Biography: science, technology and medicine Books

Book SynopsisJames Clerk Maxwell published the Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism in 1873. At his death, six years later, his theory of the electromagnetic field was neither well understood nor widely accepted. By the mid-1890s, however, it was regarded as one...Trade ReviewGeorge Francis Fitzgerald's indirect influence was immense, and his reputation grows with every retelling of his period by the historians of science, especially in... The Maxwellians, by Bruce Hunt.... He was the acknowledged leader of an international team—what we would today call an invisible college—calling themselves the Maxwellians—the subject of Hunt's splendid book. -- D. Weaire, Trinity College, Dublin * Europhysics News *The entire story is fascinating and often surprising. It deserves a wide audience. This will be facilitated by the fact that the book is in English, not in mathematics; a few equations appear, but most are in plain prose. * American Scientist *The Maxwellians is a remarkable achievement.... Hunt combines the highest level of professional historical scholarship with a narrative that is lively and compelling throughout. * Nature *This excellent book is the story of three men whose lives were shaped and whose friendship was made through the study of one book, James Clerk Maxwell's Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism. Behind this story is another of how the premature death of one man, Maxwell, caused an intellectual dislocation in science propagating over many years. * Science *Told with historical sensitivity and analytical skill, Hunt's story demolishes many of the long-accepted myths about the history of electromagnetism after Maxwell.... Hunt provides a readable account, written in terms accessible to anyone with a basic knowledge of physics. * Times Higher Education Supplement *

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Book SynopsisWilliam H. Foege, one of the most respected leaders in global public health, takes readers on a tour of his time at the CDC. In its seventy years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has evolved from a malaria control program to an institution dedicated to improving health for all people across the world. The Fears of the Rich, The Needs of the Poor is a revealing account of the CDC's development by its former director, public health luminary William H. Foege. Dr. Foege tells the stories of pivotal moments in public health, including the eradication of smallpox (made possible due in part to Foege's research) and the discovery of Legionnaires' disease, Reye syndrome, toxic shock syndrome, and HIV/AIDS. With good humor and optimism, he recounts the various crises he surmounted, from threats of terrorist attacks to contentious congressional hearings and funding cuts. Highlighting the people who made possible some of public health's biggest successes, Foege outlines thTrade ReviewI would recommend the book to anyone interested in, or who works within, the field of public health. It is an excellent book that can be included on reading lists for public/global health modules.—Andrew Southgate, Canterbury Christ Church University, Nursing TimesThis insider's history of the politics, health processes, and management issues involved in maintaining and expanding the CDC's influence around the world should be required reading for anyone interested in public health on a global scale.—Donovan's Literary ServicesBy sharing real stories of infectious diseases that devastated populations and how Foege and his colleagues grew into the leaders that helped bring these epidemics under control, the book provides guidance and inspiration for current and future public health workforces. Although public health can be a thankless profession, through this memoir Foege reminds us how indispensable the field is for our world's future.—Emerging Infectious DiseasesBeautiful, wonderful, clear encouraging book—Anna Maria PolidoriTable of ContentsPreface1. A Threat2. Security3. Lassa and Ebola4. A Short History of the CDC5. The Fears of the Rich and the Needs of the Poor6. Balancing Babies and the Marketplace7. Toxic Shock8. Serendipity and Unexpected Paths9. The Mysterious Deaths of Veterans10. An Unexpected Return to the CDC11. Disaster Relief12. Smallpox Claims Its Last Victims13. Coming into the United States14. Organizing for Success15. Vaccines16. Do No Harm17. Global Health18. Positive Politics19. Toxic Politics20. Reye Syndrome21. Comic Relief22. Reducing the Toll of Injuries23. Uncommon People24. AIDS25. Blind Spots26. On Budgets and BurglarsAcknowledgmentsAppendixReferencesIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“[A] jaunty book.”—James Ryerson, New York Times Book Review“Devlin leads a cheerful pursuit to rediscover the hero of 13th-century European mathematics, taking readers across centuries and through the back streets of medieval and modern Italy in this entertaining and surprising history.”—Publishers Weekly“Finding Fibonacci showcases Devlin’s writerly flair.”—Davide Castelvecchi, Nature“[Devlin] talks his way into Italian research libraries in search of early manuscripts, photographs all 11 street signs on Via Leonardo Fibonacci in Florence and strives to cultivate a love for numbers in his readers.”—Andrea Marks, Scientific American“Engaging and entertaining.”—Library Journal“Personal and lively.”—Adhemar Bultheel, European Mathematical Society“Devlin’s enthusiasm for his subject is infectious.”—Tony Mann, Times Higher Education

