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List Price: £12.99
Our Price: £6.02
Author:
Rodden Robinson, Tara PhD.
By John Wiley & Sons
 Fantastic, 2007-12-21
I was cruelly forced to take a genetics module as part of my stage one zoology degree, and to begin with found it completely impossible, not to mention unutterably boring. I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I'm actually quite enjoying it now because of this book. All of the concepts are explained step by step, and so far I haven't come across anything I don't understand, even though more detail is given than I need to know. It's very reasonably priced too so it won't feel like a waste of money when I no longer need it (unlike the £40 book I was advised to buy and haven't yet opened!).
List Price: £9.99
Our Price: £4.95
Author:
Stephen Oppenheimer
By Robinson Publishing
Robust science in a charmingly written package, 2006-07-31
The book is trying to decipher one of the major questions faced by the paleontological scientific community today, namely the when, how and why Homo Sapiens, our species, managed to get to every last corner of the planet.
Such a vast problem requires, by default, a multidisciplinary approach, and that is exactly the author's method. He combines archaeological data, climate history studies and the latest in biological-genes research, in order to painfully and methodically reconstruct first the Exodus from Africa - birthplace of our species - and then the various phases of human diffusion. He proposes a single exodus from Africa theory, around 80.000 years ago and then follows the combined evidence (fossil record, tools, locations and genes) to trace the human voyage to Southern Asia, Australia, Northern Asia and Europe and finally the Americas.
The author makes a persuasive case and one may agree or disagree with his proposals or parts of them. Irrespective of that, one has to admire the robustly scientific approach to each and separate problem faced during this fascinating journey. Mr. Oppenheimer is the first to state the doubtful of his position in many instances and never passes mere hypotheses as facts. And, most important of all, since this is a book aimed at interested laymen, not scientists of the field, his prose is clear, as free of scientific jargon as possible and downright charming. The illustrations, maps and color plates complement the text in a most satisfying way, making for an excellent and very interesting read.
List Price: £4.99
Our Price: £1.13
Author:
Michael Chinery
By Collins
 Great Little Book, 2007-01-27
I bought this book when we moved to a new house with a large established garden which seemed to attract lots of butterflies. It has been a great help finding out which ones are which and good fun too getting my daughter involved as well. Great pictures and photographs and an easy to follow method of identifying butterflies and moths. Well worth the small amount of money paid.
List Price: £19.99
Our Price: £10.53
Author:
Bjørn Lomborg
By Cambridge University Press
According to The Skeptical Environmentalist the hole in the Ozone Layer is healing. The Amazon has shrunk by only 14 per cent since the arrival of Man. Only 0.7 per cent of species will be driven to extinction over the next 50 years. Even the poorest humans are getting richer by the year. Things are not good enough; but they are far, far better than we have been taught to believe. Lomborg, a professor of statistics and a former Greenpeace member, reveals the complexity, confusion, and (rarely) misuse of data behind the current Litany of approaching environmental Armageddon. But this is not a comforting or reassuring read. Nor is it a bible for lackeys and do-nothings. Lomborg uses the same figures everyone else uses, from national governments to the Kyoto summit to Greenpeace. Rarely have the raw data been discussed in such detail: their history, how they are calculated, their strengths, and their weaknesses. Lomborg argues persuasively that our sense of approaching human and environmental disaster is an artefact of the valid work of modern scientific, environmental and media institutions. There is, he asserts, no one to blame for our growing sense of despair, but everything...
A truly excellent book, 2008-07-26
This is one of those books which change the course of things.
It is hugely impressive not only because of the absolutely massive amount of research involved, but because the entire work comes from someone who had, initially, entirely opposite convictions to those reflected in the book and had the intellectual honesty to understand that he was wrong, accept it and spread the word.
More notable is the book also for the unbelievable smearing campaign and the attempt at character assassination of which the author has been made object from his former companions, a truly sobering experience about the ways of "idealists","world savers" and apostles of "tolerance".
And mind, this is not someone just pretending to have been converted to sell a bit more; the author was very active in his academic milieu and certainly not the conservative type (openly and vocally leftist, openly and vocally homosexual). This gives the claims in the books, apart from the huge and ruthlessly accurate research - though the occasional mistake may have slipped here and there - the more credibility.
The environmental hype is now slowly ebbing down; common sense starts to prevail; the mayor of London with his ecoterrorist agenda (actually populism and class warfare with another name, as it is often the case) lost his job and all other british politicians listened to the message; in general, politicians have become more and more timid in trying to "look good" by imposing new taxes "to save the planet". This book shares a part of the merit.
Buy it and will you never regret it.
List Price: £16.99
Our Price: £12.00
Author:
Michael Reiss
By Hodder Murray
Good Introduction text for Trainee Biology Teachers, 2000-12-24
As i hope to teach Biology when i do my PGCE,i needed an introduction to the syllabus and range of ideas from experienced teachers. The book has a good layout and covers ten chapters of a range of fieids from cell biology to microbiology.Anyone who is anyone in this field seems to be in it.The diagrams are good,but they are all in black and white, more colour would be better.The ideas for classes are excellent and where to get further help is also a good idea.The book is a nice size too.Not too big and is ideal for a quick read prior to classes.If you are going to teach this subject then get the book.It will help me when i visit the schools during my PGCE.It is always wise to learn from those who have done it before you.
List Price: £47.99
Our Price: £31.48
Author:
Michael T. Madigan, John M. Martinko, Paul V. Dunlap, David P. Clark, Thomas Brock
By Pearson Education
Great Textbook, 2006-02-14
This book is great for Microbiology Undergraduates. The layout is perfect for studying and revising, and the information is presented in a clear manner. Doesn't put you to sleep like some other undergrad textbooks. You'll need other books for 2nd and 3rd year, but you will keep refering to this book even then. Overall, a very good textbook. Well worth the price.
List Price: £12.82
Our Price: £7.38
Author:
Alden Estes
By Alfred A Knopf
Good in South Africa too, 2008-07-06
Took a copy to Pilanesberg Game Park, in Northern South Africa, near Sun City.
It was an excellent reference guide, with the majority of animals identifiable via the photos and very useful explanatory text. Its also easily portable & in my view one of the best books to take with you on game drives.
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