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The Best American Science Writing 2010: Engaging Essays on the Year's Most Provocative Scientific Developments
Edited by New York Times bestselling author Jerome Groopman, The Best American Science Writing 2010 collects in one volume the most crucial, thought-provoking, and engaging science writing of the year. Distinguished by new and impressive voices as well as some of the foremost names in science writing—David Dobbs, Elizabeth Kolbert, and Larissa MacFarquhar among them—this eleventh edition features outstanding journalism from a wide variety of publications, providing a comprehensive overview of the year’s most compelling, relevant, and exciting developments in the world of science. Provocative and engaging, The Best American Science Writing 2010 reveals just how far science has brought us—and where it is headed next.
346 pages, Paperback
First published September 14, 2010
About the author
Jerome Groopman
20 books130 followersWhen Dr. Groopman is not in his laboratory at Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, where he is chief of experimental medicine, he focuses his expertise as a hematologist and oncologist as well as his compassion on the inner workings of his patients. It is this unusual nexus of medicine, healing and faith in the preciousness of life that characterizes Dr. Groopman’s career and core being. At age 44, Dr. Groopman turned his gentle yet meticulous lens to writing about his patients’ courage, endurance and resilience.
Though he considers himself a scientist and physician first, his eloquent pen captures the pace and pathos of medical mysteries and human dramas. The Measure of Our Days (Penguin) was published to critical acclaim and inspired the ABC television drama Gideon’s Crossing. In 1998, The New Yorker asked Dr. Groopman to become a staff writer in medicine and biology.
Though he considers himself a scientist and physician first, his eloquent pen captures the pace and pathos of medical mysteries and human dramas. The Measure of Our Days (Penguin) was published to critical acclaim and inspired the ABC television drama Gideon’s Crossing. In 1998, The New Yorker asked Dr. Groopman to become a staff writer in medicine and biology.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
October 7, 2010
This annual selection is generally a good bet, though there have been some recent bum years (http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...). Series editor Jesse Cohen minimized his risk this year by prevailing on Jerome Groopman to serve as guest editor. Dr Groopman's own science writing is familiar to readers of the New Yorker; he is also author of several best-selling books. For me, seeing his name on the cover of this anthology was an immediate guarantee of quality - I'm pleased to say that the collection lived up to my expectations.
In his otherwise excellent introduction Dr Groopman introduces the metaphor that the book might be thought of as a "symphony of science". It's not a particularly fortuitous choice (one suspects it may have been forced on him by the series editor), but he struggles gamely with it to the bitter end. I prefer his introduction to a previous, similar, anthology (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33...), in which he laid out his criteria for inclusion:
These are admirable criteria, indicating an editor who keeps the reader's welfare firmly in mind. And, with very few exceptions, the articles in the 2010 anthology satisfy them, so that the collection is accessible, thought-provoking and fun to read. I came away with the impression of a slight bias in favor of biomedical research (only weakly confirmed upon closer inspection of article categories), and a relatively narrow spectrum of sources:
New York Times : 5
New Yorker : 3
Science : 3
Salon.com : 2
Wired : 2
and one each from The Atlantic, The Boston Globe, Harper's, Discover, The Nation, The New York Review of Books, Scientific American, and Science News.
This reliance on sources from what might be termed the "north-eastern establishment" prevented me from awarding a fifth star - one thing I look for in this kind of anthology is to be led to articles I might not otherwise come across, and on this criterion Dr Groopman let me down. But this sin of omission was a relatively minor disappointment, given the high quality of the articles that were included.
Some of the contributors are famous scientists(Steven Pinker My Genome, My Self, Steven Weinberg The Missions of Astronomy), some are established science writers (Elizabeth Kolbert, Benedict Carey, David Dobbs), all but a few* contributors write clearly and engagingly.
My favorite articles were Elizabeth Kolbert's contribution about the link between climate change and the extinction of entire species and Sheri Fink's account of the agonizing triage choices that hospital staff faced after the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina. But there were at least a dozen other articles that were strong contenders.
This is an excellent anthology, which I have no hesitation in recommending.
* : I read Daniel M. Wegner's How to Think, Say, or Do Precisely the Worst Thing for Any Occasion three times and found it as devoid of substance on the third reading as on the first. Jonah Lehrer's The Truth about Grit had the blindingly obvious message that perseverance is necessary to succeed in science, but ran for almost eight pages and resorted to such unfortunate verbiage as "a gritty person might occasionally eat too much chocolate cake, but they won't change careers every year".
