Science Nature Books

Why We Run is for runners what Lives of a Cell (by Lewis Thomas) is for scientists. It's a classic book on running, well enjoyed by the casual runner to the elite. If you are a runner or love a runner, this is a "must read".

This book was interesting, though a little too dry at times. Glad I purchased it though.

. . . is what I said involuntarily just after finishing the book. This is a very well written book that compares the physiological aspects between animals and humans as they pertain to running and endurance. It covers a wide breadth of material ranging from bird migration to the running differences between prey and predators, but it all comes around to answering the question of why humans run and have a very high level of endurance. A good part of the book is autobiographical as the author begins by discussing the effect that running and nature had on his earlier life and ends with describing his experience competing in a 100-kilometer race. This book would appeal greatly to runners who want (or need) to go beyond the run-a-bunch-of-intervals and drink-a-bunch-of-sugar-water style of running books. It would also appeal greatly to readers who generally enjoy popular science or nature books.

I am an ultrarunner, and read this book expecting a book on ultrarunning.

I have recommended this book to runner and non-runner friends alike. When they ask what it's about, I describe it as 1/3 personal memoir, 1/3 biology book, and 1/3 training log. The author's accomplishment he writes about is extraordinary, and his portrayal of "the race" at the end will be re-read by me many times.

Some of the "biology book" sections are a little drawn out and tough to slog through, but it all comes together by the end of the book. I acknowledge some of the criticisms posted here, but I guess I wasn't as sensitive to them.

I enjoyed the book and will read it again.

This book is truly a classic on the biology and anthropology of exercise. I first stumbled upon it in the bookstore when I was just looking for some more books on running. I wasn't looking for anything in particular and I picked up "Why We Run" off the shelf to give it a chance.

It was just what I was looking for.

The exploration of human anthropology and the scientific explanations of why we run were in exact alignment with my beliefs. Heinrich's basic assertion is that we run because we're supposed to run. Our systems are made to use fatty acids and glycerol as fuels for long distance, nomadic type activities, not quick glucose intensive activity.

This clearly sheds light on the heart rate formula for weight loss and what is particularly best for any specific person. If Heinrich's points are correct, then the conclusion would be a lower heart rate is most effective for weight loss and the preferred zone for any type of exercise. Any exercise in the higher heart rate zones could be classified as survival training--or expending energy that is meant for fight or flight type activities, like running away from tigers or the like. This is clearly not anything we have to do in our modern times.

Heinrich goes to great lengths to explore his arguments. He takes the biology of the other animals and compares them to ours in a very "easy-to-read," unscientific way--something that is relieving for anyone who's spent hours with their nose buried in anatomy books.

The book is anecdotal, because Heinrich bookends the story with his own 100K run. This makes the book entertaining as well and not just a dry scientific read. It's also great biological justification (translated: "excuse") to tell a spouse who thinks you spend too much time training for the next big race!

Perfect for runners and walkers who want to understand their body and what is best for optimal health!

Kevin Gianni, NCSF-CPT
Author, Personal Trainer

This book does a great job in bringing down to human scale otherwise abstract concepts like global warming, overpopulation and resource management. Anyone who enjoys reading travel stories and learning about the impact our current state of development may have in future generations will enjoy reading Earth Odyssey.

Excellent review of factors which influence our environmental survival. Very easy to read. Hertsgaard puts a human face on many of these issues by including stories of people he meets on his journey. Good index.

This is a heart-wrenching and eye-opening tale of our earth's health, yet the book maintains throughout a sense of hope in humanity's abilities. I believe that all priviledged developed-world citizens should read this to understand how the "other half" of the world's inhabitants are forced to live. Hertsgaard created here a smooth and flawless read that never becomes tedious.

