The Cell: A Visual Tour of the Building Block of Life

by Jack Challoner

The microscopic cell is Earth’s greatest success story, and the common ancestor we share with all other organisms. Formed over three and a half billion years ago, life exploded from this minuscule powerhouse, first throughout the seas and then, over millions of years, across the lands to create the complex living forms populating the planet today. Yet, how has such a minute organism been so powerful? What has enabled it both to create and break down life on earth over billions of years? And, how have cells interacted to create an extraordinary diversity of plant, aquatic, terrestrial, and avian life? Here, Jack Challoner shines a spotlight on the passage of the cell through time to explore how a continual myriad of interactions and symbiotic relationships have been, and continue to be, the extraordinary catalyst for life.

Genres: Science, Biology, Nonfiction, Nature, Reference, Evolution

192 pages, Hardcover

First published September 5, 2015

Reviews

[Kenia Sedler]

Fantastic, clear descriptions and stunning photographs.

Also, in a small section, "Genetic typos" in Ch. 3, I love that the author wrote the sentence: "However, as occasionally happens with typists and editors, some mistakes still make it it through..."

I see what you did there, Mr. Challoner. Touché.

[Akanbi Adefolarin]

Fun to read!!
On sighting the book cover, I pretty much judged it as an academic intensive read, which was fine since I was taking a biology course at the moment anyways. I never saw the outstanding eye opening effect the book had on my understanding of cellular operations coming, with the use of rare images and elaborate writing that didn’t make the book feel like some tough science journal to digest. How the author mentions almost, if not all the scientists involved in cellular research in a more personified manner was helpful to bond more to the work.
However, as pointed out by another reviewer, It’s not to be taken as a reference for academic work due to the limited information on certain processes within the cell. For instance, the information provided about extremophiles and their cellular structure is very limited. It seemed just like an honorable mention when I read through.

[Thomas Rosenthal]

everything about the cell for any non-biologist.

This is a remarkable overview of cells and how they build all living things. The photos will excite any scientists, but it is written to be understood by readers with only a rudimentary understanding of biology.

[ArianeDeTroil]

Es un libro profusamente ilustrado de introducción a la biología celular. Tremendamente recomendable para cualquiera con curiosidad acerca de los misterios de la vida.

[Heidi]

This book was largely an adult non-fiction level review of what both my boys have already learned about cells up to this point. My middle son and I MUCH preferred "The Song of the Cell" by Siddhartha Mukherjee as he writes extremely academic information in an extremely user friendly and readable way. Still, this book has lots of information about all types of cells, and its main selling point is the fact that it contains many beautiful photographs to accompany the written content.

[Thomas H. Kibalo]

Excellent overview of the cell!

This book exceeded my expectations. It brought me into a deeper appreciation of the cell and how it functions across all of like. The illustrations and pictures are excellent

[Douglas Larson]

Filled with technical information that I had trouble following at times.
But I learned things I have always wondered about, like how genes are turned on and how developing fetuses know how to build a baby.

[Laura]

Excellent quick summary of current biological knowledge. Would recommend it for high school level and up. Complex information is summarized in small digestible bites and the illustrations are gorgeous.

[Elizabeth]

The Cell: A Visual Tour of the Building Block of Life by Jack Challoner – This is on kindle unlimited. I loved all the pictures, but if you need a crash course on the cell, this would be a nice resource! Happy Reading!

[Sylvia]

My teenagers used this as the main book in their study of cellular biology the last six months. Incredible book. Great information and amazing photos

[Heidi]

This was a fascinating and educational look at cells. I read it aloud to my eldest as part of his biology focus for science, and we both really enjoyed it much more than we thought we were going to.

[David Krueger]

Amazing pictures

I am glad I have a Kindle Fire. The pictures and drawings are beautiful and informative. Even a knowledgeable biologist will enjoy the discussion and illustrations

[Aaron]

4.75/5: When biology, diagrammatic cartoons, naturalist illustration, microscopy and photography come together in this gem of a book -- this is one to be continually reread, admired, relearnt. A visually-stunning compendium of all sorts of biological cells, gloriously stained and curated to deep effect, leaving imprints that not only educate and elucidate, but stimulates wonderment and creativity as well -- for example, who knew the insides of a HEPA filter could be beautiful, even in the way they ensnare bacteria and viruses

[David Arch]

Great visual representation of the cell and its workings....

[Aditi]

Royal Society of Biology General Book Prize Nominee (2016)