat the real bottom line, and society's challenge today, is notdebts and deficits, but the need to live full and meaningful liveswithout destroying the Earth's biosphere, which supports all life.

Suzuki explores the physical, social, and spiritual needs thatform the basis of any society that aspires to a sustainable futureand a high quality life for its citizens.

Those fundamental requirements are rooted in the Earth and itslife support systems. They are worthy of reverence and respect; theyare sacred. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

an eye-opener
It is hard to say whether all Suzuki's facts are absolutely valid or not, especially when his discussion turns to what the Earth's true carrying capacity for humans is - but that is slightly beside the point here. The most important part of environmentalism is to wake people up and make them realize the effects that their everyday actions have on the world around them. Suzuki does this by explaining 1) how everything in this world is connected, 2) pollution of one area will invariably affect another area, and 3) we really do not understand all the elements needed for the proper functioning of the environment. This should make any person reflect on their own actions. The world's environmental problems (which in turn are deeply connected to human problems) will not be solved by governments' imposing regulations and all this Kyoto b.s. (not that Kyoto is bad... it's just a very small step and it is disgusting to see that both USA and Canada are stalling), change will only come when each individual makes sure their OWN actions do not make the situation worse. Buy organic when you can afford it, reduce or cut out meat entirely from your diet (I think 80% of farmland is used to keep livestock alive), buy local products, recycle, compost, reduce energy consumption. This isn't hippy crap - hippies never had that much self-restraint - this is about being a responsible person so that your grandchildren will be able to go outside and play without gas masks. Suzuki's book was what opened my eyes when I was 17... and it should do the same for most reasonable people.

Excellent, enlightening and a "should read"
This is an excellent and enlightening work about the general state of the planet, humanity as a species, where we belong on the planet and what it means to us in terms of sustaining us as a species for the long run. Well-written and divided into chapters which could be summarized as humanity, air, earth, water, fire, community, love, spirituality and balance, this book paints an accurate state of the world picture with facts as well as metaphors. It always presents its concern about the greater picture without losing sight of the details. A great balance of general science and spirituality, with just enough facts and personal stories of many to make the points convincing, this book also is threaded with impacting and eye-opening quotes and poetry from a variety of sources and people. A superb book, overall, from someone who has seen a lot of what he wrote about. This book should be on the curriculum for senior year high school so that the future generations can get a good grasp of the world as they become contributing adults in that world which they will own and determine, more impacting than ever, for future generations. No matter how much or how little they will get from it, every bit helps at a time when that is truer than ever in the past from every one of us living today. Don't get me wrong, though, it's not the book that's profound. It's what you do with what you learn from it which will be.

for a sacred balance...
While Mr Suzuki is an interesting educator, and hopefully a concerned citizen, I do question some of his facts. If everyone here wants a true sacred balance, read from both sides of the fence...pickup eco-imperialism by paul driessen, and the skeptical enironmentalist by bjorn lomberg. I'm not saying to take their stuff as gospel, but at least read them.They are eye openers... and both are extremely referenced and researched.One of them is endorsed by the the actual founder of Greenpeace, and the other is written by a former greenpeace member.

Seamless, just like its subject
John Muir wrote something like "if you try to isolate one thing in nature, you find that it's connected to everything else."(Sorry for the paraphrase, but I can't find the original quotation.)Suzuki's book puts us back in the natural scheme of things (where we belong) and finds the inevitable threads to physical health, mental health, spiritual wellbeing, and, by inference, a public policy agenda.I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Sane Science
Humanity is creating problems of a size and magnitude unprecedented in Earth history. We are razing the forests, causing mass extinctions, and have befouled earth, sky and water with with deadly toxins. While clinging to faith in science and progress, deserts quietly creep in on our venerated civilization. Within the human economy (community sounds too hospitable) as well, we see signs of collapse: some "800 million people go to bed hungry every night; and in wealthy industrialized nations, chronic unemployment, violence, social alienation, drug abuse, crime, unhappiness and the disparity between rich and poor appear to be rising. The sense that something is wrong is pervasive... People seem to feel helpless and pessimistic about the future." All of this, it must be added, in an era that many historians and pundits tout for "unprecedented scientific and technological progress." Suzuki believes that, although abundant with information and technique, we lack a working worldview and have utterly disconnected ourselves from the living planet. "What we need," he says, "is a new kind of science that approaches the traditional knowledge of indigenous communities." What we need is a new story, sense of place, deep connection and meaning - and that's exactly what this book provides. Suzuki's life-affirming narrative explains who we are, where we came from, and our proper place is in this complex, interdependent world. A beautiful blend of ancient wisdom and modern scientific thought, The Sacred Balance provides nothing less than the complete picture.

