books tagged “biology”

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Adam's Curse: A Future Without Men
by Bryan Sykes

ISBN 0393058964 (0-393-05896-4)
Hardcover, W W Norton & Co Inc

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Book summary:
Bryan Sykes follows up The Seven Daughters of Eve with the equally challenging and well-written Adam's Curse. This time, instead of following humanity's heritage back to the first women, Sykes looks forward to a possible future without men. The seeds of the book's topics were sown when Sykes met a pre-eminent pharmaceutical company chairman who shared his surname. Using the Y chromosome, which is passed nearly unchanged from father to son, the author found that he shared a distant ancestor with the other Sykes. Along the way, he discovered that the Y chromosome was worth examining more closely. The first third of Adam's Curse is devoted to a clear and comprehensive lesson about genetics, the second narrates several fascinating stories of tracing ancestry via the Y chromosome, and the last chapters explore the history of male humanity and its future. Some readers will eagerly skim until they reach Chapter 21, where Sykes gets to the heart of the matter--why and how the Y chromosome has created a world where men overwhelmingly own the wealth and power, commit the crimes, and fight the wars. He uses the structural puniness of the Y chromosome to demonstrate that men are as unnecessary biologically as they are dominant socially. Sykes' provocative and quite personal book is likely to be unpopular among science readers who prefer their biology divorced from sociology, but his points taken in context will be difficult to refute. --Therese Littleton [via]
More editions of Adam's Curse: A Future Without Men:
- Adam's Curse: A Future Without Men: ISBN 0593050053 (0-593-05005-3)
  Softcover, Bantam Press
- Adam's Curse: A Future Without Men: ISBN 0393058964 (0-393-05896-4)
  Hardcover, W W Norton & Co Inc
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Adam's Curse: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Destiny
by Bryan Sykes

ISBN 0393326802 (0-393-32680-2)
Softcover, W W Norton & Co Inc

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Book summary:
Bryan Sykes follows up The Seven Daughters of Eve with the equally challenging and well-written Adam's Curse. This time, instead of following humanity's heritage back to the first women, Sykes looks forward to a possible future without men. The seeds of the book's topics were sown when Sykes met a pre-eminent pharmaceutical company chairman who shared his surname. Using the Y chromosome, which is passed nearly unchanged from father to son, the author found that he shared a distant ancestor with the other Sykes. Along the way, he discovered that the Y chromosome was worth examining more closely. The first third of Adam's Curse is devoted to a clear and comprehensive lesson about genetics, the second narrates several fascinating stories of tracing ancestry via the Y chromosome, and the last chapters explore the history of male humanity and its future. Some readers will eagerly skim until they reach Chapter 21, where Sykes gets to the heart of the matter--why and how the Y chromosome has created a world where men overwhelmingly own the wealth and power, commit the crimes, and fight the wars. He uses the structural puniness of the Y chromosome to demonstrate that men are as unnecessary biologically as they are dominant socially. Sykes' provocative and quite personal book is likely to be unpopular among science readers who prefer their biology divorced from sociology, but his points taken in context will be difficult to refute. --Therese Littleton [via]
More editions of Adam's Curse: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Destiny:
- Adam's Curse: The Science That Reveals Our Genetic Destiny: ISBN 0393326802 (0-393-32680-2)
  Softcover, W W Norton & Co Inc
Animal Behavior: An Evolutionary Approach
by John Alcock

ISBN 0878930051 (0-87893-005-1)
Hardcover, Sinauer Associates Inc

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Book summary:
This edition has been completely rewritten and reorganized to include discoveries in the field and over 100 new illustrations. The author analyzes all aspects of the subject, stressing the utility of evolutionary theory in unifying different behavioural disciplines. However, the book treats both the ranging proximate mechanisms and the evolutionary, or ultimate causes of behaviour. The first chapter introduces the distinction between the two, and the rest of the text is organized into two main sections devoted to each. Examples are drawn from studies of invertibrates and vertibrates, and are supported by more than 1300 reference citations, many to recent articles. The book also emphasizes the tentative nature of scientific conclusions and identifies controversial and unresolved issues. [via]
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The Ants
by Edward O. Wilson, Bert Holldobler

ISBN 0674040759 (0-674-04075-9)
Hardcover, Harvard Univ Pr

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Book summary:
This is the definitive scientific study of one of the most diverse animal groups on earth; pretty well everything that is known about ants is in this massive work. But books do not win Pulitzer Prizes, as this one did in 1991, for exhaustiveness; besides being the last word in science, this work is beautifully written, and accessible to the lay reader. Wilson, of Harvard, and Holldobler of the University of Wurzburg, may inspire a whole new generation of budding entomologists. Every branch of biology is covered, from evolution to taxonomy to physiology to ecology. Lavishly illustrated, it is full of amazing facts, many concerning the incredible social behavior of these creatures. [via]
More editions of The Ants:
- The Ants: ISBN 0674040759 (0-674-04075-9)
  Hardcover, Harvard Univ Pr
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Art Forms in Nature
by Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel

ISBN 0486229874 (0-486-22987-4)
Softcover, Dover Pubns

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Book summary:
Multitude of strangely beautiful natural forms: Radiolaria, Foraminifera, Ciliata, diatoms, calcareous sponges, Siphonophora, star corals, starfishes, Protozoa, flagellates, brown seaweed, jellyfishes, sea-lilies, moss animals, sea-urchins, glass sponges, leptomedusae, horny corals, trunkfishes, true sea slugs, anthomedusae horseshoe crabs, sea-cucumbers, octopuses, bats, orchids, sea wasps, seahorse, a dragonfish, a frogfish, much more. All images in black and white.
[via]
More editions of Art Forms in Nature:
- Art Forms in Nature: ISBN 0486229874 (0-486-22987-4)
  Softcover, Dover Pubns
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Art Forms In Nature
by Prestel

