Timothy A. Smith

I think it is very hard to write a science book that can be understood without pictures. This book does a very good job. It is always interesting, and frequently funny. Could you devise a test to see if fruit flies can learn? If fruit flies can learn with a head, can they learn without one? Will a headless fruit fly learn faster? These and other important questions are answered in this book. I am not going to spoil the book by revealing the insights that came from the experiments conducted in the highly competitive fly rooms around the world, but trust me.
I will go back and listen to this book again in a couple years.

I don't trust what he says because he makes claims that I know are untrue. For example, he poo poos Apple's claims of theft by android by claiming Jobs stole from Xerox Parc. Jobs paid to see Xerox's technology, and he used it to make wonderful products that Xerox would never have made. Lanshinsky says the

Midnight's Children

Would a Trekkie go to the next Star Trek movie?

Here is how you should listen to this book, so that it merits 4 stars. Rip as many Beatles songs as you can, since you cannot buy them on iTunes, and put them on your iPod. Then, after he tells the story of each song, (there may be a list, but I don't have it) play the song, and then go back to the story. Actually, two iPods is more efficient. My wife and I did this on a long drive, with me as sound engineer, and it was great fun. It really is a damn shame that they apparently could not get the rights to the songs discussed to make this a real pleasure. In any case, "A Day in the Life" will never be the same after you hear the story of how it was made. Best Beatles song; best anecdote.