A MUST READ

j.w.k. ... Read more

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Lovely book that teaches children about the importance of caring for our earthly home!
This little book has 3 stories inside that are sure to spark the imagination of any child in addition to teach you some things you may not have known about.There are few children books that teach children about being green, this is one of them.Great illustrations and reading for the whole family.

Great message.
Sweet book by an amazing author.David Suzuki has spent his whole life talking about nature and this book doesn't dumb down any facts about our everyday products and where they come from. My daughter got this book when she was 5 and at 7 she still loves it and we've bought it for others.

A blend of education, adventure, and wonder
There's a Barnyard in My Bedroom is a children's picturebook with a surprisingly involved story about a boy and a girl who harness the power of imagination to go on incredible adventures. At home, they discover an ocean in the bathroom and a forest in the living room; in their backyard, they find rocks that have existed for millions of years. "'What is a smell, anyway?' 'Actually, what we smell are tiny pieces of something. The pieces are so tiny we can't see them. Dogs can even smell pieces left behind from a person or animal that was here yesterday. Some animals leave smells to mark their territory. And some of those smells smell pretty bad to us." A blend of education, adventure, and wonder, There's a Barnyard in My Bedroom is an enjoyable storybook detailed enough to be suitable for young readers who are almost ready to start chapter books. ... Read more

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Penned by a renowned naturalist, scientist and TV personality, it explores the fascinating world of insects. Packed with illustrations and full of ``amazing facts'' about moths, butterflies, bees, beetles, ants, spiders and many more of nature's smaller creatures. ... Read more

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In these provocative essays - some reprinted, others previously unpublished - leading environmentalist David Suzuki explores the limits of knowledge and the connectedness of all things; looks unflinchingly at the destructive forces of globalization, political shortsightedness, and greed; cautions against blind faith in science, technology, politics, and economics; and provides inspiring examples of how and where to make those changes that will matter to all of us and to future generations. He also offers a vision of hope based on our love of children and nature. In this time of global unrest and uncertainty, Suzuki provides an important reminder of common bonds and of what really matters. Written with clarity and passion, this book is essential reading for anyone who admires David Suzuki, who wants to understand what science can and can't do, or who wants to make a difference. ... Read more

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Putting into words what we all know is true
Suzuki does an excellent job of explaining the connections in
our lives with the world we live in. He reminds us that as much
as our modern societies become insulated from the planet we
live on and overly rely on modern technologies, the amount of destruction and loss of what we haven't even discovered is enormous. Dr.Suzuki is clearly one of the great thinkers of our time.

The nature of David Suzuki
Although some of the articles in this anthology have appeared in Mr.Suzuki's earlier collections, the chance to own a healthy biopsy of all of them shouldn't be passed up. For a geneticist once focused on the chromosomes of fruit flies, his knowledge of the world encompasses a surprisingly large area. He writes of the general myopic vision that is devastating the Earth, while gently stressing the interconnectedness of all things. Any effort to prevent or even mitigate environmental and spiritual disaster should be dutifully read. ... Read more

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Looking at Weather Do you know…

• what makes the Northern lights light up?
• what makes the wind blow?
• why the earth keeps using the same rain-water—over and over again?
• what it’s like inside a cloud?

