Reviews
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BOOK REVIEW: The Kingdom of Rarities by Eric Dinerstein
Review by Janet Raloff.
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BOOK REVIEW: Louis Agassiz: Creator of American Science by Christoph Irmscher
Review by Erin Wayman.
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Alien Life Imagined: Communicating the Science and Culture of Astrobiology by Mark Brake
See how humans’ fascination with the possibility of extraterrestrial life has evolved over the centuries. Columbia Univ., 2013, 279 p., $35
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Radiation: What It Is, What You Need to Know by Robert Peter Gale and Eric Lax
A medical doctor and a writer team up to dispel misconceptions about radioactivity and explain the risks of everyday exposures. Knopf, 2013, 270 p., $26.95
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Friendfluence: The Surprising Ways Friends Make Us Who We Are by Carlin Flora
Citing studies on evolution and psychology, this exploration of the nature of friendship shows the importance of making and keeping friends. Doubleday, 2013, 288 p., $25.95
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Antarctica: An Intimate Portrait of a Mysterious Continent by Gabrielle Walker
A science writer takes readers on a journey to the bottom of the Earth through firsthand accounts of her travels with scientists. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013, 388 p., $27
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The Enlightenment Vision: Science, Reason, and the Promise of a Better Future by Stuart Jordan
A physicist reviews the Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries — considered the “rise of reason” — and the progression of scientific knowledge since. Prometheus, 2013, 295 p., $26
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BOOK REVIEW: Visions of Infinity: The Great Mathematical Problems by Ian Stewart
Review by Tom Siegfried.
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The Lady and Her Monsters
A Tale of Dissections, Real-Life Dr. Frankensteins, and the Creation of Mary Shelley's Masterpiece by Roseanne Montillo.
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Mankind Beyond Earth: The History, Science, and Future of Human Space Exploration by Claude A. Piantadosi
This history of the American space program illuminates the obstacles facing future space expeditions. Columbia Univ., 2013, 279 p., $35
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The Physics of Wall Street: A Brief History of Predicting the Unpredictable by James Owen Weatherall
A physicist explores the growing role of scientists in Wall Street decision making and recent financial abuses. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013, 286 p., $27
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Underwater Eden: Saving the Last Coral Wilderness on Earth by Gregory S. Stone and David Obura
Amazing photos make visible the reasons behind efforts to save a biological wonder: the coral reefs of the South Pacific’s Phoenix Islands. Univ. of Chicago, 2013, 170 p., $40
