Irresistibly funny

Gould only enriches the texture of his writing with each successive phase-He would not be the great science writer that he is if he were not also a great humanist

Gould's depth and humanity fit him for Montaigne's mantle more plausibly that anyone else currently writing... Lucid, exciting, accessible

It matters that one should understand the provenance of this important and disturbing book. It is not another futurological diatribe saying that the end is nigh, but a lucid, calm, profoundly well-informed work by a distinguished scientist, whose humanity - evidenced by a serious ethical commitment and a quiet sense of humour- balances the dispassionate logic with which he surveys his subject: the multitude of threats facing humanity in the twenty-first century from error and terror in the nuclear, biological and environmental spheres

Rees does the maths of risk beautifully, as well as explaining the vital importance of understanding the fragility and cosmic smallness of the human present... The odds are small, but the risks are staggering, and that is Rees's excellent point in this thought-provoking book