Bad ScienceBad Science
Score Modern
What it's about
Ben Goldacre, a British doctor, takes apart the bad science everywhere around us: homeopathy, celebrity nutritionists, 'detox' products, misleading drug trials, and the media scare that falsely linked the MMR vaccine to autism. Along the way he teaches readers how to tell good evidence from bad.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the Samuel Johnson Prize (now the Baillie Gifford Prize). It's funny, angry and a crash course in thinking clearly.
You'll love it if you liked
The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference
The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
How the Mind WorksGood to know
Its examples are mostly British and from the 2000s. The statistics chapters take some focus.
By the numbers
- Readers55 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics24 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller23 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #97 of the 119 science and ideas books we rank
- #975 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1802 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story, Thought-provoking
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A Game of Thrones
The Body Keeps the Score
The Fifth Season
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When Breath Becomes Air
Atomic HabitsExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Science and ideas booksTop 25 · 119 ranked
Modern booksTop 25 · 1,573 ranked
Books of the 2000sTop 25 · 490 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 459 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 555 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 309 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 ranked
Science fiction booksTop 25 · 313 rankedQuick answers
Is Bad Science worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the Samuel Johnson Prize (now the Baillie Gifford Prize). It ranks #1,802 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Bad Science about?
Ben Goldacre, a British doctor, takes apart the bad science everywhere around us: homeopathy, celebrity nutritionists, 'detox' products, misleading drug trials, and the media scare that falsely linked the MMR vaccine to autism. Along the way he teaches readers how to tell good evidence from bad.
How long does it take to read Bad Science?
About 9 hours (354 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Bad Science?
If you liked it, try The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell, The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee or How the Mind Works by Steven Pinker.