What is your most recently read science book? What did you think of it? Part 3

[Herman]

On 3/7/21, I posted my 37th pair of reviews, 1 for Lessem's Ornithomimids: The Fastest Dinosaur (which is great: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ) & 1 for Blasing's "Dinosaurs! My First Book About Carnivores" (which is terrible: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ).

[Camelia Rose]

Finished Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow, mixed feeling, 3 star My review

[Woman Reading]

The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here by Hope Jahren. This is an excellent primer about climate change - science-based and yet very accessible.

My review - www.Goodreads.com/review/show/3888495136

[Woman Reading]

Black Death at the Golden Gate: The Race to Save America from the Bubonic Plague by David K. Randall

Because of the parallels with earlier political stances and ongoing anti-Asian violence, this book really hit home and was both timely and uncomfortable.

My review - www.Goodreads.com/review/show/3895251459

[Petra X]

Just finished and reviewed (sort of) Hooked: Food, Free Will, and How the Food Giants Exploit Our Addictions
Life's Edge: The Search for What It Means to Be Alive

[Jim]

The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values by Sam Harris is a very thought provoking read. His points against moral relativism are well made. I gave this short, but dense book a 5 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Camelia Rose]

Science books I've read recently:

The Future We Choose: Surviving the Climate Crisis, a climate change manifesto by the architect of Paris Agreement. My review.

21 Lessons for the 21st Century This one is very hard to categorize. Social science? Futurist? Politics? History? My review

Owls of the Eastern Ice: A Quest to Find and Save the World's Largest Owl Owls are one of my favorite animals. A delightful read. My review (very short)

[Camelia Rose]

Jim wrote: "The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values by Sam Harris is a very thought provoking read. His points against moral relativism are well made. I gave t..."

Sounds very interesting... I am a listener of Sam Harris' podcast.

[Brian]

Hello, Habits by Fumio Sasaki is a pragmatic read. It sheds light upon the myths of traditional notions of willpower through the use of some scientific studies. It then teaches us how we can leverage the power of habits to develop stronger "willpower."

My review - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3616111392

[Steve]

Jim wrote: "The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values by Sam Harris is a very thought provoking read. His points against moral relativism are well made. I gave t..."

We read this in Feb of 2012. There was quite a bit of discussion. Here's the thread:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Jim]

Thanks! There's certainly a lot to discuss.

[Steve]

Finished this a couple weeks ago: The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race This would make a good selection for a future book-of-the month. Here's my review:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Angus]

I just finished https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4... but yet to post a review. Fascinating look at the complexity and diversity of our solar systems planets and moons, although a little bit difficult in its flow (possibly follows the authors research journey). A good update on how this area is developing

[Michael]

Why We Sleep, Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
Read, 'Why We Sleep' by Mathew Walker, and contribute to a world of healthy, happy people. Cite the abundant scientific evidence described, as needed to help navigate this sleep deprived culture. Shorter Sleep, Shorter Life.

[Brian]

I recently finished reading AI Superpowersr by Lee Kai-Fu. Before reading this book, I was unaware of the drastic effect AI could have on society and how surprisingly soon it could all happen.
Here is my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3874237936

[Camelia Rose]

Mind of the Raven: Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds is my second Bernd Heinrich. Published in 2000 but still readable and relevant. My review

[Betsy, co-mod]

I just finished Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller. This is not a typical science biography, but I found it surprisingly engaging. Here is my review.

[Herman]

On 5/4/21, I posted my 38th pair of reviews, 1 for Davidson et al.'s The Usborne World Atlas of Dinosaurs (which is great: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ) & 1 for DK's Where on Earth? Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life: The Amazing History of Earth's Most Incredible Animals (which is mostly good: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ).

