The Demon-haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

Reviews from Amazon readers:

Why science is essential
Carl Sagan's book makes clear that human ignorance can lead to some pretty weird, and potentially dangerous, belief systems, such as the belief in alien abductions, or the belief in witches. What is actually frightening is that people hold on to some of these beliefs, despite the overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary. The book contains some sobering examples of human ignorance, plus some of its causes. The book also contains a sample of some remarkable letters Sagan has received in the past few years, and a D.I.Y. baloney detection kit.
I found the book a highly accessible and passionate defence of scientific thinking. Sagan's take home message is that science does not necessarily rid the world of its beauty. On the contrary, a scientific perspective can reveal some truly amazing things that we can not perceive with our senses, such as the structure of the atom. I can recommend the book to everyone; I actually read it twice.

A rational and humane antidote to superstition
This is an intelligent, sympathetic book that encourages readers to see life and the universe for the wonderful thing it is, without recourse to superstitious belief or a fondness for unlikely mysteries. Sagan demonstrates that there is more than enough to wonder at in the cosmos quite apart from the ever-multiplying stories of alien abduction, miraculous watch-stopping by tv personalities etc. Sagan is never facetious or condescending in his viewpoint, as some other science writers can be. He has a great deal of empathy for the human desire to search for something greater outside themselves, and dismantles illogical thinking with humour and kindness rather than harsh condemnation. I found this a very engaging and eye-opening book, which has changed the way I perceive a whole range of things - for the better. There are other books that also offer an apology for science, such as Richard Dawkin's 'Unweaving the Rainbow', or Lewis Wolpert's 'The Unnatural Nature of Science' but 'The Demon-Haunted World' outclasses them in almost every respect.