looking for good books

Hi all,I'm looking for a good list of books and/or authors that explore science (in particular homo evolution) with more of the layman's understanding in mind.Firstly, I think I have a pretty good non-scientist's grasp on science and can understand most arguments and theories (if not ALL the technical jargon ). I am currently reading Dawkins, Climbing Mount Improbable and Walker and Shipman's, The Wisdom of Bones. I have read some Sagan and Hawkings among others. What I'm looking for I guess are just some good reads with some cutting edge info.Secondly, I have a fundamentalist friend who seems to seriously want to discuss some of this with me. I am not experienced enough to get my point across the way I want to and she isn't educated enough to understand some of what I say anyway. She is the type to read Hovind's simplistic babble and think it's the truth because it is explained so much easier than real scientific works. Don't get me wrong, she is a good person and not stupid. She is just uneducated and has never had the rabid curiousity that I think must drive many of us on this forum.She has heard of a creationist book on evolution that she wants me to read, but she can't remember the name (she hasn't read it herself ). I have agreed to read anything she wants me to, if in turn she will read a book that I recommend. Now my dilemma. What book to recommend? I fear that even Dawkins might be over her head. What I need is a book that starts at the basics, and explains the REAL theories and evidence in an elementary way, yet at the same time makes it interesting to someone with no background in the subject. Hopefully, it won't be written with a real athiestic bent or I fear she won't finish it. Am I asking too much? ------------------
Asgara"An unexamined life is not worth living" Socrates via Plato

Thanks all,You've given me some great ideas for summer reads for me. Undergrad level is probably about right for me. As for my friend I like the idea of the PBS series (thanks Q). I forgot all about that, I've seen some of them and really enjoyed them. Crash, I will also look into Rock of Ages, though Gould might be over her head /sigh. Paul, while I enjoy Pratchett, I agree that the witches and wizards thing would be too much for her. She had a minor heart attack when her 12 year old was first reading Harry Potter, took me a week to talk her down.As for inviting her to join the forum... I don't know LOL. She isn't really computer literate and only has ideas that she picks up from church readings. I think you guys would eat her up from the first "Hi". But maybe I can get her to look at some of the posts and maybe ask some questions of you when she is over here so I can referee. Any way I can keep some of the more...um...vocal...opposition out of the discussion? LOL I don't know if she could keep an open mind with some of them posting. (and I know how frustrated everyone gets when they start up )
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On a side note, what do you all think of Dawkins? I really like his writing style but he does seem to have a penchant for setting up some interesting hypotheses only to turn around and refute himself.------------------
Asgara"An unexamined life is not worth living" Socrates via Plato

Hi all,I want to thank you all again for your responses to my query.I still have not found a book "right" for explaining things at my friend's level. I had some exerpts of Miller's "Finding Darwin's God" and all she could see from them was "He's trying to set himself up as Godlike..." and didn't read any further. I did go to the trouble of writing a simple 11 page explanation of heritability, mutations, and diversity. I brought in simple definitions of evolution, scientific method, scientific theory, TOE, gene pool, etc. I am much better at explaining my points in writing than in speech. She took this as solely microevolution and refused to extend it to macroevolution. I haven't been able to obtain copies of the PBS Evolution series yet, but am working on it.I think that the main problem I am having, (and this extends, I believe, to any attempts at E vs C with the general populace) is that creationist literature, to a great extent, is written with lay ppl in mind; easy to read, catchy phrasiology, no real pesky science to get in the way of the affirmation of believe. Conversely, most literature on the evolution side contains a much more indepth discussion of science that presupposes a general working knowledge of the basics. Attempts to start out with the basics and build on them to explain TOE start reading like textbooks and some ppl loose interest fast, or become so juvenile as to be almost insulting.Oh well, still trying.

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The book she has given me to read is Lee Strobel's "The Case for Christ". In an initial look thru when she first gave it to me, I was able to bring several points to her attention, i.e. the one sided "investigation", the simplistic "proofs" in the first chapter, and the acceptance of the "proofs" in the first to bolster those in the subsequent chapters.I have read several online refutations of this book, including Bidstrup, and Lowder.Does anyone know of any other accessable reviews/refutations of this book to help bolster the notations I am writing for her in the margins of this book? Do any of you have any other information that might not have made it into these refutations?Thanks again for all your help.______________________
Asgara
"An unexamined life is not worth living" Socrates via Platoedited to add signature and fix typos[This message has been edited by Asgara, 06-27-2003][This message has been edited by Asgara, 06-27-2003]

Hi all,It was never my intention to attack her beliefs. Our discussions had started out on evolution and I wanted something to help her understand what the TOE was and that it didn't mean that she had to give up God.She seems think that any talk of evolution has to be countered with attempts to "save" me. She keeps bringing out her Bible when I am at her house and she is the one that got me "The Case for Christ" to read. I have told her many times that I am not interested in being preached to, but she sees the topic of evolution as a "cry for help".(added by edit) She equates my acceptance of evolution as the reason behind my agnostisism, so any discussion involving evolution by necessity becomes a religious discussion to her.In no way would I want to negate her faith, but she thinks that my reticence in this area means that I am receptive to preaching. She wanted me to read this book and "see the truth". If she brings it up, I am going to tell her what I honestly think of the book and its evidence.I have gotten her Miller's "Finding Darwin's God"...she has said she will read it. Hopefully she will.------------------
Asgara"An unexamined life is not worth living" Socrates via Plato[This message has been edited by Asgara, 06-27-2003]

Thanks for the recommendations sidelined. I've been wanting to read Feynman, now you've given me some more titles to look for.------------------
Asgara
"An unexamined life is not worth living" Socrates via Plato