Did Darwin Get It Right?: Catholics and the Theory of Evolution

Customer Reviews:

Science vs. Religion.......2006-08-26

I read the available pages on Amazon and thought the writing style of this author agreeable enough to purchase. So why the relatively low ranking?

On the few pages I have read, the author's criticism of Darwin seems to me to be very biased. On the very first page of the text (p19) he claims that Darwin is dishonest and puts him with the likes of Frued and Marx. While I agree that none of these men are correct on everything, I think their ideas need to be heard and evaluated independently. I respect all three while not agreeing with all their ideas. If you are evaluating these men based on this book you have nothing to go on but the author's assertions without any supporting evidence. He assumes you already know they are liars.

The author tries to denigrate Darwin with the most outrageous accusations. Darwin is hostile to religion? I sure don't see that in my readings. He may be somewhat frustrated with biblical literalists, but even in 'On the Origin of Species' Darwin writes, "There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed by the Creator into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being evolved." Notice the capitalization of the word 'Creator'. None the less, the author sees Darwin as an atheist. Wishful thinking? My guess is that Darwin was a deist, that god created the world and life and then let it alone.

When he tries to present proof of Darwin's ignorance he only gives evidence of his own. Take a look on page 47-48 (the pages available on Surprise Me!) and the discussion of giraffs. Mr. Johnston claims that giraffs spend more time eating grass than leaves from trees. This of course is nonsense. Giraffs main diet is composed of tree leaves. He also claims that there are no other mammals with long necks. This is equally false. Several species have had relatively long necks in the past and some do now. The extant Okapi is one example. Some others mammals have body part adaptations that enable them to reach the leaves of taller plants. The elephant's trunk comes to mind. Others have developed other strategies for accessing the leaves of trees. Leaf eating monkeys and sloths are two groups of mammals that climb trees to reach the leaves.

Why don't all animals have similar adaptations? There are a variety of niches in a variety of habitats that animals have fit into. Not all energy (food) resources are found in the leaves of trees. Before grasslands became wide spread, for example, we do not find grazers in the fossil record. After grasslands become more and more widespread we see a corresponding larger number of fossil animals with adaptations for grassland life. The fossil record of the horse documents this fairly well.

On the same pages he wonders why females and young giraffs survive at all when competing with their male counterparts. Does the author really think a group of feeding giraffs are competing for leaves as we compete on a basketball team or are they just trying to eat? Those who can access sufficient sustenance during hard times, say during a drought, may have a better chance of surviving. The young often do die during times of extreme stress such as during droughts. As for male-female dimorphism in giraffs I would suggest that maybe the males are a little bigger because they fight for mating privelages. Larger males win over smaller ones. Of course, there are other 'mechanisms' involved in keeping sizes from getting too large. In the case of giraffs, it could be that too large an animal doesn't have enough time in the day to eat enough to maintain it's bulk.

So why do I want to purchase this book? 1) I like the easy writing style. 2) There is a battle going on between creationists and evolutionists and I like to be aware of the arguements on both sides. This book tries to support a creationists view by 'knocking' the opposition, but from what I've read it only furthers the cause of ignorance. 3) I'm a science teacher and I hear a lot of misconceptions about evolution from students and parents. I take note of these misconceptions and try to correct them. 4) It's nice to know what the educated opposition is saying. Sources like this one is where the less educated get their information to support their preconcieved view of the world. The author and some of his supporters here are fairly well educated, but apparently not on Darwin or the scientific endeavor of evolution.

A singular scholastic accomplishment, dated scientific references notwithstanding.......2006-04-11

First, I must unexpectedly respond to the "Creationism for Catholics?" review (if you can call it that) of July 27, 2005. Having read and appreciated the excellent quality of Mr. George Sim Johnston's little book, I can attest that either J. Keith "Agastache" has never read DID DARWIN GET IT RIGHT?, or else he is a militant atheist with an uncontrollable name-calling reflex which brands anyone not sharing his pseudoscientific beliefs as a "hard-lined [sic] fundamentalist" promoting "creationism." That mudslinging is an unfortunate slander of Mr. George Sim Johnston (not "Johnson," as repeatedly stated by that reviewer) and a gross misrepresentation of DID DARWIN GET IT RIGHT? (An antidote for such poisonous tirades from "I'm a scientist, so my athiesm must be true" types might be Alister McGrath's DAWKINS' GOD. McGrath earned his Ph.D. in biophysics at Oxford.) And what was with that "Darwin was brilliant and Mr. Johnson [sic] is not." barb? Anyone who reads Johnston's book will surmise that Mr. Johnston is a very modest gentleman with no pretensions of brilliance (though I did some research and discovered that he graduated from Harvard), who would heartily agree that Darwin was a very bright fellow indeed.

