Tag Archives: biology

Life Ascending

Posted on March 31, 2012 by smellincoffee

Life Ascending: the Ten Great Inventions of Evolution© 2009 Nick Lane344 pages For my money, few subjects are as impressive, beautiful, and awe-inspiring as biology and evolution. Is there a greater drama in the cosmos outside the long play of … Continue reading →

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This Week at the Library (19 June)

Posted on June 19, 2011 by smellincoffee

In addition to the reviews posted this weekend, I also finished Biology Made Simple — which proved to be too simple for my needs. Although the book improved vastly as the author covered the bodily systems, the opening chapters on … Continue reading →

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Sex on Six Legs

Posted on January 20, 2011 by smellincoffee

Sex on Six Legs: Lessons on Life,  Love, and Language from the Insect World© 2011 Marlene Zuk246 pages, not including index. Disclaimer:   I read from an advanced review copy of the book, available through NetGalleys. No compensation for a … Continue reading →

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Mapping Human History

Posted on November 30, 2010 by smellincoffee

Mapping Human History: Discovering the Past through Our Genes© 2002 Steve Olson292 pages Mapping Human History caught my attention a couple of weeks ago given my interests in evolution and anthropology. Author Steve Olson offers a quick history of human … Continue reading →

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The Greatest Show on Earth

Posted on November 5, 2009 by smellincoffee

The Greatest Show on Earth: the Evidence for Evolution© Richard Dawkins 2009 470 pages 2009 is the “Year of Darwin”, giving us nice round anniversaries for both Charles Darwins’ birth and the publication of his most famous work, The Origin … Continue reading →

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Why Evolution is True

Posted on June 28, 2009 by smellincoffee

Why Evolution is True © 2009 Jerry A. Coyne 282 pages Evolution is actually one of my favorite science topics to read about. Back in high school, I was a young-earth creationist who wore Kent Hovind tapes out while shaking … Continue reading →

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American Mania

Posted on May 20, 2009 by smellincoffee

American Mania: When More Isn’t Enough© 2005 Peter Whybrow338 pages The title “American Mania” caught my eye as I wandered through library bookcases trying to familiarize myself with the library’s recent reshuffling of the shelves after a discarding period: everything … Continue reading →

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This Week at the Library (7/10)

Posted on October 8, 2008 by smellincoffee

Books this Update Tilting the Balance, Harry Turtledove Prelude to Foundation, Isaac Asimov Parasite Rex, Carl Zimmer I continued in the Worldwar series by Harry Turtledove, which sees an alien invasion of Earth in 1942 — thus interrupting the second … Continue reading →

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This Week at the Library (28/2)

Posted on February 28, 2008 by smellincoffee

The History of the S.S. (G.S. Grabel)Washington’s Secret War (Thomas Fleming)The Trial of Madame Caillaux (Edward Berenson)Thomas Jefferson: Author of America. (Christopher Hitchens)How Few Remain (Harry Turtledove)Naturalist (E. O. Wilson)The Great War: American Front (Harry Turtledove) The first book I … Continue reading →

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This Week at the Library (21/9)

Posted on September 21, 2007 by smellincoffee

Current Music: “Rock and Roll All Night”, KISS The first book I read last week was River Out of Eden by Richard Dawkins. The river is a “river of information” — genetic information. The book doesn’t have the focus of … Continue reading →

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