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Book Synopsis2020 Banff Mountain Book Award Winner - Grand Prize 2020 Banff Mountain Book Award Winner - Mountain Literature Richard K. Nelson was the host of the national public radio series, "Encounters" Nelson was an anthropologist who lived with Alaska Native tribes and spoke both Inupiag and Koyukon Based on Nelson's journals and interviews with Gary Snyder, Barry Lopez, Rick Bass, and others "He listened to his [Native Alaskan] teachers, immersed himself in their landscapes as a naturalist, and became, without intending to, a great teacher himself." --Barry Lopez, from the foreword Before his death in 2019, cultural anthropologist, author, and radio producer Richard K. Nelson's work focused primarily on the indigenous cultures of Alaska and, more generally, on the relationships between people and nature. Nelson lived for extended periods in Athabaskan and Alaskan Eskimo villages, experiences which inspired his earliest written works, including Hunters of the Northern Ice In Raven's Witness, Lentfer tells Nelson's story--from his midwestern childhood to his first experiences with Native culture in Alaska through his own lifelong passion for the land where he so belonged. Nelson was the author of the bestselling The Island Within and Heart and Blood. The recipient of multiple honorary degrees and numerous literary awards, he regularly packed auditoriums when he spoke. His depth of experience allowed him to become an intermediary between worlds. This is his story. Find out more at www.ravenswitness.com, and learn how you can help bring this story to life here.Trade ReviewA beautifully told story of a well-lived life.--Lisa Schwarzburg "Alaska Journal of Anthropology" A lovely tribute that illuminates what makes a life extraordinary.--Jennifer Sahn "High Country News" Raven's Witness not only introduces Richard Nelson to those of us who had not heard of him, but more importantly it lays bare the philosophies that he embraced, that will likely be important for the future of humanity.--Mike Nash "Cloudburst" The author gives compelling shape to his subject's vigor and curiosity.-- "Library Journal" An inherently fascinating and impressively informative biography, 'Raven's Witness: The Alaska Life of Richard K. Nelson' will prove to be of immense interest to readers.-- "Midwest Book Review" Anyone who cares about the wilder corners of this Earth, and the indigenous people and animals that have successfully inhabited them, should know the work of Richard Nelson, a remarkable anthropologist and superb writer who died last year. A fine introduction to his life can be found in a new biography, 'Raven's Witness.'--Bill McKibben "The New Yorker's The Climate Crisis" Mr. Lentfer was a friend and expedition partner to Nelson, and he skillfully portrays the trials of a life stretched taut between these two different ways of knowing and occupying.... Lentfer's book is particularly good at evoking the piercing beauties of all that was outside, and the bliss Nelson found there.--Richard Adams Carey "Wall Street Journal" Raven's Witness is the perfect mix of poetic voice and scientifically infused prose. This book takes us on one man's journey of passion and insight that stems from Alaska's wilderness and its people. The writing style is thoughtful, and the end result is a story that seeps into the soul of the reader.--Helen Rolfe "2020 Banff Book Competition Jury, Mountain Literature Award" This book makes me want to ponder over our connections with nature and the meaning of spirituality for each one of us. Such is the power of its quality of writing and the subject of the book, Richard K. Nelson. There can never be enough of books like this.--Nandini Purandare "2020 Banff Book Competition Jury, Grand Prize Award Winner" Even more than a brilliant biography, Raven's Witness creates an entirely new genre--a beautifully told story of the ethos of gratitude and joy that is born when an extraordinary man immerses himself in the culture of sea-ice people and the wisdom of a wild island.--Kathleen Dean Moore, author of Great Tide Rising Hank Lentfer's Raven's Witness is an exceptional biography of Richard Nelson, and a gift to us. Reading it we come to understand, through Nelson's life, how the immediacy of the senses, flowing across the earth--touch, taste, scent, sight, sound--transcend whatever other feeble boundaries we construct. Nelson emerges here as a most passionate participant in these senses, and in that immediacy, endures.--Rick Bass, author of Winter: Notes from Montana [Lentfer] had a wealth of material to work with, and has done a magnificent job of crafting a well-organized and literary book of his own from that abundance.--Nancy Lord "Anchorage Daily News" A fine biography, and a memorable introduction to an exceptional man.--Jane Manaster "Seattle Book Review" An anthropological saga, a literary gem about the legendary "Nels," one of the most extraordinary naturalists of our time.--Paul Hawken, author of Drawdown In prose that powerfully evokes the richness of the landscape he writes about, Lentfer takes readers on a touching and remarkable journey, managing to create a heartfelt portrait not only of his complex and fascinating subject but also of the people Nelson loved and the place he called home. With its artful presentation of a writer's life and struggles, Raven's Witness takes readers on a profoundly American adventure that soars through last word.--Colleen Mondor "Booklist" Lentfer's refined and evocative writing is enriched by excerpts from Nels's eloquent, revealing journal entries.... Packed with relevant messages, Lentfer's biography is a timely reminder to heed the advice of students who have learned from the greatest teacher of all: nature.--Bianca Bowers "Foreword Reviews"

