Science & Nature Books

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA lively argument from an award-winning journalist proving that the key to reversing America’s health crisis lies in the overlooked link between nutrition and flavor: “The Dorito Effect is one of the most important health and food books I have read” (Dr. David B. Agus, New York Times bestselling author).We are in the grip of a food crisis. Obesity has become a leading cause of preventable death, after only smoking. For nearly half a century we’ve been trying to pin the blame somewhere—fat, carbs, sugar, wheat, high-fructose corn syrup. But that search has been in vain, because the food problem that’s killing us is not a nutrient problem. It’s a behavioral problem, and it’s caused by the changing flavor of the food we eat. Ever since the 1940s, with the rise of industrialized food production, we have been gradually leeching the taste out of what we grow. Simultaneously, we have taken great leaps forwardTrade Review"Illuminating and radical." * The New York Times Book Review *“Mark Schatzker’s book comes at a time when healthful eating and sustainability are increasingly on everyone’s minds. The Dorito Effect is a quick, engaging read that examines the essential role that flavor plays in the way we eat today. As a chef, I know that people want to eat delicious food, but Schatzker goes further and investigates how we engage with flavor to address the growing health crisis.” -- Daniel Boulud, Chef/Owner, The Dinex Group“Mark Schatzker has done something monumental in The Dorito Effect, he explained how the American food industry has interfered with our body's conversation with itself. The use of flavor to change this conversation is one of the major reasons for the decline in the American diet leading to major health issues. The Dorito Effect is one of the most important health and food books I have read.” -- David B. Agus, M.D., author of The End of Illness and A Short Guide to a Long Life“In The Dorito Effect Mark Schatzker explores a novel - and to my mind, key – theory to explain our increasing consumption of the low-quality food that is undermining health. Modern food production has made much of what we eat flavorless, and a multibillion dollar flavor industry has stepped in to fool our senses, leaving us unsatisfied and craving more and more. I strongly agree with his advice to go back to eating real food.” -- Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D. New York Times bestselling author of Healthy Aging"I don't know when this much science has been this fun to read. Brilliant." -- Joel Salatin, author of Folks, This Ain't Normal and farmer at Polyface Farm"After decades of conflict over sugar, carbs and fat, this extremely well researched book journeys to the heart of the food problem—flavor—and delivers the perfect solution." -- Dr. Richard Bazinet, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Toronto"If you want to understand why the future of healthy eating is delicious eating, read this book." -- Howard Moskowitz, inventor of Prego Extra Chunky Spaghetti Sauce and food industry legend“Mark Schatzker knows food. He is dedicated to quality and is always looking for the best ingredients. This is an important book that tells us why good food is so essential for everyone.” -- Bonnie Stern, bestselling author of HeartSmart Cooking for Family and Friends"A sobering account of humanity’s attempt to overcome modern food blandness with flavor compounds, at the expense of nutritional integrity. Schatzker's engaging chronicle of how naturally occurring food flavor is as an evolutionary tuned sensory marker of nutritional value is bound to give consumers and scientists a new perspective on judging food quality and health effects." -- Dr. Ameer Taha, Department of Food Science and Technology, UC Davis"This book is important, possibly life altering for anyone who eats!! In The Dorito Effect, Schatzker gets to the heart of where our relationship with food has gone wrong. Through lively storytelling and proficiency he points out the many issues we are facing and that the solution is right in front of us." -- Jonathan Gushue, Principal, Gushue Hospitality Inc.“Entertaining storytelling… After reading this engaging book, readers may wonder with every bite of food if what they are tasting is real.” * Kirkus Reviews *"Schatzker dishesup a 5 star serving!” * The Washington Post *

Read more less

Book SynopsisSightings of one of our rarest, most elusive mammals are increasing in Britain and Ireland. Now, for the first time, readers can directly observe Pine Marten behaviour. Using ingenious photography, this book uncovers their secretive life, revealing how Pine Martens behave and interact with their world.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Laplace transform is a useful mathematical tool encountered by students of physics, engineering, and applied mathematics, within a wide variety of important applications in mechanics, electronics, thermodynamics and more. However, students often struggle with the rationale behind these transforms, and the physical meaning of the transform results. Using the same approach that has proven highly popular in his other Student''s Guides, Professor Fleisch addresses the topics that his students have found most troublesome; providing a detailed and accessible description of Laplace transforms and how they relate to Fourier and Z-transforms. Written in plain language and including numerous, fully worked examples. The book is accompanied by a website containing a rich set of freely available supporting materials, including interactive solutions for every problem in the text, and a series of podcasts in which the author explains the important concepts, equations, and graphs of every section Table of Contents1. The Fourier and Laplace transforms; 2. Laplace transform examples; 3. Properties of the Laplace transform; 4. Applications of the Laplace transform; 5. The Z-transform; References; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. Insects and Their Ways. 2. The Anatomy, Physiology, and Development of Insects. 3. Systematics, Nomenclature, and Identification. 4. Behavior and Ecology. 5. Phylum Arthropoda. 6. Hexapoda. 7. The Entognathous Hexapods: Protura, Collembola, Diplura. 8. The Apterygote Insects: Microcoryphia and Thysanura. 9. Order Ephemeroptera: Mayflies. 10. Order Odonata: Dragonflies and Damselflies. 11. Order Orthoptera: Grasshoppers, Crickets, and Katydids. 12. Order Phasmatodea: Walkingsticks and Leaf Insects. 13. Order Grylloblattodea: Rockcrawlers. 14. Order Mantophasmatodea. 15. Order Dermaptera: Earwigs. 16. Order Plecoptera: Stoneflies. 17. Order Embiidina: Webspinners. 18. Order Zoraptera: Zorapterans, Angel Insects. 19. Order Isoptera: Termites. 20. Order Mantodea: Mantids. 21. Order Blattodea: Cockroaches. 22. Order Hemiptera: True Bugs, Cicadas, Hoppers, Psyllids, Whiteflies, Aphids, and Scale Insects. 23. Order Thysanoptera: Thrips. 24. Order Psocoptera: Psocids. 25. Order Phthiraptera: Lice. 26. Order Coleoptera: Beetles. 27. Order Neuroptera: Alderflies, Dobsonflies, Fishflies, Snakeflies, Lacewings, Antlions, and Owlflies. 28. Order Hymenoptera: Sawflies, Parasitic Wasps, Ants, Wasps, and Bees. 29. Order Trichoptera: Caddisflies. 30. Order Lepidoptera: Butterflies and Moths. 31. Order Siphonaptera: Fleas. 32. Order Mecoptera: Scorpionflies and Hangingflies. 33. Order Strepsiptera: Twisted-Winged Parasites. 34. Order Diptera: Flies. 35. Collecting, Preserving, and Studying Insects.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPrinciples of Environmental Science: Inquiry and Applications is perfect for the one-semester, non-majors environmental science course. True to its title, the goal of this concise text is to provide an up-to-date, introductory view of essential themes in environmental science along with offering students numerous opportunities to practice scientific thinking and active learning.Table of Contents1 Understanding Our Environment2 Environmental Systems: Matter, Energy, and Life3 Evolution, Species Interactions, and Biological Communities4 Human Populations5 Biomes and Biodiversity;6 Environmental Conservation: Forests, Grasslands, Parks, and Nature Preserves7 Food and Agriculture8 Environmental Health and Toxicology9 Climate10 Air Pollution11 Water: Resources and Pollution12 Environmental Geology and Earth Resources13 Energy14 Solid and Hazardous Waste15 Economics and Urbanization16 Environmental Policy and Sustainability

Read more less

Book Synopsis''An important new step for world ornithology'' Professor Osor ShagdarsurenMongolia lies in the heart of Asia, bridging the vast Siberian taiga forests of the north and the world's coldest deserts to the south. It encompasses great mountain ranges, extensive steppes and deserts, and pristine rivers and lakes. Large and sparsely populated, Mongolia harbours a rich avifauna including an array of globally rare and local species.This first ever field guide to the birds of Mongolia covers 503 species, including all residents, migrants and vagrants. The authoritative text covers identification features, along with voice, habitat, behaviour and status, and is accompanied by 113 superb plates depicting every species and many distinct plumages and races. Also included are accurate maps for every species.Trade ReviewI quickly became pleasantly immersed in the book, spent an hour going through it page by page, and realized I must share it with The Birding Wire readers ... If you’re looking for a good novel, consider opting instead for the Birds of Mongolia; I strongly recommend it. -- Paul Konrad * The Birding Wire *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Preface Introduction Mongolia and its Birdlife Bird Conservation in Mongolia Birdwatching in Mongolia How to Use this Book Species Accounts Recent Vagrants and Hypothetical Records References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisDeals with the biological and physiological characteristics of the cartilaginous fishes: sharks, rays, and chimaeras. In this title, each chapter commences with an anecdote from the author about his own personal experience with the topic, followed by thought-provoking questions and a list of recommended readings in the scientific literature.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe live in a complex and dynamic world. Understanding how to monitor, manage and conserve species and habitats - the goal of applied ecology - is of ever-increasing importance. Applied Ecology shows students how an understanding of ecological theory can be used to address the most important issues facing ecologists today. Its explicitly problem-solving approach reflects the reality of using ecological tools and approaches in applied contexts, while also highlighting the key ecological theories that underpin those applications to make the link between theory and practice clear. With an emphasis throughout on the realities of applying ecological theory, the book features interviews with a range of leading applied ecologists, and over 30 case studies to give students a clear sense of contemporary applied ecology in action. In addition, over 20 Hot Topic panels capture issues and approaches at the forefront of current practice.Online Resources:The online resources to accompany Applied Ecology feature:For students:- Twelve bonus case studies to augment those featured in the book- Extended versions of the Interviews with Applied Ecologists that appear in the bookFor lecturers:- Problem-solving activities for use in a workshop, seminar, or tutorial setting- Figures from the book in digital format, for use in lecture presentationsTrade ReviewThis book provides essential information on key concepts in ecology and how they can be applied to address human-induced environmental impacts. With a focus on applying ecological principles to ensure successful outcomes, it is a cornerstone publication for all undergraduate students studying ecology. * Dr Duncan B. Westbury, The University of Worcester *A clear and comprehensive review of applied ecology and its applications to conservation and land management * Professor John Warren, Aberystwyth University *A gold mine of case studies and examples * Dr Nicholas Worsfold, University of Bedfordshire *Table of ContentsPART 1 OVERVIEW; PART 2 MONITORING; PART 3 MANAGING; PART 4 CONSERVING

