Category Archives: Book Reviews
Canine Nutrigenomics by Dr. Jean Dodds: Science as Windowdressing
Introduction A number of readers have asked me to review a recent book on canine nutrition: Canine Nutrigenomics: The New Science of Feeding Your Dog for Optimum Health The book has two authors. One is Diana Laverdure, a self-described “canine … Continue reading
Dog Food Logic–A Great New Guide to Dog Foods for Dog Owners
I was recently asked to review a new book for dog owners called Dog Food Logic: Making Smart Decisions for Your Dog in an Age of Too Many Choices by Linda Case. I was very impressed, and I encourage anyone interested … Continue reading
Book Review: Bad Pharma by Dr. Ben Goldacre
Introduction Most of the articles I write concern unconventional or alternative therapies. The primary reason for this is that the overwhelming majority of the information available to pet owners about such therapies comes from practitioners and true believers, often with … Continue reading
Book Review: Lessons from the History of Medical Delusions
A brief reference on the web site The Quackometer recently drew my attention to a very short book (really more of a pamphlet, in the historical sense) by Dr. Worthington Hooker, Lessons from the History of Medical Delusions, which I … Continue reading
How to Read a Scientific Study: The Pocket Guide to Critical Appraisal
I just wanted to give a brief nod to a great, little book I read recently, The Pocket Guide to Critical Appraisal by Iain Crombie. In a grand total of about 60 pages, the book gives a concise explanation of … Continue reading
Nonsense on Stilts: How to tell science from bunk by Massimo Pigliucci
Massimo Pigliucci is an evolutionary biologist, philosopher, professor, and noted skeptic and author. He is also almost the same age as I am, but I’m trying not to let that ruin my day. His most recent book is Nonsense on … Continue reading
Sleights of Mind: What the Neuroscience of Magic Reveals about our Everyday Deceptions
The first step in accepting the need for skepticism and a systematic, scientific approach to evaluating medical therapies is understanding the limitations of our perceptions and judgments. Human beings all share innate and inescapable blind spots, both sensory and cognitive, … Continue reading
Over-Diagnosed by Gilbert Welch: A must-read for doctors and potential patients
Dr. Harriet Hall at Science-Based Medicine recently reviewed the book Over-diagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health by Dr. Gilbert Welch. I was immediately interested enough to buy the book and read it, largely because it promised to … Continue reading
Book Review: At Home by Bill Bryson
For my infrequent book reviews I have tried to focus on books that are explicitly relevant to the issues and themes of this blog. However, I wanted to call attention to a very enjoyable book that, honestly, is only marginally … Continue reading
Don’t Be Such a Scientist or The Negating Culture of Science and its Costs
I recently finished reading Randy Olson’s book Don’t Be Such a Scientist, and I definitely recommend it. It is an entertaining read and has a number of useful insights into the perennial problem of communicating complex, nuanced, and incomplete scientific … Continue reading