Investigative reporter Mark Hertsgaard spent six years traveling around the world, gathering material for this book. This is not strictly a scientific treatise (although he conducted extensive research into his topics). Rather, he reports through the eyes of the people who live in the environmentally damaged places he visited. The theme of the book is how technology has both benefitted and harmed the planet and its inhabitants, and how greed continues to threaten our existence. His accounts of wanton destruction of nature in the 19th century make the reader gasp with dismay over the short-sightedness of our predecessors: the damming of a mighty river and its magnificent waterfall; the murder of the largest, oldest sequoia on earth. (Two of the examples which brought me to tears.) The horror is: the destruction, the contamination, and waste are still happening. And not only at the hands of totalitarian regimes or ignorant third-world peasants, but due to the callousness of greedy American corporations and government lobbies. The conclusions of Chapter Three, "The Irrisistable Automobile", will come as no surprise to most American readers, although the images of the perpetually gridlocked traffic-jams of fume-choked Asian cities astonished even this rider of Southern California freeways. Statistics of the predicted explosion in automobile sales world wide are especially ominous. This book was published in 1999 and exposes the hypocrisy of the Clinton administration in paying lip service to environmental issues while simultaneously caving to the demands of the powerful fossil fuel lobby. If Chapter Three is gloomy, Chapter Four, "To the Nuclear Lighthouse", is utterly terrifying. The account of Hertsgaard's visits to the most blighted areas of the former USSR is preceeded by a dismal, just recently uncensored history of the Soviets' worst nuclear disasters. While everyone knows about Chernobyl, few people knew about the radiating of the Siberian region of Chelyabinsk. Few, that is, other than the hapless residents who've been suffering its effects for years. With the aid of his translator, Russian author and photographer Vlad Tamarov, Hertsgaard conducted a relentless expose' of the deliberate coverups of "incidents" at nuke plants and shipping lanes, which irreversibly poisoned crops, fisheries, and even the water table. Even more worrisome than the damage already done are Hertsgaard's reports of poorly inventoried and practically unguarded nuclear stockpiles in volatile republics such as Kazakhstan. The American reader who attributes Soviet environmental crimes to Communist cruelty is in for an ugly shock -- Hertsgaard then documents identical coverups by our own government, of similar "incidents" on our own soil! From Russia, the author journeyed to China and Africa to report on overpopulation and its adverse effects on nature, health, and standards of living. The bleak narrative ends on a hopeful note: "Sustainable Development and the Triumph of Capitalism". Since the publication of "Earth Odyssey", the Bush administration has all but declared war on the environment, so even that fleeting hope now appears elusive.

Journalist Mark Hertsgaard sets out on his own to circumnavigate the globe, recording a broad array of environmental woes along the way.

As much as this book focuses on the environmental problems we face, the writing returns again and again to the people that Hertsgaard meets along the way. His characterization of the individuals that he meets are presented in a narrative style that really brings those people to life. We can understand, after reading the book, why the Chinese government has such an abominable record, and the Chinese people make a compelling argument that environmental concerns must come second to financial concerns. The fact that we can see this is a "long walk off a short pier" doesn't change the fact that China is caught between a rock and a hard place.

Hertsgaard presents many human stories that are, in their way, more interesting than the environmental problems he explores. His on-the-ground visit to a polluted river, for example, is almost exactly what I would expect. The river is dirty, the water ugly. But the interpreter who accompanies him on part of his visit to China provides far more surprising, and interesting, reading.

Hertsgaard also ends on a ray of hope, presenting some of the solutions that have yet to gain widespread acceptance, but which demonstrate that a sustainable future is available, should individuals and governments muster the willpower to implement it.

Overall, I was impressed with the writing and the attention to detail that Hertsgaard displays. I'm not sure if every trip that he made paid off, in terms of providing insight via a ground-level look at some of these issues, but overall, he has given us all something to think about.

Brechin begins with an overview of the social and political environment that evolves around historic mining operations, then applies the historic pattern to San Francisco's gold rush. This very readable volumn highlights the interactions between San Francisco's movers and shakers, explaining in the process why these individuals had buildings, parks and streets named after them. Imperial San Francisco paints a good picture of the opportunities the city's founders embraced and some of the consequences of their actions.

Perfect in fact.
My general remark is that the cost of sending the item is very high in relation to the original price of the book. I realise that this could be difficult to change, but this makes that I will only consider an order to Amazon whem I see no otrer way to buy a book othertwise.