There is also a bizarre comment in a more recent review, stating that "like so much of the Neo-Catholic stuff that gets published these days, there's nothing really profound nor hard hitting." There is absolutely nothing "Neo-Catholic" in this fine little tome, so whether this slur is supposed to be insulting, dismissive, directed at the author, or directed at the publisher (I have no idea...), it simply doesn't apply to the book in question. As to there being nothing profound or hard-hitting, that might refer to the absence of the proper polemical tone expected by that reviewer. In fact, DID DARWIN GET IT RIGHT? is not at all a polemical work. It does not hurl insults at anyone, nor does it hold to the biblical or pseudoscientific absolutism of so many tracts. Rather, it seeks to combine both the reason one might expect from the Roman Catholic scholastic tradition with a proper skepticism of scientism (as opposed to science).

I came here, however, primarily to post a positive recommendation of "DID DARWIN GET IT RIGHT? -- Catholics and the Theory of Evolution" for its carefully constructed analysis and levelheaded discussion of the various issues and angles involved in the debate. I found the book's major weakness to be its now-dated (1998) summary of the status of theoretical and empirical inadequacies in the neo-Darwinian synthesis. While some of the weaknesses and outright dishonesty attached to the teaching and promotion of that synthesis still stand, there have since been published some exciting efforts attempting to resolve the weaknesses of neo-Darwinism. Examples include James W. Valentine's (UCLA Berkeley) mammoth and breathtaking ON THE ORIGIN OF THE PHYLA (2004) and Sean Carroll's (Wisconsin/Madison) ENDLESS FORMS MOST BEAUTIFUL: THE NEW SCIENCE OF EVO DEVO (2005).

For succinctly illuminating a variety of historical, philosophical, political threads of the debate, Johnston's little book remains among the most intelligent and least dogmatic efforts. This is an admirable accomplishment. The single chapter which deals specifically with Roman Catholic teaching (and popular misinformation about that teaching) is also well written, so that even non-Roman Catholics (this reviewer included) can appreciate it.

Creationism for Catholics?.......2005-07-28

This book does not represent the views of any of the Catholics I know, so I am left to wonder whether Mr. Johnson is appealing to some obscure hard-lined fundamentalist faction in the church. This book's contents particularly saddened me because the Catholic Church--being a church comprised of highly educated clergy--has historically accepted evolution.

I first learned about church views of evolution from my grandfather who was a Professor of paleontology (The study of the fossil record of past geological periods) at a well-respected Catholic University. My grandfather was a believer in evolution and a Third Order Dominican, simultaneously. Catholics who believe in evolution accept that our belief in God, the Bible's teachings and evolution are compatible. God is great and mysterious and God's universe (history included) is great and mysterious.

In addition to being neither enlightened nor insightful, Mr. Johnson's "scientific" arguments show that he has a very shallow, piecewise understanding of evolutionary biology and its theories. I'm qualified to say this because I am both a Catholic and an evolutionary biologist.

It is difficult to see so many other readers applauding such linear and fundamental thinking. Darwin was brilliant and Mr. Johnson is not.

Morality vs Darwin.......2003-02-17

This book should be read along with a few others so as to validate the authors beliefs. I would read James Perloff's "The Case Against Darwin" and a short pro-Darwin book just to see what the author in this book is focusing on. This book is definately a good source for the individual who is exploring the anti-Christian (especially Catholic) sentiment which exists in laboratory's and classrooms throughout our country.

Darwinism, Anti-Christian?.......2003-02-14

This book should be read along with a few others so as to validate the authors scientific beliefs. I would read James Perloff's "The Case Against Darwin" and a short pro-Darwin book just to see what the author in this book is focusing on. This book is a good source for the individual who is exploring the anti-Christian (especially Catholic) sentiment which seems to exist in laboratory's and classrooms throughout our country. The author also explains why he believes Darwinism has become a religion of its own.

Did Darwin Get It Right? Essays on Games, Sex and Evolution

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Did Darwin Get It Right? Essays on Games, Sex and Evolution
John Maynard Smith
Manufacturer: Springer
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Now in paperback, Did Darwin Get It Right discusses some of the hottest issues in biology today. Its author, the eminently quotable John Maynard Smith, discusses such fascinating conundrums as how life began, whether the brain works like a computer, why most animals and plants reproduce sexually, and how social behavior evolved out of the context of natural selection--a process which would seem to favor selfishness. A humorous and insightful writer, John Maynard Smith has the special ability to convey the excitement of science, its complexity and fascination, without baffling or boring his readers. In these 28 brief and accessible essays, Maynard ranges widely over such issues as science and the media, the birth of sociobiology, the evolution of animal intelligence and the limitations of evolutionary theory. For his work on the evolution of sex, Smith won the Darwin medal from the Royal Society, and he has pioneered the application of game theory to animal behavior.

