Reviews
"Carroll takes readers on an entertaining tour of biological discovery that emphasizes the dominant role played by chance in shaping the conditions for life on Earth. Along the way, he provides insights and humor that make the book a quick, lively read that both educates and entertains. . . . Books such as this remind us to make our unlikely time here count." ---Ivor Knight, Science, "If you enjoyed Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything , you'll like this breezy, equally amusing trip through time. . . . A stellar little book about science."" ---Jenny Nicholls, Waiheke Weekender, "This book lays bare how often unpredictable events have shaped our world; it educates, engages, and entertains." ---R. M. Denome, Choice, "This is an accessible and fun book but be forewarned that it might leave you wanting more. Personally, I take that as a good sign." ---Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist, "I couldn't put it down. If you're at all interested in science, you'll keep turning these pages." ---Flora Taylor, American Scientist, "Golf games, coincidental immunity, and pandemics: A Series of Fortunate Events ranges from examining trivial events to sobering ones, but remains relevant throughout, revealing how chance affects everyday life." ---Rebecca Foster, Foreword Reviews, "Carroll's work renders hefty topics accessible, exploring the perfect storm of events responsible for evolution, the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs and every living person's conception." ---Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, The role of happenstance in determining the fate of the world may seem a matter for philosophy more than science, but Carroll, a biologist, shows how central the idea is to everyday existence., "The Yucatan asteroid is an epic example of the sheer randomness which, as Sean B. Carroll argues in this short but thought-provoking book, rules both the universe and our own lives." ---Nick Rennison, Daily Mail, "It is to biologist Sean B. Carroll's credit that he's found a way of taking a puzzle that could easily fill volumes (and probably has filled volumes), and presenting it to us in a slim, non-technical, and fun little book." ---Dan Falk, Undark, "With conversational wit, Carroll encourages us to embrace the randomness of the world." ---Scott Hershberger, Scientific American, "A short and charming book that will give you a new appreciation of the vagaries of life and their influence." ---Ian Simmons, Fortean Times, "In Carroll, three traits that are rare in themselves conjoin in an even rarer alignment: a command of multiple scientific fields, an unrivaled ability to clearly explain complex scientific concepts, and a deep instinct for storytelling. It is only fitting that such an unlikely combination produced A Series of Fortunate Events , since this discipline-spanning, highly engaging volume is all about the unlikely combinations that gave rise to all life, to the human species, and to each of us as unique individuals." ---Barbara N. Horowitz, The Quarterly Review of Biology, "Entertaining and informative, Carroll's latest is a real eye-opener." ---Nick Smith, Engineering & Technology
