SCIENCES

On the Art and Craft of Doing Science

by Kenneth Catania
Princeton Univ. Feb. 2025. 224p. ISBN 9780691249261. pap. $22.95. SCI
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In this volume, Catania (biological sciences, Vanderbilt Univ.; Great Adaptations: Star-Nosed Moles, Electric Eels, and Other Tales of Evolution’s Mysteries Solved) looks back over his career and reflects on the elements and personal characteristics that make up the successful craft of science. He focuses on the creative, messy, and nonlinear aspects of science instead of logical, linear, and analytical factors. The book brings to the fore an important point: that soft skills are equally—if not more—critical in conducting science (in comparison to hard skills), but they are frequently absent from any serious discussions of how quality science is conducted. This title is an excellently written and illustrated work and contains many examples and illustrations from Catania’s own scientific career.
VERDICT The book is clearly directed to budding or novice scientists and loaded with advice on how to improve their scientific skills and communicate better with the general public. Recommended for all academic libraries.
Reviewed by Marjorie Mann , Dec 13, 2024
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