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The present text book gives an comprehensive account of magnetism, spanning the historical development, the physical foundations and the continuing research underlying the field, one of the oldest yet still vibrant field of physics. It covers both the classical and quantum mechanical aspects of magnetism and novel experimental techniques. Perhaps uniquely, it also discusses spin transport and magnetization dynamics phenomena associated with atomically and spin engineered nano-structures against the backdrop of spintronics and magnetic storage and memory applications. The book is written for students on the late undergraduate and the graduate levels and should also serve as a state-of-the-art reference for scientists in academia and research laboratories.

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Excellant Magnetism and Sychrotron Characterization Reference.......2007-05-16

This book is has a wonderful overview of both the basic concepts of magnetism, as well as the cutting-edge developments of the past decade. It also has an excellent explanation of the novel synchrotron x-ray techniques used to characterize magnetism in practice today (XMD&PEEM). Exceptionally well written from two scientists who are excellent public speakers and know how to captivate an audience. Highly recommended!

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Introduction to Synchrotron Radiation
Giorgio Margaritondo
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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This unique book provides an introduction to the physics of synchrotron radiation, one of the major new experimental tools that is broadening the scope of research in chemistry, molecular biology, and other sciences. The author is one of the world's foremost authorities in the field. The emphasis is on experimental techniques, not on complex mathematics, and scientific concepts are clearly defined, making this an ideal introductory text.

Third-Generation Hard X-Ray Synchrotron Radiation Sources: Source Properties, Optics, and Experimental Techniques

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Third-Generation Hard X-Ray Synchrotron Radiation Sources: Source Properties, Optics, and Experimental Techniques

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ASIN: 0471314331

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An expert survey of new synchrotron radiation sources and applications
Synchrotron radiation continues to be an indispensable tool for physicists, materials scientists, chemists, and macromolecular crystallographers. Researchers in such fields as medicine, geological and environmental studies, structural genomics, and archaeology are finding ever more uses for this technology.
This book discusses new third generation synchrotron radiation sources such as the Advanced Photon Source (APS), the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), and the Super Photon Ring-8 GeV (Spring-8). Topics such as accelerator design, radiation properties, and x-ray optics are given detailed treatment.
With its coverage of both established and experimental techniques, applications, and specialized topics-all written by renowned experts and practitioners-Third Generation Hard X-ray Synchrotron Radiation Sources provides an indispensable, up-to-date account of the current state of the art.

The Science and Technology of Undulators and Wigglers (Oxford Series on Synchrotron Radiation)

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The Science and Technology of Undulators and Wigglers (Oxford Series on Synchrotron Radiation)
James A. Clarke
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Synchrotron radiation sources are now used routinely by thousands of research scientists and engineers throughout the world to perform experiments in biology, physics, materials science, chemistry and so on. The very best of these sources are based upon the use of undulator and wiggler insertion devices that can enhance the intensity of the radiation by many orders of magnitude. This book, which is part of the Oxford Series on Synchrotron Radiation, brings together both a detailed step by step description of the radiation properties from these devices as well as an explanation of the practical realisation of actual devices using available magnet technologies. The book is aimed at not just the users but also the providers of synchrotron radiation. It takes the reader through the fundamental issues, and provides sufficient depth so as to be an indispensible reference to light source designers, accelerator physicists and insertion device specialists. The approach taken is to provide the reader with all of the essential information and to back this up with practical examples and illustrations wherever possible.

Electromagnetic Radiation: Variational Methods, Waveguides and Accelerators: Including Seminal Papers of Julian Schwinger (Particle Acceleration and Detection)

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Electromagnetic Radiation: Variational Methods, Waveguides and Accelerators: Including Seminal Papers of Julian Schwinger (Particle Acceleration and Detection)
Kimball A. Milton , and Julian Schwinger
Manufacturer: Springer
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ASIN: 3540292233

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The present volume comprehensively summarizes the late Julian Schwinger's work on the theory of electromagnetic radiation and its application to waveguides, transmission lines, accelerator physics and synchrotron radiation. The first part, written in textbook style, has grown out of lectures and manuscripts by Julian Schwinger prepared during the war at MIT's Radiation Laboratory, updated with material developed by Schwinger at UCLA in the 1970s and 1980s, and by Milton at the University of Oklahoma since 1994. The second part consists of reprints of more than 15 papers (some of them never published or available with very limited circulation) by Schwinger on these topics. This volume will be of great interest to physicists, electrical engineers and applied mathematicians whether they be students or seasoned professionals. A paperback study edition of the first part is available separately.

