Koncocoo

Best Evolution

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution—a #1 international bestseller—that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human.”. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas. “Yuval Noah Harari’s celebrated Sapiens does for human evolution what Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time did for physics.… He does a superb job of outlining our slow emergence and eventual domination of the planet.” ( Forbes ). “[I]nteresting and provocative…It gives you a sense of perspective on how briefly we’ve been on this earth, how short things like agriculture and science have been around, and why it makes sense for us to not take them for granted.” ( President Barack Obama ). “I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a fun, engaging look at early human history…you’ll have a hard time putting it down.” ( Bill Gates ).
Reviews
"Parts of it were downright fascinating such as "imagination" being a keystone to human activity, e.g. corporations, money, and religion. Finally he keeps touching on the fact that animals have paid a terrible price for the rise of sapiens. Incidentally our family has a farm background and I eat no chicken, turkey, pork, or beef. Now I didn't give the book five stars because he makes positive references to the misguided but widely read Jared Diamond. Let me emphasize that on this snowy March day the cat and I are both glad we don't need to go out and scavenge something off the frozen earth."
"A standard history of the human race begins with Paleolithic proto-humans, traces the development of modern man or homo sapiens sapiens, then chronicles the beginnings and expansions of human civilization from agriculture to the present. He asks how "An Animal of No Significance" managed to become the dominant life form, and whether that animal's learning to produce his own food and then to further harness the natural world to his will through science were boons or setbacks, both for that animal and for the rest of the biosphere."
"Thought provoking."
"A fascinating read that clarified many ideas I had on how our species has come to dominate and systematically destroy much of this wonderful planet."
"Every chapter had mind-bending insights into our history."
"a well written master piece that gives the reader unique insight in our history, while making some of the difficult trade-offs in our society visible and comprehensible."
"Very interesting book."
"It uncovers the facts and truths of our human history, from the beginning of Homo Sapiens to the present time."
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Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution—a #1 international bestseller—that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human.”. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas. Tackling evolutionary concepts from a historian’s perspective, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind , describes human development through a framework of three not-necessarily-orthodox “Revolutions”: the Cognitive, the Agricultural, and the Scientific. His ideas are interesting and often amusing: Why have humans managed to build astonishingly large populations when other primate groups top out at 150 individuals? Because our talent for gossip allows us to build networks in societies too large for personal relationships between everyone, and our universally accepted “imagined realities”--such as money, religion, and Limited Liability Corporations—keep us in line. Though the concepts are unusual and sometimes heavy (as is the book, literally) Harari’s deft prose and wry, subversive humor make quick work of material prone to academic tedium. He’s written a book of popular nonfiction (it was a bestseller overseas, no doubt in part because his conclusions draw controversy) landing somewhere in the middle of a Venn diagram of genetics, sociology, and history. An engrossing read.” (Dan Ariely, New York Times Bestselling author of Predictably Irrational, The Upside of Irrationality , and The Honest Truth About Dishonesty ). “Yuval Noah Harari’s celebrated Sapiens does for human evolution what Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time did for physics.… He does a superb job of outlining our slow emergence and eventual domination of the planet.” ( Forbes ). “Writing with wit and verve, Harari…attempts to explain how Homo sapiens came to be the dominant species on Earth as well as the sole representative of the human genus.… Provocative and entertaining.” ( Publishers Weekly ). “In this sweeping look at the history of humans, Harari offers readers the chance to reconsider, well, everything, from a look at why Homo sapiens endured to a compelling discussion of how society organizes itself through fictions.” ( Booklist Best Books of the Year).
Reviews
"Parts of it were downright fascinating such as "imagination" being a keystone to human activity, e.g. corporations, money, and religion. Finally he keeps touching on the fact that animals have paid a terrible price for the rise of sapiens. Incidentally our family has a farm background and I eat no chicken, turkey, pork, or beef. Now I didn't give the book five stars because he makes positive references to the misguided but widely read Jared Diamond. Let me emphasize that on this snowy March day the cat and I are both glad we don't need to go out and scavenge something off the frozen earth."
"A standard history of the human race begins with Paleolithic proto-humans, traces the development of modern man or homo sapiens sapiens, then chronicles the beginnings and expansions of human civilization from agriculture to the present. He asks how "An Animal of No Significance" managed to become the dominant life form, and whether that animal's learning to produce his own food and then to further harness the natural world to his will through science were boons or setbacks, both for that animal and for the rest of the biosphere."
"A fascinating read that clarified many ideas I had on how our species has come to dominate and systematically destroy much of this wonderful planet."
"Every chapter had mind-bending insights into our history."
"Not simply cataloging history without opinion or perspective, Mr. Harari's analysis examines the happiness quotient as the central judgment of man's success as a social animal."
"a well written master piece that gives the reader unique insight in our history, while making some of the difficult trade-offs in our society visible and comprehensible."
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Best Game Theory

