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From Religion To Science
The Transition, Initiated by Copernicus and Galileo, from Religion to Science: The Beckoning Bridge Many Find Difficult or Impossible to Cross’ By Lawrence H Wood is a nonfiction book that seeks to shed light on the dichotomy between religion and science, and how the two can continue to co-exist side by side. The author details the transition from a religious based understanding to a scientific based understanding that began to occur in the mid sixteenth century, and discusses the two different explanations of ourselves and our surroundings–how they developed and why they co-exist when such coexistence is a constant source of confusion and conflict. In this book, Dr. Wood, a science historian, focuses on examining the historical aspects of science to further the reader’s understanding of the subject.
This books is divided into sections that look at various aspects of the historical development of science. It’s a fascinating topic that is given very little attention in an academic setting, since most science classes focus exclusively on the actual science with no mention made of the history of science. I found it interesting to read about the historical development of scientific understanding, as people came to understand various scientific principles, starting in the 1500’s when Copernicus observed that the Earth revolved around the Sun, not the Sun around the Earth, as was the previous accepted belief. This marked the beginning of modern scientific investigation, along with the invention of the telescope and the microscope. I liked that the book described many scientific principles and theories and how they came to be discovered, and covered many different science disciplines, including geology, physics, biology, archaeology, and chemistry. I enjoyed reading about the discoveries and contributions of a wide range of scientists, from the sixteenth century to the present.
The book focuses on a variety of subjects from discovering that the Earth is billions of years old to modern advances in DNA and gene-splicing, but the author describes it in terms that make the information accessible to average people who may not view themselves as particularly scientific-minded. The author’s use of graphs and charts to illustrate points was a welcome inclusion that helped to further my understanding of the explanations presented in this book. Another helpful tool was the author’s summation of information at the end of each chapter.
Pages: 444 | ISBN: 1532024576
The Undercover Name I Used
G.J. Rayner Author Interview
Taurus, Taurus, Taurus, is a genre-crossing novel with elements of a action, thriller, and suspense as well. Did you start writing with this in mind, or did this happen organically as you were writing?
When I started to write this novel, I knew how it was going to start and I had a vague idea of the end, but the body of the novel just flowed from my finger tips.
The supporting characters in this novel, I felt, were intriguing and well developed. Who was your favorite character to write for?
I must say the character of Joe Garner, who is my alter ego. It is also the undercover name I used on the street as a Drug Enforcement Special Agent.
There is a lot of military references in this book along with some science to get the genetics down. Did you do a lot of research to maintain accuracy of the subject?
I spent several hours doing research on not only the correctness of the military side, but also much reading on Genetic Modification and making sure my facts were correct on subjects such as the number of beef cattle in the world (over one billion). Google Maps was a great help in maintaining the accuracy of geographic locations, like the street names in the city of Osh and other places.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be published?
My next novel, Operation Pinata, is about drug cartels in Mexico, something I am more familiar with than GMO. It is currently in its 6th or 7th editing, by myself and my co-author and editor.
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter
Dr. Gambil, a Genetic Modification scientist, worked for ABBA, a US beef company with world-wide operations, owned by Livingston Tec, a large conglomerate. His goal was to improve the quality of beef cattle. In 1989, angry at government interference, he destroyed the ABBA lab and was thought to have died in the explosion. Eleven years later, in 2000, he sends an e-mail to ABBA demanding a ransom of fifty million dollars or he will destroy their world-wide operation. The threat is not taken seriously, until the ABBA ranch in Argentina is attacked. ABBA hires OMICRON, an international security company, to interrogate the lone surviving attacker, who reveals Dr. Gambil has trained and sent out four teams to destroy the breeding stock on ABBA ranches throughout the world. Our protagonist, Joe Garner, an intelligence analyst, has quit his US government job over an ethics question and is hired by OMICRON. Seven years before, he had done a tour in the Marines in Kyrgyzstan, and was almost killed in a terrorist attack. Because he is fluent in Turkic, he is sent to Argentina to interrogate the Islamic survivor. Dr Gamble has fled to Kyrgyzstan, where he has developed a serum, which, when injected into breeding bulls will deteriorate the quality of their sperm. Joe also learns Dr. Gambil is related to the terrorist who led the attack on him seven years ago and the ransom money will be used to support the Islamic terrorists from Uzbekistan. OMICRON is hired to stop the attacks. After they intercepted the attack in Kansas and the ABBA ranch In Kenya is decimated, they must find Dr. Gambil and stop his mad plan. As they track Dr. Gambil to Kyrgyzstan, there is one question: Do they terminate or rehabilitate him? Joe Garner also learns that the terrorist that wounded him is behind the plot and his need for revenge grows. The story culminates with explosive action in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan.
LITERARY TITAN 