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor 50 years, Edward M. Purcell''s classic textbook has introduced students to the world of electricity and magnetism. The third edition has been brought up to date and is now in SI units. It features hundreds of new examples, problems, and figures, and contains discussions of real-life applications. The textbook covers all the standard introductory topics, such as electrostatics, magnetism, circuits, electromagnetic waves, and electric and magnetic fields in matter. Taking a nontraditional approach, magnetism is derived as a relativistic effect. Mathematical concepts are introduced in parallel with the physics topics at hand, making the motivations clear. Macroscopic phenomena are derived rigorously from the underlying microscopic physics. With worked examples, hundreds of illustrations, and nearly 600 end-of-chapter problems and exercises, this textbook is ideal for electricity and magnetism courses. Solutions to the exercises are available for instructors at www.cambridge.org/PurcelTrade Review'Although the basic physics remains largely unchanged, the Purcell and Morin book has many clarifying discussions … and most chapters end with current applications and a summary. Solutions to the problems represent roughly one-quarter of the text - they are a most welcome addition, particularly for self-study. (Purcell wrote out a solution manual by hand - mainly for instructors! - to accompany his first edition).' H. Henry Stroke, Physics TodayTable of Contents1. Electrostatics: charges and fields; 2. The electric potential; 3. Electric fields around conductors; 4. Electric currents; 5. The fields of moving charges; 6. The magnetic field; 7. Electromagnetic induction; 8. Alternating-current circuits; 9. Maxwell's equations and electromagnetic waves; 10. Electric fields in matter; 11. Magnetic fields in matter; Appendixes; References; Index.

Read more less

Book SynopsisBirds of Bangladesh the definitive field guide to Bangladesh''s rich avifauna.Despite being one of the most densely populated countries on Earth, Bangladesh boasts a diverse range of natural habitats, including forests, wetlands and grasslands, and supports a wide range of species including a number of sought-after regional specialities, such as Masked Finfoot and Lesser Florican, This book covers all 705 species that occur in Bangladesh, including vagrants. It includes 103 superb colour plates, with text on facing pages for quick and easy reference, as well as concise species accounts describe key identification features, voice, habitats, distribution and status.Birds of Bangladesh is an essential field companion for any birdwatcher visiting or living in this fascinating and beautiful country.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction Taxonomy and Nomenclature Plates and Species Accounts Plumage Terminology Geographical Settings Climate Main Habitats, Threats and Bird Species Importance for Birds Birdwatching Areas Conservation Measures National Organisations Glossary Family Summaries Plates and Species Accounts (1-103) Appendices References Index Quick Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhy does Nature use the same special patterns over and over again? What are the main families of natural design? How are they formed? Did the ancient Chinese really study this subtle and elegant subject? In this beautiful book, illustrated by the author, a new perception of organic pattern, 'Li', is presented for the first time in the West. Essential reading for designers, artists, philosophers and natural scientists. WOODEN BOOKS are small but packed with information. "Fascinating" FINANCIAL TIMES. "Beautiful" LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS. "Rich and Artful" THE LANCET. "Genuinely mind-expanding" FORTEAN TIMES. "Excellent" NEW SCIENTIST. "Stunning" NEW YORK TIMES. Small books, big ideas.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA comprehensive guide to the calls of the 44 species of bat currently known to occur in Europe. Following on from the popular British Bat Calls by Jon Russ, this new book draws on the expertise of more than forty specialist authors to substantially update all sections, further expanding the volume to include sound analysis and species identification of all European bats. Aimed at volunteers and professional alike, topics include the basics of sound, echolocation in bats, an introduction to acoustic communication, equipment used and call analysis. For each species, detailed information is given on distribution, emergence, flight and foraging behaviour, habitat, echolocation calls – including parameters of common measurements – and social calls. Calls are described for both heterodyne and time expansion/full spectrum systems. A simple but complete echolocation guide to all species is provided for beginners, allowing them to analyse call sequences and arrive at the most likely species or group. The book also includes access to a downloadable library of over 450 calls presented as sonograms in the species sections.Trade ReviewBat Calls of Britain and Europe is a scholarly publication that will primarily be of interest and value to bat biologists who conduct acoustic-related field research. This is true regardless of whether their research is conducted in Britain, mainland Europe, or elsewhere. -- Danny A. Brass * National Speleological Society (NSS) News *Identifying species from bat calls is a complex business, and the book tackles its responsibilities to both novice and experienced bat workers with impressive thoroughness...An essential reference, and there can be hardly anyone who will not learn something new from the explanatory chapters. -- Bob Cornes * Bedfordshire Bat Group *The new bat calls ‘bible’ and an essential companion for anyone interested in acoustic diagnosis of bat calls, from ‘citizen scientists’ like me, to seasoned professional researchers. Unreservedly recommended to all. -- Steven Budd * Mammal News *The book is a real identification tool and undoubtedly an invaluable resource for anyone serious about bat identification and survey. It’s certainly a book I will be returning to time and time again. -- Stephanie Holt * Country-Side, British Naturalists’ Association magazine *This skillfully edited book by Jon Russ is a “must have” for hobbyist and professional bat researchers in Europe and provides useful and interesting information for bat workers elsewhere. …A hidden gem that makes this book even more valuable to anyone working with bat calls is the downloadable full-spectrum call library: the more than 450 fully annotated echolocation and social calls of the bats of the region make this one of the most accessible and useful bat call libraries. If you are interested in or work with bat acoustic data in Europe or Britain, I guarantee you will regularly refer to this volume and its companion call library. -- Eran Amichai * Quarterly Review of Biology *Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. The Basics of Sound: Properties, Acquiring, Representing and Describing 3. Echolocation 4. An Introduction to Acoustic Communication in Bats 5. Equipment 6. Call Analysis 7. A Basic Echolocation Guide to Species 93 8. The Bat Species References and Further Reading Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe second edition of this textbook written for undergraduate students, graduate students and medical researchers, Genetics and Genomics in Medicine explains the science behind the uses of genetics and genomics in medicine today, and how it is being applied.Maintaining the features that made the first edition so popular, this second edition has been thoroughly updated in line with the latest developments in the field. DNA technologies are explained, with emphasis on the modern techniques that are revolutionizing the use of genetic information in medicine and indicating the role of genetics in common diseases. Epigenetics and non-coding RNA are covered in-depth as are genetic approaches to treatment and prevention, including pharmacogenomics, genetic testing, and personalized medicine. A dedicated chapter charts the latest insights into the molecular basis of cancers, cancer genomics and novel approaches to cancer detection. Coverage of genetic testing at the level of Trade ReviewThis excellent book is a must-have for any library, or anyone deeply interested in genetics and genomics in medicine. The writing is detailed yet easily understandable, and readers will come away much more knowledgeable on thesubject. This second edition is a much needed and exceptionally well-executed update to the original version.- Mark F. Sanders, PhD, UC Davis College of Biological SciencesTable of Contents1. Fundamentals of DNA, Chromosomes, and Cells 2. Fundamentals of Gene Structure, Gene Expression, and Human Genome Organization 3. Principles Underlying Core DNA Technologies 4. Principles of Genetic Variation 5. Single-gene Disorders: Inheritance Patterns, Phenotype Variability, and Allele Frequencies 6. Principles of Gene Regulation and Epigenetics 7. How Genetic Variation in DNA and Chromosomes Causes Disease8. Identifying Disease Genes and Genetic Susceptibility to Complex Disease9. Genetic Approaches to Treating Disease 10. Cancer Genetics and Genomics11. Genetic and Genomic Testing in Healthcare: Practical and Ethical Aspects

Read more less

Book SynopsisMost scientists and researchers aren't prepared to talk to the press or to policymakers - or to deal with backlash. And many researchers have the horror stories to prove it. As Nancy Baron points out, scientists who decide they want to inform those outside their own research arena and help guide public discourse need to learn a new set of skills. No matter what your scientific specialty is, writes Baron, the keys to success are thinking clearly, knowing what you want to say, understanding your audience, and using everyday language to get your main points across. Developing these skills is the object of this book. According to Baron, scientists, journalists and policymakers represent three very different cultures. Speaking effectively to journalists and policymakers - the people who make scientists' findings available to the general public - requires scientists to learn a new language. In this clear and understandable guide to 'communicating science', Baron explains to scientists how to engage an audience, how to tell why a particular finding matters, and how to describe research in an interesting way. She explains to journalists how to develop the same skills for explaining science. The book includes case studies from journalists and from some of the more than 4,000 scientists Baron has trained in communication workshops. Many of her trainees have gone on to become well-known spokespeople for science-related issues. The book is accompanied by an interactive website maintained by Baron herself.

