Think of it as Evolution in Action

The Darwin Awards
Evolution in Action

by Wendy Northcutt
Dutton
327 pages; $4.95

By now a cultural icon, the Darwin Awards were created by Wendy Northcutt in 1993. This is the first book of an ongoing series, because there is really no end to human stupidity. This is the only one of the books I have ever read, and I found myself mostly annoyed at the color commentary. I can understand the impulse to fill empty space with pithy remarks, but really we are all just here for the gory details. All else is superfluous.

Accordingly, I skipped almost all the chapter introductions, and I liked the book much better. I did feel a little bit guilty reading this. I suppose by definition this book is taking delight in others misfortune. Perhaps it is simply that God works in mysterious ways.