Light Scattering in Solids IX (Topics in Applied Physics)

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Light Scattering in Solids IX (Topics in Applied Physics)

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ASIN: 3540344357

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Volume IX will be devoted to new materials (nanotubes, quantum dots) and new techniques (synchrotron radiation scattering and cavity confined scattering. In the past five years Raman and Brillouin scattering have taken a place among the most important research and characterization methods for carbon nanotubes. It is beginning to be used for other nanotube materials. It is also being used in the investigation of semiconductor quantum dots, in particular collections of them which order self-assemble) automatically as two-dimensional lattices. Among the novel techniques discussed in this volume are those which use synchrotron radiation as light source. Improvements in the intensity and beam quality of modern synchrotron sources fully dedicated to spectroscopic work have made possible their use as sources for light scattering spectroscopy. In the case of scattering by phonons, new methods of beam monochromatization have allowed resolutions better than 10 wave numbers, a fact which has lead to phonon dispersion measurements throughout the whole Brillouin zone. This development has been applied to the measurement of phonon dispersion relations in very small samples (of the order of 1 cubic mm) which cannot be investigated by inelastic neutron scattering. Also, the use of resonant Raman scattering by electronic excitations has allowed the determination of electronic energy bands in a number of materials. Another approach to Raman spectroscopy is to enhance its efficiency by using resonant cavities which are part of the sample. Electromagnetic resonances have been already used for some time. More recently, they have been combined with acoustic resonances to obtain large enhancements in Raman efficiencies.

Synchrotron Radiation: Production and Properties (Oxford Series on Synchrotron Radiation, 3)

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Synchrotron Radiation: Production and Properties (Oxford Series on Synchrotron Radiation, 3)
Philip Duke
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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ASIN: 0198517580

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This book introduces in a thorough and self-contained way the production of electromagnetic radiation by high energy electron storage rings. This radiation, which is called synchroton radiation, has become a research tool of wide application. Physicists, chemists, biologists, geologists, engineers, material scientists, and other scientific disciplines use it as a structural probe for the study of surfaces, bulk material, crystals, and viruses. Solids, liquids and gases can be spectroscopically analysed by using synchroton radiation. This book brings together for the first time the properties as well as the means of production of synchroton radiation and presents them in a coherent and clear way. It will be an indispensable reference for all those involved in modern synchroton radiation experiments.

Coherent X-Ray Optics (Oxford Series on Synchrotron Radiation)

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Coherent X-Ray Optics (Oxford Series on Synchrotron Radiation)
David Paganin
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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ASIN: 0198567286

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This book gives a thorough treatment of the rapidly-expanding field of coherent x-ray optics, which has recently experienced something of a renaissance with the availability of third-generation synchrotron sources. It is the first book of its kind. The author begins with a treatment of the
fundamentals of x-ray diffraction for both coherent and partially coherent radiation, together with the interactions of x-rays with matter. X-ray sources, optics elements and detectors are then discussed, with an emphasis on their role in coherent x-ray optics. Various facets of coherent x-ray
imaging are then discussed, including holography, interferometry, self-imaging, phase contrast and phase retrieval. Lastly, the foundations of the new field of singular x-ray optics are examined. Most topics are developed from first principles, with numerous references given to the contemporary
research literature. This book will be useful to x-ray physicists and students, together with optical physicists and engineers who wish to learn more about the fascinating subject of coherent x-ray optics.

$Analysis of Residual Stress by Diffraction using Neutron and Synchrotron Radiation$
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Analysis of Residual Stress by Diffraction using Neutron and Synchrotron Radiation

Manufacturer: CRC
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ASIN: 0415303974

