An Urchin In The Storm

In this collection of essays, first published in the New York Review of Books, Stephen Jay Gould proves once again why he has been called the finest science essayist of our age. Ranging as far as the fox and as deep as the hedgehog (the urchin of the title), Gould fashions for the reader a coherent and rational world view, the view of an evolutionist committed to understanding the curious pathways of history. Gould’s special gift lies in his ability to answer the question “Why?” Of all the questions man can propound himself, this is surely the most difficult and profound. “No one knows more about Darwin and evolution than Gould does. No one writes more clearly on these subjects than Gould does. No one is better equipped to deal with fallacies in this field than Gould is. This collection of reviews is the proof.” –Isaac Asimov