MixedFinancial TimesMacfarlane is often an engaging companion, sounding off about new scientific theories, or amazing me with his ability to thread together disparate facts to reach startling conclusions ... Unfortunately, when it comes to describing the places he traverses Macfarlane is let down by the quality of his prose. In attempting to describe everything he veers dangerously close to describing nothing ... It is hit-and-miss whether Macfarlane pulls some poetic synthesis of imagination and fact or an ill-formed semi-profundity out of his hat each time he halts to ponder ... It’s a shame Macfarlane doesn’t follow the example of one of his heroes, the Victorian nature writer Richard Jefferies, and leave himself out of the frame a bit more. I admire his values and his gusto but find his company wearying over the long haul.
