Volk begins by crediting his use of the term "metapatterns" to Gregory Bateson (1904-1980). Metapatterns are patterns of patterns. Volk takes the reader on a journey, looking at patterns in nature, in science, in thought, in art, and in philosophy. He blends many disciplines into one when looking for and recognising patterns. He discusses spheres, binaries, borders, and cycles among others. He identifies the same metapatterns from so many directions or so many vocations that the reader is at times lost between analyzing the new metapatterns and reflecting on the new point of view of them.

According to Volk, Bateson used to teach a biology class using the Socratic method. His goal was to show his students the art of "discarding magnitudes in favor of shapes, patterns, and relations" (p. vii) He wanted them to overlook the differences in order to find the similarities. Volk poses the question about metapatterns: Are they out there (patterns sensed) or in here (patterns imagined)? It is a question that he does not answer, but leaves up to the readers to decide for themselves. He asks us to consider biological evolution and human learning when thinking of metapatterns. One yields forms in the biological world; the other forms in the psyche.

His first chapter discusses the metapattern of spheres. He gives examples of cells and eggs from biology. He then jumps into cosmology with examples of white dwarf stars and black holes. With lightening speed, he jumps again to chemistry with mention of the universally abundant hydrogen atom. He moves to philosophy and Zen art. He jumps to spiritualism of the Native American belief that all life flows in a circle of all things. He ends his frantic quest for examples with a stop at architecture. The reader's mind could easily be tired at this point from the fast paced journey. However, Volk also drags us through so many vocations of cognition that we begin to form our own methods for looking beyond the patterns to the metapatterns.

Volk follows his own writing by returning us to the place of origin, yet not where we began, with a discussion of the metapattern known as cycles. He says cycles are time's equivalent of the sphere, our beginning. We see cycles everywhere we turn. We have metabolic cycles in our bodies. The earth has biogeochemical cycles of life-supporting elements switching between the geology, chemistry, and biology of the planet. We even recognize business and economic cycles. Volk leaves with us a thought relating back to our cognitive starting position in the discussion: memory is also a cycle, as we must invigorate the patterns of neurons firing in order to remember the item.

I think the importance of this book is not in any facts or theories that one might glean from its pages. Volk does not postulate any theorems of cognition. He does not try to convince us of the importance of anything in particular. At times Volk's thoughts seem to be scattered. They seem to jump around like the chaotic ravings of a madman. But upon reflection, one sees that it could almost be considered genius the way he forces us to "step out of the box." He guides us on a mad dash through patterns upon patterns upon patterns. I think his intent is to shake us loose from any cognitive tunnel vision we may have forced upon ourselves as we view the universe around us. That, in my opinion, is the importance of this book. We tend to become rooted in a belief system too easily. We tend to develop plaque on our creative processes. Volk drags the reader through so much so fast that one is bound to find something of personal value in the new views of the universe that surrounds us.