If you’re free at 6 pm EST, please tune in to Wisconsin Public Radio. I’ll be talking to Ben Merens about my new book, Microcosm: E. coli and the New Science of Life. It’s a call-in show–toll-free 1-800-486-8655 or 227-2050 if you’re in the Milwaukee area.










July 8th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Dr. Zimmer, I just finished reading Microcosm, and I loved it! I was skeptical at first that a book centered around an icky disease-causing bacteria would be interesting – shows what I knew about E. coli! The book was facinating, and I learned a lot. More science texts need to be like this. I’m waiting for the sequel, in which you go into more detail on genetics and molecular biology. Reading Microcosm has reaffirmed my decision to go back to school for biology. Thank you for writing it!
July 8th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Thanks! One correction–it’s Mr. Zimmer, not Dr.
Or Carl. That will do fine, too.
July 8th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
I’m kicking myself for missing you on the radio last night. I assumed the time was CST, and by the time I got home and tuned in WPR it was too late. I’ll download the MP3 soon though.
I also recent finished Microcosm, and like Jackie, I was impressed that E.coli could be such an interesting subject. I’ve been recommending your book to anyone who will sit long enough to listen.
July 8th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
I would like to echo Jackie’s opinion. Microcosm was an awesome book.
July 10th, 2008 at 6:27 am
Carl, et al.
The Indedependent [London] has a sort of review in yesterday’s edition. It’s brief, but positive. He uses the term “popular science” to describe “Microcosm” – there are better, non-pejorative terms about. The author wonders, as do i, why every book on science published in the US has to use ink and paper to counter the unthinking assault on science taking place there.
If you allow such things, the link to the Print version of the review is:
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/microcosm-ecoli-and-the-new-science-of-ife-by-carl-zimmer-862882.html?service=Print
It’s certain there will be others – hopefully more robust.
stephen
Ottawa, Canada
July 10th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
You can listen to it here: http://wpr.org/webcasting/audioarchives_display.cfm?Code=bme
July 10th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
[...] it’s pure coincidence that I was on the same show the other day, which is now archived [...]