Carl Sagan muses on the current state of scientific thought, which offers him marvellous opportunities to entertain us with his own childhood experiences, the newspaper morgues, UFO stories and the assorted flotsam and jetsam of pseudoscience. Along the way he debunks alien abduction, faith-healing and channelling, refutes the arguments that science destroys spirituality, and provides a "baloney detection kit" for thinking through political, social, religious and other issues.
"A glorious book . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought."
--Los Angeles Times "Powerful . . . A stirring defense of informed rationality. . . Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing."
--The Washington Post Book World "Compelling."
--USA Today "A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference. . . . A testimonial to the power of science and a warning of the dangers of unrestrained credulity."
--The Sciences "Passionate."
--San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle