Notes from the Holocene: A Brief History of the Future    by Dorion Sagan Order:  USA  Can Chelsea Green, 2007 (2007) Softcover     Reviewed by Alex Telander Dorion Sagan, son of the late astronomer and author Carl Sagan, attempts to outline our possible future in Notes From the Holocene. Sagan uses every informational tool possible, not just drawing from the sciences of physics and evolutionary biology, but also from 'science fiction, knowledge of magic tricks, and even a little metaphysics to speculate on basic questions of who and what we are in relationship to the Earth and the universe.' It is a book that at times seems almost silly in its thoughts, drawing from ideas that are certainly not facts, and yet when viewed as a whole is comprehensive about the way things are and how they might turn out to be. As humans, we are always asking Why are we here?, sometimes with our own answers in mind. Notes From the Holocene is Dorion Sagan's response to this question and many more. The book is split into four distinct parts: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. Each section goes into immense detail about these specific components, educating the reader greatly in these areas, but at the same time, Sagan ties each part significantly to the overall idea of the book. The afterword, Twelve Mysteries, does an excellent job of quickly summing up his answers to the questions posed throughout the book. The twelve questions are: Why does life exist? Why do we drink water? Can we save the earth from global warming? Are human beings central and special? Is it possible that we've arisen by pure chance? Is the Earth an organism? Are we part of its exobrain? If Earth is alive, can it reproduce? Can the universe? What does the future hold in store for us? Does God exist? What is the nature of human reality? Whether you're an absolute scientist, a fundamentalist, or one who believes in reading the future in tea leaves, there is something for everyone in this book. The key is that Sagan is open minded and non-judgmental in every regard, saying that nothing is right or wrong, for nothing is certain, but here are all the possibilities. Though Notes From the Holocene may not answer life's great questions for you, it will get you thinking more about them, and might start you on a journey to finding your own satisfactory answers. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews