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Rating: 
Summary: The Tektite Glass Menagerie
Review: An excellent book about glass and glass making. The reference to tektites--natural, extraterrestrial glass stones--is all too brief however (and inaccurate in scope). Author William S. Ellis fails to tell the whole story of the on-going--and most certainly unresolved--mystery of tektite origin! Oddly, both sides of the constroversy consider the problem solved. Reading "Glass," one would assume the "impact" side has won the debate. Not true at all! Ellis fails to mention one of the most credible theories of tektite origin: That is, that tektites appear to some geologists and astronomers (and some ceramic scientists)to be extraterrestrial volcanic glass, probably ejected during ancient silicic eruptions on the Moon. Also, the author fails to mention that tektite glass is far too "fined" to have been made in the near-instantaneous force of terrestrial meteorite impacts, as the mainstream "impact" scientists contend. The chemical trends in tektites are clearly igneous, not sedimentary as noted here and stated by the impact people.
Rating: 
Summary: A Fun Read If You Don't Mind Lots of Misinformation
Review: The original article by Ellis in the National Geographic was excellent and accurate as well. It seems most unfortunate that the detailed checking of facts that was used there was not applied to this book. Just two examples of many that could have been chosen: Ellis has Nefertiti looking into a glass mirror more than 2000 years before glass mirrors began to replace mirrors made of polished metal (page 9); in discussing fiber optical communication (page 96), he states that amplifiers are needed "to give lift to the light and prevent it from reverting back to electricity..." - of course the light merely weakens from absorption, leakage, and scattering, but always remains light. The color picture of the hanging Cage Cup is printed upside-down. And there are several places where he discusses so-called important break-throughs in fields where the discoverers have then gone on to do other things for various stated reasons. The real reasons were, of course, that these were not break-throughs but either dead ends or only self-advertised claims that did not really work. It is most unfortunate that experts in the field of each of the many and important topics covered were not asked to proof-read it, for then it would have been an excellent and accurate account.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Tidbits Lost in Annoying Metaphors and Jokes
Review: There are many interesting tidbits in this undisciplined effort at science writing, but excessive use (of often confusing) metaphors and jokes make this annoying to the point of frustration. The topic is fascinating but the writer seems to think his flowery poetry and fine wit contributes to the readability of the book. It does not!In addition, he has the annoying habit of presenting an interesting concept but in no way explaining the science behind it. Science writing has, at times, lapsed into sloppy writing laced with excessive poetics and personal observations of no interest to others. On the other hand, David Quammen (as in The Song of the Dodo) has shown us that we should expect and demand tightly written and reasoned science writing.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting Tidbits Lost in Annoying Metaphors and Jokes
Review: There are many interesting tidbits in this undisciplined effort at science writing, but excessive use (of often confusing) metaphors and jokes make this annoying to the point of frustration. The topic is fascinating but the writer seems to think his flowery poetry and fine wit contributes to the readability of the book. It does not! In addition, he has the annoying habit of presenting an interesting concept but in no way explaining the science behind it. Science writing has, at times, lapsed into sloppy writing laced with excessive poetics and personal observations of no interest to others. On the other hand, David Quammen (as in The Song of the Dodo) has shown us that we should expect and demand tightly written and reasoned science writing.
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