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Nearly forty of the world's most esteemed scientists discuss the big questions that drive their illustrious careers. Co-editor Eduardo Punset—one of Spain's most loved personages for his popularization of the sciences—interviews an impressive collection of characters drawing out the seldom seen personalities of the world's most important men and woman of science. In Mind, Life and Universe they describe in their own words the most important and fascinating aspects of their research. Frank and often irreverent, these interviews will keep even the most casual reader of science books rapt for hours.

Can brain science explain feelings of happiness and despair? Is it true that chimpanzees are just like us when it comes to sexual innuendo? Is there any hard evidence that life exists anywhere other than on the Earth? Through Punset's skillful questioning, readers will meet one scientist who is passionate about the genetic control of everything and another who spends her every waking hour making sure African ecosystems stay intact. The men and women assembled here by Lynn Margulis and Eduardo Punset will provide a source of endless interest.

In captivating conversations with such science luminaries as Jane Goodall, James E. Lovelock, Oliver Sachs, and E. O. Wilson, Punset reveals a hidden world of intellectual interests, verve, and humor. Science enthusiasts and general readers alike will devour Mind, Life and Universe, breathless and enchanted by its truths. ... Read more

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Conversations with Great Scientists
This is a bit tough to review; parts are five-star and parts are less than stellar. As previous reviewers have noted, these are fascinating glimpses into the minds of some great scientists. And they should not be held accountable for the occasionally poor translations and other slip-ups. Nor necessarily should Punsett, a Spanish economist with a good grasp of science. But somebody in the publishing house should have given this a thorough going-over. I tend to come to a skidding stop when I hit these errors - perhaps you are able to glide gracefully over them. One example, from the next-to-last sentence; a byte may be 4,5,6,7,8,9,16,32 or even perhaps 64 bits, but never 1000! Memory used to be expressed in kilobytes (1000 bytes), and now in mega and tera bytes, but that is bytes (8 or 16 bits standard) not bits. OK, I'm bit-picking. More seriously, many of these conversations reflect knowledge of a decade ago. Since Amazon now claims to be selling more e-books than physical ones, it is also important to note that while you can get to Margulis' comments, you are left stranded there in the Kindle version.

Very worthwhile overview--still,a few quibbles
If, like myself, you are a lay-person who has not already devoured large quantities of science-writing for the general public, you should find this overview both very interesting and very informative. The range of scientific investigation covered is vast, and it would be truly mind-boggling to try to explore it all in depth. I think one of the main attractions of this collection of interviews of many different researchers and theorists is that you can take a brief peek at so many different fields and get a determination about which of those you might want to follow up to do more in-depth reading. My favorite portions were the interviews with those who visualize the phenomenon of life as an incredibly dynamic process where new and unsuspected functions arise from this very dynamism of seemingly opportunistic biological and even pre-biological systems to achieve sustainable complexity. Some of the authors I particularly found interesting were James Lovelock, William Day, Dorian Sagan, and John Bonner whose interviews touched on this area. The scientists I felt the least engaged by were the extreme reductionists like Daniel Dennett and Richard Dawkins who are fond of making categorical statements about the non-existence of spirit or purpose in the universe(a stance which strikes me as being arrogant by assuming more certainty than can possibly be demonstrated about such matters). However I personally feel about their opinions, I still think it is good to know what is being being propagated as accepted current science. A few(Paul Davies, in particular with his talk of worm-holes and time-travel)seem so arcane as to be out of touch with the reality with which I am familiar, but what they have to say is still interesting. My quibbles are two: Firstly the book is not as up-to-date as the publication date of 2007 would lead you to believe, with some of the interviews having occurred several years earlier--for example, the interview with Stephen J. Gould, who died in 2002. Newer developments in molecular biology, which you can read about in books like "Your Inner Fish" and "Only A Theory" are hardly touched on. Secondly, the editing seems not to be impeccable in some cases. The vernacular spoken by some of the American or English interviewees seems to be derived from a translation from English to Spanish back to English again(The interviewer, Eduardo Punset, is Spanish). This makes me wonder if we are getting an entirely accurate representation of the thoughts of the person being interviewed. But I can say that I was presented with a wealth of interesting ideas, and can recommend this book to anyone wishing to broaden their knowledge of science in general.

