After briefly outlining the history of the debate, Denton calmly and authoritatively debunks all of the major lines of evolutionary argument - homology, fossils, 'missing links', molecular biology, the problem of life's origin and the statistical probability of evolution. From one angle after another, it is shown that nature simply is not continuous but reflects the hierarchical division of both pre-Darwinist zoology and creationism. At times I found the level of argument taxing; however, time taken to grasp it fully was time well spent.

Denton concentrates his attack on the scientific evidence. His position as a molecular biologist who is neither Christian nor creationist may make him more palatable to those suspecting theological bias. Indeed, one of the book's early triumphs is showing that, even in Darwin's day, the main resistance to evolutionary theory was not due to religious presuppositions but to hard evidence. I would thoroughly recommend lending a copy to friends who have unquestioningly and unknowingly accepted an unscientific theory as empirical fact.

Reviewed by:
Mark Pickering