Lewis Thomas has been compared to a philosopher who uses the language of biology. With the medusa as a metaphor for life, he continues the exploration of the world he began in The Lives of a Cell. Among his offerings are essays on the genius of human error, cloning, disease and natural death, and an assessment of contemporary health care-all of it conveyed in an eloquent prose that is a delight to hear. Listening to this tape is like being fortunate enough to sit next to the most intelligent and witty guest at a dinner party.