ISBN 3791332082 (3-7913-3208-2)
Softcover, Prestel Pub

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- Art Forms In Nature: ISBN 3791332082 (3-7913-3208-2)
  Softcover, Prestel Pub
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Art Forms in Nature Mini
by Prestel, Ernst Heinrich Philipp August Haeckel

ISBN 3791330853 (3-7913-3085-3)
Hardcover, Prestel Pub

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Book summary:
They're packed with color and small enough to fit into a pocket. They're as inviting to the eye as they are to the wallet. And there are titles to suit every occasion, taste, and interest. Like all of Prestel's products, these "Minis" feature amazing artwork of all kinds, elegantly designed and packaged. Whether for a birthday, an anniversary, or just as a surprise, these miniature treasures prove that little things mean a lot. [via]
More editions of Art Forms in Nature Mini:
- Art Forms in Nature Mini: ISBN 3791330853 (3-7913-3085-3)
  Hardcover, Prestel Pub
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Art Forms in Nature: The Prints of Ernst Haeckel
by Ernst Haeckel

ISBN 3791319906 (3-7913-1990-6)
Softcover, Prestel Pub

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Book summary:
The geometric shapes and natural forms, captured with exceptional precision in Ernst Haeckel's prints, still influence artists and designers to this day. This volume highlights the research and findings of this natural scientist. [via]
More editions of Art Forms in Nature: The Prints of Ernst Haeckel:
- Art Forms in Nature: The Prints of Ernst Haeckel: ISBN 3791319906 (3-7913-1990-6)
  Softcover, Prestel Pub
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Biology
by Peter H. Raven, George B. Johnson, Jonathan B. Losos, Susan R. Singer

ISBN 0072921641 (0-07-292164-1)
Hardcover, McGraw-Hill Science Engineering

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Book summary:
BIOLOGY is an authoritative majors textbook with evolution as a unifying theme. In revising the text, McGraw-Hill has consulted extensively with previous users, noted experts and professors in the field. It is distinguished from other texts by its strong emphasis on natural selection and the evolutionary process that explains biodiversity.
Not only has the book been thoroughly updated to reflect rapid advances, there is more emphasis today on the teaching of concepts and this has led to significant changes in how the material is presented. Technology also plays a greater role in teaching and the Online Learning Center found at http://www.mhhe.com/raven6 provides professors and students alike with an abundance of resources.
Five considerations influenced this revision. They are: 1) Focus on concepts; 2) Reinforcing Ideas; 3) Emphasizing relevance to students; 4) Keeping up with new developments; and 5) Careful editing. [via]
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Biology As Ideology
by R. C. Lewontin

ISBN 0887845185 (0-88784-518-5)
Softcover, House of Anansi Pr

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- Biology As Ideology: ISBN 0887845185 (0-88784-518-5)
  Softcover, House of Anansi Pr
Biology As Ideology: The Doctrine of DNA
by Richard C. Lewontin

ISBN 0060975199 (0-06-097519-9)
Softcover, Harpercollins

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- Biology As Ideology: The Doctrine of DNA: ISBN 0060975199 (0-06-097519-9)
  Softcover, Harpercollins
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The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature
by Steven Pinker

ISBN 0142003344 (0-14-200334-4)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA

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Book summary:
Our conceptions of human nature affect everything aspect of our lives, from child-rearing to politics to morality to the arts. Yet many fear that scientific discoveries about innate patterns of thinking and feeling may be used to justify inequality, to subvert social change, and to dissolve personal responsibility.

In The Blank Slate, Steven Pinker explores the idea of human nature and its moral, emotional, and political colorings. He shows how many intellectuals have denied the existence of human nature and instead have embraced three dogmas: The Blank Slate (the mind has no innate traits), The Noble Savage (people are born good and corrupted by society), and The Ghost in the Machine (each of us has a soul that makes choices free from biology). Each dogma carries a moral burden, so their defenders have engaged in desperate tactics to discredit the scientists who are now challenging them.

Pinker provides calm in the stormy debate by disentangling the political and moral issues from the scientific ones. He shows that equality, compassion, responsibility, and purpose have nothing to fear from discoveries about an innately organized psyche. Pinker shows that the new sciences of mind, brain, genes, and evolution, far from being dangerous, are complementing observations about the human condition made by millennia of artists and philosophers. All this is done in the style that earned his previous books many prizes and worldwide acclaim: irreverent wit, lucid exposition, and startling insight on matters great and small. [via]
More editions of The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature:
- The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature: ISBN 0670031518 (0-670-03151-8)
  Hardcover, Viking Pr
- The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature: ISBN 0142003344 (0-14-200334-4)
  Softcover, Penguin Group USA
The Book of Life: An Illustrated History of the Evolution of Life on Earth
by Stephen Jay Gould

ISBN 0393321568 (0-393-32156-8)
Softcover, W W Norton & Co Inc

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Book summary:
An unusual scientific reference work by any measure, The Book of Life opens with an unusual protest from its editor, Stephen Jay Gould, who worries that it may have left out much of importance discovered between the present and the book's original publication in 1993. Gould's worry is well placed--in the last few years, many advances have been made in taxonomy and genetics, to name just two areas. Still, the book is a lucid, readily comprehensible, and largely up-to-date overview of the origins and evolution of life on earth, from the emergence of bacteria 4 billion years ago to that of Homo sapiens in recent geological time. Written by distinguished scientists, the text proceeds chronologically, giving an in-depth account of the fossil record. It is matched by hundreds of paintings, drawings, charts, and graphs that reinforce the authors' discussions.
More than all that, The Book of Life is a manifesto proclaiming the essential correctness of evolutionary theory, which has come under fire in places like Afghanistan and Kansas. "Life has changed through time," paleontologist Michael Benton observes. "No other explanation will account for the sequence and variety of the life forms preserved as fossils, or the history recorded since humankind began to draw, paint, and carve, about 30,000 years ago." The book's careful documentation of those changes makes it a highly useful reference for high school and university students, and it's a book that rewards casual browsing as well. --Gregory McNamee [via]
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Chance and Necessity: An Essay on the Natural Philosophy of Modern Biology
by Jacques Monod

ISBN 0394718259 (0-394-71825-9)
Softcover, Random House Inc

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More editions of Chance and Necessity: An Essay on the Natural Philosophy of Modern Biology:
- Chance and Necessity: An Essay on the Natural Philosophy of Modern Biology: ISBN 0394466152 (0-394-46615-2)
  Hardcover, Knopf
- Chance and Necessity; An Essay on the Natural Philosophy of Modern Biology.: ISBN 0394718259 (0-394-71825-9)
  Softcover, Random House Inc
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A Child Is Born
by Lennart Nilsson

ISBN 0440512158 (0-440-51215-8)
Softcover, Dell Publishing

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Book summary:
Lennart Nilsson's unique photographic story -- a universal introduction to the miracle of life.

