The concept of Nerd Nites is very attractive (science! laughs! beer!—for some people) and sadly, I have never attended one, nor is there one near me. However, since my day job involves a lot of nerdiness, I can embrace the concept vicariously through this book. And it is a good one, but alack, the collection format makes for fairly uneven quality. I get it, not every expert/scientist can be a consummate stand-up comedian. It's just that the juxtaposition of the ultra-funny and the plain earnest doesn't do the latter any favors.

Faves include: Cephalopods: The Impossibly Awesome Invertebrates, Finding Nemo(’s Sex): Sex Change and Gender Roles in Anemonefishes, The Mathematics of Gossip, Getting to Know Infinity, and Math for a Better City. Honorable mention to the dating apps essay.