xv 419 pages, indexed. The pages are very lightly tanned, else the book appears unread. The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing is an anthology of scientific writings, arranged and introduced by Richard Dawkins. Published first in March 2008, it contains 83 writings on many topics from a diverse variety of authors, which range in length from one to eight pages. It is a breathtaking celebration of the finest writing by scientists--the best such collection in print--packed with scintillating essays on everything from "the discovery of Lucy" to "the terror and vastness of the universe." All inclusions are dated post-1900, and include poetry, anecdotes, and general philosophical musings.(publisher - more or less)