In his otherwise excellent introduction Dr Groopman introduces the metaphor that the book might be thought of as a "symphony of science". It's not a particularly fortuitous choice (one suspects it may have been forced on him by the series editor), but he struggles gamely with it to the bitter end. I prefer his introduction to a previous, similar, anthology (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33...), in which he laid out his criteria for inclusion:
"the articles ... have novel and surprising arguments, protagonists who articulate their themes in clear, cogent voices, and vivid cinema. They are not verbose or tangential. They are filled with simple declarative sentences. ... I suspect none of the articles was easy to write. Each shows a depth of thought and reporting that takes time and considerable effort."
These are admirable criteria, indicating an editor who keeps the reader's welfare firmly in mind. And, with very few exceptions, the articles in the 2010 anthology satisfy them, so that the collection is accessible, thought-provoking and fun to read. I came away with the impression of a slight bias in favor of biomedical research (only weakly confirmed upon closer inspection of article categories), and a relatively narrow spectrum of sources:
New York Times : 5
New Yorker : 3
Science : 3
Salon.com : 2
Wired : 2
and one each from The Atlantic, The Boston Globe, Harper's, Discover, The Nation, The New York Review of Books, Scientific American, and Science News.
This reliance on sources from what might be termed the "north-eastern establishment" prevented me from awarding a fifth star - one thing I look for in this kind of anthology is to be led to articles I might not otherwise come across, and on this criterion Dr Groopman let me down. But this sin of omission was a relatively minor disappointment, given the high quality of the articles that were included.
Some of the contributors are famous scientists(Steven Pinker My Genome, My Self, Steven Weinberg The Missions of Astronomy), some are established science writers (Elizabeth Kolbert, Benedict Carey, David Dobbs), all but a few* contributors write clearly and engagingly.
My favorite articles were Elizabeth Kolbert's contribution about the link between climate change and the extinction of entire species and Sheri Fink's account of the agonizing triage choices that hospital staff faced after the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina. But there were at least a dozen other articles that were strong contenders.
This is an excellent anthology, which I have no hesitation in recommending.
* : I read Daniel M. Wegner's How to Think, Say, or Do Precisely the Worst Thing for Any Occasion three times and found it as devoid of substance on the third reading as on the first. Jonah Lehrer's The Truth about Grit had the blindingly obvious message that perseverance is necessary to succeed in science, but ran for almost eight pages and resorted to such unfortunate verbiage as "a gritty person might occasionally eat too much chocolate cake, but they won't change careers every year".
July 20, 2024
One could ask of science writing now 15 years old is 'out of date'? But for myself (and most readers I suspect) the answer is no. The tsunami (of Noah's Flood more like) of scientific research ensures that most of us will access but a minuscule portion of that flood of information. It is daunting to think that one could even remain conversant in a slice of it, I guess Mr. or Ms. AI will. There is also the great advantage of being able to see where things might have gone in 15 years. Not that I checked many of them. The emphasis of this volume was heavily weighted to articles in medicine, psychology, genetics, evolution, or the politics of science. The only article in the atmospheric sciences, where I am able to 'mix it up' a bit, was by Riva Galchen the daughter of an OU meteorology professor (long deceased) but she wrote about the history of and continuing research into mitigating hurricanes. Various cloud seeding or atmospheric aerosol schemes and ocean pumps (to bring cooler water to the surface) seemed to be the main avenues of research back then. I really don't think much more has been done although I am sure someone is looking at it.
'An Epidemic of Fear' by Amy Wallace which looked at the autism/vaccine controversy. Not much has changed it appears there either, except that the scientific/medical establishment did immeasurable damage to its credibility with the Covid fiasco. Notably the star of this article, Paul Offit was a shill for Big Pharma in 2010 and continues to push the now absurd Covid vaccine recommendations in 2024. Some things never change.
Other very good articles including the events at Memorial Hospital in New Orleans after Katrina; the article on discovery and deciphering of the ancient Greek Antikythera machine (perhaps the first 'computer'); the 'Sixth Extinction' by Elizabeth Kolbert which became the name of her excellent book of the same title some years later; 'My Genome, Myself' by Steven Pinker helped put the genetic knowledge revolution in some context. The rest were all somewhat to very interesting, though several not really 'science' per se but how it is viewed in society as a whole. One reviewer noted the 'bias' in where (toward East Coast establishment outlets, e.g. NYT, New Yorker, etc.) these stories were published which was interesting to note. It may speak more to the lack of outlets for long-form journalism, although today with venues like Substack there ought to be many more options. 3.5 stars rounded down.
'An Epidemic of Fear' by Amy Wallace which looked at the autism/vaccine controversy. Not much has changed it appears there either, except that the scientific/medical establishment did immeasurable damage to its credibility with the Covid fiasco. Notably the star of this article, Paul Offit was a shill for Big Pharma in 2010 and continues to push the now absurd Covid vaccine recommendations in 2024. Some things never change.
Other very good articles including the events at Memorial Hospital in New Orleans after Katrina; the article on discovery and deciphering of the ancient Greek Antikythera machine (perhaps the first 'computer'); the 'Sixth Extinction' by Elizabeth Kolbert which became the name of her excellent book of the same title some years later; 'My Genome, Myself' by Steven Pinker helped put the genetic knowledge revolution in some context. The rest were all somewhat to very interesting, though several not really 'science' per se but how it is viewed in society as a whole. One reviewer noted the 'bias' in where (toward East Coast establishment outlets, e.g. NYT, New Yorker, etc.) these stories were published which was interesting to note. It may speak more to the lack of outlets for long-form journalism, although today with venues like Substack there ought to be many more options. 3.5 stars rounded down.
June 12, 2011
Book Talk: Have you ever wondered why people sometimes end up doing exactly the thing they've been trying to avoid? Or whether humans can control the weather? And what exactly is going on with the bees? Luckily for you reporters have asked the same questions and presented their research in the highly-readable articles in this collection.
Rocks my socks: I am a science groupie. I have always found science fascinating and I am definitely of the camp that believes having nature's mysteries explained only makes them more wonderful. However, while I kept up with science classes in my younger days, my B.A. in theatre has not prepared me well for deep reading on the subject. And even though my master's is technically applied science, the MLIS I've almost finished isn't going to help me understand advanced scientific vocabulary either. That's why I was so excited to read a collection of superb science writing with a style that I can loose myself in. I loved the variety from the moral conundrums in the article on organ donation ("The Kindest Cut") to the hilarious "A Most Private Evolution" which explores the age-old battle of the sexes. Some of the articles explain things that are often talked about and almost as often misunderstood so well that I think they should be required readings on the subject. In particular I wish "An Epidemic of Fear" about the anti-vaccination movement was more widely read.
Rocks in my socks: Just like any collection of stories or articles, I liked some more than I liked others. In particular the few articles that had a heavy human interest bent got on my nerves because that's not really what I wanted from this particular collection. Overall though I'd say this has the best ratio of articles I loved to articles I'd leave of any short story or article collection I've read recently.
Every book its reader: The book is aimed at an adult audience, but there's no reason why it couldn't be read by an ambitious teen. Pulling some articles that relate to topics covered in science classes would be great for the students because the articles are so readable. I think the articles are so well written it could be enjoyed by anyone, even those who don't usually like science. But that may be my personal bias showing.
Read more of my reviews at http://auldschoollibrarian.blogspot.com/
Rocks my socks: I am a science groupie. I have always found science fascinating and I am definitely of the camp that believes having nature's mysteries explained only makes them more wonderful. However, while I kept up with science classes in my younger days, my B.A. in theatre has not prepared me well for deep reading on the subject. And even though my master's is technically applied science, the MLIS I've almost finished isn't going to help me understand advanced scientific vocabulary either. That's why I was so excited to read a collection of superb science writing with a style that I can loose myself in. I loved the variety from the moral conundrums in the article on organ donation ("The Kindest Cut") to the hilarious "A Most Private Evolution" which explores the age-old battle of the sexes. Some of the articles explain things that are often talked about and almost as often misunderstood so well that I think they should be required readings on the subject. In particular I wish "An Epidemic of Fear" about the anti-vaccination movement was more widely read.
Rocks in my socks: Just like any collection of stories or articles, I liked some more than I liked others. In particular the few articles that had a heavy human interest bent got on my nerves because that's not really what I wanted from this particular collection. Overall though I'd say this has the best ratio of articles I loved to articles I'd leave of any short story or article collection I've read recently.
Every book its reader: The book is aimed at an adult audience, but there's no reason why it couldn't be read by an ambitious teen. Pulling some articles that relate to topics covered in science classes would be great for the students because the articles are so readable. I think the articles are so well written it could be enjoyed by anyone, even those who don't usually like science. But that may be my personal bias showing.
