Books

NPR host’s Aha! moments

By DEIRDRE FULTON | September 24, 2007

"Environmentally yours: Two new takes on global warming." By Deirdre Fulton.

The recent glut of “green is the new black” hype begs the question: have enviro books begun to suffer from the effects of overkill?

If they have, Ira Flatow’s new Present at the Future: From Evolution to Nanotechnology, Candid and Controversial Conversations on Science and Nature (Collins, 368 pages, $24.95) works hard to revitalize people’s wonder in the natural world. Flatow, a familiar name and voice for National Public Radio listeners of his “Science Friday” spot on Talk of the Nation, has spent much of his career unraveling the mysteries of science. His writing is just as digestible as his voice.

In fact, reading Present at the Future is a lot like listening to NPR. Flatow provides bite-size, informative explorations of relevant topics, such as the vulnerability of our coastal cities, the “nuclear option” for energy production, and wind power, as well as non-environmental topics, such as dark matter, addiction, and creationism. He brings you up to speed for dinner-party conversation — and at his best inspires deeper digging.

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Topics: Books , National Public Radio Inc. , Domestic Policy , Political Policy , More

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