Simon & Schuster Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life

This is the best book I’ve read in a long time. Beautifully written… very interesting play between personal story and historical science writing.

Well, I've now purchased this book 8 times- after reading it myself, sharing with roommates who both asked for their own copies, and as gifts for various people that I think would love it just as much as me. Maybe the message just felt more relevant in the midst of all the chaos of 2020, but regardless this is one that has earned a place of honor on my bookshelf. Wow. Just wow. After falling in love with Lulu Miller’s Invisibilia podcast while going through my own existential crisis (read: navigating my mid twenties living alone in a new city), it would have been impossible for me to ignore this book. That being said, I knew I was potentially setting myself up for disappointment, going into it with nothing other than sky high expectations- but let me tell you, Why Fish Don’t Exist did not disappoint! From the myriad of glowing reviews, I assumed this book would read like an episode of Invisibilia- exposing some quirky scientific fact or theory, leaving the reader with some cool trivia factoids about science, maybe a heartwarming observation about human nature. But it was SO much more than that. Lulu Miller manages to juxtapose a dark sense of nihilism against our base human tendency to find meaning, order and fulfillment in our short time on this tiny blue marble. I was absolutely blown away with her ability to weave science, history, philosophy and raw personal anecdotes into a witty and cohesive narrative, that kept me turning the pages. Not a single one of these genres takes a front seat, and the philosophy she settles on to view her own life through never comes off as preachy or pushy. The book serves as an honest and open look into how one person has grappled with the Big Questions, and I found it immensely relatable. My only regret is that I may have finished it in one sitting.

Eine vielschichtige Geschichte, in der es vordergründig auch um die Biografie des Gründers der Stanford University geht. Mit einer frischen Perspektive, die neben den hochgelobten Wissenschaftler seine wenig menschenfreundliche Haltung stellt. Und sich ausführlich mit Geschichte und Sinn der Klassifikation von Lebewesen beschäftigt. Lehrreich, klug und bis zuletzt spannend.

A scientific read that quickly turns into a human emotions reflection

Un livre amusant et original qui se lit facilement