drkottke 's review for:

The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan

5.0

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I started this book waaayyy back in 1996 soon after its first publication, but abandoned it in the push of reading that I had to do as I took on my first teaching assignment. I recalled liking it very much, but it was due back to the library before I could finish it and, well, I just didn't get back to it. Until now. The news of the day has reminded me that Sagan had much to say about the dangers of collective scientific ignorance, and I started referencing this book in conversation. Thus, I figured I'd better finish it! Nearly every single point in this book is as relevant today as it was when Sagan published it two decades ago, and if anything, we are much the worse for wear. Particularly powerful for my daily work is the chapter "Path to Freedom," in which Sagan argues for the foundational importance of literacy in laying the groundwork for science achievement and excellence. His analysis of inequities in American education is extraordinarily prescient. Essential reading for policy makers and educators of all stripes.