A Beautiful Mind
In this powerful and dramatic biography Sylvia Nasar vividly recreates the life of a mathematical genius whose career was cut short by schizophrenia and who, after three decades of devastating mental illness, miraculously recovered and was honored with a Nobel Prize. Sylvia Nasar is the author of the bestselling A Beautiful Mind , which won the National Book Critics Circle Award for biography.
Reviews
"Mirroring the arc of Nash’s own life, Nassar splits the book into several parts: the first part covers Nash’s early life and mathematical blossoming; the second part elucidates his burgeoning relationships and the importance of connections to the outside world, as well as his growing star and significant mathematical contributions. The third section delves into some of the roots of his coming mental illness, both in terms of mathematical failures and turmoil within his personal life, as well as the first acute symptoms and subsequent hospitalization. The fourth part dives deeply into his downfall and plunge into mental illness, with the psychological reasoning and process behind it."
"The book that inspired the movie."
"Nasar does a good job of telling the story without bogging down in mathematical terms."
"I appreciated this book for the depth of historical perspective it offered about mathematics, John Nash's struggle with schizophrenia, and the politics involved in the Nobel prizes."
"John Nash, the heralded math genius who would be around 83 years old now, fathered a son with the same illness."
"I purchased this book in order to learn about John Nash, Jr.'s life. Instead I found a book that rambled on about all sorts of others, but frequently it took pages and pages to get to John Nash, Jr.'s name or anything that related to him."
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Best Organic Evolution