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2013""Masterly. . . . Gray encapsulates Poincaré's multiple dimensions; his intellectual biography is both a tour de force and a triumph of readability."---George Szpiro, Nature"Gray shows us the full dazzling sweep of what Poincaré accomplished, including the work on dynamical systems and chaos that only came into its own in recent years. A tour de force, Gray's masterful treatment will long remain an invaluable resource for all who want to understand Poincaré, so embedded within his times and yet so far ahead of them."---Peter Pesic, Science"[A] comprehensive but uncluttered guide to Poincaré's extensive oeuvres."---Madeline Muntersbjorn, Times Higher Education"Full of the mathematical, physical and metaphysical ideas of a man who was not only a dispassionate observer of the world around us, but of our way of understanding it."---Mark Ronan, Standpoint Magazine"[A] comprehensive assessment of Poincare's work and its importance, essential for anyone interested in Poincare's scholarship or the history of mathematics."---Laura Tarwater Scharp, Sacramento Book Review"Comprehensive." * Science News *"A fundamental study of the scientific work of one of the greatest mathematicians and mathematical physicists of the three decades straddling the 19th and 20th centuries. . . . Chapters are organized topically, not chronologically. Each illuminates in depth one or other of Poincaré's works but all are set in context both historical and temathic such that each can serve as an introduction into the many subjects to which Poincaré made a contribution."---Alexander Bogomolny, CTK Insights"Poincare's work is fully alive in science today. This biography is one of the first thorough introductions to his work, it should get the attention of mathematicians, natural scientists and philosophers."---Ferdinand Verhulst, European Legacy"Gray, a mathematics historian and scholar on the life and work of Henry Poincaré, has, with the support of a Leverhulme Research Fellowship, produced this comprehensive and definitive 'scientific biography.' Gray offers abundant rich information on Poincaré's ideas and scientific process, the evolution and maturity of his mathematics including missteps, the dexterity of his reasoning, and the influences that shaped his thought." * Choice *"I recommend [this] book highly."---Robert E. O'Malley, Jr., SIAM Review"Jeremy Gray's book on Poincaré's mathematics, physics, and philosophy is an important contribution to the literature and a huge step towards a full biography of this pioneer ofmodern science."---Reinhard Siegmund-Schultze, Zentralblatt MATH"Gray's book is a comprehensive scientific biography of Poincare. It embraces the broad scope of Poincare's work, from his philosophical speculations to his popular writing, and gives a thorough overview of his extensive mathematical researches."---Peter Lynch, Irish Mathematical Society Bulletin"[T]he author does not simply give platitudes when writing about Poincare's ideas: mathematicians will enjoy reading about his discoveries concerning the three-body problem, the theory of functions, topology, number theory, Lie theory, algebraic geometry, and probability. This scientific biography is the first to comprehensively cover all of Poincare's main contributions to mathematics, philosophy, and physics."---Alan S. McRae, Mathemematical Reviews Clippings"Jeremy Gray has done a marvelous job of exposition and of binding together the many different cognitive, social and biographical strands into the coherent whole of a challenging, but highly rewarding, 'scientific biography'."---Klaus Hentschel, British Journal for the History of Science"A good intellectual biography of an artist should help the reader see how a particular worldview shapes the pursuit of art. Gray's book does that most admirably."---Daniel S. Alexander, H-France Review"Henry Poincaré is likely to remain the standard by which scientific biographies, at least those that concern physicists and mathematicians, are judged for some time."---Christopher Cumo, Canadian Journal of History"I warmly recommend the book to anyone with an interest in the development of modern mathematics. It will surely be the definitive scientific biography of Poincare for the foreseeable future."---John Stillwell, Notices of the AMS"Gray describes Poincaré's scientific epoch in a beautiful way. Due attention is paid to the mathematical and further scientific aspects of his life, and the intellectual complexity of his achievements, both in their range and their depth, are amply discussed. Gray displays a mastery of his material that is rare even among historians of mathematics and science, and his biography is richly rewarding, engrossing, and informative. He deserves our congratulations."---H. W. Broer, Journal of the British Society for the History of Mathematics"Gray succeeds admirably in presenting both the conceptual and the historical context necessary to appreciate Poincaré's contributions. Gray's masterful biography may well serve as a standard example for future endeavors of this kind."---Tilman Sauer, Isis"The obvious virtue of this book is its comprehensiveness. The deeper virtue is to connect Poincaré's views of all the parts of his work and to encourage more of that. Gray gives us Poincaré's view of Science as a whole."---Colin McLarty, Mathematical Intelligencer"The book is an endless source of interesting insights by Poincaré. . . . I would recommend the book for mathematicians, mathematics educators, and philosophers in higher education who want a rich understanding of Poincaré, his work, and his times."---Mary L. Garner, Mathematics Teacher

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Readers who want to know more about physics but are intimidated by the subject’s complexity will want to turn to The Physics Book” —Booklist

