"What Is Life?: Five Great Ideas in Biology" by Paul Nurse is a tour de force that takes readers on a captivating journey through the core concepts of biology. Nurse's expertise and passion for the subject shine through in this accessible and thought-provoking book. With clarity and eloquence, he unravels the mysteries of life, presenting five foundational ideas that form the bedrock of modern biology.

One of the book's standout features is Nurse's ability to distill complex scientific concepts into digestible, engaging narratives. He weaves together historical context, cutting-edge research, and personal insights to provide a comprehensive understanding of each idea. Whether discussing the intricacies of genetics or the complexities of evolution, Nurse's storytelling prowess ensures that readers are both informed and captivated.

The book's structure is well-organized, allowing for a seamless progression from one idea to the next. Nurse skillfully builds upon each concept, creating a cohesive narrative that culminates in a profound appreciation for the interconnectedness of life on Earth. Each chapter is a revelation, inviting readers to contemplate the beauty and complexity of the natural world.

I was provided an advanced copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fascinating read! I really enjoyed getting a refresher on biology and actually understanding HOW and WHY biological concepts are true. I thought it was beautiful the way Nurse synthesized these foundational concepts related to life, and I definitely see the world in a new way. The "Life as Information" was especially fascinating to me. I think Nurse made a great case for how urgently we need to address climate change. There were so many wonderful concepts, I paused to reread them frequently to make sure I really understood them. I loved the anecdotes about his various experiments, it gave me some wonderful insight into what it is scientific researchers do. I read this book in one sitting and thought it was thoroughly enjoyable was to spend a Saturday.

My only critique is similar to that of others. Nurse frequently dismisses the idea of a creator god, which is fine and I have no problem with that. In fact, I think he is accurate in stating that evolution by natural selection shows HOW life could develop unguided by a creator once it began. However, he seems to suggest that this means there CAN'T be a creator God or some sort of higher being, but that seems to be a bit of a leap, especially since Nurse neglects to get into HOW the universe and all its elements came to be in the first place. His suggestion for one way life could have "sparked" was compelling, but even in this theory the universe/Earth is already formed. Perhaps unintentionally, his writing suggests that all religious people are like the Baptists he grew up with and reject evolution, when many religious people, such as most Catholics, take no issue with evolution or natural selection at all. I am in no way offended by Paul Nurse's stance on God, however, I think those assertions felt a bit out-of-place.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to someone who is interested in science and the bigger questions of what it means to be alive. I learned SO much and have been talking with my children about what I learned. All around a really enjoyable read.

Biology in a nutshell.

Paul Nurse does a fantastic job in distilling down current science in the field of biology using laymen terms while trying to answer one of the most fundamental questions of life on Earth. His conclusions are more are closer to "what life does', yet he delivers on the promise of the book better than anyone before him using the same book title.

You can look at this book as a short summary on what you still should remember from biology class at school. If you feel that THAT is not much, you may want to get this book as a solid refresher. It is important in current times.

As a “former” zoologist and genetics researcher, I found this book refreshing, informative, and exciting to read. It has been 20 years since I worked in the field, just before the Human Genome Project really took off. Dr. Nurse’s investigation and thoughts on what life is was thought provoking. I do feel that this title is best for the scientifically inclined reader who is deeply fascinated with the subject and at the least has some higher level science knowledge. Though I think any reader would benefit from the knowledge within.