In 1965 Lennart Nilsson published images from inside the human uterus, the first photographs of prenatal life. The book that was to follow, A Child is Born, stunned the world -- offering an unprecedented glimpse at the unseen world within our bodies, and our own beginnings.

Using high-definition ultrasound technique, scanning electron and light microscopes, and advanced fibre optics Lennart Nilsson documents the miracle of human reproduction: the egg travelling down the fallopian tube; the sperm racing to meet it; the moment of fertilization; the very first cell division; the tiny embryo attaching to the uterine wall; the growth of eyes, ears, fingers and toes; and finally the moment of delivery itself -- providing an astonishing glimpse of the first moments of life.

In this, the fully revised fifth edition, A Child is Born is redefined for a new age. With a completely new accompanying text, the images are rendered in astonishing detail utilising revolutionary new photographic technology, with the photographs themselves the dominant driving force of the narrative. [via]
More editions of A Child Is Born:
- A Child Is Born: ISBN 0440512158 (0-440-51215-8)
  Softcover, Dell Publishing
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The Coming Plague
by Laurie Garrett

ISBN 0140250913 (0-14-025091-3)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA

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Book summary:
Where's your next disease coming from? From anywhere in the world--from overflowing sewage in Cairo, from a war zone in Rwanda, from an energy-efficient office building in California, from a pig farm in China or North Carolina. "Preparedness demands understanding" writes Pulitzer-winning journalist Laurie Garrett, and in this precursor to Betrayal of Trust: The Collapse of Global Public Health she shows true understanding of the patterns lying beneath the new diseases in the headlines (AIDS, Lyme) and the old ones resurgent (tuberculosis, cholera). As the human population explodes, ecologies collapse and simplify, and disease organisms move into the gaps. As globalisation continues, diseases can move from one country to another as fast as an aeroplane can fly.
While the human race battles itself... the advantage moves to the microbes' court. They are our predators and they will be victorious if we, Homo sapiens, do not learn how to live in a rational global village that affords the microbes few opportunities.
Her picture is not entirely bleak: epidemics grow when a disease outbreak is amplified--by contaminated water supplies, by shared needles, by recirculated air, by prostitution--and controlling disease amplifiers is within our power, a matter of money, people and will. --Mary Ellen Curtin [via]
More editions of The Coming Plague:
- The Coming Plague: ISBN 0374126461 (0-374-12646-1)
  Hardcover, Farrar Straus & Giroux
- The Coming Plague: ISBN 0140250913 (0-14-025091-3)
  Softcover, Penguin Group USA
The Descent of Man
by Charles Darwin, H. James Birx

ISBN 1573921769 (1-57392-176-9)
Softcover, Prometheus Books

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Book summary:
In The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin refused to discuss human evolution, believing the subject too surrounded with prejudices. He had been reworking his notes since the 1830s, but only with trepidation did he finally publish The Descent of Man in 1871. The book notoriously put apes in our family tree and made the races one family, diversified by sexual selectionDarwins provocative theory that female choice among competing males leads to diverging racial characteristics. Though less well known than The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man continues to shape the way we think about what it is that makes us uniquely human.

First time in Penguin Classics

Edited by the coauthors of the acclaimed biography Darwin

Includes Introduction, suggestions for further reading, chronology, biographical register, and index

Reproduces the book's original illustrations and Darwin's own notes
[via]
More editions of The Descent of Man:
- The Descent of Man: ISBN 0140436316 (0-14-043631-6)
  Softcover, Penguin Group USA
- The Descent of Man: ISBN 1573921769 (1-57392-176-9)
  Softcover, Prometheus Books
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Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex
by Charles Darwin

ISBN 0760763119 (0-7607-6311-9)
Softcover, Barnes & Noble Books

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- Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex: ISBN 0760763119 (0-7607-6311-9)
  Softcover, Barnes & Noble Books
The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex
by Charles Robert Darwin

ISBN 0691023697 (0-691-02369-7)
Softcover, Princeton Univ Pr

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Book summary:
Book Description:

"The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex is a book on evolutionary theory by English naturalist Charles Darwin, first published in 1871. It was Darwin's second large book on evolutionary theory, following his 1859 work, The Origin of Species, and is concerned with outlining the application of Darwin's theory to human evolution, and detailing the theory of sexual selection. The book touches on a number of related issues, including evolutionary psychology, evolutionary ethics, differences between human races, differences between human sexes, and the relevance of the evolutionary theory to society." (Quote from wikipedia.org)

Table of Contents:

Publisher's Preface; Preface To The Second Edition; Introduction; The Descent Or Origin Of Man; The Evidence Of The Descent Of Man From Some Lower Form; On The Manner Of Development Of Man From Some Lower Form; Comparison Of The Mental Powers Of Man And The Lower Animals; Comparison Of The Mental Powers Of Man And The Lower Animals; On The Development Of The Intellectual And Moral Faculties During Primeval And Civilised Times; On The Affinities And Genealogy Of Man; On The Races Of Man; Sexual Selection; Principles Of Sexual Selection; Secondary Sexual Characters In The Lower Classes Of The Animal Kingdom; Secondary Sexual Characters Of Insects; Insects; Secondary Sexual Characters Of Fishes, Amphibians, And Reptiles; Secondary Sexual Characters Of Birds; Birds; Birds; Birds; Secondary Sexual Characters Of Mammals; Secondary Sexual Characters Of Mammals; Sexual Selection In Relation To Man, And Conclusion; Secondary Sexual Characters Of Man; Secondary Sexual Characters Of Man; General Summary And Conclusion; Supplemental Note. On Sexual Selection In Relation To Monkeys; Index

