Rating: 
Summary: Easy to Read, Powerful To Ponder
Review: Complexity is one of those rare science books that manages to teach the reader a great deal without boring them to tears. Using the Santa Fe Institute and many of it's founding players as the backdrop for the story, Waldrop tells stories about people, while exploring their science. The result is a book that is fun to read, and that makes you think at a deep, deep level.The gist of complexity is the notion that nature really does explore, all by itself, the continously evolving boundary between order and chaos. If you've ever explored the boundaries of fractal patterns, such as the Mandelbrot Set, you've seen a visual example of complexity at work. When you're done, you realize that you have a better intuitive understanding of how the universe operates, how evolution works, and how societies organize themselves...all without having to solve a single mathematical equation! I loved it! This is one of those books that reshaped my world view, and it is one that I highly recommend to any reader, regardless of their scientific background.
Rating:
Summary: Well written introduction to complexity
Review: Excellent, well written introduction to complexity. It was exactly the book I was looking for to help me develop an understanding of the concepts of things complex. As a novice, I have had difficulty finding material that would be accessible - this book definitely fits that bill. My only complaint was the extensive time devoted to the development and maintenance of the Santa Fe Institute itself. Although somewhat interesting, I believe the author went too far.
Rating: 
Summary: Novel
Review: how the edge of the world of science looks today. an insight on where we stand and what we are looking for in the third millennium.
given in a clear, insightful and informed way. you only need be interested in the topix to understand it, and it goes a long way in making a book of science good for everyone.
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