[Jim]

Great Adaptations: Star-Nosed Moles, Electric Eels, and Other Tales of Evolution's Mysteries Solved was a great book not just for the evolutionary adaptations but for Catania's attitude. His sense of wonder & joy of discovery simply poured out. I didn't care for the narrator at all, but I still listened raptly to the whole book. I gave it a 5 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Jim]

The Age of Wood: Our Most Useful Material and the Construction of Civilization was really good. A lot of interesting history & some of the science behind what makes wood such a versatile material. I found the last chapter about modern uses & climate change very interesting, too. I gave it a 4 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Fausto]

Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert. I rated the book 5 stars. Gilbert is an eminent psychologist who digs deep into the question why it is that we’re humans are so staggering incompetent at the very thing that that makes us human: the ability to predict (how we would feel) in the future, or what we actually felt in the past. For me it wasn’t so much the new information (although there most definitely was), but I particularly enjoyed the details and explanations of human behavior and traits that seem so very common that you would almost forget that they are truly, truly exceptional.

[Camelia Rose]

Recent science books I've read:

The Story of More: How We Got to Climate Change and Where to Go from Here, a sober, heavy book, science-based and data-packed, very accessible. HIghly recommened. My review

Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning this is not exactly a science book, but it has some scientific facts. My review

A Natural History of the Senses part science, part history, in the style of Bill Bryson. Science part is a bit outdated. My review

[Petra X]

Brainstorm: Detective Stories From the World of Neurology. It's only about different forms of epilepsy but is fascinating. It's told much like Oliver Sacks or Harold Klawans, with great emphasis on the patients as people who are also tracking down in tandem with the doctor what exactly is wrong with them. Great writing. I reviewed it here

[Betsy, co-mod]

I just finished The Premonition: A Pandemic Story. It might not be considered a strictly science book, although I consider public health to be a science. But it's as much about politics as it is about science. But it was very good. Even important. Because it explains how the U.S. pandemic response was such a failure. I strongly recommend it. Here is my review.

[David]

Camelia Rose wrote: "Beginners: The Joy and Transformative Power of Lifelong Learning this is not exactly a science book, but it has some scientific facts. My review"

Thanks for the suggestion, Camelia. I've put "Beginners" on hold at the library.

[Dr. Been]

Parasite Rex. absolutely amazing book. the parasite world is astonishing.

[Camelia Rose]

Your Brain is a Time Machine: The Neuroscience and Physics of Time, a book on the topic of time. It's both a book of neuroscience and physics. Very interesting. My review

[Camelia Rose]

Another science book: Life's Edge: The Search for What It Means to Be Alive. The second Carl Zimmer I've read. Very interesting. I didn't know the question of what is life is still not settled. My Review

[Jim]

Beaks, Bones and Bird Songs: How the Struggle for Survival Has Shaped Birds and Their Behavior was an excellent overview of them all from tiny song birds to penguins. A lot of fascinating facts both about them & how they fit into their environment. I gave it a 5 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Camelia Rose]

A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future A very sober book, but also optimistic. Everyone should read it. My review

[David]

Camelia Rose wrote: "A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future A very sober book, but also optimistic. Everyone should read it. My review"

Nice review! I just borrowed the book from the library--about to start reading it!

[Woman Reading]

The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration Into the Wonder of Consciousness by Sy Montgomery

Overall a delightful book - my review www.Goodreads.com/review/show/4103707314

[David]

I just finished reading Life's Edge: The Search for What It Means to Be Alive by Carl Zimmer. He is an excellent science writer. In this book he tells the stories of scientists who tried to find "the edge" between the non-living and life. It is curious that life spans such a wide range of structures, that no single definition really captures the entire gamut of life. Here is my review.

[Woman Reading]

Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age by Annalee Newitz. This book describes 4 dead cities from Turkey, Italy, Cambodia, and the US, but I ended up more interested in how archeology has evolved.

My review - www.Goodreads.com/review/show/4092165371

[Jim]

The Disappearing Spoon: Young Readers Edition might seem an odd choice for a 60+ year old man, but I loved it & felt it covered the subject well enough for me. I think anyone from 10 yo up would enjoy it. I gave it a 5 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[David]

I just finished reading A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future by natural historian and broadcaster, David Attenborough. The author has had a remarkable life, circling the globe and documenting life, the environment, and the ecological situation in a myriad of locations. The book is a very easy read, and is quite short--highly recommended. But be prepared--our planet's environmental problems go far beyond climate change. Here is my review.

