One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 1997 A collection of beautifully written, reflective essays... Cairns's writing is a fine example of how science can be presented to the general reader in an extremely scholarly way, and why writing of this kind can be of equal interest to fellow scientists, reflecting as it does a remarkable imagination and intellect... [A] reflective and thoughtful account... --Sir David Weatherall, The Times Higher Education Supplement [Cairns's] lucid exposition shows how experiments, observations, and calculations support some of the grand conclusions of modern biology. He offers fresh--although sometimes controversial--insights. --Joel E. Cohen, Nature A brilliant and impressive analysis... [t]his book should be in everyone's personal library for many reasons; first, because Cairns is a lyrical writer and, second, he writes about science and molecular biology based on vast scientific knowledge, stressing the importance of history and of appreciating ultimate causes for all aspects of our lives and all that affects us. Interwoven are his perceptions of the beautiful and gracious things in life-art, music, literature-all with exquisite clarity. Matters is a joy to read. --Choice Although this is a set of essays rather than an autobiography... several incidents of the distinguished physician-researcher's life surface amusingly... Well documented, the entire book has much to offer for serious general readers...