Dorion Sagan, reading and magic

Friday Oct 12, 2007 7:00-9:00 PM

Notes from the Holocene: A Brief History of the Future

In a thought-provoking, humorous, and engaging style, Dorion Sagan, the eldest son of Carl Sagan and evolutionary biologist Lynn Margulis, combines philosophy, science, magic, an understanding of illusion, and the fantastical writings of Philip K. Dick to probe the deep questions of existence. Operating on the precept that the universe if far weirder than we might imagine, Sagan provides fresh insights into the nature of technology, the prognosis for humanity, and the living, the living nature of our planet, and a reasoned explanation to why our universe is probably just one of an infinite number. Notes from the Holocene is a prime example of the writing coming from a new generation of scientific writers. It will inspire readers to think for themselves while leaving them chuckling with tongue-in-cheek anecdotes — a rare combination that Sagan delivers with ease. And yes, as geneticist J.B.S. Haldane says, “the universe is not only stranger than we imagine, but stranger than we can imagine.”   www.sciencewriters.org