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewIf science and medicine were a theme park, Luke O'Neill is the best company on the wildest rides . . . serious and fun . . . expansive and detailed . . . a disruptive professor in his own class -- BonoLuke's brilliant wit and infectious passion makes for a fascinating and hugely entertaining read...a timely reminder of just why science and the scientists who have shaped our lives matter -- Liz BonninA lively, gossipy, story-filled delight, filled with fascinating factoids * Sunday Independent *Even the scientifically illiterate, like myself, could get it and have a whole new understanding of all kinds of things * Brendan O’Connor *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year""Outstanding. . . . A superb biographical rehabilitation of an indispensable natural scientist." * Kirkus Review starred review *"[Costa] gives naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace the biography he deserves in this definitive account. . . . Comprehensive and revelatory, this is a first-rate take on an overlooked figure in scientific history." * Publishers Weekly *"Radical by Nature uncovers fresh details about a remarkable, idiosyncratic scientist and social activist, showing how humans’ understanding of the world was fundamentally altered by his ideas." * Foreword Reviews, starred review *"Alfred Russel Wallace was perhaps the most famed naturalist of the Victorian age. . . . James T Costa’s hefty, in-depth account draws on letters, notebooks and journals to mark Wallace’s revolutionary life and achievements, on the 200th anniversary of his birth." * BBC Wildlife *"An expansive and insightful biography. . . . [Costa] offers a fine introduction to Wallace’s life and work for the uninitiated—and a revelatory portrait for those of us who thought we already knew him."---Jennie Erin Smith, Wall Street Journal"Alfred Russel Wallace, the codiscoverer of evolution by natural selection so often overshadowed by Charles Darwin, gets his star turn in this richly textured biography. . . . Deep research grounds the book, but Costa's prose is nevertheless breezy and informal, driving an often-exciting narrative." * Choice Reviews *"[Radical by Nature] is well-documented using Wallace’s own publications. . . . Costa’s biography helps us to see that Wallace was not, in fact, a case of split personality: he was engaged in a lifelong effort to find a moral agenda underlying the activities of nature and the forces that drive human interactions."---Peter Bowler, Current Biology"Costa’s stated aim of writing an updated biography has been more than realised; this book is a triumph! I tremendously enjoyed Radical by Nature and was very impressed with the depth of its scholarship. Next to an intimate portrait of this most fascinating scholar, Costa provides much detail on a critical period of scientific development and the social context in which it unfolded."---Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist"A must-read not only for biogeographers, evolutionary biologists and historians of science, but also for anyone who is interested in modern history and the origins of current societies during colonial times. Alfred Russel Wallace deserves many more homages, but this loving tribute from James Costa is a major step towards putting him into the place he deserves in history."---Joaquín Hortal, Nature Ecology & Evolution"[Radical by Nature] earns its place alongside other Wallace biographies. . . . It is both a competent biography of an incredible scientist while also being a compelling narrative. . . . A new take on the life and accomplishments of Alfred Russel Wallace."---Jeremy B. Stout, Quarterly Review of Biology

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Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BEST SELLER FEATURING INTERVIEWS WITH DR ANTHONY FAUCI, DAME SALLY DAVIES AND DR JIM DOWNFor every doctor there is that one patient, whose story touches them in a way they didn't expect, changing their entire outlook on life. This inspiring and deeply moving book is the story of those patients.Every weekend, in Holland's most popular newspaper, de Volkskrant, renowned science-journalist Ellen de Visser asks a different medical professional to tell her about that one patient'; the patient who changed everything for them.Every day, in every country, thousands of patients share their stories with their doctors: stories they may never have told anyone else; stories that are heartbreaking, sometimes funny, and just occasionally unforgettable. To be able to do their job to the best of their abilities, medical experts use their professional empathy': they sympathize with their patients but try to keep themselves at a distance. But there is always that one patient who, for Trade Review‘Take the time to read this book. It’s worth it!’ Professor Stephen Westaby, author of Fragile Lives ‘I loved this book. It brings anonymous 'health care professionals' to life, showing their real thoughts, emotions and reactions to the people they see. I hope showing the lifelong impact our patients can have on us helps people to be assured that we who serve them are deeply touched by their stories, appreciate their confidence in us and value their trust. If we occasionally struggle to rise to their expectations it's not because we are indifferent or unkind, but because we, too, are human’ Kathryn Mannix, author of With the End in Mind