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisHummingbirds, and the balletic ways in which they feed on flowers, are familiar to most people. But they belong to just one of at least 74 bird families that are known, or suspected, to be pollinators. Relationships between plants and birds first emerged at least 50 million years ago and over time have influenced the evolution of both groups. This groundbreaking book is the first to deal with pollinating birds in all their diversity, involving almost 1,390 avian species interacting with tens of thousands of different plants. It rescues them from being novelties of natural history and explores these interactions in all their evolutionary and ecological significance. Pollinating birds have intricate lives that are often highly dependent on flowers, and the plants themselves are at the whim of birds for their reproduction. This makes them important players within many ecosystems, including tropical rainforests, dry grasslands, temperate woodlands, coastal mangroves and oceanic islands. Bird–flower relationships are threatened by disease, habitat destruction and climate change. Some of the birds are already extinct. Yet there are optimistic stories to be told about conservation and restoration projects that reveal the commitment of people to preserving these vital ecological connections. In addition, as a source of cultural inspiration with a history stretching back millennia, pollinating birds and their flowers are part of the ongoing relationship between humanity and the rest of nature.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Encounters with birds and flowers 1. Origins of a partnership 2. Surprising variety 3. Keeping it in the family 4. A flower’s point of view 5. In the eye of the beholder 6. Goods and services 7. Misaligned interests 8. Senses and sensitivities 9. Codependent connections 10. Hitchhikers, drunks and killers 11. The limits to specialisation 12. Islands in the sea, islands in the sky 13. The curious case of Europe 14. ‘After the Manner of Bees’ 15. Feathers and fruits 16. Urban flowers for urban birds 17. Bad birds and feral flowers 18. What escapes the eye 19. The restoration of hope Species names Sources and further reading Acknowledgements Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTravelling from the edge of our Solar System, through the Milky Way and to the outer edges of the observable universe, Deep Space is a spectacular photographic guide to galaxies, nebulae, supernova, clusters, black holes and quasars. Learn about the birth of stars in our own galaxy, planets beyond our own solar system, when they were first discovered and how we have managed to photograph these places. Ranging from the Magellanic Clouds within the Milky Way to stellar life cycles, from other spiral galaxies such as the Andromeda Galaxy, to the Sombrero Galaxy, and from nebulae such as the Pillars of Creation to black and white dwarfs, this is accessibly written for the general reader to grasp the science and magnitude of deep space. Featuring 200 outstanding colour photographs and expert captions, Deep Space is most certainly out of this world.Table of ContentsIntroduction THE MILKY WAY Sagittarius A Monoceros Ring Canis Major Dwarf Galaxy Magellanic Clouds Large Magellanic Cloud Star Clusters Globular Clusters Interstellar Matter Dark Nebulae Starbirth Nebulae Reflection Nebulae Cat’s Eye Nebula OTHER SPIRAL GALAXIES Andromeda Galaxy Sunflower Galaxy Pinwheel Galaxy ELLIPTICAL GALAXIES M49 M59 M60 M87 Centaurus A Sombrero Galaxy DWARF GALAXIES Supernova Cassiopeia A Spitzer Spies Supernova Remnant HBH 3 NEBULAE Pillars of Creation Homunculus Nebula Horsehead Nebula Carina Nebula The Triangulum Emission Garren Nebula NGC 604 Dark Nebula Tycho Supernova STELLAR LIFE CYCLES Birth of a Star Star V838 Monocerotis Protostars T-Tauri Stars Brown Dwarfs The Main Sequence How Stars Shine Extrasolar Planets Wolf-Rayet Stars Red Giants Blue Supergiants Planetary Nebulae White and Black Dwarfs Supernova Supernova Remnants Neutron Stars Pulsars Black Holes OPEN CLUSTERS Pleiades Star Cluster

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this classic of science history, Shapin takes into account the culture the variety of beliefs, practices, and influences that in the 1600s shaped the origins of the modern scientific worldview.

Read more less

Book SynopsisOne of Karl Popper's most wide-ranging and popular works, it provides the clearest statement of the fundamental idea that guided his work: that our knowledge grows by an unending process of trial and error.Trade Review'The central thesis of the essays and lectures gathered together in this stimulating volume is that our knowledge, and especially our scientific knowledge, progresses by unjustified (and unjustifiable) anticipations, by guesses, by tentative solutions to our problems, in a word by conjectures. Professor Popper puts forward his views with a refreshing self-confidence.' - The Times Literary Supplement'Professor Popper holds that truth is not manifest, but extremely elusive, he believes that men need above all things, open-mindedness, imagination, and a constant willingness to be corrected. In summarizing his views in this way, I have done scant justice to the subtlety and importance of his argument. His own presentation of his case is luminously clear.' - Maurice Cranston, Listener'Popper holds that truth is not manifest, but extremely elusive, he believes that men need above all things, open-mindedness, imagination, and a constant willingness to be corrected.' – Maurice Cranston, Listener

Read more less

Book SynopsisChallenge yourself at home with word and number puzzlesThe fourth instalment of the successful Times Killer Su Doku series. Adding the challenge of arithmetic and taking Su Doku to a new deadly level of difficulty.The puzzles use the same 9x9 grid as normal Su Doku but with an added mathmatical challenge. The aim is not only to complete every row, column and cube so that it contains the digits 1-9, it is also necessary to ensure that the outlined cubes add up to the same number.With 150 new Killer Su Doku puzzles, you can ease yourself in with the Moderate before taking the plunge and tackling the real killers:20 Moderate50 Tricky50 Tough30 DeadlyFor those who like to live dangerously and push beyond their mental comfort zone, steel yourself for The Times' toughest collection yet.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA much-needed antidote to the "AGENDA 21" nonsense promulgated by Glenn Beck and the far right, Oreskes and Conway provide us with a glimpse of the dystopian future we may ACTUALLY face should we fail to heed the warning of the world's scientists regarding the looming climate change crisis. -- Michael E. Mann, director, Penn State Earth System Science Center, and author of The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars: Dispatches from the Front Lines Oreskes and Conway's startling and all-too-plausible history of the century to come is in the spirit of George Orwell and Aldous Huxley and all the writers who have turned to prophecy in the attempt to ward off an oncoming disaster. Witty in its details and disturbing in its plausibility, this is an account of the Long Emergency we're entering that you will not soon forget. -- Kim Stanley Robinson, author of Shaman, 2312, Science In the Capital, and the Mars trilogy A chilling view of what our history could be. Ignore it and it becomes more likely. Read this book, heed its warning, and perhaps we can avoid its dire predictions. -- Timothy Wirth, vice chairman, United Nations Foundation, and former U.S. Senator and Member, U.S. House of Representatives Regret, Oreskes and Conway argue, is an equal-opportunity employer. Yes, climate change will be a nightmare for environmentalists. But global warming also threatens free marketeers, because unabated, it guarantees big government intervention. And that's the great service of this short but brilliant parable: it creates bipartisan empathy for our future selves. From that gift, perhaps we can summon the will to act today. -- Auden Schendler, Vice President, Sustainability, Aspen Skiing Company Provocative and grimly fascinating, The Collapse of Western Civilization offers a glimpse into a future that, with farsighted leadership, still might be avoided. It should be required reading for anyone who works-or hopes to-in Washington. -- Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History The scenario portrayed in this valuable little book is scarily possible. It would be apt if readers took action to keep it from, you know, happening. -- Bill McKibben, founder 350.org Packed with salient science, smart speculation and flashes of mordant humour. Nature This science-historical fantasy is thought-provoking, but is it prescient? Scientific American [A] must-read... What is science fiction today will someday be the history of real, live people - billions of them. Kudos to Oreskes and Conway for finding a creative way to talk about the immoral choice we are making today and how those billions of people will suffer for it. Climate Progress Blog Though short, Collapse provides a detailed examination of how we've failed our environment - and a call to action to save what's left. Discover The authors' creative attack, ahead of the 2014 U.S. midterm elections, on those who today deny climate change and advocate a hands-off approach by government, is what makes this work a must-read in the politics of climate change. Its gift -- the real reason why everyone should read it -- is that it gives us an opportunity to imagine the world as our grandchildren will encounter it. Haaretz ... Oreskes and Conway have carved out a new space for historians to use their knowledge of alternative pasts to help imagine alternative futures. Public Books A gripping and deeply disturbing account... Based on sound scholarship and yet unafraid to speak boldly, this book provides a welcome moment of clarity amid the cacophony of climate change literature.All Things Environmental All Things Environmental Excellent... The Collapse of Western Civilization is a very readable and effective way of communicating the catastrophic implications of where we are heading under the climate crisis. Climate, People & Organizations Oreskes and Conway do justice to the full seriousness of climate change. That seems to me prime among the many values of their book... For all its dispassion the book is a call to arms. Hot Topic Oreskes and Conway's book contains potent, thoughtful analysis... Huffington Post The Collapse of Western Civilization illustrates the potential dangers from climate change, which can help readers think more clearly about the risk management choices society faces. The book may also encourage scientists to reflect on their role in society. If it helps scientists engage more effectively with the public by focusing on the key strengths of science, the book could help improve a flawed political system and enhance the potential for all branches of science to further benefit society. -- Paul A. T. Higgins Issues in Science and TechnologyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. The Coming of the Penumbral Age 2. The Frenzy of Fossil Fuels 3. Market Failure Epilogue Lexicon of Archaic Terms Interview with the Authors Notes About the Authors