Karel

OK, OK, I get the point: elites manipulate the physical world for their own enrichment and then disguise their machinations by comprimising the media. So what else is new?

One complaint that has already been voiced about this book is that it is not reall "about" San Francisco at all, but rather makes a point about all cities. That complaint is true in that author's theoretical underpinings for his argument extend to examples outside of San Francisco. Really though, what else would the author do?

Personally, I found authors attempt to relate San Francisco to Rome and other cities to be interesting and relevant.

Another complaint voiced in these reviews is authors tone. That tone has been described as "shrill". I would have to concur with that complaint. I found the tone of this book to be distracting. I would venture to guess that anyone, ANYONE who reads this book is likely amenable to his "Cities suck" thesis. To belabor the point in the manner that author does is just beating a dead horse.

In defense of author, he doesn't present himself as a true "academic" but as a sort of journalist/academic cross-trainer. I found that perspective refreshing. Author is impassioned about the subject of book in a way that makes you put up with the occasional hectoring and shrillness.

One fundamental problem I had with the substance, rather then the style of the book: Author repeatedly discusses various civic improvement schemes as plots to "increase real estate values". Query: Is that really such a nefarious scheme? If you look at California today, property ownership is hardly the exclusive province of the elite. In this way, I think the book unwittingly lends supports to an alternative, and contradictory hypotheses: That the actions that economic elites take in their own self interest ultimately benefit those outside their own social class.

So, that's something to think about.

Gray Brechin tells us about the short Spanish-American War and the long, bloody Philippine-American War that followed. When Gulf War II went fast and well, and the occupation went awry, and comparisons were made to the Vietnam War, I thought Brechin's observations to be much closer to the mark. Too bad its lessons were missed by almost everyone.

I am long overdue in giving praise, and thanks, to Gray Brechin for writing one of the definitive and most unique historical treatises on the incomparable and often barbaric history of California, San Francisco, and the American West. He opens with an examination of urban-centric empires, particularly Rome and London, and shows how the process repeated and accelerated in California, due to the unprecedented economic boom triggered by Gold Rush, Silver Boom, the "green gold" agricultural explosion, real estate, ship building and military hardware. His portraits of the ruthless visionaries/profiteers like California's Big Four and Comstock Load barons gives a historical and cultural understanding of how the West became a major economic and political engine that helped transform America into the lumbering financial juggernaut it is today. Brechin dissects the phenomenon of faux wealth perfectly: explaining how hundreds of millions of dollars invested in Gold Mining stocks fueled the Western boom and expansion, investments that were several times greater than the actual amount of gold taken from the land. He dissects the financial "pyramid" that he attributes to mining: how elevator shafts that went down into the grown soon becamse elevator shafts that moved people up into the heavens in high rise buildings, transforming the brief gold mining bonanza into the real estate phenomenon that continues in California to this day. It a truly fresh, original, eye-opening and flawlessly documented observation. And Brechin is not shy about showing the human and environmental costs: the deforestation of the entire Lake Tahoe Basin, the astonishing wastelands created by high pressure water mining for silver in the High Sierra. This is mesmerizing, wonderfully written, a reflective and predictive tale, told as deftly and poignantly as any California history I have ever read, and I have read many. This book should take its place alongside Walter Bean's "Abe Ruef's San Francisco", Marc Reisner's "Dangerous California" and Gladys Hansen's "Denial of Disaster" as a pivotal tome on where we started and where we are headed in America and particularly the American West. James Dalessandro, author, 1906.

We found this perfect book to go with a lego reader book space adventure and of course a set of legos with a similar space exploration theme. Our nephew loved the gift for Christmas!

Linda is an astronaut. Her fourth mission involves repairing a telescope in outer space. Combining color photos and illustrations with a simple vocabulary makes this another winner in the DK Eyewitness Reader series. It can be easily accessed by those starting to read on their own. Fact boxes are scattered throughout the book and interesting space facts are on a separate page. The details of an astronaut's training and work are woven into a story which will hold the attention of almost any reader.

Another wonderful book by Dianna Hutts Aston. Beautifully illustrated and written, it captures the students' interest immediately.

