Hidden Histories of Science

Hidden histories of science is based on a series of talks given by well known scientists. It looks like the idea of the talks was to highlight scientific discoveries which were dismissed, only to be rediscovered at a later date. Oliver Sacks looks at examples of this in medicine. Jonathan Miller describes the theatrical origin of hypnotism, and how it was frowned upon but later became more respectable. Daniel J Kevels looks at how early work linking viruses and cancer was unpopular until it provided a basis for the 'War on Cancer' in the 1970's.

The other two authors seemed to depart more from the 'hidden histories' idea. Stephen J Gould criticises the popular idea of evolution as inevitable progress and Richard Lewontin argues against the separation of environmental from genetic effects in biology. If you have read other work by these two authors then it's unlikely that these essays will tell you anything new. Overall I felt that the chapters in this book weren't particularly memorable - it's likely that they came over better as talks - but that if you like to spend the odd half hour reading a scientific essay then this book might suit you.