Forbidden Knowledge
by Roger Shattuck
★ Top 5 book of 1996 · #3 on Best Books of 1996
Shattuck follows the idea of knowledge that should perhaps stay off limits, from Adam and Eve to the atomic bomb and genetic engineering. He draws on myth and literature to question a culture that has dropped all restraint in pursuit of discovery.
Best for: Thoughtful readers interested in morality, myth, literature and the limits of discovery
Forbidden Knowledge is #3 on BookWard's Best Books of 1996, out of 38 1996 books that cleared our data bar.
What Forbidden Knowledge is about
Roger Shattuck follows one idea through Western literature and culture: that some knowledge may be better left alone. His journey begins with the sexual innocence of Adam and Eve and ends with the scientists behind the atomic bomb and recombinant DNA. Along the way he draws on the myth of Prometheus, Milton's Paradise Lost, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, the writings of the Marquis de Sade, Melville's Billy Budd and the poetry of Emily Dickinson.
His argument is blunt. He paints a dire picture of human presumption and of a culture that has dropped its limits in the pursuit of knowledge and experience. He also believes that rereading the great myths and stories of the last two thousand years can help us understand how we lost our innocence. The publisher calls it the first full-scale treatment of the subject and warns that Chapter VII is not suitable for children. A thoughtful, provocative read for anyone curious about literature, science and where ethics should draw a line.
Forbidden Knowledge on the Best Books of 1996
Forbidden Knowledge came out in 1996. Of the 38 books first published in 1996 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #3 on our Best Books of 1996 list.
Why it made the list: 1,026 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (53 ratings); 68 are reading it right now. The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
It earns Being read right now.
Nearby on the 1996 list
- A Game of Thrones George R. R. Martin, #1
- The Green Mile Stephen King, #2
- Push Sapphire, #4
- Fight Club Chuck Palahniuk, #5
See all Best Books of 1996 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 1995 Best Books of 1997.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 900 want to read it, 68 are reading it now and 57 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 4.3 out of 5 from 53 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 92 | 55% |
| Reader love | 87 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 95 | 20% |
Questions about Forbidden Knowledge
When was Forbidden Knowledge published?
Forbidden Knowledge by Roger Shattuck was first published in 1996.
Was Forbidden Knowledge one of the best books of 1996?
Forbidden Knowledge is #3 on BookWard's Best Books of 1996, out of 38 1996 books that cleared our data bar. 1,026 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (53 ratings); 68 are reading it right now.
Why is Forbidden Knowledge on the Best Books of 1996 list?
1,026 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.3 out of 5 (53 ratings); 68 are reading it right now.
More of the best books of 1996
- A Game of Thrones George R. R. Martin, #1
- The Green Mile Stephen King, #2
- Push Sapphire, #4
- Fight Club Chuck Palahniuk, #5
- Neverwhere Neil Gaiman, #6
- Infinite Jest David Foster Wallace, #7
See the full Best Books of 1996, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
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