I LOVE this book. It was recommended in Mothering magazine, so I decided to check it out. This book, and the one published previously by the same duo (An Egg is Quiet) are beautifully illustrated. My baby is only 7 months old, so we haven't passed board books yet, but I can't wait until she can sit and listen to the verse in these books. I would say the minimum age would be three, but kids will love it until ten years of age or so!

I have read this book to my 6 & 8 yr old grandkids. Actually, my 8-yr old read most of it to me. Beyond what the other reviewers say, this book will be attractive to kids over a range of ages -- and interesting over more than 1 year -- because at one end, a good part of the text is readable, even poetic, and nontechnical; and another part is rather technical, meaning that the kids will learn something new each time they read it. (Such as about monocots and dicots.) Both of my children did seed projects in school and this fits right in; adding things and affirming others. Also, the illustrations are very good -- and I have had a few botany courses.

I do have a small reservation: saying that a seed leaps out of its pod or is sleepy. But I explained to the kids that these words were being used poetically and they seemed unbothered by it.

At first glance, this book appears to be a simple ode to seeds with beautiful drawings. Each page contains a sentence that starts with "A seed is..." followed by an adjective. However, the author then gives us fascinating factual information about why the adjective describes seeds. This is a great way to teach kids about seeds and also allow them to epose them to a multitude of seeds they would otherwise have never seen! Also check out the companion book, "An Egg is Quiet."

Sometimes a book is so lovely, it is difficult to review. You just want to throw a bunch of words out, like, "stunning," "superb," "gorgeous," and "accomplished." There. I'm done. No? Okay, then, on with the review.

Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long team up again after their Cybils Non-Fiction Award-winning "An Egg is Quiet." Now I know what all the fuss is about. Aston takes a non-fiction topic and turns it into a lyrical work of genius. In "A Seed is Sleepy" the seed is the topic du jour. Now we've all read a non-fiction title or two about seeds. But Aston's genius is taking the mundane and making it beautiful. Take the opening page, for example:

A seed is sleepy.

It lies there, tucked inside its flower,
or its cone, or beneath the soil. Snug. Still.

Rendered in open, easy-to-read cursive, these lines are pure poetry and set the frame for the book. Each double-page spread begins with a similar seed statement and Dianna Hutts Aston's choices are always unexpected. My favorite is "A seed is inventive" and is followed by:

To find a spot to grow,
A seed might leap from its pod,
[violet]
or cling to a
child's shoestring,
[cocklebur]
or tumble through
a bear's belly.
[Red huckleberry]
A seed hopes to land where
there is plenty of
sunlight, soil, and water.



Sylvia Long's ink and watercolor illustrations are worthy of any nineteenth-century illustrated nature classic. Full color and lush, you want to snip each one out and make a gorgeous collage until you remember you'd destroy this amazing book.

"A Seed is Sleepy" will be enjoyed by children of all ages and all tastes. The story fan will appreciate Aston's way with words, while the non-fiction freak will relish the information presented. And the best news? Parents won't be bored reading this one aloud, either.

This is an impressive, dense, fact-filled book with wonderful illustrations and distribution maps. It is as useful for plant biologists as it is for anyone else, whether you are interested in evolutionary relationships of plants, or just simply wondering where certain foods come from. Citations are acknowledged along with each family description for quick reference to the primary literature.

The predecessor of this book, Flowering Plants of the World, was a well-known reference for decades to many who love plants. There is a strong sense of continuity between these two books, if for no other reason that both use the same illustrations. In fact the continuity goes further and also involves much of the contents, as evidenced by the error of zebrawood being supplied by a species of Connarus, a myth that was debunked in the 1940's.

Where the earlier book was based on the Cronquist system, with the plant families arranged by order, this book is (loosely) based on APG II (2003), with the plant families arranged by alphabet. As to recognition of families, this book adopts a splitter's philosophy, recognizing 506 families (versus 457 in APG II). The book recognizes families such as Bombacaceae, Cneoraceae, Sterculiaceae and Tiliaceae. The classification in this book will not be found in any other reference, but this splitter's policy may help the book retain its value in these times of constant change in plant classification.