About the Publisher:

Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, Esoteric and Mythology. www.forgottenbooks.org

Forgotten Books is about sharing information, not about making money. All books are priced at wholesale prices. We are also the only publisher we know of to print in large sans-serif font, which is proven to make the text easier to read and put less strain on your eyes. [via]
More editions of The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex:
- The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex: ISBN 0691082782 (0-691-08278-2)
  Hardcover, Princeton Univ Pr
- The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex: ISBN 0691023697 (0-691-02369-7)
  Softcover, Princeton Univ Pr
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Dictionary of Biology
by M. Abercrombie

ISBN 0140510036 (0-14-051003-6)
Softcover, Penguin USA

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Book summary:
A Dictionary of Biology is an up-to-date reference work explains several thousand specialized words that allow for empirical approaches to the biological sciences. It includes more than bare definitions, including information about most of the things named so as to convey their significance in biological discussion. M. Abercrombie, C. J. Hickman, and M. L. Johnson in effect interpret this language as it is actually used, emphasizing customary usage rather than etymology.
This comprehensive lexicon includes two thousand entries. Many unfamiliar terms, especially the rarer ones, are defined with the help of other technical terms, perhaps equally unfamiliar. This trick of dictionary-makers could only be avoided by giving a complete account of a large part of biology under each heading. Every biological technical term used in a definition is itself defined elsewhere in the dictionary; though some semi-technical terms, words that can be found in any English dictionary are omitted.
The authors use codes throughout the dictionary to help the reader to interpret the use of a word such as whether it is used in relation to plants and animals only, whether the word is an adjective, and when a term is defined elsewhere and adds information to the current definition. The result is an invaluable guide for the layman, the student, and the scholar alike. It presents clear and authoritative explanations of the terms and will remain useful as a quick and concise source of reference.
M. Abercrombie was professor of embryology at University College London until his retirement; C. J. Hickman was professor of botany at the University of Western Ontario; M. L. Johnson taught zoology at Birmingham University. [via]
More editions of Dictionary of Biology:
- Dictionary of Biology: ISBN 0140510036 (0-14-051003-6)
  Softcover, Penguin USA
Essential Cell Biology
by Bruce Alberts

ISBN 0815329717 (0-8153-2971-7)
Softcover, Routledge

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Book summary:
Essential Cell Biology, Second Edition contains basic, core knowledge about how cells work. It has a proven track record in providing students with a conceptual and accessible grounding in cell biology. The text and figures have been prepared to be easy-to-follow, accurate, clear and engaging for the introductory student. Each section follows logically from the previous one, telling a story, rather than being a collection of facts. Questions integrated throughout each chapter encourage the reader to pause, think about what they have read, and attempt to apply the new knowledge in ways that test their understanding. Based on user feedback, the Second Edition now offers increased coverage of genetics and more experimental background. It is completely up-to-date. [via]
More editions of Essential Cell Biology:
- Essential Cell Biology: ISBN 0815334818 (0-8153-3481-8)
  Softcover, Routledge
- Essential Cell Biology: An Introduction to the Molecular Biology of the Cell: ISBN 0815329717 (0-8153-2971-7)
  Softcover, Routledge
Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea
by Carl Zimmer

ISBN 0060958502 (0-06-095850-2)
Softcover, HarperCollins Publishers

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Book summary:
While its opponents may sneer that "it's just a theory", evolution has transcended that label to take its place as one of the most important "ideas" in human history. Science journalist Carl Zimmer explores its history and future in Evolution: the Triumph of an Idea, companion piece to the epic US Public Broadcast Service series of the same name. Lavishly illustrated with photos of our distant cousins, anatomical diagrams and timelines, the book is as beautiful as it is enlightening. While those closely following the field will find little more here than a well-written summary of the state of the art in 2001, readers who have watched the evolutionary debates from a distance will quickly catch up with the details of the main arguments.
Zimmer's text is fresh and expansive, explaining both the minutiae of comparative anatomy and the grand scale of geological time with equal verve and clarity. Following the trend of turn-of-the-century evolution writers, he is careful to respect the religious beliefs of creationists while firmly insisting that the scientific evidence against them is too compelling to ignore. Touching on biology, philosophy, theology, politics, and nearly every other field of human thought, Evolution: the Triumph of an Idea will inspire its readers with the elegance and importance of Darwin's simple theory. --Rob Lightner [via]
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Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People
by Joan Roughgarden