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFor scientist and layman alike this book provides vivid evidence that the Copernican Revolution has by no means lost its significance today. Few episodes in the development of scientific theory show so clearly how the solution to a highly technical problem can alter our basic thought processes and attitudes.Trade ReviewReading this book in the current age of extrasolar planets, genetics and string theory is eye-opening. -- Caleb Scharf * Nature *An illuminating account of the intellectual transformation which laid the foundations of modern science and philosophy, and which may therefore be said to have created the modern world. * Scientific American *No other book is so patient, so comprehensive, so sensitive, in its recovery of the experience and the outlook from which the older scientific theories emerged. No other book so enables us to see the intellectual hurdles that existed and to relive something of the process of actual scientific discovery. * American Historical Review *In this study of the Copernican Revolution, [Thomas Kuhn] brings to a common focus the considered approach of the historian, the technical understanding of the scientist and the skill and experience of an able teacher. No careful reader of this well-wrought volume can fail to appreciate the nicely balanced interplay of these elements in the full explication of one of the major turning points in the evolution of scientific thought. For those concerned with the teaching of the history of science, Dr. Kuhn’s discussion of the issues involved in the Copernican Revolution will prove to be indispensable, a superb analysis of the ‘anatomy of revolution.’ Those drawn to the question of meaning which the historian of science can give to the evolution of ideas will find this book equally valuable, a paradigm of synthesis and interpretation. * Isis *Table of Contents* Foreword by James Bryant Conant *1. The Ancient Two-Sphere Universe *2. The Problem of the Planets *3. The Two-Sphere Universe in Aristotelian Thought *4. Recasting the Tradition. Aristotle to the Copernicans *5. Copernicus' Innovation *6. The Assimilation of Copernican Astronomy *7. The New Universe * Technical Appendix * References * Bibliographical * Notes * Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe book describes what it means to say the world is complex and explores what that means for managers, policy makers and individuals.The first part of the book is about the theory and ideas of complexity. This is explained in a way that is thorough but not mathematical. It compares differing approaches, and also provides a historical perspective, showing how such thinking has been around since the beginning of civilisation. It emphasises the difference between a complexity worldview and the dominant mechanical worldview that underpins much of current management practice. It defines the complexity worldview as recognising the world is interconnected, shaped by history and the particularities of context. The comparison of the differing approaches to modelling complexity is unique in its depth and accessibility. The second part of the book uses this lens of complexity to explore issues in the fields of management, strategy, economics, and international development. It also explores how to facilitate others to recognise the implications of adopting a complex rather than a mechanical worldview and suggests methods of research to explore systemic, path-dependent emergent aspects of situations. The authors of this book span both science and management, academia and practice, thus the explanations of science are authoritative and yet the examples of changing how you live and work in the world are real and accessible. The aim of the book is to bring alive what complexity is all about and to illustrate the importance of loosening the grip of a modernist worldview with its hope for prediction, certainty and control.Trade ReviewAn important contribution to our understanding of complexity science and its relevance for tackling the problems being faced in todays world. * Gareth Morgan, author of Images of Organization *Enjoyable, thought provoking, and insightful. A superb introduction to complexity science for all readers! * W. Brian Arthur, author of Complexity and the Economy and Recipient of the Lagrange Prize in Complexity Science *In the social and physical sciences, complexity is everywhere, changing how we think and act. But how? This book provides an excellent overview both of the underlying concepts and also their implications for how we think about changein economics, organizations and international development. Highly recommended. * Duncan Green, Strategic Adviser, Oxfam GB *Embracing Complexity takes a critical stance in relation to dominant ways of thinking about the social world. It presents complexity thinking as a way of understanding how the world works, and challenges the dominant expectation that leaders can control the evolution of the social and the organisational world. Those willing to take a critical approach will _ nd this an important book. * Ralph Stacey, Complexity and Management Group, Hertfordshire Business School *Table of ContentsEmbracing Complexity ; 1. Introduction ; 2. The Nature of a Complex World ; 3. Unpacking Complexity ; 4. Have We Thought Like This Before? ; 5. The Complexity of Complexity Theories ; 6. Complexity and the Social World ; 7. Complexity and Management ; 8. Complexity and Strategy ; 9. Complexity and International Development ; 10. Complexity and Economics ; 11. Final reflections: what we hope you take away from this book

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe new edition of this authoritative introduction to the philosophy of technology includes recent developments in the subject, while retaining the range and depth of its selection of seminal contributions and its much-admired editorial commentary.Table of ContentsSource Acknowledgments ix Introduction to the Second Edition xiii Part I The Historical Background 1 Introduction 3 1 On Dialectic and “Technē” 9 Plato 2 On “Technē” and “Epistēmē” 19 Aristotle 3 The Greek Concepts of “Nature” and “Technique” 25 Wolfgang Schadewaldt 4 On the Idols, the Scientific Study of Nature, and the Reformation of Education 33 Francis Bacon 5 Idea for a Universal History from a Cosmopolitan Point of View 47 Immanuel Kant 6 The Nature and Importance of the Positive Philosophy 54 Auguste Comte 7 On the Sciences and Arts 68 Jean-Jacques Rousseau 8 Capitalism and the Modern Labor Process 74 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels Part II Philosophy, Modern Science, and Technology 89 Positivist and Postpositivist Philosophies of Science 91 9 The Scientific Conception of the World: The Vienna Circle 101 Rudolf Carnap, Hans Hahn, and Otto Neurath 10 Paradigms and Anomalies in Science 111 Thomas Kuhn 11 Experimentation and Scientific Realism 121 Ian Hacking 12 Hermeneutical Philosophy and Pragmatism: A Philosophy of Science 131 Patrick A. Heelan and Jay Schulkin 13 What are Cultural Studies of Science? 147 Joseph Rouse 14 Revaluing Science: Starting from the Practices of Women 161 Nancy Tuana 15 Is Science Multicultural? 171 Sandra Harding 16 On Knowledge and the Diversity of Cultures: Comment on Harding 183 Shigehisa Kuriyama The Task of a Philosophy of Technology 187 17 Philosophical Inputs and Outputs of Technology 191 Mario Bunge 18 Analytic Philosophy of Technology 201 Maarten Franssen 19 On the Aims of a Philosophy of Technology 205 Jacques Ellul 20 Toward a Philosophy of Technology 210 Hans Jonas 21 The Technology Question in Feminism: A View from Feminist Technology Studies 224 Wendy Faulkner Part III Defining Technology 239 Introduction 241 22 Conflicting Visions of Technology 249 Mary Tiles and Hans Oberdiek 23 The Mangle of Practice 260 Andrew Pickering 24 The Social Construction of Facts and Artifacts 266 Trevor J. Pinch and Wiebe E. Bijker 25 Actor-Network Theory (ANT) 278 Bruno Latour 26 Actor-Network Theory: Critical Considerations 289 Sergio Sismondo Part IV Heidegger on Technology 297 Introduction 299 27 The Question Concerning Technology 305 Martin Heidegger 28 On Philosophy’s “Ending” in Technoscience: Heidegger vs. Comte 318 Robert C. Scharff 29 Focal Things and Practices 329 Albert Borgmann 30 Heidegger and Borgmann on How to Affirm Technology 350 Hubert L. Dreyfus and Charles Spinosa 31 Philosophy of Technology at the Crossroads: Critique of Heidegger and Borgmann 362 Andrew Feenberg Part V Technology and Human Ends 375 Human Beings as “Makers” or “Tool-Users”? 377 32 Tool Users vs. Homo Sapiens and the Megamachine 381 Lewis Mumford 33 The “Vita Activa” and the Modern Age 389 Hannah Arendt 34 Putting Pragmatism (especially Dewey’s) to Work 406 Larry Hickman 35 Buddhist Economics 421 E. F. Schumacher Is Technology Autonomous? 426 36 The “Autonomy” of the Technological Phenomenon 430 Jacques Ellul 37 Do Machines Make History? 442 Robert L. Heilbroner 38 The New Forms of Control 449 Herbert Marcuse 39 Technological Determinism Is Dead; Long Live Technological Determinism 456 Sally Wyatt Technology, Ecology, and the Conquest of Nature 467 40 Mining the Earth’s Womb 471 Carolyn Merchant 41 The Deep Ecology Movement 482 Bill Devall 42 Deeper than Deep Ecology: The Eco-Feminist Connection 491 Ariel Salleh 43 In Defense of Posthuman Dignity 495 Nick Bostrom Part VI Technology as Social Practice 503 Technology and the Lifeworld 505 44 Cultural Climates and Technological Advance in the Middle Ages 511 Lynn White, Jr. 45 Three Ways of Being-With Technology 523 Carl Mitcham 46 A Phenomenology of Technics 539 Don Ihde 47 Postphenomenology of Technology 561 Peter-Paul Verbeek 48 Technoscience Studies after Heidegger? Not Yet 573 Robert C. Scharff Technology and Cyberspace 582 49 Consciousness in Human and Robot Minds 588 Daniel C. Dennett 50 Why Heideggerian AI Failed and How Fixing It Would Require Making It More Heideggerian 597 Hubert L. Dreyfus 51 A Cyborg Manifesto: Science, Technology, and Socialist Feminism in the Late Twentieth Century 610 Donna Haraway 52 A Moratorium on Cyborgs: Computation, Cognition, and Commerce 631 Evan Selinger and Timothy Engström 53 Anonymity versus Commitment: The Dangers of Education on the Internet 641 Hubert L. Dreyfus Technology, Knowledge, and Power 648 54 Panopticism 654 Michel Foucault 55 Do Artifacts Have Politics? 668 Langdon Winner 56 The Social Impact of Technological Change 680 Emmanuel G. Mesthene 57 Technology: The Opiate of the Intellectuals, with the Author’s 2000 Retrospective 693 John McDermott 58 Democratic Rationalization: Technology, Power, and Freedom 706 Andrew Feenberg