Interview with different scientists from around the world
Enjoyed reading this book really insiteful. I really got to know each and every one of them while reading about them. They all know what they are talking about with there fields.

Glimpses of reality as seen by some of the leading scientists of our time
Eduardo Punset, the Spaniard who conducts almost all of the interviews in this wide-ranging book with some of the world's most highly respected scientists, is the host of the Spanish-language TV show Redes (Networks).As such he is experienced at drawing out scientists in such a way that their work comes alive to a general audience.

Lynn Margulis is the famous biologist who pioneered endosymbiotic ideas leading to the "Origin of Eukaryotic Cells," a book she published in 1970.Here she acts as co-editor and mostly intervenes in the text in footnotes to point to errors or misconceptions.There is something almost quirky about the way these interviews, or "discussions," as Penset calls them, appear on the pages.There are typos and obvious errors in translation.Part of the problem is that the interviews in most cases were patched together from transcripts and edited to remove some of the imprecision, repetition, and the um-ing and ah-ing that natural speech is prone to.The result nonetheless is a fascinating survey of what is happening in a host of scientific fields as expressed by some of science's greatest stars.

Included are interviews with Edward O. Wilson, Richard Dawkins, Jane Goodall, Oliver Sacks, James E. Lovelock, Stephen Jay Gould, Paul Davies and thirty others.There is a foreword by David T. Suzuki, and Margulis contributes an introduction with acknowledgments.A charming feature are the black and white line drawings of the scientists under the chapter headings.There are biographical notes about the scientists near the end of the book, and a list of readings recommended by the scientists (two each).

Punset's interviewing style in which he interrupts and augments what the interviewee has said, while occasionally taking a kind of diversion to digress on some point, makes for lively reading.He and the interviewees sometimes even openly disagree, while the venerable Lynn Margulis sometimes comes sailing in as though from on high to make a salient point or to out-and-out contradict what someone has said!I'm sure some of the scientists were misquoted or had some of what they said truncated so that their meaning may not be exactly what they had intended.Strange to say I somewhat enjoyed the imprecision and the cluttered desk aspect to the discussions.

Here's an example of what I mean.Philosopher Daniel Dennett is quoted as saying, "It has been discovered that chimpanzees have a way of catching termites with a stick, which involves using a sponge to take out water from the trunk to drink."Obviously two statements by Dennett about tool use by chimpanzees have been inadvertently meshed together! (p. 81)

Here's another: Punset is talking about the genetic basis for language, music, schizophrenia, and religion.He finishes with: "Religiosity played a very important role in the early evolution of culture."Anthropologist Ralph Holloway's immediate response is "Mankind was perturbed and that is why it was selected."Just what the pronoun "it" refers to is unclear as is what elicited his "mankind was perturbed" remark. (p. 178)

Regardless of such shortcomings this reader was delighted with the discussions, and time and again surprised and informed by something someone said.Here's an example of the kind of off the cuff profundity that this book offers.Neuroscientist Rodolfo Llinas is talking about systems in the brain.He says:

"There are two large systems: the more primitive one, the one of passions, pain, what a passion is, envy, sloth, lust, eating, and feeling.This is not negotiable.You like someone or not, something gives you pleasure or not, like a reptile.The possibility of negotiating with reality only occurs with the second system, the one of the neocortex, though it is completely dominated by the passions."

Reading this book offers a glimpse of reality as seen by some of the leading scientists of our time.

An introduction to the thoughts of some of the most interesting scientific minds in the world!!
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Consider these eight statements:

(1) "There is a psychological immune system that protects us from the 'slings and arrows of outrageous fortune'...but we are unaware of it."
(2) "In a utopian world, psychopaths would stand out as predators, because that is what they do, take advantage of others.We could live in a perfect utopia and there would always be psychopaths."
(3) "The role of dreams is to throw us into extraordinary social situations."
(4) "We know now that practically all human health problems will be resolved one day."
(5) "We will suffer for all we have done and only then will we understand how wonderful our planet was."
(6) "Some animals live in the trees, others on the sea, others underground, others fly, others dig, but essentially, they are all doing the same thing: they are working to survive and therefore to pass their genes on to the future.The genes encode the instructions that enable animals to exist."
(7) "If extra dimensions really explain phenomena in our world, then there are experimental implications of this fact for the future.Our ideas will lead us to see evidence for extra dimensions."
(8) "If you asked me whether in a hundred years time we will travel into the future, I will tell you that it is very possible."

