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I very much enjoyed reading this book as it was informative both on the level of science and the pain that cancer patients go through. I appreciated the pains the author took to track down the historical details of cancer treatment. I also liked that he does not lose sight of human suffering and hope when talking about exciting developments in science.

I can talk about minor issues with the book, like how some sections are too US-centric, and how sometimes the author tries a bit too hard to spice up the descriptions of the science and scientist. But none of the above reduces the value of the book, so I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

I liked how Vonnegut manages to tell a poignant war story in a gentle way, without any attempt to glorify anything or anyone. I guess this became a classic because it makes people reflect on their values and their approach to life. And maybe even prompt them to question their own views. To do the above through a novel in a gentle way is the accomplishment of this book.

This is my first Vonnegut novel. When I was reading it, I was surprised how much Douglas Adams' (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy) style was influenced by Vonnegut.

For several years this book was on my to-read list and at last, I am happy that I finished it. For someone like me who has never studied philosophy in school/college, this is a great introduction to western philosophy. Over the years I had acquired bits and pieces of information about various philosophical ideas and to see it placed in historical context and meaning is revealing. Russell clearly states his opinion about most of the philosophers and their work, while this might turn off some people who already know a lot about philosophy, for me this was very helpful. Especially his chapters about modern philosophers are very good.

I felt that what once looked formidable from a distance is now looking at least approachable after reading this book. I would recommend this to anyone seeking an introduction to western philosophy.

I enjoyed this. Naipaul has the marvelous skill of presenting keen observations about even the most mundane things. These observations together with his ability to write simple, moving prose brought back a lot of memories in me, many of which I did not know existed. His description of an Indian household from long ago was surprisingly similar to many real stories I knew. His ability to filter the mundane experiences from diverse places and present the ones that give a sense of the existence of some universal constants in life. Nowhere in the book, I felt that the plot has been contrived to play with the reader's emotions or the prose twisted in order to show off the author's writing caliber. The book reads like an honest, straightforward account and yet it is moving.

Reads like a story-line made up to justify a list of things the author hates and that hate too is without any proper reason. Avoid!

Siddhartha Mukherjee tells the story of the gene in a way that is both personal and historical. And he does it very competently. He is a very good writer who occasionally likes to include almost lyrical descriptions. While this might turn-off some experts, I do think this style is essential to convey the meaning and importance to laypeople. As a scientist working in the field of biotechnology, I knew most of the science that was being described, but still the story behind the science and the human element in the story made it a compelling read. You might find some experts disagreeing on some details presented in this book (on epigenetics, IQ, etc). But to my mind, these are not serious enough to reduce the overall quality of the book. Attempting to write a book of such a huge scope is highly ambitious and it should be appreciated.

Highly recommended!

Great book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading the stories in this book. The author has done a great deal of research to fish out so many stories about elements and he does a splendid job of putting everything into a coherent narrative. Highly recommended!

While this book is not as fun as some of Douglas Adams' best work, the book still makes one marvel at Adams' wild imagination. The plot feels a bit contrived but it is never dull. Adams' humourous observations about humans and animals are always fun to read.

I liked how the author ties together multiple areas of research within the story of an old experiment. I appreciated that the author did not dumb down the Physics or dilute it. I have read about the history of quantum mechanics before, but I was still astonished by the depth of meaning and all the possibilities behind quantum mechanics and the results from the double-slit experiments. 'Mind-boggling' is too light a word to describe it. Kudos to the author for capturing the essence of this area of research while preserving the mystery.

I enjoyed the book. Charles Bukowski's prose is never pretentious and he writes without any dishonest attempts to make it sound deep or sophisticated. The perspective with which the main character (based on Bukowski's own experiences) looks at the world, the urban poor he depicts are vivid and even if you do not agree with the perspective you come to understand it. This was my first Bukowski novel and it makes me want to read more from him.

From this book, I learned some surprising things about Gandhi's work in South Africa. For example, I did not know that Chinese activists joined Gandhi in his Satyagraha in South Africa. It is quite amazing to learn how thousands of people, including Chinese, Tamils, Gujaratis, Hindus, Muslims, Parsis, etc., all willingly went to jail under Gandhi's leadership. The author succeeds in giving us a good social portrait of the times. I would have liked to learn more about Gandhi's childhood, but I think it is not the author's fault that historical material is hard to come by for that time period. Overall, I liked this book and recommend it!