Category Archives: Worms

An unexpected heavy parcel today contained five copies of the “Worm book”:http://www.thewormbook.com translated into Japanese. I had entirely forgotten this was going to happen. Here. in celebration, is some of the opening sentence. I have long been proud of writing … Continue reading → Continue reading →

There was a scare last weekend that gardeners would be prosecuted if slugs can be shown to feel pain. As far as most gardeners are concerned, the problem with slugs is that they don’t feel enough pain: compared to the … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I’ve just been sent the programme for “the Aventis bash(Science book prize)”:http://www.aventisprizes.com/press_media_10May2004.htm next week. There is a photocall for the authors at five, and then a steady programme of refreshments until eight, when the prizes are announced. After that, they … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I just “saw”:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-2-1105684,00.html in the Times that “the worms”:http://www.thewormbook.com have been shortlisted for the Aventis Science book prize. Francis Spufford got “his book”:http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0571214967/andrewbrownssite on the shortlist too. Can it be true, as he tells me, that you get £1000 just … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I’ve only just discovered this, but the worm book has been long-listed for the Aventis Prize. It won’t win, of course, but it would be nice to make the shortlist alongside the likes of Dan Dennett, Matt Ridley, Francis Spufford … Continue reading → Continue reading →

So to a worm party in Cambridge, where almost all the people I wrote about have gathered for a 25th anniversary bash. Sydney Brenner was there, and Sulston, of course, and Bob Waterston, Phil Anderson, Judith Kimble, John White. Some … Continue reading → Continue reading →

I have just been filling out an incredibly long and detailed author questionnaire for Columbia University Press. One test was to provide half a dozen questions for journalists to ask who are too -lazy- busy to read the book. I … Continue reading → Continue reading →

Just when I thought the worm book was over in this country, along comes a “delicious review”:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2102-615692,00.html in the _Sunday Times_. And I caught three trout over the weekend, but that is a subject for a later entry. First to … Continue reading → Continue reading →