ISBN 0520246799 (0-520-24679-9)
Softcover, Univ of California Pr

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Book summary:
In this innovative celebration of diversity and affirmation of individuality in animals and humans, Joan Roughgarden challenges accepted wisdom about gender identity and sexual orientation. A distinguished evolutionary biologist, Roughgarden takes on the medical establishment, the Bible, social science--and even Darwin himself. She leads the reader through a fascinating discussion of diversity in gender and sexuality among fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals, including primates. Evolution's Rainbow explains how this diversity develops from the action of genes and hormones and how people come to differ from each other in all aspects of body and behavior. Roughgarden reconstructs primary science in light of feminist, gay, and transgender criticism and redefines our understanding of sex, gender, and sexuality. Witty, playful, and daring, this book will revolutionize our understanding of sexuality.
Roughgarden argues that principal elements of Darwinian sexual selection theory are false and suggests a new theory that emphasizes social inclusion and control of access to resources and mating opportunity. She disputes a range of scientific and medical concepts, including Wilson's genetic determinism of behavior, evolutionary psychology, the existence of a gay gene, the role of parenting in determining gender identity, and Dawkins's "selfish gene" as the driver of natural selection. She dares social science to respect the agency and rationality of diverse people; shows that many cultures across the world and throughout history accommodate people we label today as lesbian, gay, and transgendered; and calls on the Christian religion to acknowledge the Bible's many passages endorsing diversity in gender and sexuality. Evolution's Rainbow concludes with bold recommendations for improving education in biology, psychology, and medicine; for democratizing genetic engineering and medical practice; and for building a public monument to affirm diversity as one of our nation's defining principles.
[via]
More editions of Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People:
- Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, and Sexuality in Nature and People: ISBN 0520240731 (0-520-24073-1)
  Hardcover, Univ of California Pr
- Evolution's Rainbow: Diversity, Gender, And Sexuality in Nature And People: ISBN 0520246799 (0-520-24679-9)
  Softcover, Univ of California Pr
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The Fifth Miracle: The Search for the Origin and Meaning of Life
by P. C. W. Davies

ISBN 068486309X (0-684-86309-X)
Softcover, Touchstone Books

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Book summary:
How did life begin? Did it start here, by blind chance or by necessity, or was Earth seeded by extraterrestrial visitors? (And, if so, how did they arise?) Physicist and science writer Paul Davies tackles these heavy questions and more in The Fifth Miracle: The Search for the Origin and Meaning of Life, a wide-ranging survey of the field of biogenesis. From the "Martian meteorite" ALH84001 to the hardy microorganisms living on--and under!--our sea beds, Davies looks for evidence pointing toward our first ancestor. His willingness to consider any possibility makes for a fun, fascinating journey through our solar system and beyond.
The Fifth Miracle provides convincing arguments that life flourishes, and may indeed have begun, deep within the earth's crust, and not in Darwin's "warm little pond." And if in our planet's crust, why not in others'? Indeed, he shows that it is not just possible but likely that living organisms have passed between Earth and Mars embedded within meteorites. Davies's command of the data and his facility with explaining it to nonprofessionals give the lie to his self-description as "a simple-minded physicist" intruding in another's domain. The best scientists hate to see questions finally answered and love to see new ones raised; by that standard (and by any other), The Fifth Miracle is a first-rate book of scientific speculation. --Rob Lightner [via]
More editions of The Fifth Miracle: The Search for the Origin and Meaning of Life:
- The Fifth Miracle: The Search for the Origin and Meaning of Life: ISBN 0684837994 (0-684-83799-4)
  Hardcover, Simon & Schuster
- The Fifth Miracle: The Search for the Origin and Meaning of Life: ISBN 068486309X (0-684-86309-X)
  Softcover, Touchstone Books
The Fragile Species
by Lewis Thomas

ISBN 0684843021 (0-684-84302-1)
Softcover, Simon & Schuster

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Book summary:
A distinguished physician sums up his love for his profession and addresses the major issues of our time--AIDS, drug abuse, aging, and especially his vital concern for the environment. [via]
More editions of The Fragile Species:
- The Fragile Species: ISBN 0684194201 (0-684-19420-1)
  Hardcover, Simon & Schuster
- The Fragile Species: ISBN 0684843021 (0-684-84302-1)
  Softcover, Simon & Schuster
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The Growth of Biological Thought: Diversity, Evolution, and Inheritance
by Ernst E. Mayr

ISBN 0674364465 (0-674-36446-5)
Softcover, Harvard Univ Pr

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Book summary:
No one in this century can speak with greater authority on the progress of ideas in biology than Ernst Mayr. And no book has ever established the life sciences so firmly in the mainstream of Western intellectual history as "The Growth of Biological Thought." Ten years in preparation, this is a work of epic proportions, tracing the development of the major problems of biology from the earliest attempts to find order in the diversity of life, to modern research into the mechanisms of gene transmission. [via]
More editions of The Growth of Biological Thought: Diversity, Evolution, and Inheritance:
- The Growth of Biological Thought: Diversity, Evolution, and Inheritance: ISBN 0674364457 (0-674-36445-7)
  Hardcover, Harvard Univ Pr
- The Growth of Biological Thought: Diversity, Evolution, and Inheritance: ISBN 0674364465 (0-674-36446-5)
  Softcover, Harvard Univ Pr
In Search of the Double Helix
by John Gribbin

ISBN 0553344323 (0-553-34432-3)
Softcover, Bantam Dell Pub Group

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- In Search of the Double Helix: ISBN 0553344323 (0-553-34432-3)
  Softcover, Bantam Dell Pub Group
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Introduction to Genetic Analysis
by Anthony J.F. Griffiths

ISBN 0716749394 (0-7167-4939-4)
Hardcover, W H Freeman & Co

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Book summary:
An Introduction to Genetic Analysis (IGA) stands out from its peers in this course in that it provides a clear introduction to the techniques and experiments of scientists past and present, not just an "encyclopedia" of information. This experimental emphasis, together with a solid pedagogical framework in the chapters, provides the clearest, most cutting-edge text available. IGA is also well-known for its outstanding problem sets, an integral part of the genetics course at any school.
[via]
More editions of Introduction to Genetic Analysis:
- Introduction to Genetic Analysis: ISBN 0716735202 (0-7167-3520-2)
  Hardcover, W H Freeman & Co
- Introduction to Genetic Analysis: ISBN 0716749394 (0-7167-4939-4)
  Hardcover, W H Freeman & Co
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Introduction to Genetic Analysis
by Jeffrey H. Miller, David T. Suzuki, Anthony J.F. Griffiths