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Book SynopsisA FINANCIAL TIMES HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEARA STRONG WORDS TOP 50 BOOKS OF THE YEAR''Dizzying and fragrant . . . truly a captivating achievement!'' Aimee Nezhukumatathil''If you read this book you will be changed . . . this book feels like an actual elixir'' Kiese Laymon''A fascinating tale of discovery, wonder, and revolution'' Matthew StanleyTwo friends in a Parisian perfume shop make a discovery that will transform our understanding of the world and the origins of life on Earth forever.Set amidst the unforgettable sights and smells of 18th and 19th Century Paris, Elixir tells the story of Edouard Laugier and Auguste Laurent, the son of a perfumer and a fellow aspiring chemist, who met on the Left Bank while pursuing their passion for science. Spurned by the scientific establishment, the pair ended up working out of Edouard''s family perfume shop, Laugier père Trade ReviewIf you read this book you will be changed. For those of us who make a living assembling words to describe smells, this book feels like an actual elixir. Absolutely stunning -- Kiese Laymon, MacArthur Fellow and author of HEAVY: AN AMERICAN MEMOIRDizzying and fragrant with elegant and riveting sentences, Levitt takes us on a most fascinating journey from the bloody revolutions to the chemistry labs of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century France, all to glimpse the glorious pursuit of scent. Truly a captivating achievement! -- Aimee Nezhukumatathil, author of WORLD OF WONDERS"Here is where the story begins," promises Levitt at the end of her prologue, and though it's only page four, already we're hooked. Who knew that the history of perfume would incorporate not only alchemy, botany, and fermentation, but intrigue, secrets, and scandal? This thoroughly researched tale is also thoroughly gripping and thoroughly readable. Elixir is a fabulous accomplishment -- Beth Ann Fennelly, Poet Laureate of Mississippi and author of HEATING & COOLINGA fascinating tale of discovery, wonder, and revolution. Beautifully written and deeply researched, it shows how the paths to artificial dyes, bottled soda, and Pasteur's breakthrough all ran through a humble perfume shop. With remarkable historical and literary skill, Levitt reveals how the quest to supply queenly scents and Napoleon's bathwater ended up interrogating the most profound questions of life and death -- Matthew Stanley, author of EINSTEIN'S WARAs Paris was rocked by waves of revolutionary zeal and lines blurred between cosmetics and medicines, two ambitious young chemists raced to investigate if there was something special - even unique - about matter that came from living things. A riveting read! -- David Kaiser, author of QUANTUM LEGACIESAt a time when the boundaries between scientists, salesmen, and charlatans were as blurry as productive, Levitt describes how investigations about health and hygiene were inseparable from the desire to smell good. The laboratories that gave us modern chemistry were not places where the disturbances of the outside world were kept out, but rather where they were welcomed in to be distilled and repackaged in their most intoxicating form. This highly original work shows us that scientific truth is not only messier than we have previously considered it to be - it is smellier -- Jimena Canales, author of BEDEVILED[A] fascinating account of the birth pangs of organic chemistry -- The TimesComprehensive . . . enjoyable . . . and most beguiling -- The EconomistLevitt writes in a lively style, making the sights, sounds and smells of 18th and 19th century Europe come to life -- Mail on SundayWritten with the propulsive flow of a novel -- Science'A delightful history of science and scent at the dawn of the modern age' -- Financial Times Best Summer Books 2023A detailed yet absorbing adventure story . . . Deploying superb detection skills, academic Theresa Levitt has rescued from obscurity two friends, Edouard Laugier and Auguste Laruent, who searched for chemical order in living material - that is, the essence of life itself -- BBC History Magazine

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Book SynopsisWhen John Napier published his invention of logarithms in 1614 he was announcing one of the greatest advances in the history of mathematics, and log tables were used universally until the mid 1970s. With his Rabdologia, an ingenious calculating tool composed of numbered rods which came to be known as 'Napier's Bones', he enabled people in the marketplace to do multiplication sums without knowing any multiplication tables. Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about this most extrordinary man was that his great inventions were made without the stimulus of talking to other mathematicians in mainstream Europe. Working away in comparative isolation in a tower house in Scotland, Napier produced methods of calculation that literally changed lives all over the world. He is the father of the slide-rule and the grandfather of today's calculators. Despite his achievements, he remains curiously uncelebrated, and this absorbing story of his life aims to give John Napier his true status. This new edition has been redesigned in a new format and has a new cover.Trade ReviewReview of first edition: 'What a wonderful little book; it is beautifully written and has wonderful photographs and illustrations ... Moreover it accomplishes its purpose, to give us a glimpse into the nature and times of John Napier.' History of Mathematics NewsletterTable of ContentsAcknowledgements 1 An Astonishing World 2 A Privileged Beginning 3 A Very Young Student 4 Travel was not for the Faint hearted 5 The Student comes Home 6 A Country Laird or a Sorcerer? 7 Weapons against the Spaniards 8 Logarithms - The Quantum Leap 9 The World's First Pocket Calculator 10 Up amongst the Greats Selected Bibliography

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Book Synopsis Nominated for the CWA Dagger Award 2023 ‘A wonderful book’ - Guardian Truth, murder and the birth of the lie detector Trade Review"A gripping and densely reported account of a little-known period of history, with implications for how we understand science to this day. I was hooked." Sirin Kale, feature writer for The Guardian "Katwala manages to bring history alive in this riveting delve back into the archives, placing you right at the heart of one of the most consequential – and controversial – inventions in criminal history." Chris Stokel-Walker, author of TikTok Boom and YouTubers "A gripping, forensically detailed account that reads more like a mystery than history." Angela Saini, author of Superior and Inferior “A wonderful book … tells the story of the lie detector, from the first, gripping murder case for which it was conceived, up to its use today in the justice system.” – Guardian “Certainly demonstrates how easily the polygraph can be manipulated…deploys its twists and maintains suspense with some skill….Katwala tells his various tales with admirable lucidity….rich with colourful incidental detail.” Telegraph “Tremors in the Blood, a cautionary tale about the limits of technology and the fallibility of humans, is as dramatic as any thriller”. Times “With a cinematic narrative style that often reads more like a thriller than a work of history…Katwala charts how the (polygraph) machine tore apart the lives of the men who invented it, and explores how it led to the deaths of many more who failed to pass its test.” New Statesmen “A thrilling, page-turning near-novelisation of the development of what we now know as the polygraph…Katwala’s meticulous archival research, centred around two high-profile US murder cases – those of Henry Wilkens and Joseph Rappaport – is worthy of any thriller.” The Spectator

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Faster Cures is a primer on inspirational leadership from the fearless, brilliant mind of Mike Milken—a great man with a sense of urgency.” — Karen Knudsen, MBA, PhD, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society “Here is the story of how Mike Milken changed the world, what it took, and why it matters. It took everything. He really did make the world healthier for all of us.” — Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google and chairman of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence “Inspirational, optimistic, and highly informative, Faster Cures gives us all hope for a brighter future. A must-read for anyone who wants to live better as they age.” — Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO of AARP “I loved the book and its insights into how Mike Milken gets things done.” — James P. Allison, PhD, 2018 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine “This is a book of hope and inspiration. It should encourage every person and organization to find their own higher purposes.” — Deepak Chopra, MD, author of The Healing Self and other bestsellers “Michael Milken understands our most promising scientific opportunities and how we should support and apply breakthrough medical approaches that can transform the lives of patients in need.” — Jennifer Doudna, PhD, winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discoveries in CRISPR gene editing “In this extraordinary and inspiring book, Michael Milken describes how he revolutionized the way research is conducted, and empowered millions with new hope and choices.” — Dean Ornish, MD, Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCSF and creator of the Ornish Lifestyle “I’ve seen Mike improve the world of health throughout the many years we’ve been friends. His accomplishments are amazing.” — Whoopi Goldberg, actress, author, and TV personality “As a relentless agent of change, Mike Milken has transformed the worlds of finance, philanthropy, and medical science.” — David Heber, MD, PhD, founding director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition “Mike Milken is the smartest person I've ever met, but I never knew his backstory. Now I do.” — Frank Luntz, PhD, TV commentator, political consultant, and pollster “Mike Milken applied competition and free-market theories to force collaboration among the world’s best scientists and doctors. The resulting breakthroughs have saved many lives.” — Maria Bartiromo, author and TV host “Mike Milken has improved the health of millions of people by funding and celebrating innovators and tirelessly advocating for change.” — Steve Case, chairman and CEO of Revolution and cofounder of AOL “Focus on patients—the full diversity of patients—sets Mike apart. This is his amazing handbook for transforming a system.” — Freda Lewis-Hall, MD, former EVP and chief medical officer of Pfizer, Inc. “No one in recent years has done more to advance the fight against serious disease.” — Andrew von Eschenbach, MD, former FDA Commissioner and former director of the National Cancer Institute

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Book SynopsisSunita's story inspires and excites one to look anew at the world of space missions. And even more than inspiration, she makes life as an astronaut seem thrilling and fun.

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Book SynopsisA DAILY MAIL BOOK OF THE WEEK''Spare Parts is a fascinating read filled with adventure, delight and surprise'' RAHUL JANDIAL, surgeon author of ''Life on a Knife''s Edge''''This is a joyful romp through a fascinating slice of medical history'' WENDY MOORE, author of ''The Knife Man''_______________________________________________________________How did an architect help pioneer blood transfusion in the 1660s?Why did eighteenth-century dentists buy the live teeth of poor children?And what role did a sausage skin and an enamel bath play in making kidney transplants a reality?We think of transplant surgery as one of the medical wonders of the modern world. But transplant surgery is as ancient as the pyramids, with a history more surprising than we might expect. Paul Craddock takes us on a journey - from sixteenth-century skin grafting to c

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Book SynopsisStories from the ER: a doctor shows how empathy, creativity, and imagination are the cornerstones of clinical care.To be an emergency room doctor is to be a professional listener to stories. Each patient presents a story; finding the heart of that story is the doctor’s most critical task. More technology, more tests, and more data won’t work if doctors get the story wrong. Empathy, creativity, and imagination are the cornerstones of clinical care. In Tornado of Life, ER physician Jay Baruch offers a series of short, powerful, and affecting essays that capture the stories of ER patients in all their complexity and messiness.Patients come to the ER with lives troubled by scales of misfortune that have little to do with disease or injury. ER doctors must be problem-finders before they are problem-solvers. Cheryl, for example, whose story is a chaos narrative of “and this happened, and then that happened, and then, and then and then and then,

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Book SynopsisThe changing relationships between science and industry in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, illustrated by the career of the “father of plastics.”The Belgian-born American chemist, inventor, and entrepreneur Leo Baekeland (1863-1944) is best known for his invention of the first synthetic plastic—his near-namesake Bakelite—which had applications ranging from electrical insulators to Art Deco jewelry. Toward the end of his career, Baekeland was called the “father of plastics”—given credit for the establishment of a sector to which many other researchers, inventors, and firms inside and outside the United States had also made significant contributions. In Beyond Bakelite, Joris Mercelis examines Baekeland's career, using it as a lens through which to view the changing relationships between science and industry on both sides of the Atlantic in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. He gives special att

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Book SynopsisAn intimate, accessible history of British intellectual development across the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, through the story of one familyTrade Review“This compelling and wide-ranging family narrative adopts a highly perceptive and novel approach to the transition from the rationalist Enlightenment to the religious, political and mathematical conflicts of Victorian Britain.”—Simon Schaffer, coauthor of Leviathan and the Air-Pump“This epic masterpiece explores the connections between philosophy, mathematics, spiritualism and faith across successive generations of an utterly extraordinary family. I couldn’t put it down.”—James A. Secord, author of Visions of Science: Books and Readers at the Dawn of the Victorian Age“This fascinating family saga traces how reason became lived experience in the religion, politics, science, mathematics, spiritualism, and personal tragedy in three generations of an English family. Beautifully written, Generations of Reason vividly evokes how a commitment to living reason unfolded against the backdrop of a century of revolution, reform, and transformation.”—Lorraine Daston, author of Against Nature“This magnificent book analyses the interlinked lives of three generations of extraordinary thinkers who each grappled with the challenges of integrating their spiritual commitments with powerful and persuasive new ideas about rationality and reason—ideas that increasingly undermined their faith. In a sweeping family saga, Joan Richards’ deep expertise reveals the burning concerns of a tightly knit circle of uniquely interesting men and women as they explored ways of living and believing, moving in different directions through the foundation of Unitarianism to a trust in numbers and mathematical rationality for some and spiritual theosophy for others.”—Janet Browne, author of Charles Darwin: A Biography

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Book SynopsisWidely considered the greatest genius of all time, Albert Einstein revolutionised our understanding of the cosmos with his general theory of relativity and helped to lead us into the atomic age. Yet in the final decades of his life he was also ignored by most working scientists, his ideas opposed by even his closest friends. This stunning downfall can be traced to Einstein''s earliest successes and to personal qualities that were at first his best assets. Einstein''s imagination and self-confidence served him well as he sought to reveal the universe''s structure, but when it came to newer revelations in the field of quantum mechanics, these same traits undermined his quest for the ultimate truth. David Bodanis traces the arc of Einstein''s intellectual development across his professional and personal life, showing how Einstein''s confidence in his own powers of intuition proved to be both his greatest strength and his ultimate undoing. He was a fallible genius. An intimate aTrade ReviewBodanis is a lot like Einstein . . . Both see the fun in physics, both love simplicity and brevity * The Times *A sympathetic appraisal of Einstein's intellectual development * Nature *Like Einstein, he finds fun in physics and understands how to communicate its mystery * The Times *This is a perceptive and lucid account of a brilliant but flawed physicist. -- PD Smith * the Guardian *

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Book Synopsis From an award-winning historian, the outlandish story of the man who gave rights to animals. In Gilded Age America, people and animals lived cheek-by-jowl in environments that were dirty and dangerous to man and beast alike. The industrial city brought suffering, but it also inspired a compassion for animals that fueled a controversial anti-cruelty movement. From the center of these debates, Henry Bergh launched a shocking campaign to grant rights to animals. A Traitor to His Species is revelatory social history, awash with colorful characters. Cheered on by thousands of men and women who joined his cause, Bergh fought with robber barons, Five Points gangs, and legendary impresario P.T. Barnum, as they pushed for new laws to protect trolley horses, livestock, stray dogs, and other animals. Raucous and entertaining, A Traitor to His Species tells the story of a remarkable man who g

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Book SynopsisA balanced portrait of an overlooked pioneer and her work in healthcare.

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Book SynopsisGenerations of practical and ingenious Maritimers have given the word great things. Since the mid-nineteenth century, scientists have fanned out into the world from colleges and universities that are among the oldest in North America. Great Maritime Achievers in Science and Technology brings together the achievements of more than 30 of these trail-blazing scientists and inventors, many of whom gained national and international prominence in the second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth. Among those profiled in the book are Grace Annie Lockhart, the first woman in the British Empire to earn a university science degree; Charles Fenerty, who discovered how to make paper out of wood; Abraham Gesner, who invented kerosene and fathered the petroleum industry; and others whose practical, yet creative minds helped change the course of Canada''s scientific history.Trade Review"A welcome addition to the study of regional history in Atlantic Canada and contributes greatly to our understanding of the 19th and early 20th century's scientific breakthroughs in the Maritimes. It is hoped that a copy of Great Maritime Achievers will appear on bookshelves in all schools throughout the region." * Times & Transcript *

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of the No. 1 bestseller WEDLOCK, the story of two pioneering scientists, and a nation held under the spell of mesmerism...

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of the No. 1 bestseller WEDLOCK, the story of two pioneering men of science, and a nation in thrall to mesmerism...

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Book SynopsisBBC Radio 4''s celebrated THE LIFE SCIENTIFIC has featured some of the world''s most renowned experts in the field of deadly viruses. The interviews make sobering reading, a reminder of all the deadly viruses that have threatened global health, and why for the scientists working on the front line in the war against viruses, the arrival of Covid-19 came as no surprise. Among the contributors to this all-too-timely book are:Jeremy Farrar, before he became Director of the Wellcome Trust, worked in an Infectious Diseases Hospital in Vietnam. He was on the frontline tackling SARS and nine months later a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu, H5N1. Peter Piot was at the forefront of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. He was the first to identify HIV in Africa. It took him fifteen years to persuade the world that it was also a heterosexual disease. Later as Executive Director of UN AIDS he fought for years to get the UN to take the threat of HIV seriously.