Read more of my reviews at http://auldschoollibrarian.blogspot.com/
December 11, 2010
I finally finished this one after off-and-on reading over an entire semester of school getting in the way! Some missed the mark, but these were the best of this collection:
The Kindest Cut by Larissa MacFarquhar
Takes a look at the negative view some people have about donating a kidney to a stranger.
The Placebo Problem by Steve Silberman
Examines how modern medicine continues to “battle” with the still mysterious power of placebos.
A Life of Its Own by Michael Specter
Making life from scratch: molecular Frankenstein or nothing to worry about?
The Orchid Children by David Dobbs
Some children flounder or flourish depending on their environment---a nudge in the right direction is all they need, and a genetic trait seems to back this up.
My Genome, My Self by Steven Pinker
The rise in being able to test your genetic makeup may lead to more complications than they may warrant. Interesting to read in relation to the previous article.
The Sixth Extinction? by Elizabeth Kolbert
Mass extinctions are a regular occurrence in Earth’s history, and the next one is already underway.
Unpopular Science by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum
Alarming look at how science writers (and their articles) are losing their place in newspapers, and how this makes for an increasingly misinformed (under-informed?) society.
An Epidemic of Fear by Amy Wallace
A look at the autism/vaccine controversy.
The Missions of Astronomy by Steven Weinberg
Great little summary of the history and importance of astronomy.
Decoding an Ancient Computer by Tony Freeth
Exciting explanation of the oldest “computer” ever found.
The Deadly Choices at Memorial by Sheri Fink
Recounts what happened at a hospital in the days after Hurricane Katrina. I think this is a good one to read along with The Loved Ones by Tom Junod in this other anthology.
The Kindest Cut by Larissa MacFarquhar
Takes a look at the negative view some people have about donating a kidney to a stranger.
The Placebo Problem by Steve Silberman
Examines how modern medicine continues to “battle” with the still mysterious power of placebos.
A Life of Its Own by Michael Specter
Making life from scratch: molecular Frankenstein or nothing to worry about?
The Orchid Children by David Dobbs
Some children flounder or flourish depending on their environment---a nudge in the right direction is all they need, and a genetic trait seems to back this up.
My Genome, My Self by Steven Pinker
The rise in being able to test your genetic makeup may lead to more complications than they may warrant. Interesting to read in relation to the previous article.
The Sixth Extinction? by Elizabeth Kolbert
Mass extinctions are a regular occurrence in Earth’s history, and the next one is already underway.
Unpopular Science by Chris Mooney and Sheril Kirshenbaum
Alarming look at how science writers (and their articles) are losing their place in newspapers, and how this makes for an increasingly misinformed (under-informed?) society.
An Epidemic of Fear by Amy Wallace
A look at the autism/vaccine controversy.
The Missions of Astronomy by Steven Weinberg
Great little summary of the history and importance of astronomy.
Decoding an Ancient Computer by Tony Freeth
Exciting explanation of the oldest “computer” ever found.
The Deadly Choices at Memorial by Sheri Fink
Recounts what happened at a hospital in the days after Hurricane Katrina. I think this is a good one to read along with The Loved Ones by Tom Junod in this other anthology.
February 6, 2015
I am one of those rare people who read science for the joy of learning how the world works, even physics text books, and am emphatically not looking to be protected from the requisite math. I selected this book, because I thought I might appreciate a broad survey over all branches of science - such as one might find in Scientific American that I subscribe to. This book is not that, and thus I feel is misleadingly titled. Almost every selection deals with medicine, psychology, genetics, evolution, or the politics of science.
At the same time, I did find many of these 22 selections of reprints from other publications interesting and inter-related with one another. They are written devoid of math by science writers rather than by scientists, as if for a literary audience rather than a scientific one. As a result, I found that many of them raise issues that I am able to discuss with less-scientifically oriented friends and family - and that is definitely a good thing. Unfortunately, it leaves the reader dependent on the interpretations of the writers who in some cases are trying to make ethical arguments of their own. This is journalism, not science.
At the same time, I did find many of these 22 selections of reprints from other publications interesting and inter-related with one another. They are written devoid of math by science writers rather than by scientists, as if for a literary audience rather than a scientific one. As a result, I found that many of them raise issues that I am able to discuss with less-scientifically oriented friends and family - and that is definitely a good thing. Unfortunately, it leaves the reader dependent on the interpretations of the writers who in some cases are trying to make ethical arguments of their own. This is journalism, not science.
