Book description
Drawing from his long experience as a naturalist, the author responds to the unexpected and symbolic aspects of a wide spectrum of phenomena throughout the universe.Scrupulous scholarship and magical prose are brought to bear on such diverse topics as seeds, the hieroglyphs on shells, lost tombs, the goddess Circe, city…
- Coming soon!
Why read it?
2 authors picked The Unexpected Universe as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Eiseley first became known for his book The Immense Journey. I enjoyed that book, but I enjoyed this one considerably more, perhaps because its context was closer to my interests.
There were paragraphs within this book where my thoughts were right there on the page. I found that to be very exciting.
From Eric's list on humbly learning our place in the universe.
The great divide between the humanities and the sciences can be traced to the power of mathematics to measure and describe the universe in a way qualitatively different from traditional humanistic explorations of reality.
The power that mathematics provided us led to what has been called a "drunken adolescence" with respect to the other, heart-centered ways of understanding. The great exception to this dualism can be found in the works of Loren Eiseley, who was as much a poet as a scientist.
When I discovered Eiseley, I found in his books a new genre of writing, one that I named…
From Brian's list on science books on the universe with a spiritual inclination.
If you love The Unexpected Universe...
These Blue Mountains
A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.
German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…
Want books like The Unexpected Universe?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like The Unexpected Universe.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,366
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like The Unexpected Universe, you might also like...
Marriage and Fatherhood in the Nazi SS
When I was writing this book, several of my friends jokingly called it the Nazi baby book, with one insisting it would make a great title. Nazi Babies – admittedly, that is a catchy title, but that’s not exactly what my book is about. SS babies would be slightly more…
A Forgivable Indecision
In 1913, a 15-year-old pregnant girl was found dead of apparent suicide. Dr. James Wilson, a new graduate and the first doctor ever to start a practice in this rural town, feels guilty over her death because of his delayed intervention.
He knows Bessie was raped by one of her…