The above are statements made by eight scientists found in this fascinating book that has the transcribed interviews of scientists from around the world.According to the book's cover, this book is edited by Dr. Lynn Margulis (who received the 1999 U.S. National Medal of Science) and Eduardo Punset who currently works in Spanish TV where he hosts a television program that communicates science to a worldwide Spanish-speaking audience.(A third editor, not mentioned on the book's cover, is Dorion Sagan, "a prolific science writer.")This book's Forward was authored by internationally-known Canadian scientist, Dr. David Suzuki.

The total number of interviews is 36 but the total number of scientists interviewed is 37 since one interview is with two scientists.(Actually, if you consider the definition of the words"science" and "scientist," the number of scientists interviewed is actually 36.)Except in one case by Margulis, Punset does all the interviewing.

The majority of scientists interviewed are also professors.Three scientists are female and three are Nobel Prize winners.

All interviews are clear and lucid as well as relatively short.They give readers insights into the minds of some of the leading scientists from around the world, revealing their creative thought-processes and how they are passionate about their own work.Also, the reader needs no science background to understand these interviews.

The book itself is divided into parts and these parts are divided into subsections.Below I will give the title of each part and the titles of their subsections.As well, I will indicate the number of interviews for each part in parentheses.

(I) People primates.Subsections: Culture before humans; Attractiveness; Anxiety.(13 interviews)
(II) Animal body-mind.Subsections: Cyclicity and sociality; Prehistory and Immortality of the body-mind.(9 interviews)
(III) Life on an animate planet.Subsections: Bygone biosphere; Toward perfection; Dead or alive?(8 interviews)
(IV) Toward the invisible. Subsection: From the vast to the miniscule.(6 interviews)

Finally, each chapter or transcribed interview begins with a line-drawn portrait of the particular scientist being interviewed.As well, there are five figures (in the form of line-drawings) found throughout the book.

In conclusion, if you want to know the thoughts and ideas of some scientists from around the world, then this book is a must-read!!

(first published 2007;forward;introduction and acknowledgments;4 parts or 36 chapters (transcribed interviews);main narrative 315 pages;about the book's scientists;about the book's editors;recommended further readings;list of figures and tables;index)

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Product Description
The SUZUKI METHOD of Talent Education is based on Dr. Shinichi Suzuki's view that every child is born with ability, and that man is the son of his environment. According to Dr. Suzuki, a world-renowned violinist and teacher, the greatest joy an adult can know comes from developing a child's potential so he/she can express all that is harmonious and best in human beings. Students are taught using the mother-tongue approach. Suzuki Violin School Materials include: Violin Parts (Vol. 1-10) * Piano Accompaniments (Vol. 1-10) * Cassettes (Vol. 1-3 performed by Shinichi Suzuki, Vol. 4-8 performed by Koji Toyoda) * Compact Discs (Vol. 5-8, performed by Koji Toyoda) * David Cerone Performs Suzuki Violin School (Cassettes & Compact Discs, Vol. 1-4) * David Nadien Performs Suzuki Violin School (Cassettes and Compact Discs, Vol. 1-4). Suzuki Method Core Materials available for piano, violin, viola, cello, string bass, flute, harp, guitar, and recorder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Suzuki
Listening to this CD has made it easier for me to learn to play the songs in the violin.

Violin study
I found this book to be very helpful when I bought a violin and needed to learn how to read music.

