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The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2009
is one of those books I would have never read if not for a reading challenge. In this instance, that would be the Dewey Decimal System Challenge. This is why I love reading challenges even when I'm tired of them.Each of the twenty-six articles included in this volume is fascinating and relatively easy for the non-science-type person to follow. Not surprisingly, I had problems understanding the couple articles involving things like cosmology and quantum mechanics, but they were still interesting the read. The rest were a whirlwind of topics that taught me all kinds of trivia about animal intelligence, where human waste ultimately ends up (both biologically and technologically related), how Internet search engines could be undermining our ability to concentrate, how human consciousness may be able to live forever, and lots of information on evolution and global climate change. I've only scratched the surface with this list. There is much, much more to be taken from these writings.
I highly recommend this book to any reader who enjoys expanding their general knowledge on a variety of topics. None of these articles will make an expert of anyone on anything, but they open doors to remarkable subjects that one could later choose to explore further. This is a series I will continue to read in the coming years.
10 comments:
Reading challenges do provide a great opportunity for us to pick up books we might not have otherwise. I find much of science fascinating, but admit to getting lost when it comes to the jargon sometimes. This sounds like a very readable book. Thanks for the great review, Lezlie.
Oh wow, I wand this and I want it now!! Fabulous review.
Literary Feline ~ It's *very* readable! I glaze over when things get too far over my head, and that almost never happened as I read this. It's extremely layman-friendly.
Nymeth ~ Thanks! I think you would like it a lot. I'll be waiting to hear your thoughts on it. :-)
Lezlie
great book!!
This sounds great! I just finished a science book (A World Without Ice) for a blog tour, and I realized it's been far too long since I read anything science-related. The variety of topics in this one sounds right up my alley. And, hurray, I think my library actually collects these. Woot!
Book Collection ~ I agree! I may have to go back and read a couple from previous years.
Andi ~ It is! I saw your review for World Without Ice and it does look good. I tend to shy away from science book for fear I won't understand them, but I will be taking a close look in the future. The variety in these books are perfect. No time to get bored or too confused. :-)
Lezlie
I think I'd like that approach to science. I know so little but if it's as readable as you say, then this might be for non-scientific me!
Rebecca ~ It worked for me, and I'm about as non-science as they come. :-) I think you should give it a try!
Lezlie
Great review! Though I'm a science student, I enjoy reading science books written for laymen.
Hazra ~ Thank you! As a science student, you'd probably appreciate it even more! I'd love to see what you think of the articles.
Lezlie
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