ISBN 0716722852 (0-7167-2285-2)
Hardcover, W H Freeman & Co

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Book summary:
A revised and updated fifth edition containing an additional chapter on the impact genetics has on our daily lives. The book reviews the basic concepts of cell and molecular biology with increased coverage of DNA replication and protein synthesis. At the end of ecery chapter a new solved problem that integrates seceral genetics principles appears. This will show students how genetic principles work together to solve problmes an will give students practice reapplying principles learned earlier. Additional to this text one can also aquire a study guide/solutions manual, overhead transparencies and printed and computerized test banks for the IBM or MAC. [via]
More editions of Introduction to Genetic Analysis:
- Introduction to Genetic Analysis: ISBN 0716722852 (0-7167-2285-2)
  Hardcover, W H Freeman & Co
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Introduction to Genetic Analysis
by Richard C. Lewontin, Jeffrey H. Miller, David T. Suzuki, Anthony J.F. Griffiths, William M. Gelbart

ISBN 0716726041 (0-7167-2604-1)
Hardcover, W H Freeman & Co

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This edition offers a comprehensive and student-orientated introduction to genetics. The book offers a new chapter on genomics, covering the handling of genomes and including the human genome project; it includes updated chapters on molecular genetics, reflecting recent progress in the areas of recombinant gene technology and mechanisms of mutations. In addition this work offers more emphasis on human genetics and new exercises to help students assimilate and apply a number of genetic principles. [via]
More editions of Introduction to Genetic Analysis:
- Introduction to Genetic Analysis: ISBN 0716726041 (0-7167-2604-1)
  Hardcover, W H Freeman & Co
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King Solomon's Ring
by Konrad Lorenz, Marjorie Kerr Wilson

ISBN 0415267471 (0-415-26747-1)
Softcover, Routledge

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Book summary:
King Solomon´s Ring by Konrad Z. Lorenz. New Light on Animal Ways. Illustrated by the autor. Foreword by Julian Huxley. Traslate fron German by Marjorie Kerr Wilson. 202 pages. @1952 by Thomas Y. Crowell Company. Apollo Edition 1961. [via]
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The Language Instinct
by Steven Pinker

ISBN 0060976519 (0-06-097651-9)
Softcover, Harpercollins

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Book summary:
In The Language Instinct , Steven Pinker, well-known for his revolutionary theory of how children acquire language, lucidly explains everything you always wanted to know about language: how it works, how children learn it, how it changes, how the brain computes it, how it evolved. With wit, education, and deft use of everyday examples of humor and wordplay, Pinker weaves our vast knowledge of language into a compelling story: language is a human instinct, wired into our brains by evolution like web spinning in spiders or sonar in bats. [via]
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- The Language Instinct: ISBN 0060976519 (0-06-097651-9)
  Softcover, Harpercollins
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The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language
by Steven Pinker

ISBN 0060958332 (0-06-095833-2)
Softcover, Perennial

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In this "extremely valuable book, very informative, and very well written" (Noam Chomsky), one of the greatest thinkers in the field of linguistics explains how language works--how people, ny making noises with their mouths, can cause ideas to arise in other people's minds. [via]
More editions of The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language:
- The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language: ISBN 0688121411 (0-688-12141-1)
  Hardcover, Harpercollins
- The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language: ISBN 0060958332 (0-06-095833-2)
  Softcover, Perennial
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The Living Planet: A Portrait of the Earth
by David Attenborough

ISBN 0316057495 (0-316-05749-5)
Softcover, Little Brown & Co

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Book summary:
Attenborough looks here at continuing evolution and the adaptation of plants and animals to specific and differing environments. For example, he finds that the coral reef is the marine equivalent of the tropical rain forest, that modern cities, with their masonry and concrete, are the counterparts of the ash fields and lava flows of volcanoes. PW lauded this book, maintaining that it deserves as much attention as its predecessor, Life on Earth. Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. [via]
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Molecular Biology of the Gene
by James Watson

ISBN 0805396039 (0-8053-9603-9)
Hardcover, W. A. Benjamin

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Book summary:
A comprehensive and authoritative coverage of the field, with the lively, incisive writing style for which earlier editions were famous. [via]
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Molecular Biology of the Gene: Specialized Aspects
by James D. Watson

ISBN 0805396136 (0-8053-9613-6)
Hardcover, Addison-Wesley

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Book summary:
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Complete in 2 volumes. [via]
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- Molecular Biology of the Gene: Specialized Aspects: ISBN 0805396136 (0-8053-9613-6)
  Hardcover, Addison-Wesley
Mutants: On Genetic Variety and the Human Body
by Armand Marie Leroi

ISBN 0142004820 (0-14-200482-0)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA

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Book summary:
"Who are the mutants? We are all mutants. But some of us are more mutant than others."

Variety, even deformity, may seem like an unlikely route by which to approach normality, even perfection. Yet much of what we know about the mechanisms of human development, growth, and aging comes from the study of people who are afflicted with congenital diseases, most of which have genetic causes. Congenital abnormalities reveal not only errors within the womb, but also our evolutionary history.

In Mutants, Armand Marie Leroi gives a brilliant narrative account of our genetic grammar and the people whose bodies have revealed it, balancing both the science and the stories behind some of history's most captivating figures-including a French convent girl who found herself changing sex upon puberty; children who, echoing Homer's Cyclops, are born with a single eye in the middle of their foreheads; a village of long-lived Croatian dwarves; a hairy family who was kept at the Burmese royal court for four generations (and from whom Darwin took one of his keenest insights into heredity); and the ostrich-footed Wadoma of the Zambezi River Valley.

