Krishna Dronamraju

What I Require From Life

In What I Require From Life: Writings on science and life from J.B.S. Haldane Krishna Dronamraju has chosen a selection of the many articles written by Haldane.

The book is in two parts, the first consisting of articles written for the British Communist paper 'Daily Worker' in the 1940's, the second of articles written after Haldane moved to India in . When one considers what was happening in the Soviet Union at the time, one can't help feeling that Haldane was very naive with his ideas of a Leninist paradise - he did eventually come to see what was wrong with Soviet communism.

Mostly the book demonstrates Haldane's breadth of knowledge. He was a biologist and wrote about topics from many areas of biology such as genetics, how bees communicate, and how we breathe, but he also was highly knowledgable about the rest of the sciences, writing about the planets, the weather and the differential calculus - all aimed at a non-technical audience. Of course the work is somewhat dated now, but it is interesting to see what people thought about the atom bomb and the first man into space when they first happened, and some of the articles seem much more modern than you might expect.

I'd recommend the book both to anyone wanting to find out more about Haldane's life and to those who are interested in what went on in science in the middle of the 20th century.

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Hardcover 256 pages
ISBN: 0199237700
Salesrank: 308420
Weight:1.01 lbs

Published: 2009 Oxford University Press, USA

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Hardcover 256 pages
ISBN: 0199237700
Salesrank: 34961
Weight:1.01 lbs

Published: 2009 OUP Oxford

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Hardcover 256 pages
ISBN: 0199237700
Salesrank: 261811
Weight:1.01 lbs

Published: 2009 Oxford University Press

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Product Description
J. B. S. Haldane (1892-64) was one of the great scientists--and great science writers--of the 20th century. A polymath who was a central figure in the development of modern evolutionary biology, he was also a highly skilled essayist and an extraordinary character--brilliant, witty, idealistic, funny, and pugnacious. What I Require From Life brings together Haldane's popular science essays, more than sixty articles that reflect not only his masterful ability to communicate scientific understanding, but also his deep commitment to socialism. Readers will find essays on an exhilarating range of topics--"Is There Life on the Planets?" "Is Man a Machine?" "Why are You Left-handed?" "Overcrowding at the Zoo," "How Bees Communicate," "The Common Cold." Edited with an introduction by Haldane's last graduate pupil, Krishna Dronamraju, this collection of thought-provoking and beautifully-written pieces also comes with a Preface written by the late Sir Arthur C. Clarke, who calls Haldane "perhaps the most brilliant science popularizer of his generation."

Product Description

J. B. S. Haldane (1892-64) was one of the great scientists--and great science writers--of the 20th century. A polymath who was a central figure in the development of modern evolutionary biology, he was also a highly skilled essayist and an extraordinary character--brilliant, witty, idealistic, funny, and pugnacious.

What I Require From Life brings together Haldane's popular science essays, more than sixty articles that reflect not only his masterful ability to communicate scientific understanding, but also his deep commitment to socialism. Readers will find essays on an exhilarating range of topics--"Is There Life on the Planets?" "Is Man a Machine?" "Why are You Left-handed?" "Overcrowding at the Zoo," "How Bees Communicate," "The Common Cold."

Edited with an introduction by Haldane's last graduate pupil, Krishna Dronamraju, this collection of thought-provoking and beautifully-written pieces also comes with a Preface written by the late Sir Arthur C. Clarke, who calls Haldane "perhaps the most brilliant science popularizer of his generation."

A great book and a great author. *****
For those who appreciate succinct, intelligent science writing, I whole heartedly recommend this book; purchase it before it goes out of print. Before Sir Arthur C. Clarke and Sir David Attenborough, in the middle portion of the Twentieth Century, J. B. S. Haldane was the most versatile and gifted scientist, as well as one of the greatest exponents of scientific thought and knowledge to for the general public that Britain has ever produced. A brilliant research and laboratory scientist, proffessor and author of texts on evolutionary biology, physiology and enzymology, Haldane wrote prolifically and with expertise about subjects pertaining to biology, physiology, astronomy, earth science and the importance of science on modern society. He was also a social critic and devout member of the communist party who spoke to Britain's working class about social change. What I Require from Life is divided into two sections: Part I is a collection of essays, ranging from relativity theory, why birds sing and the workings of the atom, written when he was still lived and taught in Britain. Partly in protest of the Suez Canal debacle, Haldene moved to India, where he continued teach and write with great clarity and style for the public. Part II is a collection of essays that he composed while living in India, before his death in 1964. These essays addressed a wealth of concepts, such as Indian thought and how it relates to Darwinism. The later writings proved that his faculties never diminishing to the end of his life. I would consider Haldane to be a genius, both as a scientist and a science writer. Although Isaac Asimov wrote with as much breadth in ideas and style, Haldane was a motive force as an evolutionary scientist, social commentator, writer and even a radio personality, the likes of which we wouldn't see again in decades to come.

A great book and a great author. *****

For those who appreciate succinct, intelligent science writing, I whole heartedly recommend this book; purchase it before it goes out of print. Before Sir Arthur C. Clarke and Sir David Attenborough, in the middle portion of the Twentieth Century, J. B. S. Haldane was the most versatile and gifted scientist, as well as one of the greatest exponents of scientific thought and knowledge to for the general public that Britain has ever produced. A brilliant research and laboratory scientist, proffessor and author of texts on evolutionary biology, physiology and enzymology, Haldane wrote prolifically and with expertise about subjects pertaining to biology, physiology, astronomy, earth science and the importance of science on modern society. He was also a social critic and devout member of the communist party who spoke to Britain's working class about social change.
What I Require from Life is divided into two sections: Part I is a collection of essays, ranging from relativity theory, why birds sing and the workings of the atom, written when he was still lived and taught in Britain. Partly in protest of the Suez Canal debacle, Haldene moved to India, where he continued teach and write with great clarity and style for the public. Part II is a collection of essays that he composed while living in India, before his death in 1964. These essays addressed a wealth of concepts, such as Indian thought and how it relates to Darwinism. The later writings proved that his faculties never diminishing to the end of his life.
I would consider Haldane to be a genius, both as a scientist and a science writer. Although Isaac Asimov wrote with as much breadth in ideas and style, Haldane was a motive force as an evolutionary scientist, social commentator, writer and even a radio personality, the likes of which we wouldn't see again in decades to come.

The crystal clear thoughts of a scientific giant *****
This is a compilation of 57 of Haldane's writings from 1940 - 1961. The foreword by Arthur C Clarke, the preface by James F Crow, the Introduction by the editor and a brief autobiography set the scene well for the articles. The individual articles are little gems of precise thought and analysis, written for the general public, not for scientists. Haldane writes in a simple direct way and his thought process is crystal clear. It's fascinating to see how the science behind some of the ideas he discusses has changed since he wrote the articles. If you want to see how one of the worlds smartest people and best communicators viewed the world over the middle of the last century you will enjoy this book.

The crystal clear thoughts of a scientific giant *****

This is a compilation of 57 of Haldane's writings from 1940 - 1961. The foreword by Arthur C Clarke, the preface by James F Crow, the Introduction by the editor and a brief autobiography set the scene well for the articles.

The individual articles are little gems of precise thought and analysis, written for the general public, not for scientists. Haldane writes in a simple direct way and his thought process is crystal clear. It's fascinating to see how the science behind some of the ideas he discusses has changed since he wrote the articles. If you want to see how one of the worlds smartest people and best communicators viewed the world over the middle of the last century you will enjoy this book.