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Making of Mr Gray's Anatomy tells the story of one of the most iconic scientific books ever published: a textbook of anatomy that is still a household name 150 years since its first edition. It is the story of the remarkable and dedicated characters who created it, of poverty, class, and science and society in Victorian London.Trade ReviewFascinating. * Christopher Hirst, The Independent *Table of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. The Words: Mr Gray of Belgravia ; 2. The Pictures: Dr Carter of Scarborough ; 3. The Enterprise: J.W.Parker & Son of West Strand ; 4. The Process of Creation: Person or Persons Unknown ; 5. The Raw Material: The Friendless Poor of London ; 6. The Process of Creation ; 7. The Process of Production ; 8. 1858: The Book Appears ; 9. Calamity ; 10. Futurity ; Acknowledgements ; References ; Bibliography ; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade ReviewOne of Science Friday's Best Science Books of 2015, chosen by Maria Popova One of The Independent.ie Irish Writers' Top Reads 2015 One of Brainpickings' The Best Science Books of 2015 "The Physicist and the Philosopher is an extraordinarily rich and wide-ranging work. Canales has rescued from near oblivion a fascinating, highly significant debate that is still relevant in an age which has begun uneasily to question the hegemony of science and its uncontrollable child, technology."--John Banville, London Review of Books "In illuminating a historic 1922 debate between Albert Einstein and Henri Bergson about the nature of time, Canales marks a turning point in the power of philosophy to influence science."--Publishers Weekly "Sparks--both incendiary and illuminating--fly from the collision of two giants!"--Booklist, starred review "This fascinating, scholarly, readable look at physics and epistemology will interest readers of science, history, philosophy, and biography."--Library Journal, starred review "Whether or not you agree, this humane and melancholy account of how two talents misunderstood each other will linger in the mind."--New Scientist "[Canales] weaves a tale around Europe and to America... [Her] subject raises important core philosophical issues, like the scope of philosophy itself."--Michael Ruse, The Chronicle of Higher Education "This fascinating book traces a debate about the nature of time... Canales has done a masterful job of research and explication. Her account of the debate is lively, the background of it is interesting, and the debate's ramifications as filtered through other minds are downright exciting. Anyone interested in physics or philosophy will have a field day with this book."--Kelly Cherry, The Smart Set "Canales does sterling work investigating these engagements ... [A] stimulating book."--Graham Farmelo, Nature "In The Physicist and the Philosopher, Canales recounts how Bergson challenged Einstein's theories, arguing that time is not a fourth dimension definable by scientists but a 'vital impulse,' the source of creativity. It was an incendiary topic at the time, and it shaped a split between science and humanities that persisted for decades--though Einstein was generally seen as the winner and Bergson is all but forgotten."--Nancy Szokan, Washington Post "A book remarkable both for its profound research and for its elegance in presentation. Intellectual history should always be so accessible."--Benjamin Franklin Martin, Key Reporter "[General and professional readers] will learn much from a study that is accessible and edifying to a great diversity of readers."--Choice "The Physicist and the Philosopher ... is at least three things: a monument to precise scholarship, an exemplar of logical clarity, and a fine example of excellent writing. I have rarely learned more from a book."--Peter A.Y. Gunter, Physics in Perspective "Brilliant."--James Gleick, Bits in the Ether "A masterwork of cultural forensics."--Maria Popova, Brainpickings "It's hard to imagine that any single author will ever outdo this account of the recent history of our concepts of time."--Chris Nunn, Journal of Consciousness Studies "A gripping critique of Einstein's thought and a convincing rehabilitation of Bergsonian time, freed from the tyranny of mathematics."--Hilary Davies, The TabletTable of ContentsPreface vii PART 1. THE DEBATE CHAPTER 1 Untimely 3 CHAPTER 2 "More Einsteinian than Einstein" 16 CHAPTER 3 Science or Philosophy? 38 PART 2. THE MEN CHAPTER 4 The Twin Paradox 53 CHAPTER 5 Bergson's Achilles' Heel 62 CHAPTER 6 Worth Mentioning? 73 CHAPTER 7 Bergson Writes to Lorentz 87 CHAPTER 8 Bergson Meets Michelson 98 CHAPTER 9 The Debate Spreads 114 CHAPTER 10 Back from Paris 131 CHAPTER 11 Two Months Later 139 CHAPTER 12 Logical Positivism 153 CHAPTER 13 The Immediate Aftermath 162 CHAPTER 14 An Imaginary Dialogue 172 CHAPTER 15 "Full-Blooded" Time 179 CHAPTER 16 The Previous Spring 195 CHAPTER 17 The Church 203 CHAPTER 18 The End of Universal Time 218 CHAPTER 19 Quantum Mechanics 230 PART 3. THE THINGS CHAPTER 20 Things 241 CHAPTER 21 Clocks and Wristwatches 252 CHAPTER 22 Telegraph, Telephone, and Radio 265 CHAPTER 23 Atoms and Molecules 274 CHAPTER 24 Einstein's Films: Reversible 283 CHAPTER 25 Bergson's Movies: Out of Control 292 CHAPTER 26 Microbes and Ghosts 303 CHAPTER 27 One New Point: Recording Devices 315 PART 4. THE WORDS CHAPTER 28 Bergson's Last Comments 327 CHAPTER 29 Einstein's Last Thoughts 337 Postface 349 Acknowledgments 359 Notes 363 Bibliography 423 Index 451

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn this stunningly original book, Richard Wrangham argues that it was cooking that caused the extraordinary transformation of our ancestors from apelike beings to Homo erectus. At the heart of Catching Fire lies an explosive new idea: the habit of eating cooked rather than raw food permitted the digestive tract to shrink and the human brain to grow, helped structure human society, and created the male-female division of labour. As our ancestors adapted to using fire, humans emerged as "the cooking apes". Covering everything from food-labelling and overweight pets to raw-food faddists, Catching Fire offers a startlingly original argument about how we came to be the social, intelligent, and sexual species we are today. "This notion is surprising, fresh and, in the hands of Richard Wrangham, utterly persuasive ... Big, new ideas do not come along often in evolution these days, but this is one." -Matt Ridley, author of GenomeTrade ReviewToothsome, skillfully prepared brain food. -- Dwight Garner * New York Times *How exciting to see a distinguished scholar proving unequivocally that cookery is at the centre of our humanity -- Sam Clark, MoroAs easily digested as the cooked food it champions ... This book packs the punch of a Tournedo Rossini with the lightness of a foam infusion * Allegra McEvedy, Guardian chef-in-residence *Enthralling * Bookseller *Catching Fire offers a startlingly original argument about how we came to be the social, intelligent, and sexual species we are today. Richard Wrangham argues that it was cooking that caused the extraordinary transformation of our ancestors from apelike beings to Homo erectus. At the heart of Catching Fire lies the groundbreaking new theory that the habit of eating cooked rather than raw food made us human. More than language, emotional intelligence, or the opposable thumb, the mastery of fire created us. Once our ancestors began cooking their food, the human digestive tract began to shrink and the brain to grow. Time once spent chewing tough raw food could be used instead to hunt and to tend camp. Cooking became the basis for pair bonding and marriage, created the household and even led to a sexual division of labour. -- The Judges of the BBC Samuel Johnson Prize 2010Good public anthropology. With its balance of storytelling and coherently explained data, the book will enjoy a deservedly wide readership... Catching Fire, with its treasure trove of great stories, makes for pleasurable consumption -- Barbara J King * Times Literary Supplement *Wrangham is doing no small thing here; he's putting forward - in the most accessible way - his big new theory... Fascinating stuff, convincingly argued -- Holly Kyte * Sunday Telegraph *A breakthrough in evolutionary biology * Daily Telegraph *Intriguing... You need never feel guilty about opting for pie over salad again * Metro *Daringly unorthodox * Sunday Times *His lucid theory is most persuasive * Independent *Immensely enjoyable * Guardian *This is one of the best popular science books I've ever read -- William Leith * Evening Standard *A completely new theory about how we got where we are. Vindicates cuisine as never before - and will put you off raw food diets forever * Evening Standard Summer Reading *A compelling and intriguing argument. Brain food at its best -- Antonia Senior * The Times Summer Reading *His lucid theory is most persuasive -- Christopher Hirst * Independent *Ingenious * Daily Express *I have always believed that cooking is what makes us civilised, but until reading this I hadn't realised this was true at some deeper, actually anthropological level. Wrangham's argument, delivered with a lucidity that is a rare pleasure in an academic, is that it wasn't until our early ancestors stopped subsisting on raw food and began to cook it, thus providing more concentrated fuel, that our brains grew, becoming more sophisticated, and society developed. Wrangham makes his case with brio; this is as unputdownable as a thriller! -- Nigella Lawson * Waterstone's Books Quarterly *Wrangham's argument is rigorous and compelling. You would have to be an A-grade, gold medal-winning, premier league arse of mammoth proportions to dismiss it as bunk. -- Jay Rayner * Observer *[A] fascinating study... Wrangham's lucid, accessible treatise ranges across nutritional science, paleontology and studies of ape behavior and hunter-gatherer societies; the result is a tour de force of natural history and a profound analysis of cooking's role in daily life. * Publishers Weekly, starred review *An innovative argument that cooked food led to the rise of modern Homo sapiens.... Experts will debate Wrangham's thesis, but most readers will be convinced by this lucid, simulating foray into popular anthropology. * Kirkus Reviews *Catching Fire' is a plain-spoken and thoroughly gripping scientific essay that presents nothing less than a new theory of human evolution...one that Darwin (among others) simply missed. * The New York Times *Wrangham draws together previous studies and theories from disciplines as diverse as anthropology, biology, chemistry, sociology and literature into a cogent and compelling argument. * The Washington Post *A new theory of human evolution - 'the cooking hypothesis' - is related in plain-spoken, gripping language. * The New York Times Book Review *Fascinating ... If Wrangham's thesis is right, we really are what we eat -- Heston Blumenthal * Independent *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThoroughly updated and revised edition of a popular classic of modern anthropology.Trade Review'A well written and informative book on a subject of great importance for all social anthropologists. A work which offers a sober and balanced account of the historical growth of anthropology'. It certainly deserves to be widely read' -- The European Journal of Developmental Research'The authors describe this book as an ambitious but unpretentious attempt to 'cover all the major traditions in social and cultural anthropology'. They achieve this in nine pithy chapters that follow the development of anthropological ideas from the ancient Greeks to the end of the 1990s. -- The Australian Journal of AnthropologyTable of ContentsSeries preface Preface 1. Proto-Anthropology Introduction Herodotus and other Greeks After Antiquity The European Conquests and their Impact Why All This is not Quite Anthropology Yet The Enlightenment Romanticism 2. Victorians, Germans and a Frenchman Introduction Evolutionism and Cultural History Morgan Marx Bastian and the German Tradition Tylor and Other Victorians The Golden Bough and the Torres Expedition German Diffusionism The New Sociology Durkheim Weber 3. Four Founding Fathers Introduction The Founding Fathers and their Projects Malinowski and the Trobriand Islanders Radcliffe-Brown's Natural Science of Society Boas and Historical Particularism Mauss and the Total Social Prestation Anthropology in 1930: Parallels and Divergences 4. Expansion and Institutionalisation Introduction A Marginal Discipline? Oxford and LSE, Columbia and Chicago The Dakar-Djibouti Expedition Culture and Personality Cultural History Ethnolinguistics The Chicago School 'Kinshipology' Functionalism's Last Stand Some British Outsiders 5. Forms of Change Introduction Neo-evolutionism and Cultural Ecology Formalism and Substativism Methodological Individualists at Cambridge Role Analysis and System Theory 6. The Power of Symbols Introduction From Function to Meaning Ethnoscience and Symbolic Anthropology Geertz and Schneider Levi-Strauss and Structuralism Early Impact The State of the Art in 1968 7. Questioning Authority Introduction The Return of Marx Structural Marxism The Not-Quite-Marxists Political Economy and the Capitalist World System Feminism and the Birth of Reflexive Fieldwork Ethnicity Practice Theory The Sociobiology Debate and Samoa 8. The End of Modernism? Introduction The End of Modernism? The Postcolonial World A New Departure or a Return to Boas? Other Positions 9. Global Networks Introduction Towards an International Anthropology? Trends for the Future Biology and Culture Globalisation and the Production of Locality Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisProvocative, ground-breaking and entertaining, the world’s leading expert on sexuality and the ovulation cycle reveals the hidden intelligence of hormones. In this paradigm-shifting book, Martie Haselton explains how hormonal intelligence works - both its strengths and its weaknesses - and shows women how to track and understand their desires, fears and perceptions with a radical new understanding of the biological processes that profoundly influence our behaviour. Rigorously researched, entertaining and empowering, Hormonal offers women deep new insights into their bodies, brains and relationships, and will encourage women everywhere to embrace the genius of female biology.Trade Review‘Such common sense is, sadly, remarkable.’ * Evening Standard *'Haselton is part of a new conversation that is emerging; she is a pioneering researcher pushing the politics of hormones in a new direction.' * Observer *'In her book she shows that there are no simple answers, but lots of fascinating possibilities, when we start to think about the biological aspects of our sexual lives.' * The Sunday Times *‘What a refreshing book. Finally, a feminist with the courage to discuss women not as victims of their hormones but as elegantly built captains of their minds and lives.’ * Helen Fisher, author of The First Sex and Why Him? Why Her? *'A very detailed and fascinating book which explores hormones to different level. Many women (and men) should read this to understand how women’s hormones can have both negative and positive effects on our lives.' * Dr Louise Newson, the Menopause Doctor *'Anchored in deep science, Haselton takes the reader on a mesmerizing tour from the stirrings of puberty to the aftermath of menopause, from sexual fantasies to the ways in which women often call the shots in the game of mating.' * David M. Buss, author of The Evolution of Desire *'Haselton shows there are no simple answers - but lots of fascinating possibilities - when we start to think about the biological aspects of our sexual lives.’ * Alice Dreger, author of Galileo's Middle Finger *'In Hormonal, Martie Haselton gives us a brave and fascinating tour of what we know we know about sex differences, but are often afraid to discuss. Read it, whether or not you have a uterus.' * am Harris, author of five New York Times bestsellers and host of the Waking Up podcast *'This book is essential reading for both women and men...Hormonal is engaging, clever, very funny at times, and always scientifically impeccable.' * Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, author of New York Times bestseller Zoobiquity *‘Your hormones have a lot to answer for, and you'll struggle to find someone to give you a better schooling than UCLA professor Martie Haselton.’ * Women's Health *'Deep, thoughtful, and eye-opening, this book teaches us that the more we know about hormones, the more we can manage our lives.' * Maria Shriver, author of I've Been Thinking... *'A smart and engaging scientific story about the amazing molecules that drive our behaviour.' * Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness *'Written with passion and wit, Hormonal provides important insights about the female experience.' * Joan Silk, professor, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, and co-author of How Humans Evolved *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisFocuses on the astrophysics of the interstellar and intergalactic medium - the gas and dust, as well as the electromagnetic radiation, cosmic rays, and magnetic and gravitational fields, present between the stars in a galaxy and also between galaxies themselves. This title covers radiative processes, fluid dynamics, cosmic rays, and more.Trade Review"This is a comprehensive and richly illustrated textbook on the astrophysics of the interstellar and intergalactic medium... This graduate-level textbook includes references for further reading, and serves as an invaluable resource for working astrophysicists."--Lunar and Planetary Information Bulletin

