Gerson, a history professor and coeditor of a new edition of Nostradamus' Prophecies, takes a rationalist's approach to the sixteenth-century physician-apothecary whose four-line verses are thought by some to offer glimpses into the future. Michel de Nostredame, to use his full name, is credited by some people with predicting the September 11, 2011, terrorist attacks (among various other key world events through the centuries), but others have pointed out that Nostradamus' quatrains are too unspecific and open to interpretation to be considered genuine predictions. The author wisely avoids this debate, for the most part, and focuses instead on the man's life, his legacy, and the way his verses have entered and affected the world's culture. Relatively little is known by the general public about the life of Nostradamus, and this well-researched and evenhanded biography definitely fills a void. Some readers might be immediately put off by the book's subtitle, assuming this is another Nostradamus-as-visionary tract, but give the book a chance: it's a solid and enlightening story of a man who, whether you believe the pro-prophecy crowd or not, led a fascinating life.--Pitt, David Copyright 2010 Booklist