«POWERFUL…A stirring defense of informed rationality… Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing.»
-The Washington Post Book World

How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience, New Age thinking, and fundamentalist zealotry and the testable hypotheses of science?

Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies as witchcraft, faith healings, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today’s so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning, with stories of alien abduction, «channeling» past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms.

«COMPELLING.» -USA Today
«A clear vision of what good science means and why it makes a difference…A testimonial to the power of science and a warning of the dangers of unrestrained credulity.» -The Sciences
«PASSIONATE.» -San Francisco Examiner-Chronicle