How Did Life End Up With Us?

If DNA is so brilliant at replicating things, then why does the reproduction process make so many mistakes?

Why does everything have to die?

How were the Beatles witnesses to one of the great scientific breakthroughs?

Is natural selection enough to explain evolution?

The Secrets of Life series will provide conversation starters for years after reading! The author easy- going, and the conversational style brings an outsider's questioning eye to the great forces behind life. The first book in the four-part series contends that if we set received wisdom to one side and really dig into the facts.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words some text written has been typed in red and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you very much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5/5.

I made it halfway through the book before stopping. I gave the book 2 stars however, because I did not find the book objectionable; it just wasn’t for me but I liked what the book tried to do. I found the writing to be ponderous, with unclear and convoluted explanations. A lot of the analogies were confusing to me. The storytelling was weak and there was no “I couldn’t put it down” factor. But I suspect that people who may prefer a more philosophical approach to biology might like the book more than I did. Thank you to Netgalley and Otium Press for the digital review copy.