The Suzuki Method works!
My daughter is taking violin lessons from a teacher using the Suzuki Method. This CD, and the book that comes along with it, are the materials her teacher uses and all I can say is that the method works.
It might be helpful to know that this isn't something that can be self-taught, a competent teacher is required.

learning violin Suzuki method
We own this cd and, well, one can hardly comment on the music without 1st having experienced working with the Suzuki method of helping their child learn to play an instrument and read music.
The cd is most useful and my child learned very quickly by listening to this cd.There are other versions of the Suzuki books on cd and when your child advances you can see and hear the differences of each. The way your child plays, once having worked long enough, can reflect the style in which the artist plays.My son took to playing violin very quickly.And could choose which cd he wanted by book 3.
He still listens to the old cd,s (he added the music to his ipod, btw) for refreshing his memory and improving his critique of music.He is 16 and loves all music.
If you are considering this method for someone you love, remember musical literacy is a lifelong treasure and pleasure no matter what your talent level.You can't go wrong even if you just want to listen.Get the book if interested,because even if you want this for yourself you can read along and definitely help your own musical literacy skills.
It's a whole other language and nothing can beat hearing the language of music.

Good, the first 500 times:-P
Part of the Suzuki Method relies on hearing the music about 8000 times before the child graduates the particular "book". If you (and your child) do the method properly, you will have this entire cd memorised and may even be sick of it by then. It is well done, nicely clear for advanced beginners and has a clear piano part. ... Read more

Product Description
Looking at Plants Do you know…

• some flowers can weigh up to thirty pounds?
• that the oldest living tree is 4600 years old?
• some vines will climb 200 feet and are so strong they can hold up grown trees that have died?
• one plant has exploding fruit that can shoot its seeds as fast as 60mph?

Product Description
Drawing from David Suzuki's published and unpublished writings, this collection reveals the underlying passions and philosophies that have informed his work over a lifetime. In these incisive and provocative essays, Suzuki explores the limits of knowledge and the connectedness of all things; he looks unflinchingly at the destructive forces of globalisation, political shortsightedness, and greed and cautions against blind faith in science, technology, politics, and economics.

Here too are examples of how and where to make those changes that will matter to all of us and to future generations. David offers a vision of hope based on our love of children and nature, with inspiring stories about the people who are making positive environmental and social contributions to our world.

Here is an important reminder of how we are all connected and of what really matters. Written with clarity, passion and wisdom, this book is essential reading for anyone who admires David Suzuki.

Praise for The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature:

For Suzuki, the requisite wisdom lies in respect for all creation, and in this important book he makes that case with passion and understanding. John Polanyi, Nobel laureate

This book is the most complete expression to date of an environmental ethic from one of the world's leading conservation writers, combining science, theology, poetry and philosophy to express a world view toward which the human species must shift in the twenty-first century. The Sacred Balance has a beautiful spirit. E.O. Wilson, author of The Diversity of Life ... Read more

Product Description
The SUZUKI METHOD of Talent Education is based on Dr. Shinichi Suzuki's view that every child is born with ability, and that man is the son of his environment. According to Dr. Suzuki, a world-renowned violinist and teacher, the greatest joy an adult can know comes from developing a child's potential so he/she can express all that is harmonious and best in human beings. Students are taught using the mother-tongue approach. Suzuki Violin School Materials include: Violin Parts (Vol. 1-10) * Piano Accompaniments (Vol. 1-10) * Cassettes (Vol. 1-3 performed by Shinichi Suzuki, Vol. 4-8 performed by Koji Toyoda) * Compact Discs (Vol. 5-8, performed by Koji Toyoda) * David Cerone Performs Suzuki Violin School (Cassettes & Compact Discs, Vol. 1-4) * David Nadien Performs Suzuki Violin School (Cassettes and Compact Discs, Vol. 1-4). Suzuki Method Core Materials available for piano, violin, viola, cello, string bass, flute, harp, guitar, and recorder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