Stepping effortlessly from myth to molecular biology, this elegant, humane, and illuminating book is about us all. [via]
More editions of Mutants: On Genetic Variety and the Human Body:
- Mutants: On Genetic Variety and the Human Body: ISBN 0670031100 (0-670-03110-0)
  Hardcover, Penguin Group USA
- Mutants: On Genetic Variety and the Human body: ISBN 0142004820 (0-14-200482-0)
  Softcover, Penguin Group USA
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Myths of Gender: Biological Theories About Women and Men
by Anne Fausto-Sterling

ISBN 0465047920 (0-465-04792-0)
Softcover, Perseus Books

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Book summary:
By carefully examining the biological, genetic, evolutionary, and psychological evidence, a noted biologist finds a shocking lack of substance behind ideas about biologically based sex differences. Features a new chapter and afterward on recent biological breakthroughs.
[via]
More editions of Myths of Gender: Biological Theories About Women and Men:
- Myths of Gender: Biological Theories About Women and Men: ISBN 0465047904 (0-465-04790-4)
  Hardcover, Basic Books
- Myths of Gender: Biological Theories About Women and Men: ISBN 0465047920 (0-465-04792-0)
  Softcover, Perseus Books
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Naturalist
by Edward O. Wilson

ISBN 1597260886 (1-59726-088-6)
Softcover, Island Pr

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Book summary:
E. O. Wilson, among the most prominent biologists working today, has made signal contributions to the field both large and small. As an entomologist, and especially as a student of several kinds of ants, he is famed among a small audience. He is better known for his work in the controversial subdiscipline of sociobiology for his formulations of island-biogeographic theory, and for his catastrophic view of modern extinctions. His lucid memoir, Naturalist, treats all these matters and more, and it celebrates the sea change in our view of nature--namely, that we now see that "we are bound to the rest of life in our ecology, our physiology, and even our spirit"--that has come about in no small measure because of Wilson's distinguished career. [via]
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On Human Nature
by Edward O. Wilson

ISBN 0674016386 (0-674-01638-6)
Softcover, Harvard Univ Pr

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Book summary:
Image is same as cover. [via]
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Ontogeny and Phylogeny
by Stephen Jay Gould

ISBN 0674639413 (0-674-63941-3)
Softcover, Harvard Univ Pr

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Book summary:
Contents:
* Recapitulation
* The Analogistic tradition from Anaximander to Bonnet
* Transcendental origins, 1793-1860
* Evolutionary triumph, 1859-1900
* Pervasive influence
* Decline, fall, and generalization
* Heterochrony and paedomorphosis
* Heterochrony and the parallel of ontogeny and phylogeny
* The Ecological and evolutionary significance of heterochrony
* Progenesis and neoteny
* Retardation and neoteny in human evolution
* Epilogue [via]
More editions of Ontogeny and Phylogeny:
- Ontogeny and Phylogeny: ISBN 0674639405 (0-674-63940-5)
  Hardcover, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press
- Ontogeny and Phylogeny: ISBN 0674639413 (0-674-63941-3)
  Softcover, Harvard Univ Pr
The Origin of Virtue
by Matt Ridley

ISBN 0670863572 (0-670-86357-2)
Softcover, Penguin USA

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- The Origin of Virtue: ISBN 0670863572 (0-670-86357-2)
  Softcover, Penguin USA
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The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation
by Matt Ridley

ISBN 0140264450 (0-14-026445-0)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA

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Book summary:
Human life, scientific journalist Matt Ridley suggests, is a complex balancing act: we behave with self-interest foremost in mind, but also in ways that do not harm, and sometimes even benefit, others. This behavior, in a strange way, makes us good. It also makes us unique in the animal world, where self-interest is far more pronounced. "The essential virtuousness of human beings is proved not by parallels in the animal kingdom, but by the very lack of convincing animal parallels," Ridley writes. How we got to be so virtuous over millions of years of evolution is the theme of this entertaining book of popular science, which will be of interest to any student of human nature. [via]
More editions of The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation:
- The Origins of Virtue : Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation: ISBN 0670874493 (0-670-87449-3)
  Hardcover, Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
- The Origins of Virtue: Human Instincts and the Evolution of Cooperation: ISBN 0140264450 (0-14-026445-0)
  Softcover, Penguin Group USA
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Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems and the Economic World
by Kevin Kelly

ISBN 0201483408 (0-201-48340-8)
Softcover, Perseus Books Group

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Book summary:
In many ways, the 20th century has been the Age of Physics. Out of Control is an accessible and entertaining explanation of why the coming years will probably be the Age of Biology -- particularly evolution and ethology -- and what this will mean to most every aspect of our society. Kelly is an enthusiastic and well-informed guide who explains the promises and implications of this rapidly evolving revolution very well. [via]
More editions of Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems and the Economic World:
- Out of Control: The New Biology of Machines, Social Systems and the Economic World: ISBN 0201483408 (0-201-48340-8)
  Softcover, Perseus Books Group
Out of Control: The Rise of Neo-Biological Civilization
by Kevin Kelly

ISBN 0201577933 (0-201-57793-3)
Hardcover, Perseus Books Group

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- Out of Control: The Rise of Neo-Biological Civilization: ISBN 0201577933 (0-201-57793-3)
  Hardcover, Perseus Books Group
The Penguin Dictionary of Biology
by M. Abercrombie, M. Hickman, M.L. Johnson, M. Thain

ISBN 0140511776 (0-14-051177-6)
Softcover, Penguin USA

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- The Penguin Dictionary of Biology: ISBN 0140511776 (0-14-051177-6)
  Softcover, Penguin USA
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The Search for the Giant Squid
by Richard Ellis

ISBN 1558216898 (1-55821-689-8)
Hardcover, Globe Pequot Pr

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Book summary:
The sea contains many mysteries, and among the most enduring of them are giant squids of the genus Architeuthis. About this squid, known as the "kraken" in classical mythology, we know little, except, oceanographic writer Richard Ellis notes, that "it occasionally washes ashore--and when that happens, we don't know why." Some of these odd creatures, Ellis notes, are 60 feet long, cannibalistic, and patently fierce, with the largest eyes of any animal on the planet (useful for seeing in the inky darkness of the deep sea). They're not the kind of thing you'd want to encounter on a benthic shelf, as Ian Fleming made clear in Doctor No, in which superspy James Bond had one such unpleasant meeting. But, thanks to Ellis's well-researched account, they make the perfect subject for armchair sleuthing, and he tells you just about everything you'd want to know about the giant squid, from the biologists and explorers and cryptozoologists who have hunted for it over the centuries, and much more. --Gregory McNamee [via]
More editions of The Search for the Giant Squid:
- The Search for the Giant Squid: ISBN 0140286764 (0-14-028676-4)
  Softcover, Penguin Group USA
- The Search for the Giant Squid: ISBN 1558216898 (1-55821-689-8)
  Hardcover, Globe Pequot Pr
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The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology
by Ray Kurzweil