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While residual stress can be a problem in many industries and lead to early failure of component, it can also be introduced deliberately to improve lifetimes. Knowledge of the residual stress state in a component can be critical for quality control of surface engineering processes or vital to performing an accurate assessment of component life under fatigue loading. Neutron and synchrotron X-ray diffraction have emerged as leading techniques for stress analysis, as they can penetrate many millimetres or centimetres into components, allowing nondestructive measurement of the internal strains. Both methods require the use of costly facility-based equipment, but great advantages are obtained from the ability to probe the stress state deep below a specimen's surface. Analysis of Residual Stress by Diffraction Using Neutron and Synchrotron Radiation gives an overview of the principles of these techniques and examples of their applications to a range of materials and engineering problems. It contains 20 chapter contributed by leading international experts in residual stress analysis, who explore the theoretical basis of stress analysis by diffraction methods, the practical implementation of the methods, and examples of key applications. The applications discussed include the determination of internal stresses in weldments, in composite materials, following shot peening, and in ceramics. This book will be useful for engineers and scientists who work in any field where residual stresses are of importance, and for anyone involved with the application of neutron or synchrotron radiation for stress management. As the techniques become a basic component of the measurement toolkit for stress analysis, an appreciation of the practicalities and limitations of these methods in practice will be important throughout a range of engineering and scientific fields.

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Synchrotron Radiation Research

Manufacturer: Springer
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0306403633

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There have been books about dogs since books began -- manuals on training and raising them, stories featuring dogs, and memoirs seen through the eyes of dogs. Lately, there has been a rash of books that purport to tell us what dogs are thinking, such as the bestselling What Dogs Are Thinking.

This is a book about a Jewish boy and his sled dogs -- also a couple of wolves, a parrot or two...and Pinkwater's uncle...and his father. Daniel Pinkwater, prodigious author of books for children, popular commentator on National Public Radio, and dog trainer to the stars, is unclear about what dogs are thinking. In fact, he appears to be completely baffled by them. He considers himself lucky that his dog does not foul the carpet, bite people, or run in traffic. Unlike every other dog book ever written, this one does not make the reader feel more stupid than the author.

Customer Reviews:

great book.......2007-01-05

For those of you unfamiliar with the works of the great author, Daniel Pinkwater, this book is definitely a great introduction to his warm wit, insight and great personality (it can't help but pop off of the page). This book is really a Valentine to all of the dogs that have come and gone in Pinkwater's life. This starts all the way back during his formative years, as a young boy, when his Uncle Boris gave his family a "purebred" Pekignese, up until his acquired Matilda, his elderly wolf hound, when he was already married to his wife, Jill Pinkwater (also a wonderfully talented writer).

Though I haven't read this book in two years, the material is still fresh in my memory. Not ony did these dogs teach Pinkwater how to be a better master, but also brought him some wonderful life lessons, through his companionship with them. I feel that he really had dog lovers in mind, when he penned this book of short stories, but it definitely will appeal to people who have never even owned a pet dog. The stories are so engaging, funny and (even) tender.
I definitely reccomend this....five bones out of five......

"What am I laughing at?".......2005-10-03

I borrowed this book on the recommendation of someone I met at the vet's office, guffawed as I read chunks of it, and bought three copies, one as a gift, one to keep, and one as a loaner I wouldn't worry about. The recipient of the gift was the one who wrote "John keeps wanting to know what I am laughing at." We are both dog nuts. My non-dog nut housemate would probably rate it a 3 or 4.

Great book for any dog-lover.......2002-06-05

Daniel Pinkwater is a very smart and funny writer -- one who knows the value of not taking himself too seriously. This thoroughly enjoyable book points out what most perceptive dog-lovers know: that dogs have a lot to teach us, about them and about ourselves. Pinkwater's dogs have taught him, among other things, that having the capacity to be both silly and dignified enriches a life.

I ended up reading this book one chapter at a time before bedtime, and each night I'd go to sleep with a smile.

If you loves dogs, you'll enjoy this book -- which also makes a great gift for the dog-lovers in your life.

Truly interesting........2002-04-19

This book was not quite what I expected when I bought it. My first thought when I saw it on the shelf was, "Oh, a new Daniel Pinkwater novel! I better get that." About halfway through the first story, though, I began to be suspicious. "This isn't a novel. . .or is it? Is he kidding, or is he serious? Is this nonfiction?" This is one of the great things about Daniel Pinkwater--he keeps you on your toes, always trying to guess what is next to come. By the time I'd finished the book, I'd learned some neat dog-training tips (in case I should ever need them). I'd laughed guiltily and hysterically at the idea of a parrot being frightened to death by the misconception that it was being cooked, and I'd thought a lot about how funny life can be. This book is good for reading over one long sitting or for digesting one anecdote at a time.

Rave reviews for Uncle Boris in the Yukon.......2001-12-03

Anyone who knows Daniel Manus Pinkwater's work is destined to buy this book for the sheer pleasure of carefully digesting every syllable he writes, as always. In this autobiographical book he bears his huge soul, his comical side (that we all know and love) and his uncanny, campy, unusual way of looking at the world, all as it relates to his many relationships with Canines.
Buy it! You will not be disappointed.

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