[Herman]

On 7/5/21, I posted my 39th pair of reviews, 1 for Howard's Dinosaur Empire!: Journey through the Mesozoic Era (which is great: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ) & 1 for Stamper's "Dinosaur Detectives (The Magic School Bus Science Chapter Book #9)" (which is terrible: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ).

[Camelia Rose]

The two science-related books I've read:

Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment. Quite interesting book from a Nobel Prize Winner. My review

White Feathers: The Nesting Lives of Tree Swallows. I do like this author's books. My review

[Jim]

Tree Story: The History of the World Written in Rings was really interesting tracing the science behind dendrochronology including field trips, calibrating it to other forms of dating, & variations in climate. She also shows how the historical & regional data aligns with major historical events - droughts causing rebellions & more. If she hadn't gotten so strident & repetitive about recent climate change, I would have liked the book better, but the last quarter of the book was just too much. Still, I gave it a 4 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Woman Reading]

Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty by Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo.

As the pandemic has added an estimated 150 million people to the ranks of the extreme poor, this book remains relevant.

My review - www.Goodreads.com/review/show/4138614017

[Jim]

Spacefarers: How Humans Will Settle the Moon, Mars, and Beyond was really interesting & written from a practical perspective. I gave it a 5 star review here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

As a follow up, I watched Disney's "Man in Space" (1955). This was one of their Sunday shows which came on at 7pm on channel 11 when I was a kid & was a time the whole family watched TV together. The show aired 2 years before Sputnik, so I was surprised by how well the basics were explained including the first quarter being a history of rockets. The explanations were enhanced by quirky cartoons, too. Werner Von Braun & other notable rocket pioneers were not only mentioned, but spoke at some length on their parts of the space program. Von Braun describes a 4 stage rocket that boosted a space shuttle nose cone carrying 1o people into orbit which then glided back down. The 1300 degree hull temp they projected was less than half that of the space shuttle (3000F) but I was still impressed by how much they got right. It's well worth watching.

[George P.]

I'm reading Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande, which some classify as a science book, but I think it is more about culture and sociology. It's a good book about people approaching end of life.

[George P.]

David wrote: "I just finished reading A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future by natural historian and broadcaster, David Attenborough. The author has had a remarka..."

There's a video based on it available on Netflix also- about an hour long . Attenborough is definitely the most amazingly alert and articulate ninety-five year-old I've ever seen.

[Betsy, co-mod]

George P. wrote: "I'm reading Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande, which some classify as a science book, but I think it is more about culture and sociology. It's a goo..."

One of my all time favorites. An important book.

[Camelia Rose]

Betsy wrote: "George P. wrote: "I'm reading Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande, which some classify as a science book, but I think it is more about culture and soc..."

I liked it too.

[Camelia Rose]

My recent science books:

The Remarkable Life of the Skin: An Intimate Journey Across Our Largest Organ written by a dermatologist, My very short review

Your Inner Fish: a Journey into the 3.5-Billion-Year History of the Human Body, a textbook for evolution
My review

Slime: How Algae Created Us, Plague Us, and Just Might Save Us, everything about algae,
My review

[David]

George P. wrote: "David wrote: "I just finished reading A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future by natural historian and broadcaster, David Attenborough. The author has..."

Thanks for the notice, George! I am looking it up now.

[Jim]

Camelia Rose wrote: "My recent science books:

[book:Your Inner Fish: a Jo..."

The Inner Fish review link isn't working, but the other 2 did. Good reviews.

[Camelia Rose]

Jim wrote: "Camelia Rose wrote: "My recent science books:

[book:Your Inner Fish: a Jo..."

The Inner Fish review link isn't working, but the other 2 did. Good reviews."

Thank you Jim. Just fixed it.

[Nancy]

David wrote: "I just finished reading A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future by natural historian and broadcaster, David Attenborough. The author has had a remarka..."
woo hoo! Just found it at the library, can't wait to read it.