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The Awa Book of New Zealand Science. Edited Rebecca Priestley, 2008, The Awa Press.

What a great book – extracts from papers and writing about science from through our history, embellished by some relevant pieces of our poetry. Of course much of the material is largely of local interest – the pieces by the likes Cockayne, Cotton, Guthrie-Smith will resonate with New Zealanders but less for people away from here. They are well chosen – Priestley has a good eye for what is readable as well as significant. For archaeologists the pieces by Rafter and Adds connect us to the bigger picture.

It is the bringing together here of the international contributions that is not often done. If one puts together the pieces by Rutherford and Marsden on the discovery of the atom’s nucleus, Tinsley on the nature of the universe, Wilkins on DNA, and Alan Wilson (with Rebecca Cann) on our recent African Genesis this is an astonishing contribution to knowledge of the fundamentals of our world and ourselves. The diaspora of New Zealand trained scientists has been a large one, and still is. Inevitably much of their work will be done away from here, but we can take some of the credit. For a country that does not often celebrate its achievements in science this is a little strange.

Priestley celebrates our science. All strength to her.

Footnote - in 2009 the Royal Society gave this book an inagural science writing award - well deserved.

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