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Book SynopsisWhat does it take to be an inventor?Judging by the ingenious individuals who have come into The Life Scientific studio in the last eight years, there is no simple answer. Mathematicians, electricians, molecular biologists and mechanics can all transform lives. Some think with their hands, others make things in their minds. Most have a vision of the future. All are driven by a passionate determination to solve problems.These intimate accounts, based on interviews recorded for the popular BBC Radio 4 programme The Life Scientific, chart the life journeys of scientists and engineers working in Britain today from childhood interests to innovation. Explaining what they did when and why, they make science seem straightforward and exciting, revealing moments of disappointment, creativity, frustration and joy. The result is an illuminating collection of biographical short stories that make scientists and the work they do accessible to us all.

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Book SynopsisA biography of the gifted ornithologist, animal painter, and writer whose extensive depictions of birds are still considered a monumental achievement in the worlds of animal biology and art. Historical illustrations, photographs, and original documents are presented throughout the book.Table of ContentsFor more information, please visit our website at:https://novapublishers.com/shop/audubon-the-naturalist-a-history-of-his-life-and-time-volume-i/

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Book SynopsisA biography of the gifted ornithologist, animal painter, and writer whose extensive depictions of birds are still considered a monumental achievement in the worlds of animal biology and art. Historical illustrations, photographs, and original documents are presented throughout the book.Table of ContentsFor more information, please visit our website at:https://novapublishers.com/shop/audubon-the-naturalist-a-history-of-his-life-and-time-volume-ii/

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Book SynopsisThis book makes no attempt to fill the place either of a critical study or a definitive biography. The author found it impossible to draw a real portrait of the man without attempting some interpretation of his books and the quotation from them of characteristic passages, for they are the record of his personal attitude towards the problems most intimately affecting his life. Whitman was a man of special and exceptional character.

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Book SynopsisFamous Men of Science, published in 1889, is a collection of 14 biographical sketches written by Sarah Knowles Bolton. Read about the works, discoveries, and lives of the various scientists that have paved the path for modern science today.Table of ContentsPreface; Galileo Galilei; Sir Isaac Newton; Carl Linnæus; Baron Cuvier; Sir William and Caroline Herschel; Alexander von Humbold; Sir Humphrey Davy; John James Audubon; Samuel Finley Breese Morse; Sir Charles Lyell; Joseph Henry, LL.D.; Louis Agassiz; Charles Robert Darwin; Francis Trevelyan Buckland; Index.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive story of the California redwoods, their discovery and their exploitation, as told by an activist who fought to protect their existence against those determined to cut them down.Every year millions of tourists from around the world visit California's famous redwoods. Yet few who strain their necks to glimpse the tops of the world's tallest trees understand how unlikely it is that these last isolated groves of giant trees still stand at all. In this gripping historical memoir, journalist and famed redwood activist Greg King examines how investors and a growing U.S. economy drove the timber industry to cut down all but 4 percent of the original two-million-acre redwood ecosystem. King first examined redwood logging in the 1980s-as an award-winning reporter. What he found in the woods convinced him to leap the line of neutrality and become an activist dedicated to saving the very last ancient redwood groves remaining in private hands. The land grab began in 1849, when a "green gold rush" of migrants came to exploit the legendary redwoods that grew along the Russian River. Several generations later, in 1987, Greg King discovered and named Headwaters Forest-at 3,000 acres the largest ancient redwood habitat remaining outside of parks-and he led the movement to save this grove. After a decade of one of the longest, most dramatic, and violent environmental campaigns in US history, in 1999 the state and federal governments protected Headwaters Forest. The Ghost Forest explores a central question, an overhanging mystery: What was it like, this botanical Elysium that grew only along the Northern California coast, a forest so spectacular-but also uniquely valuable as a cornerstone of American economic growth-that in the end it would inspire life-and-death struggles? Few but loggers and surveyors ever saw such magnificent trees, ancient sentinels that, like ghosts, have informed King's understanding of the world. On a lifelong journey, King finds himself through the generations, and through the trees.

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Book SynopsisJoseph B. Martin traces his climb from a Mennonite farm in the village of Duchess, Alberta to Dean of Harvard Medical School in his memoir, Alfalfa to Ivy. Readers are rewarded with an intimate perspective on academic politics and health care in Canada and the U.S. that Martin is perfectly poised to critique. And it is the human story of Martin''s journey from humble origins to worldly esteem that makes Alfalfa to Ivy a compelling narrative for non-specialists as well as academics and professionals. Foreword by David Hubel. Afterword by Ed Benz.

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Book SynopsisA genius to rival Edison, a personality as intriguing as Tesla, Charles Proteus Steinmetz was a key figure in creating the modern world.Thomas Alva Edison and Nikola Tesla have the glory, but perhaps the greatest electrical wizard of them all was Charles Proteus Steinmetz. Revered in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a genius, but largely forgotten today, Steinmetz made the modern world possible through his revolutionary work on AC electricity transmission, the technology underlying today?s power grid. More than just a great scientist and engineer, Steinmetz was also one of the most colorful characters in American life.Standing just four feet tall with a pronounced spine curvature, Steinmetz was as well known for his fiery political opinions, his fierce advocacy for social progress and education, his unusual home life, and his private menagerie as for his technical achievements. The first full biography of Steinmetz in many years, Charles Proteus Steinmetz: The Electrical Wizard of Schenectady brings the life, passions, and scientific achievement of this remarkable man to a new generation.

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