Reviews

100 Things to Do Before You Die (Plus a Few to Do Afterwards) by Paul Davies, Adam Hart-Davis, Karl Kruszelnicki, Susan A. Greenfield, Ian Stewart, Patrick Moore, John Sulston, Simon Conway Morris, Lawrence M. Krauss, Rodney A. Brooks, James Dyson, Anton Zeilinger

rainbowrachel's review against another edition

2.0

Despite the title, this isn't really a checklist of potential activies. At least, not unless the authors genuinely expect the average reader to be able to decipher the Voynich manuscript or travel through time. Rather, it is a collection of 100 vaguely interesting topics, with a generally scientific theme. Which is fine, except that they are all covered far too briefly (a few paragraphs each) to really convey any of the interest or wonder that lies beneath. This is the literary equivalent of speed-dating: spend a minute with each idea, move on, never think of it again. Emminently forgettable.

nectar's review

3.0

A handy little reference book in case you ever really wanted to attempt any of the things listed. Some of them are cool like learning that I could actually pay money to have my cremated remains shot out into space and then have it return to earth in the form of a shooting star. Yeah, that was pretty neat! Others, like realizing that you could watch beetles scurry off with your poop were oddly interesting while being able to reproduce asexually wasn't really something I cared to know but perhaps in the name of science it was necessary.