E.O. Wilson is an eminent Harvard biologist and best-selling author. I salute him for his accomplishments. But he couldn’t be more wrong in his recent piece in the Wall Street Journal (adapted from his new book Letters to a Young Scientist), in which he tells aspiring scientists that they don’t need mathematics to thrive. He starts out by saying: “Many of the most successful scientists in the world today are mathematically no more than semiliterate … I speak as an authority on this subject because I myself am an extreme case.” This would have been fine if he had followed with: “But you, young scientists, don’t have to be like me, so let’s see if I can help you overcome your fear of math.” Alas, the octogenarian authority on social insects takes the opposite tack. Turns out he actually believes not only that the fear is justified, but that most scientists don’t need math. “I got by, and so can you” is his attitude. Sadly, it’s clear from the article that the reason Wilson makes these errors is that, based on his own limited experience, he does not understand what mathematics is and how it is used in science. Continue reading at 'Slate'
[ Slate | 2013-04-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
The best-selling author and public interest lawyer comes from a family in which words mattered. A lot. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2020-01-23 10:00:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Shopping, cooking, a million holiday parties. In order to get it done—and actually enjoy yourself—you’ll need to be extra ruthless about prioritizing the important things. Here’s how. It’s touted as the most wonderful time of year, but for most professionals, it’s more like the most chaotic... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2019-11-25 05:00:29 UTC ]
More news stories like this
After preaching against household clutter, the best-selling author is launching a store selling homeware. Continue reading at BBC World
[ BBC World | 2019-11-18 16:49:24 UTC ]
More news stories like this
FRANCES’S MICHEL HOUELLEBECQ leads something of a double career. A novelist of Prix Goncourt–winning distinction, Houellebecq is also his country’s best-selling author abroad and, on many accounts, currently its best. He is also reliably a prophet of current events: his third novel, Platform,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Review of Books
[ Los Angeles Review of Books | 2019-11-12 13:30:31 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The best-selling author of thrillers for adults and the ‘Ordinary People’ series for children translates his books to a new animated series. Little adventurers and history buffs will soon get the chance to travel back in time and meet some of the world’s most inspiring historical figures—when... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2019-11-11 08:00:28 UTC ]
More news stories like this
From meditations on the d/Deaf experience to short stories blurring the mythic and the gothic with the everyday, from mixing the personal and political to a young woman uncover the truth about her family’s past – four outstanding writers have today been named on the shortlist for The Sunday... Continue reading at British Council global
[ British Council global | 2019-11-04 12:55:09 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The broadcast journalist and best-selling author talks about his new book, “The Fall of Richard Nixon.” Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2019-10-30 09:00:01 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Author Anand Giridharadas is rebuking the idea that philanthropic billionaires are society’s heroes. Even some plutocrats are starting to agree with him. A black suburban dispatched by MSNBC’s Morning Joe is idling outside best-selling author Anand Giridharadas’s Brooklyn apartment when I arrive... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2019-10-21 07:00:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Author Anand Giridharadas is rebuking the idea that philanthropic billionaires are society’s heroes. Even some plutocrats are starting to agree with him. A black suburban dispatched by MSNBC’s Morning Joe is idling outside best-selling author Anand Giridharadas’s Brooklyn apartment when I arrive... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2019-10-21 07:00:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this
John Murray has scooped George Soros's "most powerful take on the world today" as the investor and philanthropist addresses the dangers faced by civilization. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-08-14 22:25:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this
This giveaway is sponsored by William Morrow. From the New York Times best-selling author of The Bookshop on the Corner comes this witty ... Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-08-02 10:31:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Amazon announced today that it inked best-selling author Dean Koontz to a five-book deal. The agreement will also include a short story collection called Nameless that will be available for free to Amazon Prime and Kindle Unlimited customers on Novem... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2019-07-22 15:24:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
At the 2019 Cannes Lions festival, the Netflix star and best-selling author charmed the ad industry, while P&G launched a new initiative it says will improve your life. For 66 years, the advertising industry has gathered in the South of France to make deals, get inspired by work from around... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2019-06-17 16:30:37 UTC ]
More news stories like this
A Pulitzer Prize winner at The Wall Street Journal, he wrote the best sellers “Blue Latitudes” and “Confederates in the Attic” and seven other books. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2019-05-30 16:33:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Dan Jenkins, the sportswriting great and best-selling author in a career that went from Ben Hogan to Tiger Woods and the manual typewriter to Twitter, has died. He was 89. Texas Christian University athletic director Jeremiah Donati confirmed Jenkins died Thursday in his hometown of Fort Worth.... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-03-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Oneworld imprint Rock the Boat has acquired the UK rights to How to Win a Nobel Prize, a middle grade adventure for young scientists, by Nobel Prize winner Barry Marshall. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-07-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Facebook will rank news outlets based on how "trustworthy" they determine them to be, in another News Feed tweak announced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the platform Friday.Zuckerberg added that he expects a 20 percent drop in the amount of news people see."There's too much sensationalism,... Continue reading at Advertising Age
[ Advertising Age | 2018-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
JK Rowling just can't seem to let Harry Potter go. Having launched the "eighth book", in the form of a two-part play, the best-selling author has revealed three new texts will be released next month. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2016-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The newest book from Gretchen Rubin, best-selling author of The Happiness Project, examines how we can change our habits. Continue reading at Knowledge@Wharton
[ Knowledge@Wharton | 2015-07-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this