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn urgently needed exploration of global technology worship, and a measured case for skepticism and agnosticism as a way of life, from the New York Times bestselling author of Good without God.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFuturists are certain that humanlike AI is on the horizon, but in fact engineers have no idea how to program human reasoning. AI reasons from statistical correlations across data sets, while common sense is based heavily on conjecture. Erik Larson argues that hyping existing methods will only hold us back from developing truly humanlike AI.Trade ReviewIf you want to know about AI, read this book. For several reasons—most of all because it shows how a supposedly futuristic reverence for Artificial Intelligence retards progress when it denigrates our most irreplaceable resource for any future progress: our own human intelligence. -- Peter ThielLarson worries that we’re making two mistakes at once, defining human intelligence down while overestimating what AI is likely to achieve…Another concern is learned passivity: our tendency to assume that AI will solve problems and our failure, as a result, to cultivate human ingenuity. * Wall Street Journal *Thoughtful…makes a convincing case that artificial general intelligence—machine-based intelligence that matches our own—is beyond the capacity of algorithmic machine learning because there is a mismatch between how humans and machines know what they know…AI can’t account for the qualitative, nonmeasurable, idiosyncratic, messy stuff of life. -- Sue Halpern * New York Review of Books *Artificial intelligence has always inspired outlandish visions, but now Elon Musk and other authorities assure us that those sci-fi visions are about to become reality. Artificial intelligence is going to destroy us, save us, or at the very least radically transform us. In The Myth of Artificial Intelligence, Erik Larson exposes the vast gap between the actual science underlying AI and the dramatic claims being made for it. This is a timely, important, and even essential book. -- John Horgan, author of The End of ScienceErik Larson offers an expansive look at the field of AI, from its early history to recent prophecies about the advent of superintelligent machines. Engaging, clear, and highly informed, The Myth of Artificial Intelligence is a terrific book. -- Oren Etzioni, CEO of the Allen Institute for AIA fantastic tour of AI, at once deeply enlightening and eminently readable, that challenges the overwrought vision of a technology that revolutionizes everything and also threatens our existence. Larson, the thinking person’s tech entrepreneur, explores the philosophical and practical implications of AI as never before and reminds us that wishing for something is not the same as building it. -- Todd C. Hughes, technology executive and former DARPA officialThere are several books out there addressing the trending topic of AI, but Larson’s The Myth of Artificial Intelligence is arguably the best one of them so far…Should be taught in every undergraduate level engineering program. -- Gábor István Bíró * Metascience *A discussion of general human intelligence versus the current state of artificial intelligence, and how progress in a narrowly defined, specialized area (how to play chess) does not necessarily mean we are getting closer to human-like thinking machines. So, take a rain-check on the impending arrival of the robot overlords, that is going to have to wait a while. -- Elizabeth Obee * Towards Data Science *Far and away the best refutation of Kurzweil’s overpromises, but also of the hype pressed by those who have fallen in love with AI’s latest incarnation, which is the combination of big data with machine learning. Just to be clear, Larson is not a contrarian. He does not have a death wish for AI. He is not trying to sabotage research in the area (if anything, he is trying to extricate AI research from the fantasy land it currently inhabits)…Insightful and timely. -- William A. Dembski * Evolution News *Larson’s book is excellent, and tells the story of how successful narrow AI has been in comparison to the failures of strong AI. It also shows us why we have no reason to believe that these failures will turn into successes anytime soon. The Myth of Artificial Intelligence also serves as a warning to be skeptical of the predictions of experts and expresses the importance of having a sound theory to properly practice science. -- Brendan Patrick Purdy * Law & Liberty *Believing in the myth of AI has more serious consequences for our society beyond merely losing sleep over the prospects of a robot uprising. The myth, Larson argues, is negatively affecting research in many fields of science…Comes at an opportune moment—when AI has breached the peak of expectations and is now inching downwards, into the trough of disillusionment. It deflates the hype surrounding the subject and offers coherent arguments against the inevitability and imminence of true machine intelligence. -- Viraj Kulkarni * The Wire (India) *A detailed, wide-ranging excavation of AI’s history and culture, and the limitations of current machine learning, [Larson] argues that there’s basically ‘no good scientific reason’ to believe the [AI] myth…A clever, engaging book that looks closely at the machines we fear could one day destroy us all, and at how our current tools won’t create this future. -- Ellen Broad * Inside Story *Discusses how widely publicized misconceptions about intelligence and inference have led AI research down narrow paths that are limiting innovation and scientific discoveries…Sheds light on the challenges that the field faces today and helps readers to see through the overblown claims about progress toward AGI or singularity. -- Ben Dickson * TechTalks *Lays out a bird’s eye view of the origins and ideas behind current AI methods…Disentangles the hype of AI from what is actually possible with current technology. Even as he sheds light on the gap between the singularity prediction and what machine learning is truly capable of, he emphasizes the significance of the myth. * Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith *

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn introduction to France for anyone visiting with birds in mind, from casual birdwatchers checking a bird that flies over the terrace during a family holiday to addict birders who would sell their souls for a dream species or a record-breaking checklist. Some may have just a few spare hours to get their binoculars out between business meetings or museum visits, others will be out in the field for two weeks or more, from sunrise to sunset. The authors wrote this book for all bird lovers, birdwatchers and birders, whatever the duration of their stay, the number of kilometres they are prepared to travel and how they enjoy birds. With over 400 regularly occurring species, of which 357 normally breed or winter, France has one of the most diverse avifaunas of the whole of Europe, spanning an incredible range from colourful Mediterranean flagship species such as roller, bee-eater or black-winged kite to secretive cold-climate or mountain specialists like three-toed woodpecker and Tengmalm’s owl. The Birdfinder section provides targeted details for 30 species which often rank in the top wish-list of birders visiting France. Dividing the country into 14 regions, the authors highlight 312 representative sites, chosen for their bird species composition and ease of access. The selected sites enable the reader to see the widest possible species diversity and largest range of local specialities in a reasonable time, while respecting the basic ethical rules obvious to all birdwatchers. Whenever possible, sites are arranged in clusters or itineraries that can be covered in two to three days without hurrying. To supplement the use of the book in the field, all the sites described are geolocated in a file that can be downloaded from the publisher’s website and loaded onto any GPS device.Trade ReviewRarely it is possible to find a naturalistic guide with this abundance of information on the roads to drive or to walk and the bird species that may be observed. The novelty of this book is that all the sites are geolocated in a file that can be downloaded from the publisher’s website and loaded onto any GPS device. … Everybody who has planned a naturalistic trip to France must place in the luggage this book! -- Bruno Massa * Avocetta *Extremely well documented, detailed and illustrated, this new guide, created by three well-known French ornithologists, covers all the sites of France interesting to one degree or another for the birds. -- Jean Marc Thiollay * Ornithos *A great solution is to download a GPS file from the publisher's website, which makes it easier to navigate to destinations. The GPS file opens in Google Earth and Google Maps; Maps.me, recommended by the authors, is a great application for accessing and editing on your smartphone. -- Matti Sillanpaa * Linnut *I would highly recommend Where to Watch Birds in France as a well thought out book that collates and easily directs you to interesting bird spots that you might not have found outside of local guides or websites. The authors and contributors have definitely written something that they would want to use themselves and this certainly feels like a guide designed by bird watchers for bird watchers! -- Katharine Bowgen * British Trust for Ornithology *This new guide to birdwatching in France .... wins with its modern layout and sophisticated combination of printing and electronic information. 312 of the best observation areas are presented in 466 clearly arranged maps, on which the most important places are marked as "waypoints". These can be downloaded from the internet to a GPS device. .... The references to specific observation sites are very precise. * Ornis *All you could want in a birdfinding guide, with lots of maps and just the right level of detail, all in a very compact package. -- Grant McCreary * The Birder's Library *A must have for those birding France. -- Ian Paulsen * Birdbooker Report *There is no doubt that a huge effort has gone into this book, which can now be considered the definitive resource for the country’s travelling or visiting birders. * Fatbirder *An ideal tool for any trip to France, whether for the specific aim of birdwatching or for some other purpose that allows a quick escape. -- José Luis Copete * Ardeola *A monumental step in making more of this country’s bird life accessible to visitors… The amount of detailed information for each site is a marvel… A major contribution to the bird-finding literature for western Europe. -- Rick Wright * American Birding Association *Table of ContentsSymbol chart Foreword Preface Acknowledgements Introduction Regions at a glance Practical information Birdwatching in France Region 1 – Paris and the Seine Reservoirs Region 2 – From the North Sea to the Somme Bay and the western Ardennes Region 3 – Normandy Region 4 – Brittany Region 5 – The Loire Valley Region 6 – Poitou-Charentes and the Vendée Region 7 – Aquitaine Region 8 – The Pyrenees Region 9 – Western Mediterranean Coast and the Cévennes Region 10 – Eastern Mediterranean Coast, Southern Alps and Corsica Region 11 – Jura and the Alps Region 12 – Massif Central Region 13 – Burgundy Region 14 – Northeast Birdfinder Checklist Site index

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhen and where did the ancestors of modern birds evolve? What enabled them to survive the meteoric impact that wiped out the dinosaurs? How did these early birds spread across the globe and give rise to the 10,600-plus species we recognise today ― from the largest ratites to the smallest hummingbirds? Based on the latest scientific discoveries and enriched by personal observations, The Ascent of Birds sets out to answer these fundamental questions. The Ascent of Birds is divided into self-contained chapters, or stories, that collectively encompass the evolution of modern birds from their origins in Gondwana, over 100 million years ago, to the present day. The stories are arranged in chronological order, from tinamous to tanagers, and describe the many dispersal and speciation events that underpin the world's 10,600-plus species. Although each chapter is spearheaded by a named bird and focuses on a specific evolutionary mechanism, the narrative will often explore the relevance of such events and processes to evolution in general. The book starts with The Tinamou’s Story, which explains the presence of flightless birds in South America, Africa, and Australasia, and dispels the cherished role of continental drift as an explanation for their biogeography. It also introduces the concept of neoteny, an evolutionary trick that enabled dinosaurs to become birds and humans to conquer the planet. The Vegavis's Story explores the evidence for a Cretaceous origin of modern birds and why they were able to survive the asteroid collision that saw the demise not only of dinosaurs but of up to three-quarters of all species. The Duck's Story switches to sex: why have so few species retained the ancestral copulatory organ? Or, put another way, why do most birds exhibit the paradoxical phenomenon of penis loss, despite all species requiring internal fertilisation? The Hoatzin's Story reveals unexpected oceanic rafting from Africa to South America: a stranger-than-fiction means of dispersal that is now thought to account for the presence of other South American vertebrates, including geckos and monkeys. The latest theories underpinning speciation are also explored. The Manakin’s Story, for example, reveals how South America’s extraordinarily rich avifauna has been shaped by past geological, oceanographic and climatic changes, while The Storm-Petrel’s Story examines how species can evolve from an ancestral population despite inhabiting the same geographical area. The thorny issue of what constitutes a species is discussed in The Albatross's Story, while The Penguin’s Story explores the effects of environment on phenotype ― in the case of the Emperor penguin, the harshest on the planet. Recent genomic advances have given scientists novel approaches to explore the distant past and have revealed many unexpected journeys, including the unique overland dispersal of an early suboscine from Asia to South America (The Sapayoa’s Story) and the blackbird's ancestral sweepstake dispersals across the Atlantic (The Thrush’s Story). Additional vignettes update more familiar concepts that encourage speciation: sexual selection (The Bird-of-Paradise's Story); extended phenotypes (The Bowerbird's Story); hybridisation (The Sparrow's Story); and 'great speciators' (The White-eye's Story). Finally, the book explores the raft of recent publications that help explain the evolution of cognitive skills (The Crow's Story); plumage colouration (The Starling's Story); and birdsong (The Finch's Story)Trade ReviewWe expect to find well‐read copies of this book in libraries near famous birding locations across the globe, from Pipeline Road to Kinabalu National Park. * Journal of Field Ornithology *The Ascent of Birds is a fascinating story of bird history, a collection of exciting and readable essays on the development of different bird types from ancient times to the present and the future. -- Pertti Koskimies * Linnut *While this book is a little daunting at first, covering as it does the entire evolutionary history of birds, the author does an excellent job of breaking the latest science down into understandable chunks, and I highly recommend it as an excellent synthesis of this amazing field of research. You won’t look at birds the same again. -- Cyndi M. Smith * Canadian Field Naturalist *Birds draw you in with flashy characteristics – dazzling colors, melodious songs, the power of flight. By the time you start to get inured to these you discover there is so much more. What’s the deal with all their diversity? Where did they come from? And just how in the world did we ever get such creatures as the birds-of-paradise? But such answers have not always been easy to come by, unless you happened to be an evolutionary biologist. That is, until John Reilly’s The Ascent of Birds: How Modern Science Is Revealing Their Story. You would be forgiven for prejudging a book dealing with “the evolution of modern birds from their origins in Gondwana, over 100 million years ago, to the present day” would be a slog to read. But nothing could be further from the truth. The key is the final word in this book’s subtitle: story. This isn’t a textbook, it’s the story of birds. -- Grant McCreary * The Birder's Library *....we finally have a good volume presenting the vast amount of modern work done on bird evolution to those interested. This is a notable achievement and has been well executed. -- Darren Naish * Tetrapod Zoology *A readable overview of avian evolution. -- Ian Paulsen * Birdbooker *I highly recommend it to more experienced birders and to all interested in birds and avian evolution as an entertaining and instructive resource. -- Clifford Frith * Australian Field Ornithology *...one of those publications that makes you realise how much you didn't know you didn't know. It is also tremendous fun to read, and would be a valuable addition to any keen birder's library. -- Martin Collinson * British Birds *I don’t normally start reading a book and post a review before I’ve finished (or in the case of a few abandoned) reading it. I’m making an exception for this as it's not just an important contribution to ornithology it really is a shining example of how a technical subject can be presented in an easily digestible way to the lay readership. This is very well written and makes the evolutionary process in birds easy to understand and compelling. The author’s own passions get shared and you quickly go along for the ride and lap up the facts presented to you. This one’s a keeper! -- FatbirderEvery once in a while you stumble on a new natural history book that seems destined to be a classic. Is that a bold enough opening to convey how much I enjoyed The Ascent of Birds by John Reilly, new this spring from Pelagic Publishing? -- Carrie Laben * http://www.10000birds.com *...this ranks among the best popular science books and provides a great guide to our current understanding of where, and how, birds evolved. -- Rob Robinson * BTO News *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of Illustrations Timeline - Geological Ages - Prologue: Evolution of an Idea PART ONE: NON-PASSERINES 1. The Tinamou's Story: Death of a Paradigm 2. The Vegavis's Story: The Cradle of Modern Birds 3. The Waterfowl's Story: Refugia, High Living, and Sex 4. The Hoatzin's Story: An Improbable Voyage 5. The Penguin's Story: Phenotype and Environment 6. The Storm Petrel's Story: Sympatry versus Allopatry 7. The Albatross's Story: The Species Problem 8. The Godwit's Story:Quantum Compasses 9. The Buzzard's Story: Accidental Speciation 10. The Owl's Story: Nightlife 11. The Oilbird's Story: Evolutionary Distinctiveness 12. The Hummingbird's Story: A Route of Evanescence 13. The Parrot's Story: Vicariance and Dispersal PART TWO: PASSERINES 14. The New Zealand Wren's Story: A Novel Foot 15. The Manakin's Story: Why so many Suboscines? 16. The Sapayoa's Story: Odd One Out 17. The Scrubbird's Story: Where Song Began 18. The Bowerbird's Story: Extended Phenotypes 19. The Crows' Story: Cognitive Skills 20. The Bird of Paradise's Story: Sexual Selection 21. The Starling's Story: Structural Colours 22. The Thrush's Story: Sweepstake Dispersals 23. The Sparrow's Story: Hybridisation and Speciation 24. The Zebra Finch's Story: Evolution of Birdsong 25. The Crossbill's Story: Adaptive Radiation and Coevolution 26. The White-eye's Story: Supertramps and Great Speciators 27. The Tanager's Story: A Final Flourish Postscript: The Sixth Extinction Appendix 1: Glossary Dramatis Personae Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisErnst Jünger, one of twentieth-century Germany’s most important and controversial writers, faithfully kept a journal during the Second World War in occupied Paris, on the eastern front, and in Germany until its defeat—writings that are of major historical and literary significance. These wartime journals appear here in English for the first time.Trade ReviewErnst Jünger’s record of German-occupied Paris and the battlefields of the Caucasus is a treasure trove for readers interested in the history of the Second World War. Even more, though, it is a literary accomplishment of the first order, a document of European modernism, in which this master stylist leaves traces of the violence of the age between the lines of his crystalline prose. -- Russell A. Berman, Walter A. Haas Professor in the Humanities, Stanford University, and senior fellow, Hoover InstitutionThese diaries are not only a remarkable document of the time, but bring us close to a strange but highly original person, always capable of a fresh response to the natural world, the atmosphere of Paris, and the hideous events that force themselves on his knowledge. Many of Jünger’s texts have an inhuman chill; these diaries reveal his humanity. -- Ritchie Robertson * Times Literary Supplement *For English-speaking readers who do not know his work, A German Officer in Occupied Paris shows the many sides of this complex, elusive writer. -- Edmund Fawcett * Financial Times *Through these journals, we see Jünger consorting with resistors and collaborators, intellectuals and artists, drinking champagne, dining in sumptuous restaurants, and accompanying other officers to nightclubs, where naked women perform. Wandering around the city, he combs through antiquarian bookshops, stops in at galleries, discusses literature with friends, and acutely observes plants and flowers change with the seasons. He recounts in detail his dreams, nightmares, and musings on war. . . . A unique historical testimony. * Kirkus Reviews *Once read, these [journals] are never forgotten. They are surely the strangest literary production to come out of the Second World War, stranger by far than anything by Céline or Malaparte. Jünger reduces his war to a sequence of hallucinatory prose poems in which things appear to breathe and people perform like automata or, at best, like insects. -- Bruce Chatwin, New York Review of Books (review of French edition)Politically ambiguous and polymathic, Jünger led a remarkable and long life (he died at the age of 102 in 1998) as a soldier, writer and philosopher. "I suffer from a hyperacute sense of observation," he said, not as a boast, but by way of admitting to a weakness. The foibles of the Nazis, the deathwatch beetles he collected, the facial tics of liars, the flick of a Parisian woman's hair as she bought a hat, the physical contortions of an executed deserter: all these came under the magnifying glass in his war journals, kept from 1941-45. Their publication in English, fluently translated, is a remarkable moment, presenting a model of how to navigate an age of extremism. -- Roger Boyes * The Times of London *Expertly translated into English by Thomas and Abby Hansen . . . with an excellent biographical-critical foreword by Elliot Y. Neaman. -- Michael Dirda * The Washington Post *[Jünger's] writings and insights have long earned him sage status in Germany. This, the first publication in English of his diaries from 1941–45, heightens his complexity but also makes him a more rounded figure. -- Alex Colville * The Spectator *A German Officer in Occupied Paris is a remarkable slice of World War II, and makes for fascinating reading. -- M.A. Orthofer * The Complete Review *Jünger is an eloquent and informative witness to artistic life in occupied France, deportations, the burgeoning French Resistance and the conspirators against Hitler as well as the utter chaos after Stalingrad. This edition also includes extensive notes and a full glossary of all the people mentioned in the text. * Times Higher Education *Jünger’s war diaries, translated here with damning clarity by Thomas and Abby Hansen, are a fascinating, refined and disturbing record of the moral disasters of Nazism and collaboration. -- Dominic Green * Wall Street Journal *With the publication of these extraordinary, sometimes hallucinatory diaries. English speakers have the chance to read one of the great witnesses to 20th-century Europe’s catastrophe. -- Paul Lay * New Statesman *A highly decorated German veteran of the First World War, Jünger (1895-1998) spent much of the Second as an officer stationed in Paris, where his journal is an almost daily record of the views and impressions of a well-read literary figure, entomologist, and cultural critic, now available for the first time in English. . . . Elliot Neaman is to be thanked for a comprehensive Foreword, as are Thomas Hansen and Abby Hansen for their translation of a most enigmatic set of Journals, and Columbia University Press for publishing them. They have made accessible the work of a cultured and literary person in service to a brutal regime. -- Bertram M. Gordon * H-Diplo *In Paris, Jünger tried to confront absolute horror with his chevalieresque idea of style, and the experiment is absorbing to observe, in its short-circuits and moments of illumination and ultimate burnout. -- Adam Thirlwell * New York Review of Books *Named a 2019 book of the year. -- Lucy Beckett * Times Literary Supplement *However uneven or bizarre some of the entries, the overall structure of the journals — free-flowing, chaotic, and kaleidoscopic — works. Together they act as a mirror reflecting a world where the center had not held. * The New Criterion *Table of ContentsForeword, by Eliot NeamanTranslator’s Preface1. First Paris Journal2. Notes from the Caucasus3. Second Paris Journal4. Kirchhorst DiariesNotesGlossary of Personal NamesIndex

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisA companion to the bestselling book The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe, this beautiful photographic card deck features all 118 elements in the periodic table. One element per card appears as a full-size image on the front and fascinating information about the element on the back.The Photographic Card Deck of The Elements is the most detailed, lush, and beautiful set of cards ever produced on the subject of the periodic table. With 126, 5'X5' cards in all, it includes one card for every one of the 118 elements, plus additional cards that explain the arrangement of the periodic table, present the elements sorted by various properties, and suggest activities and uses for the cards. The front side of each card shows a full-size, photographic image of the element, while the back gives scientific information including atomic weight, density, melting and boiling point, valence, and the percent of the element found in the universe, in the Earth's crust, in oceans, and in humans. Graphics show melting/boiling points, density, electron configuration, and atomic radius. A fascinating fact about the element, as well as the date of its discovery, is also included.The cards are perfect for students but also make an excellent gift for a scientist or anyone who enjoys the beauty and diversity of the natural world.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"James Peebles, Co-Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics""Finalist for the PROSE Award in Cosmology and Astronomy, Association of American Publishers""It's hard to imagine anyone better placed to recount the inside story of modern cosmology. . . . For anyone seriously interested in the ways of science and how we came to understand our place in the Universe, this is essential reading."---Giles Sparrow, BBC Sky at Night Magazine"As expected, the quality is top-notch. . . . [Cosmology's Century] is also very well written. The book is essential reading for anyone interested in the first hundred years of modern cosmology."---Phillip Helbig, The Observatory

Read more less

Book SynopsisAbout seventy-one per cent of the Earth’s surface is water, and even on dry land we remain closely connected to aquatic life. It provides us with oxygen, food, medicine and materials. Wild waterlife infiltrates our lives in many surprising ways. Every other breath we take is filled with oxygen provided by ocean-dwelling microscopic plants. A type of seaweed provides a means to directly test whether people are infected with viruses, including Covid-19. Robotics design takes inspiration from a pike’s ability to accelerate with greater g-force than a Porsche.Wild Waters by Susanne Masters is a celebration of the breadth of wildlife that can be found in and around our varied waterways, from oceans and rivers to rock pools and ponds. Armchair explorers can read a fascinating account of how aquatic plants and animals enrich human life. Swimmers, paddleboarders, dog walkers, families and anyone with a passion for the great outdoors can learn about local wildlife, including when and where to look for different species without causing any harm.With stunning illustrations by Alice Goodridge, Wild Waters provides a tantalising insight into the world beneath the surface.Trade Review‘A deep dive into the aquatic world, Wild Waters is a fascinating guide to where we swim and the wildlife we might encounter there. Part field guide, part natural and human history of our waterways, Wild Waters is engagingly written with a scientist’s eye for detail by Susanne Masters and beautifully illustrated by Alice Goodridge. Full of fascinating facts as well as elegant prose and drawings, Masters shares her knowledge about the wildlife we swim with and the places that we swim in to help you have a deeper connection with the water on your next wild swim. A magical book.’– Jonathan Cowie, editor of Outdoor Swimmer‘Susanne Masters writes for those who love the water and land alike. She paints with words for readers, in the way that the movie My Octopus Teacher brought to life a dynamic and interconnected underwater world for viewers. Her writing combines science, stories, history and delectable moments of watery delight. She will take you on a historical journey with intriguing facts then let you rise to the surface to look at a tiny plant or large animal. When you come up for air, she has shown you how it is all connected. Masters presents, with straightforward words and a nuanced grace, tactical advice for how to interact with organisms in a world different from our own. She takes the reader into watery worlds where one may never get to go, but upon finishing that chapter, will feel like you have been. Reading her work connects you to the water/land interface of ecosystems and the dynamics of water itself through ways of looking at a world that you usually need to get wet to see. Those who engage in water sports, swimming and or diving will all get to go deeper into what they experience. And for those who are simply curious, they will be drawn in as soon as they start to read the first lines of Susanne Masters’ both lyrical and factual way of using words, mingling them together to create an illuminating, thought-provoking and fun experience.’– Dr Maria Fadiman, Professor of Geography at Florida Atlantic University and National Geographic Explorer'In Wild Waters, Masters takes readers on a vividly depicted journey to the British Isles' most treasured aquatic habitats. Gorgeously illustrated and packed with fascinating details about the wild creatures that live in or near the water, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys spending time in nature or is drawn to the water!'– Dr Cassandra Quave, Emory University Herbarium Curator and author of The Plant Hunter: A Scientist's Quest for Nature's Next Medicines

Read more less

Book SynopsisA call to action that underscores why the roots of good health start with how we farm

Read more less