Inventing Modern America: From the Microwave to the Mouse Book

Chaisson writes an epic account of the history of the universe. While this book is a bit dated it is still worth reading to get a great overview of the universe from its beginnings to our current cultural age. Each chapter covers an epic, begins with an introductory section which sets the stage and is broken into smaller chunks, and concludes with a summary and segue way into the next epic -- which is useful since this is quite a tome. I found the initial chapters long and slow going -- perhaps mostly because I was relatively unfamiliar with this material and wanted to understand the details. Despite this, the book is well written. Chaisson ends with an epilogue and a list of further reading for each epic.
It is important to remember that this book was published in 2005. Since that time some of his material has changed or been further developed. Despite this, there were a few troubling remarks - which are wrong or misleading.
I found his discussion of plants misleading in that he stresses their importance in photosynthesis but seems not to be aware that plants also do cellular respiration.
I find incorrect his assertion that animals make carbon dioxide from carbon sources and oxygen. Animals do not do this; rather, through cellular respiration, animals completely oxidize glucose (and other carbon sources) to carbon dioxide and water. The oxygen we breathe is used to accept the hydrogen atoms and their electrons (from glucose) to make water. The carbon dioxide produced is the break down product from glucose and does not involve the oxygen breathed.
Chaisson also asserts incorrectly that all neuron connections involve a chemical synapse in which there is a gap between the neurons. Some neurons have electrical synapses in which there is no gap but rather gap junction channels which attach the plasma membranes together (a bit like the intercalated discs in cardiac muscle).
I also think his portrayal of the dinosaurs is a bit too Holly Wood. As long as there have been animals, there have been predators and nature has been "red in tooth and claw." Chaisson does not seem to appreciate dinosaurs in their full diversity and ecology. But further Chaisson is incorrect to say that all the dinosaurs died out. Clearly they did not: we have birds, descendants of dinosaurs.
Chaisson also goes a bit too far in his assumption that emotions, etc. are only brain activities or even neural ones.
Despite these errors and misleading remarks, the book still shines and is a good place to start with cosmology. I wish he had written more about the cultural epic but then there is so much that could have been added.
The book may be a bit heady but I still highly recommended it.