I now can appreciate the distinction between peculiar galaxies and irregular galaxies. The concept developed in my old science textbook leaves the reader wondering why these two types of galaxies are classified differently considering the information available was so limited. I took pleasure in the idea that if we scattered a few baseballs across North America that would be a crowded model for the proximity of the galaxies in our Local Group. What better way to give the reader something real in their own experience to relate to the cosmic dance. I was exposed to many ideas in this book that were entirely new to me.
Ring galaxies are way cool.
The book concludes with a discussion of contemporary thought in cosmology. I have always loved reading about the idea that galaxies are like dots on an expanding balloon. It would be prudent to suggest that the story told in this book could be told in a modern way, like an interactive multimedia CD-ROM or a website. That would be fantastic.