GREAT PLAYING, SO SO ACCOMPANIMENT
I agree the violin playing by David Nadien is fantastic and Inspiring. However, the piano accompaniment tracks, at least the ones on the CD I have which was purchased together with the book is less than ideal. This is because the tracks are merely the same performance tracks with the violin part toned down, and not very well done at that. It's sort of like a Karaoke CD, but for violinists who aspire to play-along with the tracks it is annoying. The accompaniment tracks for the ABRSM CD's are much better, the piano tracks are recorded separately. I suppose one reason is the David Nadien performance tracks were recorded long ago and it is difficult to re-engineer. An alternative is to simply re-record the piano accompaniments separately and include that in the CD with the Nadien Recordings. For the reviewer who complained that the tracks were too fast, try using the Change Tempo Setting in Audacity ( A free Audio Editor ) and decrease it by 20-30% for a more comfortable practice pace. I will probably buy the newer Suzuki CD's and hope the piano accompaniment tracks are properly done without the violin part this time. Otherwise the Suzuki CD's are great for practice and performance for the price they come with!

Way too fast and confusing
The tempo is very fast, especially for my small children starting Suzuki Violin book 1. Also, the piano accompaniments were recorded backwards, from the last song to the first, making it very confusing if you are trying to play along with the CD.

Helpful Tool
This CD is a very useful tool for students using the Suzuki book 1 to learn violin.My daughter uses it daily for her practice sessions!

Great CD!
I'm an adult violin student and have tried to use the CD's that come with the Suzuki books, but I've ended up purchasing CD's performed by David Nadien every time.In fact, I just bought the CD for book 4 today.The quality of the CD's performed by David Nadien are hands-down better than the ones that come with the books.My only complaint is that Nadien just performs for books 1-4 -- which means I'll have to try to find a performer for books 5 and up that I like as much.

Excellent version of Suzuki Violin 1 CD
David Nadien's CD is a great version - it includes the piano accompaniments so that your child can play with the CD. ... Read more

Product Description
The SUZUKI METHOD of Talent Education is based on Dr. Shinichi Suzuki's view that every child is born with ability, and that man is the son of his environment. According to Dr. Suzuki, a world-renowned violinist and teacher, the greatest joy an adult can know comes from developing a child's potential so he/she can express all that is harmonious and best in human beings. Students are taught using the mother-tongue approach. Suzuki Violin School Materials include: Violin Parts (Vol. 1-10) * Piano Accompaniments (Vol. 1-10) * Cassettes (Vol. 1-3 performed by Shinichi Suzuki, Vol. 4-8 performed by Koji Toyoda) * Compact Discs (Vol. 5-8, performed by Koji Toyoda) * David Cerone Performs Suzuki Violin School (Cassettes & Compact Discs, Vol. 1-4) * David Nadien Performs Suzuki Violin School (Cassettes and Compact Discs, Vol. 1-4). Suzuki Method Core Materials available for piano, violin, viola, cello, string bass, flute, harp, guitar, and recorder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

missing last piece from 4th Book
I dont understand why this CD did not include the last piece needed to accompany the instruction book

Quality Excellent as Expected
This is the fourth cd we've purchased and they've all been of high quality.Don't hesitate to purchase it for your violinist-in-training! ... Read more

Product Description
The ecological answers and solutions we need to our current global environmental crisis are embedded in this living mosaic of profound indigenous insights into the workings of the natural world. These ancestral and contemporary natural perspectives and stories can save our lives and our planet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Beautiful and inspiring.
With this book, David Suzuki takes us on a journey around the world and shares with us the intimate knowledge that idigenous tribes still have about the natural world they live in. Most of us live in cities and have all but lost our 'link' to the earth; this book makes me want to fight to get it back.

beautifully written and inspiring
A beautiful synthesis of native ecological knowledge and western scientific insights.Suzuki and Knudtson call for a new way of relating to nature by combining the "ways of knowing" of the indiginous andwestern mind.It is not only beautiful to read but incredibly important toour time.Highly recommended.

An OK book but largely a rehash of existing material
David is a sincere man and his TV series The Nature of Things broke ground in many areas. This book is well written but is mainly a collection a material from other sources pointing out that native peoples have had muchmore experience dealing with nature than science has. Many good points butdoes not draw strong philophical directions for those seeking to apply theillustrations to daily life. ... Read more