Hey, friends!
I hope everyone is having a safe and productive start to September! I have been so busy moving back into school and starting classes, and it’s so easy to not take any time for yourself to just ~relax~. I a new book recommendation for y’all, I hope you enjoy!
I accidentally took this book out of the college library for the summer and had to renew 3 times so I wouldn’t be charged (oops). It’s called Pandora’s Lab: Seven Stories of Science Gone Wrong.
I’m a science major, and I’ve read my fair share of cleverly written “sciencey” books in the same vein as this before (anything by Malcolm Gladwell, Bill Bryson, etc.), and this really read like a dream. If you don’t have any background in science, author Paul A. Offit explains foreign jargon and methodology with a suave clarity that is both enjoyable and informative.
The premise is this: that there have been incredible feats of science and human intellectual breakthroughs that, while good intentioned and brilliant in their own rite, have spelled disaster for the human race. Dr. Offit narrates seven case studies of the sort, and then synthesizes these stories by unpacking one of the deeper questions that defines humanity: do we really learn from our mistakes? It seems really dense from what I’ve written about it, but this book reads so easily. The structure is perfect if you don’t have a lot of long extended periods of time to dedicate to reading for pleasure.
Remember, it’s so important to give yourself time to breathe and do your own thing, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed with work and responsibility. I find that reading is the most relaxing and therapeutic thing I can do when I feel like this.
Even taking just 15 minutes out of my busy schedule to go into a different world between the pages of a book of my own choosing is life changing. It helps to put things in perspective and makes everything refocus, something th
at is extremely difficult, especially if you’re a full time student living in the bubble of your college or university.
Happy reading!
Love,
Abby
Feminine Boutique Blog 