hopinet

Bad Science: A Review

7th June 2009

Before I start I must say two things, firstly, it’s typical that I do a post saying I haven’t got any time to post then I managed to get this written a day after, just typical! Secondly and more amazingly I’m going to write a review on a book (only a short review). This is amazing because I just don’t read, it’s not something I particularly enjoy doing so it must be a good book to even make me start reading.

Bad Science by Ben Goldacre
I thought I’d start with a little about who Ben Goldacre is and what the book is about. I knew nothing about either before i was randomly walking round a book shop looking for presents for other people and the cover caught my eye, I don’t know why it’s nothing remarkable but I’m quite interested in all aspects of science and to see a science book on one of the main stands of the book shop I thought might be interesting. What I found when I turned over the book to read what it was about made me instantly pick it up and buy it…..

Ben Goldacre is a writer who writes a column called ‘Bad Science’ in the Guardian. Ben is also a Doctor and works full time for the NHS, that’s about all you really need to know about him (in terms of this review) but if you want to find out more about him or what he gets up to you can check his website out at Bad Science.

Bad Science looks at, you guessed it, bad science and by bad science the author means how people are miss informed about science related subjects by various people including the media, so called ‘experts’ a certain Gillian McKeith gets a mention here (you know the one that looks through people’s poo on the TV) and others. It various health related subjects such as homeopathy, alternative therapists, pharmaceutical companies and more. One of the most interesting chapters, that I think every parent with a young child should read, is all about the story of the MMR hoax.

What I thought
The one minor negative first, I though it wasn’t an easy read (even this isn’t a real negative). What I mean is by the very nature of what the book talks about it contains a lot of information, it’s not a fluffy novel which you don’t have to really concentrate on, I found I needed to sit down and really read it, when I did this the rewards were huge. I was entertained at the same time as learning a lot of information.

Ben Goldacre brilliantly explains the various topics he talks about, he even manages to make statistic interesting and understandable. There are sections of the book that will make you laugh, some will make you say ‘I never knew that!’ and some bits will leave you shocked at how you have been misinformed by people who should know better. ‘Bad Science’ is a must read, it gives you important information in an easily readable, highly entertaining way, bravo Ben Goldacre, a man who speaks ‘evidence-based’ common sense!