The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin's Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World - and Us
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW , SMITHSONIAN, AND WALL STREET JOURNAL A major reimagining of how evolutionary forces work, revealing how mating preferences—what Darwin termed "the taste for the beautiful"—create the extraordinary range of ornament in the animal world. Deep in tropical jungles around the world are birds with a dizzying array of appearances and mating displays: Club-winged Manakins who sing with their wings, Great Argus Pheasants who dazzle prospective mates with a four-foot-wide cone of feathers covered in golden 3D spheres, Red-capped Manakins who moonwalk. Prum's attention never strays far from nature, and his writing [about birds] is minutely detailed, exquisitely observant, deeply informed, and often tenderly sensual." Anyone interested in science or art or sex—which is to say everyone—will want to read it.” —Elizabeth Kolbert, author of The Sixth Extinction “A fascinating account of beauty and mate choice in birds and other animals. "A major intellectual achievement that should hasten the adoption of a more expansive style of evolutionary explanation that Darwin himself would have appreciated." —Nick Romeo, Washington Post “A smorgasbord of evolutionary biology, philosophy, and sociology, filtered through Prum’s experiences as a birdwatcher and his diverse research on everything from dinosaur colors to duck sex. Through compelling arguments and colorful examples, Prum launches a counterstrike against the adaptationist regime, in an attempt to ‘put the subjective experience of animals back in the center of biology’ and to ‘bring beauty back to the sciences.’” —Ed Yong, The Atlantic “Prum’s career has been diverse and full, so that reading this fascinating book, we learn about the patterning of dinosaur feathers, consider the evolutionary basis of the human female orgasm, the tyranny of academic patriarchy, and the corkscrewed enormity of a duck’s penis. Combining this with in-depth study of how science selects the ideas it approves of and fine writing about fieldwork results in a rich, absorbing text . The dance Prum performs to convince you to take him on as an intellectual partner is beautiful and deserves to be appreciated on its own terms.” —Adrian Barnett, New Scientist.
Reviews
"It concerns Darwin’s “other” great idea: That sexual selection (SS) is an evolutionary force driven by arbitrary aesthetic choices, rather than by the environmental imperatives that drive natural selection (NS). (Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex, 1871). Darwin’s theory of sexual selection had two components: Male-male competition for access to females, and female selection of males based on preference for male behavioral and physical traits. Prum takes Darwin’s idea about female mate choice* and runs with it, arguing that: • Female mate choice is often based on arbitrary and aesthetically pleasing (i.e., sexually attractive) male traits rather than characteristics that show adaptive fitness; thus, sexual selection is essentially different than natural selection. • This dynamic causes coevolution of male characteristics and female preferences, because the male trait and the female preference for it are both inherited by their offspring. • This coevolution can readily lead to a “Runaway Process” in which females come to prefer and males come to display very exaggerated traits. Males become more attractive by evolving appearance and displays preferred by females, but also by not being sexually coercive towards females – because coercive males are unlikely to be selected as mates in these species. • SS is such a strong force that the results can run counter to the adaptive results of natural selection; i.e., sexual selection can result in reduced fitness. Prum argues strenuously that sexual selection is driven by perceptions of beauty and sexual pleasure rather than any utilitarian purpose such as finding the fittest mate; he sums up these ideas as “Beauty Happens,” or “BH.” Later in the book he adds “Pleasure Happens.”. Much of his material is well-argued and supported with very interesting empirical evidence, mostly about birds. He is very convincing concerning the arbitrary origin of many of the traits females prefer in males; this book will likely change the way you think about animal evolution, at least to some degree. The results are that human males are kinder and less sexually coercive, by a long shot, than most of our nearest relatives, and on top of that human males provide parental care, which no other great ape male does, not even the famously peaceable Bonobo. They all concern Prum’s animus towards the adaptationist viewpoint; i.e., the theory that evolved features (including mating displays) are essentially about fitness. Prum has convinced me that many mating criteria are arbitrary in origin--but he further argues, at great length, that most sexual displays provide no information at all about male fitness, and this seems highly questionable. Oddly enough, in his argument about the irrelevance of fitness Prum echoes various Victorian critics of sexual selection whom he had previously eviscerated. When Darwin published his theory of sexual selection, Wallace and others (all men) claimed that female animals were too insensate to recognize or appreciate fancy male traits. Prum says that if mate choice concerns fitness, every teensy element of sometimes very complex displays must have been naturally selected for the information it provides about fitness. If Prum were to show us mating displays that favor inept, unhealthy, or weak males as much as their fitter counterparts he would have a stronger argument. I can’t evaluate all the details of Prum’s dismissal (although see below), but I perceive a considerable irony – Prum’s SS displays look just like Zahavian handicaps to me. Per Prum, males have developed costly aesthetic displays in response to female preferences, just as, per Zahavi, they have developed costly handicaps to advertise their fitness to those same females. Prum says that the appropriate null hypothesis for the theory that mating displays are about fitness is his own Beauty Happens theory. I.e., to prove that displays are about fitness, experimenters must prove that displays are NOT about aesthetic sexual attractiveness. It is almost the same book as Prum’s regarding the components of sexual selection, including similar but much deeper material about humans, with one major difference--Miller is an adaptationist, and believes that those Runaway-process-arbitrarily-chosen-aesthetically-pleasing-behaviorally-remodelled display traits tend to impart information about fitness."
"pretty interesting, but long and boring in spots."
"These former iconoclasts are now revered names – E. O. Wilson,Richard Dawkins),Daniel Dennett, Hrdy, Pinker and many others. This second opus was not nearly as well received as The Origin of Species. Viz: the peacock's cumbersome tail is a signal that it must be a very healthy bird indeed to bear such a handicap and yet survive. He makes a strong case that (1) female choice operates among all bird species, though more strongly among some than others, (2) that male and female behavior co-evolved in ways that were (3) often unrelated to adaptive fitness – how well the birds could cope with their environment. One of my frustrations as a reviewer is that the opponents of books such as The Bell Curve and Climate Change Reconsidered talk them down, they seldom offer refutations. Discussions of the individual chapters are included as comments 1-3.. 1: Darwin’s Really Dangerous Idea. 2: Beauty Happens. 3: Manakin Dances. 4: Aesthetic Innovation and Decadence. 5: Make Way for Duck Sex. 6: Beauty from the Beast. 7: Bromance Before Romance. 8: Human Beauty Happens Too. 9: Pleasure Happens. 10: The Lysistrata Effect. 11: The Queering of Homo sapiens. 12: This Aesthetic View of Life."
"Some might think his ideas might go over the top in the second part of the book, but in my judgement, Prum doesn't even scratch the surface of the depth to which sexual selection has influenced human evolution."
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Best Genealogy

Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com: How to Find Your Family History on the No. 1 Genealogy Website
This book, updated in 2016 to include the most recent changes to the site , will help you get the most out of your Ancestry.com subscription by showing you how to take advantage of all the world's biggest genealogy website has to offer--and how to find answers to your family tree questions within its 14 billion records, 60 million family tree and 32,000 databases. Nancy Hendrickson is an Internet genealogy expert who has been interviewed on the subject in national publications including the New York Times , Kiplinger's , and Better Homes and Gardens .
Reviews
"Between this book, Ancestry Help and the Ancestry Community you will probably have 90% of everything you will ever need for your genealogy. All my How-To books are now going to be in Kindle version."
"I am a four year member of Ancestry and have always found the Unofficial Guide to be a very helpful book."
"I found this book to be very informative and will definitely help me in my search on Ancestry.com."
"This book fills the void and has made my search for records easier."
"Great reference book."
"Really helped to understand how to get the most out of the site!"
"For example, I really needed instruction on how to transfer info from another person's tree to my tree when we had a mutual ancestor, or how to correct errors (and there are ton of them) and that kind of thing is not covered at all that I could find."
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Best History of Civilization & Culture

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution—a #1 international bestseller—that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human.”. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas. “Yuval Noah Harari’s celebrated Sapiens does for human evolution what Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time did for physics.… He does a superb job of outlining our slow emergence and eventual domination of the planet.” ( Forbes ). “[I]nteresting and provocative…It gives you a sense of perspective on how briefly we’ve been on this earth, how short things like agriculture and science have been around, and why it makes sense for us to not take them for granted.” ( President Barack Obama ). “I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a fun, engaging look at early human history…you’ll have a hard time putting it down.” ( Bill Gates ).
Reviews
"Parts of it were downright fascinating such as "imagination" being a keystone to human activity, e.g. corporations, money, and religion. Finally he keeps touching on the fact that animals have paid a terrible price for the rise of sapiens. Incidentally our family has a farm background and I eat no chicken, turkey, pork, or beef. Now I didn't give the book five stars because he makes positive references to the misguided but widely read Jared Diamond. Let me emphasize that on this snowy March day the cat and I are both glad we don't need to go out and scavenge something off the frozen earth."
"A standard history of the human race begins with Paleolithic proto-humans, traces the development of modern man or homo sapiens sapiens, then chronicles the beginnings and expansions of human civilization from agriculture to the present. He asks how "An Animal of No Significance" managed to become the dominant life form, and whether that animal's learning to produce his own food and then to further harness the natural world to his will through science were boons or setbacks, both for that animal and for the rest of the biosphere."
"Thought provoking."
"A fascinating read that clarified many ideas I had on how our species has come to dominate and systematically destroy much of this wonderful planet."
"Every chapter had mind-bending insights into our history."
"a well written master piece that gives the reader unique insight in our history, while making some of the difficult trade-offs in our society visible and comprehensible."
"Very interesting book."
"It uncovers the facts and truths of our human history, from the beginning of Homo Sapiens to the present time."
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Best Vertebrate Paleontology