ISBN 0670033847 (0-670-03384-7)
Hardcover, Penguin Group USA

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Book summary:
The great inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil is one of the best-known and most controversial advocates for the role of machines in the future of humanity. In his latest book, he envisions an eventthe "singularity"in which technological change becomes so rapid and so profound that our bodies and brains will merge with our machines.
The Singularity Is Near portrays what life will be like after this event a human- machine civilization where our experiences shift from real reality to virtual reality and where our intelligence becomes nonbiological and trillions of times more powerful. In practical terms, this means that human aging and pollution will be reversed; world hunger will be solved; our bodies and environment transformed by nanotechnology to overcome the limitations of biology, including death; and virtually any physical product can be created from information alone. The Singularity Is Near also considers the social and philosophical ramifications of these changes, and is certain to be one of the most widely discussed and provocative books of 2005. [via]
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- The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology: ISBN 0670033847 (0-670-03384-7)
  Hardcover, Penguin Group USA
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The Variety of Life: A Survey and a Celebration of All the Creatures That Have Ever Lived
by Colin Tudge

ISBN 0198503113 (0-19-850311-3)
Hardcover, Oxford Univ Pr

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Book summary:
It takes a brave writer to tackle the truly Herculean task of describing The Variety of Life with the astronomical numbers of organisms living today, let alone all those that have fallen by the wayside over the billions of years of life on Earth. No one is quite sure how many living species there are, but it is estimated to be somewhere between 10 million and 100 million. Fortunately, since the days of the great Swedish naturalist Linnaeus, around 250 years ago, life has been grouped and classified into hierarchical schemes. As a result, it is possible to encompass this enormous variety of life by describing the relatively few groups into which it can be clustered. And, since the mid-19th century and the Darwin-Wallace theory of evolution by natural selection, classification has taken on an extra, evolutionary dimension.
Colin Tudge, a well-known British science writer, has training in whole animal biology and a self-proclaimed love for the natural-historical foray among our fellow creatures. The first part of this big book (all of 90 pages) deals with the thorny problems of what Tudge rightly calls the craft and science of classification. Since the 1950s, the word cladistics has terrorized many traditional naturalists and biologists. But it is here to stay, and Tudge provides a very welcome guide that will be invaluable to both lay people and students.
The bulk of the text, nearly 500 pages, forms part II and includes the descriptions of the main groups, from the most primitive (alpha proteobacteria) prokaryotes to Eupatorium, a large genus of 1,800 or so species of plant. In between these two groups, at either end of the biological spectrum, lie all the more familiar bugs and beasts, including ourselves. Inevitably, given so many millions of organisms, difficult choices have to be made. Some groups are only dealt with at phylum level (for example, brachiopods), while others are detailed down to family level (for example, primates). Some extinct groups (not surprisingly, the dinosaurs) get a look, but not many overall. The short epilogue concerns conservation and is followed by a useful reference list of sources and an index. Altogether, the 600-odd pages are enlivened with a large number of excellent black-and-white drawings of individual organisms and diagrams illustrating evolutionary relationships. For all natural historians and anyone interested in biology, the The Variety of Life is a must. --Douglas Palmer, Amazon.co.uk [via]
More editions of The Variety of Life: A Survey and a Celebration of All the Creatures That Have Ever Lived:
- The Variety of Life: A Survey and a Celebration of All the Creatures That Have Ever Lived: ISBN 0198503113 (0-19-850311-3)
  Hardcover, Oxford Univ Pr
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Y: The Descent of Men
by Steve Jones

ISBN 0618565612 (0-618-56561-2)
Softcover, Houghton Mifflin

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Book summary:
In Y:The Descent of Men, the remarkable implications of an accident of biological evolution are brought to life by the award-winning science writer and British academic geneticist Steve Jones. Not to be confused with clothing sizes or brand names, the capital letters XX and XY refer to the approximate shapes of the sex determining chromosomes. Men have the smaller Y chromosome and confer gender differences on children through their sperm, a distinction that was only discovered in 1902. It was not so very long ago, as Jones reminds us, that scientists (male of course) thought that sperm carried a miniature human (homunculus) and a wife was "a mere seedbed; a step below (a husband) in society, in the household and, most of all, in herself". Since Darwin's day, humans have been displaced from their place just below the angels in the grand scheme of life. And now to further our ignominy and descent, within the human genome, the male Y chromosome is, as Jones puts it, "the most decayed, redundant and parasitic of the lot". Furthermore, man himself may become redundant, for his sperm can be grown in animal testes, and in mice at least an egg can be fertilised with a body cell from another female. Steve Jones is a brilliant science writer, capable of teasing, cajoling, entertaining and educating the reader without pain. Jones has not only pinched Darwin's title The Descent of Man but learned his technique of persuasion in which the potential critic is disarmed by having the faults, problems and dirt on the subject brought out into the open and given a good public washing. So with men and masculinity, as Jones details with telling detail and great humour, our biological inheritance and its social implications have left an immense wake of problems which will need to be sorted if men and humanity are to get over the crisis of modern manhood. So come on now chaps, pull yourselves together, dump the techie toys and mags and check out why your organ is so dangerous and what to do about the problem. For a first step, give yourself a treat, read this book and allow yourselves to be entertained and informed, if not necessarily reassured. Douglas Palmer. [via]
More editions of Y: The Descent of Men:
- Y: The Descent of Men: ISBN 0618139303 (0-618-13930-3)
  Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin Company
- Y: The Descent of Men: ISBN 0618565612 (0-618-56561-2)
  Softcover, Houghton Mifflin