more wonders

Chapter 2 was like a nice little history lesson on wonders. I'm feeling that since this is such a different book than the others, I'm having a hard time figuring out if I am missing something or not. Am I supposed to be looking for a deeper meaning in the text? Or mostly just appreciating the history of wonders and noting the differences in what was once considered a "wonder" and how and why that may have changed throughout history.
I also think it's worth noting that the terms "wonderful" and "wondrous" are used so differently in today's world than in the past. What we consider to be wonderful is something we find interesting or "cool" but really, the term is meant to describe something beyond words, something that makes you stop in your tracks and literally makes you wonder.