Book Description
A unique, scientific look into why we are all believers.
In Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass, the White Queen tells Alice that to believe in a wildly improbable fact she simply needs to "draw a long breath and shut [her] eyes." Alice finds this advice ridiculous. But don't almost all of us, at some time or another, engage in magical thinking? Seventy percent of Americans believe in angels; 13 percent of British scientists "touch wood"; 40 percent of Americans believe that astrology is scientific. And that is only the beginning.
In Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast, Lewis Wolpert tackles one of the most important causes on the horizon of public debate: the nature of belief. Looking at belief's psychological basis and its possible evolutionary origins in physical cause and effect, Wolpert expertly investigates what science can tell us about those concepts we are so sure of, covering everything from everyday beliefs that give coherence to our experiences, to religious beliefs, to paranormal beliefs for which there is no evidence.
Customer Reviews:
Short on Evidence.......2007-10-09
Mr. (Dr?) Wolpert admittedly states, with all due candor, that his book has weak evidence (although he inconceivably suggests that this is only "at times"). How an honest scientist (even in the field of embryology, which is remarkably afield from evolutionary psychology) can write a book like this in the face of this fact is baffling.
And it shows.
The largest problem with this book is that the author himself has no idea what his causative explanation is. For example, pg. 67 "... I argue that it was causal thining that was a fundamental adaptation required for making complex tools, and that it was technology that drove human evolution". Despite this argument, he himself reverts to a different position later in the book. For example, pg. 117, "My suggestion is that [belief and religion] had their origin in the evolution of causal beliefs, which in turn had its origins in tool use" and also, pg. 79, "Thus causal thinking preceded and was an essential prerequisite for language development...Language would help enormously with the construction and use of new tools...".
As this should illuminate, the author can't keep his explanation straight. Instead of choosing a theory and then looking for evidence confirming or disconfirming his theory, he simply accepts that it is true, and uses all manner of shady evidence to prop up this ridiculous contradictory theory.
That said, he never does form a complete thought in the entire book, that I could detect at least. There are manifest evidences but none are convincing and many don't support the idea at all. A single sentence, however, can refute the entire thing. When the primitive tools of many societies are compared, there are remarkable similarities. These similarities disperse as the populations themselves, do, which is correlated, in turn, with the evolution of languages.
Hrm... that does tend to destroy his hypothesis. And it isn't a very good one, either.
Pass.
Harkius
The Great Ape that asked "Why?".......2007-10-07
I read this book as the last of a group of books comprising the recent works of Daniel Dennett (whew!)(Breaking the Spell), Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion), Christopher Hitchens (God is not Great), and both of the works by Sam Harris (The End of Faith and Letter to a Christian Nation). For many reasons and particularly because of Wolpert's straightforward theme, I regret I ended rather than started with Wolpert's book in the group. As you are no doubt aware, the theme/proposition of Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast is that the cause-and-effect wiring that showed up in our brains to permit the competitive edge* of complex tool-making is the same wiring that causes our children to ask innumerable questions beginning with "why" too soon after learning to speak syntactically. It is this drive to model our world by causes and effects that competitively distinguishes us as a species. We are an anxious bunch when left with too many unanswered "whys" and turn to stories of causal links or assign temporally correlated events as causally linked in order to reassure ourselves all is well...things have always and will continue to happen for reasons that may be in our control or in the control of one or more benevolent supernatural entities. Just as the scientific method often tests hypotheses that are not immediately dispelled by common sense, these stories of causal links do not necessarily need a foundation in the natural world...they just need to satisfy the cause-effect craving. As you are aware, correlation may indicate but does not necessarily equate with causation and so scientific investigators are left determining, and re-determining, the causal mechanisms, if any, in nature underlying the correlation. Unlike the scientific method, once these stories of casual links take root, we are wired to hold them fast even in the face of independently corroborating facts to the contrary.
*Sorry, I just couldn't help myself from punning.
Combining Wolpert's book with the recent works of the above-cited authors, one takes away a broader theme (see Michael Shermer, Why Darwin Matters) that perhaps we humans got this far by the extra caution taken when seeing patterns where none exist, by immediately projecting intent and anticipated actions onto other beings or objects (irrespective of whether these beings were present or ever existed) and responding to those projections, and by developing both our technologies and our myths due to our insatiable quest for causal links. When contemplating an existence of our conscious self beyond the lifespan of our amazing, yet mortal, brain, we naturally feel a part of something bigger than ourselves. If this something involves or is orchestrated by one or more supernatural entities, we have no way of scientifically knowing.
Wolpert ends his book in a fashion reminiscent of the late Stephen J. Gould (Rock of Ages) where religious beliefs and scientific beliefs are each given their own due respect/space (as you may recall Gould's nonoverlapping magisteria). To the extent scientific beliefs are nearly inaccessible to those without sufficient skills in critical analysis and mathematics and to the extent religious beliefs can take hold in the mind of a child in a day, the populating advantage appears to go to religious beliefs. Unlike Dawkins, Wolpert climbs no soapbox to cry for enhanced critical analysis, mathematics and scientific reasoning in American public schools. He shows little if any distaste for purposeful "scientific" misinformation fed children in home schools or schools supported by literalist religions. Perhaps Wolpert took the matter as far as he felt comfortable in his closing that religious belief systems should not abridge the rights of others.
Nice Concept, Bad Execution.......2007-09-22
Wolpert selected a very interesting topic for this book. And that's all the nice things I have to say about it. He makes a large number of claims that he doesn't bother to support with evidence or explanation. He does not cite his references, although they are listed in the back matter (helpful, but not terribly so, since a particular statement cannot be linked to its source). His paragraphs seem to start and stop willy-nilly and do not provide clear arguments to support his claims. It is unclear which of his claims he intends to support and which he intends to lob toward any ear that will listen.
In short, this book seems like it was written in an ad-hoc, stream-of-consciousness manner. The book does not clearly present its arguments, define important terms like "understand" (this is very important when discussing this topic), or lend itself to detailed study of the subject matter. This book was not yet ripe for the printing, but it was printed nevertheless. Do us all a favor and don't support the publishing of bad books by purchasing them.
A Good Summary of Complex New Evidence.......2007-08-05
Six Impossible Things before Breakfast, by Lewis Wolpert.
This book was very interesting to me as an analysis of human understanding of causation and the importance of our understanding of causation in how we perform other intellectual functions. In particular, we formulate beliefs. One of the characteristics that separates us even from the closest animals is our ability to understand and rationalize cause and effect. Animals, even the great apes, have very limited understanding -- if any -- of causality. We know that from subjecting those animals to experiments in which they would be rewarded for exercising any intellectual capacity that they have.
Human beings have a strong motive to understand causation. Sometimes the intellectual process by which we reach conclusions about causation is described as a "belief engine." There is no doubt that our belief engine is somewhat faulty. Our belief engine "prefers quick decisions, it is bad with numbers, loves representativeness, and sees patterns where often there is only randomness. It is too often influenced by authority, and it has a liking for mysticism." p. 220. We suffer from the "Pollyanna principle," being far more likely to focus on and remember positive rather than negative reports about ourselves. The "Lake Wobegon effect," explains why 94% of college professors believe that they are better than their average colleague at their jobs. The "interviewer illusion" guarantees that we will, as a rule, feel far more confident in our ability to predict the future of others than an objective retrospective analysis would justify. We are overconfident in the correctness of our own judgments. The "Barnum effect" means that we will see merit in vague and generalized descriptions.
We tend to make up stories to explain what we have observed, and the stories often overcome the actual memories. We jump to conclusions on inadequate evidence and then hold to those conclusions with vigor. Placebos work. We are capable of internalizing "forced beliefs," manufactured beliefs forced on us by society or authority. These "forced beliefs" are often manufactured to support other beliefs "that are poorly supported by evidence." Page 88.
We are pathetically bad at evaluating risks, fearing the airplane flight more than the automobile trip to the airport. We have no natural ability to infer what we learn from statistics. We are good at acquiring superstitious beliefs, and terrible at getting rid of them. We are vulnerable to both hypnotic and ordinary suggestion. Studies have shown just how susceptible we are to the implantation of false memories.
We are subject to a strong confirmation bias, which means that once we have formed a belief, we are far more likely to credit new evidence that conforms to those beliefs then evidence that challenges them.
It is difficult to understand the human mind because the instrument with which we must understand it is, of course, the human mind. Studies of animals, babies, children, and people with various kinds of brain damage can give us valuable clues. Carefully designed experiments, with adequate controls, can give us valuable hints. Studies of obviously false beliefs held by people with mental illnesses or under the influence of mind altering drugs can help us understand as well. Even this is difficult because "there are no sharp dividing lines between normal beliefs and delusional beliefs." Page 101. Still, susceptibility to delusions has a strong genetic component, suggesting that our susceptibility is somewhat hardwired into the brain.
We are naturally resistant to scientific evidence because scientific results are frequently counterintuitive. "Almost without exception, any common-sense view of the world is scientifically false." Page 203.
Wolpert proposes that some of the same pathways that developed because of our understanding of causality, particularly tool use, help us to understand our "belief engine." He contends that, "religion and causal beliefs in general had their evolutionary origin in toolmaking, which drove evolution." He admits that the evidence is limited but he could find little or no evidence to contradict this hypothesis. Our belief system is genetically programmed, by which Wolpert means, "that there are circuits in our brain that are set up by the genes that predispose us to have religious and mystical beliefs. It is hard to imagine that the religious and mystical beliefs found in every culture have some other origin." Page 217-18.
This is a short book. It is a good introduction to the science of how the human mind works. I had heard of a lot of the studies discussed in this book before. The author does an excellent job of summarizing the significance of the studies. I enjoy books that explain the cutting edge of science to non-scientists. Wolpert goes into my short list of successful popularizers of complex science.
Fantastic .......2007-06-23
It is quite beautiful how Wolpert sets up the book to explain how some can reject his premise of a non-existent god. The facts contained in this book, and the occasional theory (though well-backed ones), are brilliant and come from a man with an extensive background in the field he writes about, taking special care to write in a way anyone, even an unscientific mind, can understand. It is fantastic how someone can understand, through this book, why they reject certain arguments (specifically that a god is irrational) yet walk away still denying everything, holding on to their old beliefs, knowing exactly how. Though that of course is only a mere portion of the book. Brilliant.
Book Description
From war-torn Afghanistan, through the snow-capped Himalayas and across the burning sands of the Taklamakan desert, to a rapidly modernizing China and on to the Central American jungles: it is an impossible journey, but one that Gary Geddes eagerly undertook in order to retrace the voyage of the legendary 5th-century Buddhist monk Huishen. Geddes was long fascinated with stories of Huishen’s life and travels: this Afghan holy man fled Kabul for China and may have crossed the Pacific to North America 1,000 years before Columbus.
The length and breadth of this expedition, and its difficulty, would have been amazing enough on its own, but Geddes’s trip takes on an added dimension and poignancy due to its timing: he reaches Afghanistan one month before September 11, 2001 and arrives in China as the tragic events unfold.
Along the way, Geddes encounters Afghan refugees, Pakistani dissidents, Tibetan monks, Buddhist scholars, a KFC outlet in Luoyang, mysterious cairns in Haida Gwaii, and ghostly remains in Mexico. As the Silk Road morphs into superhighways, ancient sculptures turn into military targets, Geddes glimpses, in the collision of past and present history, important clues for imagining a workable future.
Customer Reviews:
Bad Company.......2007-08-02
The premise of this book is wonderful - tracing the path of a Buddhist monk who is reputed to have traveled from Afghanistan, across China, and on to the Amreicas in the 5th century. One might expect, at the least, that a poet writing about his travels would produce a book that would have beautiful descriptions of people, places and things. At best, one could hope for exploration of insights and thoughts about what it is to be a traveler - actually and metaphorically, and speculation about the spiritual import of such a journey.
Unfortunately, what we get in this book is a collection of places vaguely described by a depressed man who spends most of his time writing about himself and his reaction to the places so ill-described. Frankly, this self-described "grumpy" man is not very good company for this trip, and all we are left with is a sense of trip of wonderful possibilities unrealized. The only thing impossible about this journey is the writer.
A Passionate, Engaging Journey.......2005-03-12
Explore Gary Geddes' emotionally charged, spiritual terrain with him as he passionately traces the pre-Columbian steps of Afghan monk, Huishen, to North America. The compelling poetic prose, humorous at times, subtly reveals much about the political concerns of China, the Middle East, and Central America while transporting the reader into a significant adventure that is both history lesson and pure escapism. Comparatively, think about doing the dishes while singing along to Bob Marley's "One Love/People Get Ready." It's at once engaging and liberating.
Average customer rating:
- Not her best stuff
- Eh... Not as good as I know Willis can be
- Disappointed fan
- A Must Read, Witty and Hilarious
- Masterful short stories
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Impossible Things
Connie Willis
Manufacturer: Spectra
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Customer Reviews:
Not her best stuff.......2007-01-02
"Chance" was the best story by far. "Even the Queen" was hysterical. "Last of the Winnebagos" was good but too heartbreaking - I wish I'd never read it. "Winter's Tale" was worthy of a read, but the rest were mostly disposable. "Spice Pogrom" was too silly & long-winded to even finish. I prefer her novels.
Eh... Not as good as I know Willis can be.......2005-05-02
After reading "Passage," I was anxious to devour more of Willis. "Impossible Things", a collection of short stories, sounded like a perfect way to get a quick fix - a buffet table to expose myself on as many different aspects of Willis as possible.
Next time I'm sticking with the full-length novels. Not that there's anything *bad* about the stories in "Impossible Things", it's just that there's nothing outstanding about them either. For one thing, they're long, in most cases much longer than they need to be. For another, they're somewhat dated, which is understandable given that most were written in the '80s. Yet you never get that sense in the stories of, say, John Varley.
Perhaps I just had expectations that were too high. As I said, no one story was ever bad, and some were actually quite good. "A Winter's Tale" is probably my favorite, a story about Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare's wife, and what she may have known about the famous bard that continues to puzzle literary scholars today. "Even the Queen" is clever and provocative, short and snappy, as well as being timely. "Spice Pogrom" is also clever and funny, but it's much, much too long.
The stories in "Impossible Things" are a somewhat confusing mix of wit and despair. Willis alternates between mocking PC sensitivity in "Ado" and a horrifying description of a young housewife's descent into madness in "Chance", with little unifying theme to tie the book together. I enjoyed the stories individually, but the collection as a whole fell somewhat short.
Disappointed fan.......2005-04-06
Connie Willis has written several wonderful books, from the delightful "Bellwether" to the deeply moving "Doomsday Book." She brings a characteristic wit and perspective to anything she touches. Strangely some of the same things that I treasure in her novels didn't translate well to this book.
First of all, it is a book of short stories (something I didn't realize when I bought the book). While not an issue in and of itself, I do wish I hadn't picked up the book expecting a novel, as the disappointment probably colored my enjoyment.
A second aspect of the book that isn't necessarily an issue, but reduced my pleasure in her work, was that these stories tended toward melancholy. The bitter-sweet memory of times gone by seemed to be a predominant theme. This kind of work has its place, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had waited until I was in the proper mood.
The only real issue I have is with her writing style. She tends to start her works by thrusting you right into the middle of something without any setup. This is disorienting, but was entirely appropriate and well used in "To Say Nothing of the Dog" (another of her novels). In contrast, in her short stories, a reader is just getting his feet under him when the story ends. In the course of a single story, this is exasperating, but the feeling quickly builds to annoyance when reading a succession of stories in a single sitting.
Any one interested in completing their collection of Willis's works will obviously need this book, but, if you are new to the author, I would recommend starting with one of the five-star books I mentioned in the first paragraph.
A Must Read, Witty and Hilarious.......2004-06-10
There are so many good short stories in this book, I hardly know where to begin. "Even the Queen" is the most hilarious answer to `The Feminist Question' ever. I don't think anyone could ever top it. "In the Late Cretacious" is the most funny and accurate portrayal of university politics I have ever read. "Ado" is a funny look at political correctness taken to its most extreme absurd conclusion. I can't recommend this book enough.
Masterful short stories.......2003-02-18
A collection of stories by Connie Willis, one of the modern masters of the science fiction short.
"The Last of the Winnebagos" -- I remember reading this story years ago and not caring for it that much. Rereadiug it ten years later, I find it much more appealing. In one sense it is a mystery story; in another it is a cautionary tale. The way that Willis weaves together the two-- the tale of the dead dog and the new, authoritarian society--is fresh and clever. Sentimental? Yes. But in the best way.
"Even the Queen" -- One of my favorite stories, not just because it flirts with taboo, but because it is written with such an easy and joyous manner. Willis' comic stories are like those by Wodehouse--she is never content with a single gag, but can mix in wordplay, pop references, slapstick, and play off the old cliches in new and unpredictable ways.
"Schwarzchild Radius" -- Just so as you don't get the impression that I worship the paper that Willis types upon, I will gladly admit that I don't care for this particular story. I believe that this was one of the first stories in which she portrays a physics concept in characters and setting. Later on, in "Blued Moon" and "At the Rialto," the same method, when used with comedy, works to much better effect.
"Ado" -- One of the comedies that has not aged well, due partly to the backlash against "Political Correctness" of which this story was only a small part. There are parts that are still funny, like the running battle between the teacher and the sun worshipping student fought with Bible versus, but the end less litany of offended organizations goes stale about halfway through.
"Spice Pogrom" -- This is the kind of comedy that will never die; well, at least I hope it won't, because, like Willis, I am enamoured of the screwball as nothing else. Yes, it may seem as formulaic as any pulp adventure, but it has at its core some thing that no mere adventure story has, and that is a true sense of romance. We may want to be the Lone Ranger, but we know in our hearts that we can not ride Silver. On the other hand, with a little wit and luck, we are able to be romantic and silly--it is closer to us.
"Winter's Tale" -- One of the reasons Will is appeals to me so is that I share so many of her interests--screwballs, Wodehouse, and Shakespeare. Here the scholar in Willis truly shows, similar to her wonderful novel Doomsday Book. A great story and a history lesson--what more can you ask for?
"Chance" -- This is as close to a mainstream tale as you will ever see in a genre publication (it first appeared in Asimov's) but it is the kind of story that is popping up with more regularity in small-press literary and mainstream magazines.
"In the Late Cretacious" -- This is another one that did not age too well. Basically, it tries to put a comparison between academic competition and the evolution of dinosaurs, along with a running joke on parking. Bits are funny, but the whole is tired.
"Time Out" -- Another one in a similar vein, although in the end it feels more like "Space Pogrom" then "Ado." The comedy is present, but more organic--not relying so much on repetition, as it does character. And, while it is a story about time travel, it is also, and more importantly, a story about time.
"Jack" -- Another war story, but one that I was able to relate to. Loosely related to Dracula, this has some interesting points about war and its effect on people. Much more subtle than normal Willis fare.
"At the Rialto" -- I like this story. Of course I do--I'm a sucker for quantum physics--but even I have problems following the pattern and ideas here. In this case, Willis worked hard on her research. At least you can read it without understanding everything.
A very good collection on the whole, and definitely worth your time.
Average customer rating:
- Familiar Stories Tweaked
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- think again
- Amazing!
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Twelve Impossible Things Before Breakfast: Stories
Jane Yolen
Manufacturer: Magic Carpet Books
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ASIN: 0152164448 |
Book Description
Features the Nebula Award-winning novella "Lost Girls."
In these modern myths and tales for the young and the young at hear, Jane Yolen transforms the impossible into the familiar and real. Among the outlandish wonders are an Alice grown tough in Wonderland, a dear--but dead--mother's homecoming, a bridge that longs for a goat-eating troll, and a mutiny among Peter Pan's troops.
Customer Reviews:
Familiar Stories Tweaked.......2007-07-02
This book contains a series of short fantasy stories about young adults in very strange situations. A new version of Alice needs to find someone to defend her from the Jabberwock, a nightmare creature in Wonderland. Mandy Jane's mother has awakened from death as a vampire, who begins to terrorize their town. Harlyn sees fairies but her aunt worries she is just crazy, like her mother.
A teenaged girl, in the process of moving into her grandmother's house, picks up a strange egg that hatches something incredible. Robert goes after the sea monster that killed his two brothers. Zena, a girl of the future, goes "wilding" in Central Park, which seems like such fun until she comes across a dead body.
Hilary thought the ritual she went through while babysitting the twins was silly, but they insisted it kept her safe from what haunts their house. Could that really be true? Brancy thinks the memory of her dead father could help to ward off the danger in their compost pile.
The Billy Goats Gruff are shown to be the villains they really are. Aliens have landed in Brandon's town, and he thinks he can figure out how to get rid of them.
A boy is born dead, but his father brings him back to life. As he grows, he is only comfortable in wintertime. Darla ends up in Never-Never Land where she finds out that, for a girl, living there isn't much fun at all.
These stories are all very strange, and some are really well told. They take fairy tales, well known children's stories and urban legends, and tweak them into something more interesting.
Awesome.......2006-12-07
Short stories a great for teachers to read in down time or parents as bedtime stories. A few stories can be a little scary for some kids.
Wonderful book, highly reccommend!
Twelve Impossible Things Before Breakfast.......2003-12-02
This radiant book of a dozen stories by master storyteller Jane Yolen is the perfect read for any one of any age who enjoys fantasy. I think this collection is like a "Years Best Fantasy and Horror" because the stories features fantasy, science fiction and mild horror only these stories are aimed for a younger audience. Here are my reviews for the stories in this collection:
Tough Alice- This story takes place in Wonderland which is a perfect setting for any story. Anyway, most of the characters featured in "Alices Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There" are found there and in this scenario little Alice must come face to face and fight the dreaded Jabberwock - a truly frightening experiance! This story is also about finding your courage, in my opinion. Anyone who loves Wonderland Like I do will enjoy this quirky story.
Mama Gone - This is a tender, rather sad tale about a mother and daughters relationship. Although the title sounds wishy washy don't be fooled. This story contains a vampire and some scary scenes. The setting for the story is very dreary and depressing too which helps you get in the mood. Cool story to read around Halloween time.
Harlyn's Fairy - This is a delightful tale about a lonely and bored child, quite like Wonderland's Alice, who discovers a faerie in her Aunt's garden. THe story then takes off on an adventure with Harlyn saving the faerie's baby from greedy evil ants which makes it an exiting read. I also like how, when Harlyn manages to free the baby from the ants, the faerie does not show her gratitude by granting her three wishes are anything like that. She merely grabs her child and flies away. Thats how most faeries are really like. Ungrateful, and I like that Jane Yolen made the faerie like that.
Phoenix Farm - This is a tale about a sad girl whio finds a phoenix egg at her new house. A short but wonderful story, Yolens description of the phoenix egg created a beautiful picture in my mind.
Sea Dragon of Fife - This story seems like and old ballad or story like Tam Lin or Saint George and The Dragon. It has that kinda rustic feel when you read it. This would be a cool picture book if Jane Yolen got some one to do the illustrations.
Wilding - This is very strange but still good story about teens roaming around in Central Park. This seems like a Bordertown story even though it isn't and it was really clever of Jane to tie in the "Where the Wild Things Are" story and the Max character. One of my favorites.
The Baby-sitter - This is the creepiest story in the collection. It got me spooke when I read it and to get the full experiance of the story, read it at night like I did.
Bolundeers - Creative, creepy story about a slightly troubled family who comes together when they have problem with monsters in their garden. Love the compost monsters, how silly and scary at the same time.
THe Bridges Complaint- Another favorite, this story tells the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff through the bridges point of view. Funny too. My favorite part is when the bridge talks about when Madame du Beaumont and Madame d'Aulnoy sit on him and swap stories. Jane Yolen should write a story clearly on that event!
Brandon and The Aliens- This story is full of aliens and sibling riva;ry. Only story I did not like but I just don't like science fiction that much.
Winters King- This is a beautiful tale that seems like a story from Tolkien. A mixture of fantasy and drama in my opinion and its like an old faerie tale one might read. Beautifully wrote and very enjoying to read.
Lost Girls - The longest but still interesting story in the book. Most of the story takes place in Neverland and it sets the Peter Pan story straight. Anyone who thought that Peter Pan was sometimes unfair to Wendy in the book will enjoy this story.
Bottom Line for this book is its a must read for any fantasy lover. Jane Yolen at her best.
think again.......2002-11-18
Many of these stories are disturbingly morbid and unpleasant. If you are a parent, please look it over before letting your child read it.
Amazing!.......2001-05-20
Defently one of the best books I've ever read. It contains 12 different stories that are happy, sad, and some were downright scary.
Book Description
Dr. Sam Hawthorne, a New England country doctor in the first half of the twentieth century, was constantly faced by murders in locked rooms, impossible disappearances, and other so-called “miracle crimes.” More Things Impossible contains fifteen of Dr. Sam’s extraordinary cases solved between 1927 and 1931, including – impossible murder in a house that whispers; poisoning by a gargoyle on the courthouse roof; the case of the Devil in the windmill; the houseboat that resembles the Mary Celeste; the affair of the vanishing Gypsies; stabbing in the locked cockpit of a plane in midair; a ghostly pirate in a lighthouse; ad eight other ingenious riddles.
Edward D. Hoch is a legend of ingenuity in the world of mystery writing. Author of more than 800 short stories, winner of the Edgar Award, former President of the Mystery Writers of America, and contributor to every issue of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine since 1973, Hoch is one of the great mystery writers of our time. As John Dickson Carr remarked, “Satan himself would be proud of his ingenuity.” And Crippen & Landru is proud to be Edward D. Hoch’s publisher.
The publisher: Founded in 1994 as the only publishing house to specialize in mystery short-story collections, Crippen & Landru has been described as “a monument in the making” (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine) ,“the best edited, most attractively packaged line of mystery books introduced in this decade” (Mystery Scene), “the specialty publisher with the most star-studded list” (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine), and even “God bless Crippen & Landru” (The Strand).
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic Mysteries.......2007-04-24
I have been around a very long time and a mystery lover all that time but until I saw Edward D. Hoch's books on Amazon, I had never heard of him.
The writing is superb and his unexplainable mysteries are ones you simply cannot put down.
More impossible fun.......2007-03-30
Why stop at 12, when we can have 15 more impossible crimes? From this book, comes fifteen more and fifteen of the best impossible crimes.
13. The Problem of the Revival Tent - Dr. Sam Hawthorn is sceptical, to say the least, when smooth talking George Yester, and his seven year old son, come to Northmont, claiming to heal the sick. But when Yester is murdered alone in the revival tent, the only suspect is Dr. Sam.
14. The Problem of the Whispering House - Every town has a haunted house, and for Northmont, that house is the Bryer house. When Dr. Sam, and ghost hunter Thad Sloans investigate, they don't expect walls that whispear, and ghosts that murder.
15. The Problem of the Boston Common - Murder murder every where, and not a way to kill. When Dr. Sam and nurse April go to Boston for a medical convention, the city is held in the grips of a serial killer. The police know who, they just don't know how.
16. The Problem of the General Store - Maggie Murphy is the radical women of 1928. She wants women to be able to work and earn the same amount as men, and is causing a problem infront of Max Harkner's general store. If Max is the only one who will let her talk, why would she murder him, and then stay with the body untill the police came?
17. The Problem of the Courthouse Gargoyle - Every one hates jury duty, Dr. Sam included. So when he gets chosen, he grugenly sits through the case of a farm hand who murdered his employer. But the day turns interesting, when the juge is murdered, his last words being "Gargoyle"
18. The Problem of the Pilgrams Windmill - When a new hospital opens, Dr. sam is invited to see it open. The hospital is nice, but what really draws people is the windmill infront of the hospital. Not because of the exhibit inside, but because of the flaming balls, caused by Lucifur.
19. The Problem of the Gingerbread Houseboat - Being a doctor, Dr. Sam doesn't get the chance for love. But when he meets Miranda Grey, he begins to spend alot of time with her, her aunt and uncle, and their friends who own a house boat. When every one on the boat dissapears, Dr. Sam is left with an impossible crime.
20. The Problem of the Pink Post Office - Its October of 1929, and the stock market is crumbeling. Money is the most important thing, especially for a banker, who has to mail $10,000 quickly. But when it dissapears, no one is above suspician, including Miranda!
21. The Problem of the Octagon Room - Its Sheriff Lens wedding day, and its the happiest day of his life. He is going to be married in the beutifull Octagon room, with postmistress Vera as his wife. But when a murder happens, the plans go astray. Especialy when its the most basic Hathorn story, the murder litarly takes plce in a locked room, with no one inside.
22. The Problem of the Gypsey Camp - The gypsey's are back, and murder follows. When the gypseys return, the people are worried, when a man is cursed. When he dies, a bullet is found in him, the queston becomes, how? He wasn't shot. Before they can ask the gypsey's, they dissapear without a trace.
23. The Problem of the Bootleggers Car - Dr. Sam is good a locked rooms, but he'll have to solve this one to save his life. When the mob comes into town, they need Dr. Sam to treat their head honcho, Fat Larry, who's receaving a shipment of barrles. But when the bootlegger dissapears, Dr. Sam needs to figure out hoe, before Larry takes his head.
24. The Problem of the Tin Goose - This is the story, that proves impossible crimes don't have to be on the ground. Barnstorming has come to Northmont, and every one gets caught up in the craze. But when a man is stabbed in a locked cocpit, in mid air, Dr. Sam will have to solve this case thats so high in the sky.
25. The Problem of the Hunting Loge - Harry and Dorris Hawthorn have come to see their son in Norhtmont. When they get invited on a hunting trip, another impossible murder occures, and Dr. sam has to solve it, and prove is father is innocent.
26. The Problem of the Body in the Haystack - Felix Bennet was allways a trusting man, and a good man. He hired ex-convicts, when no one else would. When Dr. Sam and Sheriff Lens come to help him with a bear problem, Felix ends up dead, under a tarp, after the tarp has been put down. This time, Sheriff Lens has to solve the case.
27. The Problem of Santa's Lighthouse - Its Christmas time, and Dr. Sam is heeaded out of town, proving murder follows you every where. When Dr. Sam stops to visit Santa's light house, the last thing he should see, is Santa stabbed, and by the ghost of the light house.
Awesome, Awesome, Awesome!!!.......2007-03-15
Edward D. Hoch has long been a favorite author of mine. I wish there were a third Dr. Sam casebook and perhaps even a fourth....Book arrived in pristine condition and before the seller stated it would be. Would buy from this seller again.
Another Hoch/Crippen & Landru collection that will satisfy lovers of classical mysteries........2007-01-26
Crippen & Landru has published a second collection of Edward D. Hoch's Dr. Sam Hawthorne stories. As always, the combination of this author and this publisher produces a frist class product for lovers of Golden Age type of classiocal mysteries. Dr. Hawthorne's cases are of the impossible crime variety. This type of mystery, apart from the technical aspects, needs a writer who can describe the settings clearly and unambiguosly. Edward D. Hoch does this as well (or better!) as any writer of impossible crimes that I have ver read. Not to be missed.
THE GOOD DOCTOR IS BACK.......2006-07-26
THIS, LIKE OTHER C&L BOOKS IS VERY GOOD. THE PROBLEMS(STORIES) ARE MOST LOCKED ROOM TYPE AND THE READER WILL HAVE A GREAT TIME READING IT.
YOU MUST HAVE THIS BOOK (AND ALL THE OTHER C&L)
Book Description
The Inhumans live by their own rites and rituals, their own laws and governances. But when two Inhuman children seek asylum with the Fantastic Four, battle lines are drawn and an inter-species war threatens to erupt! Old alliances are threatened and friends stand now as enemies! Collects Marvel Knights 4 #19-24.
Product Description
"Impossible Things Happen Every Day" 2-Part Story!
December 2005 - January 2006
*** Contains Issue #'s 23-24 ***
IMPOSSIBLE MAN & Fantastic Four - Complete 2-Part Story Arc!
Product Description
Larchmont, NY: Queens House, 1961. Limited to 300 copies. Unread copy. Popular English novelist's sequel to 'The Lark Shall Sing,' with the Waynes of Wood Mount involved in comedy and romance again. 253pp.. Limited.
Book Description
Witty, incisive observations on such universally meaningful topics as courage and compassion by many of the greatest minds of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has been the hallmark of genius, but Nobel laureates tend to be more than merely brilliant—their idealism, courage, and concern for humanity have also made them sources of inspiration and wisdom. Contrary to the notion that geniuses are absentminded eccentrics who lead solitary lives, many Nobel laureates have been social activists and political leaders, and some have been polymaths whose interests and talents were diverse, such as Philip Noel-Baker, winner of the 1959 Peace prize, who ran in three Olympic Games.
The quotations—drawn from biographies, published articles, and speeches—are grouped by such themes as achievement, truth and falsehood, war and conflict, technology, and more. “The difficult is what takes a little time; the impossible is what takes a little longer,” said Fritjof Nansen, who personally repatriated more than 400,000 prisoners of war after World War I, and helped save millions of Russians from starvation. Albert Einstein prudently advised, “Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts,” and Czeslaw Milosz warned, “In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot.”
Most of the quotations have never been anthologized previously. There is a section of short biographical sketches of each of the roughly 250 laureates quoted in the book, a brief history of the Nobel Prize, and a complete list of every Nobel laureate through 2006. The Impossible Takes Longer is a remarkable assemblage of insightful, thought-provoking, sometimes humorous statements by some of the world’s wisest men and women.
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- The Dragon Style (Learn to Play Go, Volume III) (Learn to Play Go Service)
- The Enemy At Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11
- The Expendables
- The Gay Science: With a Prelude in Rhymes and an Appendix of Songs
- The Golden Age of the Sith (Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi)
- The Hobbit
- The Illuminatus! Trilogy: The Eye in the Pyramid, The Golden Apple, Leviathan
Books Index
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