Lost in Curiosity

“The ups and downs are as funny as they are tragic, thrilling as they are painful. Readers will laugh, cringe and cry… Lost in Curiosity succeeds in selling the science and making you fall in love with the characters.” – Science News
“Young scientists’ passion and commitment take center stage in a moving portrait of research in action… The book reminds readers that science is not only about answers delivered but also about the refusal to stop asking questions.” – Science.org
“A clear-eyed but still inspiring look at the joys and frustrations of being a young scientist.” – Library Journal
“Lost in Curiosity is a fascinating exploration of the process of science and the scientists who pursue it. From studies that failed to those that raised more questions than they answered, Kwok deftly threads the twists and turns that define the scientific enterprise… Readers will come away feeling closer to those who have chosen science–and more than a little in awe of their tenacity.” – Bethany Brookshire, author of Pests
“Insightful and beautifully written, Lost in Curiosity tells the stories of scientists at work as they grapple with the ‘messy middle’ of science–the tricky, unpredictable work of carrying out experiments. Kwok takes readers into the daily lives of scientists as they deal with equipment failures, experiments that go awry, and carefully-laid plans derailed… Kwok’s gorgeous writing makes her subjects feel alive on the page, and through their stories, she convincingly argues that scientific work is worth doing, even when the outcome is uncertain” – Christie Aschwanden, New York Times bestselling author of Good to Go
“Lost in Curiosity is a charming, compelling, and much-needed reminder that even the least glamorous work can be full of beauty, and even dead ends tell a larger story.” – Michelle Nijhuis, author of Beloved Beasts
“Lost in Curiosity shows that the doing of science is not a tidy affair, with clear answers following in a straight line from clear questions. Instead, there are wrong turns, misguided assumptions, broken equipment, and a great deal of thrashing around… Both colorful and beautifully written, Kwok’s book tells not only this story but also authentically conveys the daily life and mind of the scientist.” – Alan Lightman, co-author of The Shape of Wonder
“Lost in Curiosity tackles my favorite part of the scientific process, when experiments go moldy and frogs refuse to be found, and malfunctioning equipment conjures moons out of thin air. Roberta Kwok is a trustworthy guide as she shares tantalizing peeks into the murk that precedes discovery and proves that our instinct to do science, and better understand our world, is what makes us human. One of the most honest books about science I’ve ever read, and an utter delight.” – Sabrina Imbler, author of How Far the Light Reaches
“Lost in Curiosity takes readers into the laboratory and out into the field to explore science as a work in progress. Roberta Kwok has written a lively and revelatory book, and, as science in the U.S. increasingly comes under attack, it couldn’t be more timely.” – Elizabeth Kolbert, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Sixth Extinction
“From Borneo to Greenland to Jupiter’s moons, Lost in Curiosity is an engaging, globe-spanning glimpse into the lives of everyday field scientists. Roberta Kwok expertly details the passions and chance that ignite scientific inquiry, and reveals how frustration and struggle go hand in hand with discovery.” – Jonathan C. Slaght, award-winning author of Tigers Between Empires
“It’s a rare book that finds thrills, not in the triumph of discovery, but the messiness of the journey. Roberta Kwok’s warm, humane portraits of scientists in the midst of unfinished work jump from jungles to deserts and span the cosmic to the microscopic. Lost in Curiosity is an enthralling glimpse of hidden worlds, delightful, bright with insight, and deeply necessary.” – Melissa L. Sevigny, author of Brave the Wild River
“Opening Lost in Curiosity is like walking through a door into a sometimes strange but always beautiful land, full of the unexpected adventures that science offers, the puzzles, the challenges, and the bright flash of understanding when it all comes together. It’s the kind of trip you won’t want to miss.” – Deborah Blum, Pulitzer-Prize winning author of The Poison Squad

Roberta Kwok is a science writer whose work has appeared in The New York Times, NewYorker.com, Nature, New Scientist, and Audubon, among other publications. She has received a fellowship from the Knight Science Journalism Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and awards from the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Geophysical Union. Before becoming a journalist, Kwok worked in a genetics lab at Stanford University. She lives in the Seattle area and is originally from Canada.

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