Reviews
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Fizzics by F. Ronald Young
A friendly foray into the humble bubble, from honeycombs and soaps to sunset flashes, written by a physicist in the field. Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2011, 114 p., $25.
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Earth: The Operator’s Manual by Richard B. Alley
A climate scientist uses real-world stories to survey climate problems and solutions. A companion PBS documentary is available online. W.W. Norton & Co., 2011, 479 p., $27.95.
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Plastic: A Toxic Love Story by Susan Freinkel
A well-researched history shows how plastics became a staple and examines current health and environmental concerns. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011, 324 p., $27.
- Science & Society
Blood Work
A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution by Holly Tucker.
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Dream Life: An Experimental Memoir by J. Allan Hobson
A candid memoir of the author’s career studying the neurobiology of sleep and dreams. MIT Press, 2011, 296 p., $29.95.
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The Theory That Would Not Die: How Bayes’ Rule Cracked the Enigma Code, Hunted Down Russian Submarines, and Emerged Triumphant from Two Centuries of Controversy by Sharon Bertsch McGrayne
The history of Bayes’ theorem and its controversial role in science’s use of statistics. Yale Univ. Press, 2011, 336 p., $27.50.
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The Darwin Archipelago: The Naturalist’s Career Beyond Origin of Species by Steve Jones
A surprising look at Darwin’s lesser-known works uncovers the foundations of entire fields of biology, from soil science to early inklings of hormones. Yale Univ. Press, 2011, 248 p., $27.50.
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Lab Coats in Hollywood: Science, Scientists, and Cinema by David A. Kirby
A behind-the-scenes peek at how science consultants have helped movies such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Beautiful Mind try to present science realistically. MIT Press, 2011, 265 p., $27.95.
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Atlas of Oceans: An Ecological Survey of Underwater Life by John Farndon
This richly illustrated survey of marine life introduces basic principles of oceanography and highlights the hazards of environmental degradation. Yale Univ. Press, 2011, 256 p., $50.
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Let Them Eat Shrimp: The Tragic Disappearance of the Rainforests of the Sea by Kennedy Warne
For anyone wondering just what the heck “rainforests of the sea” might be, they’re the world’s largely unsung, highly imperiled, biologically fabulous coastal forests of mangroves. And it’s a telling point that the word mangroves does not appear on the cover of a book devoted to their marvels and troubles. LET THEM EAT SHRIMP: THE […]
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One Hundred Names for Love: A Stroke, a Marriage, and the Language of Healing by Diane Ackerman
Review by Laura Sanders.