July 16, 2011
This year's collection of science writing is editing by an MD who's also a New Yorker staff writer covering medicine and biology. So, it is heavy in bio-science topics but also treats astronomy, climate change and the Antikythera, properly an archeological topic but one with profound implications in understanding the development of modern tools. Several of the subjects of this year's articles are central to current discussions of science and medicine, including"
"The Placebo Problem" that researches the causes of positive statistical responses to placebos
"The Kindest Cut" on the ethics of seeking donated kidneys, since the national rationing method does serve the demand
"Are We Still Evolving?" which notes that the large numbers of humans is producing accelerated evolutionary effects
"The Placebo Problem" that researches the causes of positive statistical responses to placebos
"The Kindest Cut" on the ethics of seeking donated kidneys, since the national rationing method does serve the demand
"Are We Still Evolving?" which notes that the large numbers of humans is producing accelerated evolutionary effects
September 19, 2013
Kindest Cut by Larissa MacFarquhar
I didn't even realize that donating your kidney to a strange was thought of as suspicious and strange. But this article showed this issue clearly and placed the issue in the larger historical and cultural setting.
The Truth about Grit by Jonah Lehrer
I've read two books by Lehrer now and his name in this book is one of the reasons I got this book. (That name and Steven Pinker's name). This is a short article on the power of grit and getting things done and genius.
I didn't even realize that donating your kidney to a strange was thought of as suspicious and strange. But this article showed this issue clearly and placed the issue in the larger historical and cultural setting.
The Truth about Grit by Jonah Lehrer
I've read two books by Lehrer now and his name in this book is one of the reasons I got this book. (That name and Steven Pinker's name). This is a short article on the power of grit and getting things done and genius.
July 16, 2014
Favorite (and available) essays:
The Truth About Grit by Jonah Lehrer
A Life of Its Own by Michael Specter
The Science of Success by David Dobbs
Deadly Choices at Memorial by Sheri Fink
The Truth About Grit by Jonah Lehrer
A Life of Its Own by Michael Specter
The Science of Success by David Dobbs
Deadly Choices at Memorial by Sheri Fink
December 14, 2010
They have done it again! The editors have picked great science stories that touch on many parts of the technological world we live in. I have never been disappointed in any of their books and this year’s book is no exception. The articles and stories cover many different scientific fields and are important to understanding today’s changing knowledge base. From bees to stars, science writers to true grit! These books should be required reading for everyone. Two thumbs up…
September 18, 2012
Again, a great and versatile compilation of articles. I particularly enjoyed David Dobb's "The Orchid Children." Having read this after the 2011 issue, I think that it is interesting to see how much the content differs. The 2010 issue focuses a lot on genomics, perhaps indicative of where the cultural psyche is in regards to science. Nevertheless, a good and solid bunch of articles, though lacking the exciting diversity of disciplines and areas that the 2011 issue has.
July 20, 2011
Excellent anthology of the best science articles in 2010 -- covering a wide swatch of topics including organ donation, the placebo "problem," surgical action for mental illness, pesticides and fear of vaccines. Though each article stands alone, insights abound throughout.
July 4, 2011
With the exception of maybe 3 articles or so, most of these were really interesting and well-written. I especially enjoyed the ones by Galchen, MacFarquhar, and Pinker (on human-controlled weather, kidney donors, and gene analysis, respectively).
May 15, 2012
Finally finished this after reading a few here and there over the course of a few months. There were a few gems, but overall I found myself falling asleep more often than not.
Too biology-heavy too.
Too biology-heavy too.
May 18, 2012
A well-rounded collection of recent science writing, touching on many current topics, such as the role of genetic predisposition and the cause and effect of natural disasters, this book was informative and interesting. Thanks to my dad for the gift of a good read!
October 17, 2010
I always enjoy this series but this year is a real standout - I found every article to be interesting and well written.
February 12, 2011
Really good collection this year -- but my absolute fave was "The Deadly Choices at Memorial" -- which was riveting. Sheri Fink won a Pulitzer for that (didn't know when I was reading it).
February 19, 2011
Not as good as last years... More meh.
February 18, 2011
Jerome Groopman and Jesse Cohen. VG.
Read
May 25, 2012I love all these Science Writing books!
October 13, 2013
I loved this book! So many articles that covered both things I was aware of (and now have much more detail) and others that I was shocked by (eg. The Deadly choices at Memorial).
April 20, 2011
Lots of interesting essays.
July 25, 2011
An uneven collection - some essays were excellent, others skippable.
August 27, 2011
Always a great read.
August 23, 2011
I agree with Kirkus Reviews: this book is like brain candy.
July 27, 2012
Science anthologies are nice because you get exposed to fields that you normally would not follow.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews