Science Nonfiction Review: Meteorite

Summary: An interesting read, but overly dense with specialist terminology.

I read this book on the history of the universe through meteorites with my science nonfiction book club. I thought the organization of the book was quite good, moving generally forward in time from the beginning of the universe. It simultaneously moved through the history of our understanding of meteorites. The author also did a good job of shaping the information he shared into a narrative. I wouldn’t have guessed that was possible in a book that’s essentially about rocks!

Although this book was well written and organized, I found that the amount of terminology made it a dense, slow-going read for me. I think the terminology may have been necessary to tell the story the author wanted to tell. I don’t have a specific suggestions for how to get rid of it while maintaining accuracy. That said, it definitely decreased my enjoyment of the book. I read this book over just a few days before my book club and feeling rushed by that may have made this problem worse. Most people in my book club where unbothered by the terminology and had taken their time with the book. The member who enjoyed it most read the book over a month.

Other members enjoyed the narrative style more than I did as well. Some of them found this story awe-inspiring, while I just felt like the author kept telling me I should be experiencing awe. I did really like the amount of scientific detail here. I’ve read books the tell the history of the universe or of the evolution of human life before. None have covered the process of how elements, meteorites, and planets form in this much detail. It’s information I’m excited to know. I don’t think I absorbed it very well in my rushed pass through this dense book though. In theory, I should probably give it a second read. In reality, I don’t think I enjoyed it enough to pick it up again instead of something shiny and new.

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