From a baby's first breath—that universal and fundamental entry into life outside the womb—air is taken for granted. Joe Sherman's Gasp is an entertaining investigation of air and the discoveries of how it works in the body and in our world. Inhale, and learn about the difference between your aerobic capacity and Lance Armstrong's; exhale, and follow the observation and science of the atmosphere from Aristotle to Nobel laureate Paul Crutzen; hold your breath and investigate why over the last two centuries air has transformed from something marvelous into something menacing. In Gasp, Pulitzer Prize nominee Joe Sherman blends the history and myths of air, together with its environmental and physiological effects, into a rich and sometimes troubling account of what gives us our life force. It is a fascinating look at this vital, complex substance and its place in history, myth and everyday life.