Book reviews and more!

Posts tagged with ‘Science’

TURING’S CATHEDRAL, by George Dyson

June 6, 2012

A DEEPLY RESEARCHED LOOK at the Institute for Advanced Study’s post-WWII computer innovations; alas, too vague.

Grade: B MINUS

TURING'S CATHEDRAL: THE ORIGINS OF THE DIGITAL UNIVERSE
Pantheon
2012

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EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY, by Edmund Russell

May 7, 2012

THE IMPACTS OF HUMAN society on the evolution of other species, and vice versa, explored with admirable clarity.

Grade: B PLUS

EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY: UNITING HISTORY AND BIOLOGY TO UNDERSTAND LIFE ON EARTH
Cambridge University Press
2011

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MAD LIKE TESLA, by Tyler Hamilton

May 4, 2012

A LAID-BACK LOOK AT a wide range of “clean energy” inventors, from the mainstream to the maverick. Fascinating!

Grade: SOLID B

MAD LIKE TESLA: UNDERDOG INVENTORS AND THE RELENTLESS PURSUIT OF CLEAN ENERGY
ECW Press
2011

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THE SUN’S HEARTBEAT, by Bob Berman

April 9, 2012

CHATTY, ENGAGING BOOK summarizes what scientists know about the sun, as well as the history of solar astronomy.

Grade: SOLID B

THE SUN'S HEARTBEAT: AND OTHER STORIES FROM THE LIFE OF THE STAR THAT POWERS OUR PLANET
Little, Brown
2011

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THE FOREVER FIX, by Ricki Lewis

April 7, 2012

INSIDE GENE THERAPY research and clinical trials, with a focus on pioneering young patients and their outcomes.

Grade: SOLID B

THE FOREVER FIX: GENE THERAPY AND THE BOY WHO SAVED IT
St. Martin's Press
2012

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THE RIPPLE EFFECT, by Alex Prud’homme

March 22, 2012

SURPRISINGLY ENGROSSING STUDY of the history of water rights policy and the challenges of freshwater access.

Grade: SOLID B

THE RIPPLE EFFECT: THE FATE OF FRESHWATER IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Simon and Schuster
2011

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THE SONG OF THE APE, by Andrew R. Halloran

March 17, 2012

FASCINATING BOOK DETAILS research into chimpanzee language, including surprising new observations by the author.

Grade: B PLUS

THE SONG OF THE APE: UNDERSTANDING THE LANGUAGES OF CHIMPANZEES
St. Martin's
2012

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SPACE CHRONICLES, by Neil deGrasse Tyson

March 1, 2012

CHARISMATIC U. S.  ASTROPHYSICIST Neil deGrasse Tyson delivers an impassioned pro-space exploration argument.

Grade: B PLUS

SPACE CHRONICLES: FACING THE ULTIMATE FRONTIER
W. W. Norton and Company
2012

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EXTREME WEATHER, by Bonnie Schneider

February 27, 2012

INFORMATIVE, IF SLIGHTLY TERRIFYING! Meteorologist’s overview of/survival guide for extreme weather conditions.

Grade: SOLID B

EXTREME WEATHER: A GUIDE TO SURVIVING FLASH FLOODS, TORNADOES, HURRICANES, HEAT WAVES, SNOWSTORMS, TSUNAMIS, AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS
Palgrave Macmillan
2012

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SMOKING EARS AND SCREAMING TEETH, by Trevor Norton

January 30, 2012

LAID-BACK AND JOKEY but highly informative overview of risks scientists have taken with self-experimentation.

Grade: SOLID B

SMOKING EARS AND SCREAMING TEETH: A CELEBRATION OF SCIENTIFIC ECCENTRICITY AND SELF-EXPERIMENTATION
Pegasus
2011

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