Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I found this book to be both interesting and informative. The author spend a bit of time on COVID, which surprised me, because I didn't expect something that happened so recently to turn up here; however, the added information, beyond what I already knew, was welcome.

The entries ranged from small and interesting tidbits, to some that were longer and more detailed. There were also a number of surprises and even funny pieces. The author, Joe Schwarcz, has a natural ability to make facts interesting, instead of dry and scholarly which made the book enjoyable to read.

I would recommend this to others.

Excellent look at everyday science

I enjoyed this book. The snippets are well written and in a conversational tone, with Dr. Schwarcz showing a sense of humor, although some of the attempts at humour fell flat. But this is more than compensated for by how interesting the topics of conversation are. Although very sciency, Schwarcz explains everything very clearly and does not use jargon. The book also discusses misinformation in an honest and appropriately blunt manner. In addition, Schwarcz relates some personal information, creating a stronger bond between reader and writer. Overall, this book is well worth reading and does indeed provide captivating accounts of science, for people familiar or not with science. Thank you to Netgalley and ECW Press for the advance reader copy.