The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs: Second Edition (Princeton Field Guides)
Now extensively revised and expanded Covers nearly 750 dinosaur species, including scores of newly discovered ones Provides startling new perspectives on the famed Brontosaurus and Tyrannosaurus Features nearly 700 color and black-and-white drawings and figures, including life studies, scenic views, and skull and muscle drawings Includes color paleo-distribution maps and a color time line Describes anatomy, physiology, locomotion, reproduction, and growth of dinosaurs, as well as the origin of birds and the extinction of nonavian dinosaurs. Honorable Mention for the 2010 PROSE Award in Single Volume Reference/Science, Association of American Publishers. "Mr. Paul's book takes up the task of bringing readers up to date with the current view of these animals, adding a spate of new species that have popped up since its initial publication in 2010. . [This book shows] the unexpected variety that life is capable of and raise[s] the question of what the next 235 million years will bring." "You'll never need to decide whether that massive beast lumbering through your front yard is Chasmosaurus belli or C. sternbergi , but if you did, this would be a handy book to have on your windowsill. "Artist and researcher Gregory S. Paul describes hundreds of dinosaur species in this richly illustrated compendium. Learn how beasts ranging from Allosaurus to zuniceratops grew, moved and reproduced--and how they eventually went extinct." Indeed, Paul is to be credited for pulling so much information together into one volume, as well as for illustrating so many skeletons (some dinosaurs no doubt discovered while the book was in press.)". "The publication of Gregory Paul's The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs is cause for celebration for all who share a fascination with this diverse family of animals. introduction summarizing the history of dinosaurs research, evolution, biology, energetics, behavior, and distribution. The species are presented in phylogenic order and meticulously and beautifully illustrated following the current state of our knowledge of posture and shape." Incorporating the latest discoveries and research that are radically transforming what we know about dinosaurs, this book is distinguished both by its scientific accuracy and the quality and quantity of its illustrations. "Lavishly filled with fossil forms and drawn interpretations of their outward appearance, the guide covers the entire spectrum of dinosaur species. The color images of some of the rock stars of the Age of Dinosaurs, from T-Rex to Triceratops, will enthrall any youngster with a yen for these ancient beasts. Paul has revitalized and re-invented the depiction of dinosaurs in recent decades, and the book brings the breadth of their lost world to today's readers." The first 60 pages of the book provide an introduction to dinosaur biology, morphology and techniques for studying these fossils.
Reviews
"The 2nd edition of The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs was one I looked forward to reading ever since it was announced. For anyone into dinosaurs, this is a perfect guide into telling a T. rex from a Titanosaur to a Carnotaurus from a Chasmosaurus; each animal for which there is good material is shown with a skeleton and a lifelike illustration that shows just what it might have looked like, with accurate information regarding when, where, and with what it lived, making it well worth its price."
"Clear and concise text--great resource!"
"Excellent, extremely professional research, equally interesting for adult readers and kids."
"A necessary additional to any amateur paleontologists library."
"Delivery is so fast and very good book!"
"Hopefully this release signifies an intent to continue to update The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs on an ongoing basis."
"I had ordered this book in the expectation of it having more changes regarding the information on the newer dinosaur discoveries (especially Spinosaurus)."
"Though I am not a collector of fossils (i do collect minerals though), just someone who is very interested in the past and wanting to know more about those enigmatic 'monsters' of the past, and more than just a pretty picture book."
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Best Earth Sciences

Ocean: A Photicular Book
Open the book, and the reader is swept into the magic of an underwater world, face-to-face with a floating Yellow-Banded Sweetlips; with a glow-in-the-dark Deep-Sea Anglerfish; with a Sea Horse swaying in balletic motion; with a Sand Tiger Shark gliding along the ocean floor, its gaze haunting, its hook-toothed mouth gulping open and closed. “Showcasing stunning photographic images that ripple with movement, Dan Kainen fully immerses readers in a captivating underwater realm. (The Bookseller). “Showcasing stunning photographic images that ripple with movement, Dan Kainen fully immerses readers in a captivating underwater realm.
Reviews
"Here's a short video of what this book does."
"-- but even the youngest kids will enjoy the graphics and pictures!"
"It would be great to see future books with possibly forest animals, maybe desert animals, flying animals, creepy crawlies...the possibilities are endless!!"
"These books are great."
"We saw this at a toy store and put in on the mental list for our child's upcoming birthday."
"Okay, for those of you who've not seen these, they are a MUST have for kids of all ages."
"The plastic in the images was a bit damaged but for $5 it’s fine."
"I love how realistically the pictures move, it is amazing!"
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Best Technology

Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow
Yuval Noah Harari author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller and international phenomenon Sapiens returns with an equally original compelling and provocative book turning his focus toward humanity s future and our quest to upgrade humans into gods Over the past century humankind has managed to do the impossible and rein in famine plague and war This may seem hard to accept but as Harari explains in his trademark stylethorough yet rivetingfamine plague and war have been transformed from incomprehensible and uncontrollable forces of nature into manageable challenges For the first time ever more people die from eating too much than from eating too little more people die from old age than from infectious diseases and more people commit suicide than are killed by soldiers terrorists and criminals put together The average American is a thousand times more likely to die from binging at McDonalds than from being blown up by Al Qaeda What then will replace famine plague and war at the top of the human agenda As the self made gods of planet earth what destinies will we set ourselves and which quests will we undertake Homo Deus explores the projects dreams and nightmares that will shape the twenty first centuryfrom overcoming death to creating artificial life It asks the fundamental questions Where do we go from here And how will we protect this fragile world from our own destructive powers This is the next stage of evolution This is Homo Deus With the same insight and clarity that made Sapiens an international hit and a New York Times bestseller Harari maps out our future.
Reviews
"Yuval Noah Harari's "Homo Deus" continues the tradition introduced in his previous book "Sapiens": clever, clear and humorous writing, intelligent analogies and a remarkable sweep through human history, culture, intellect and technology. He starts with exploring the three main causes of human misery through the ages - disease, starvation and war - and talks extensively about how improved technological development, liberal political and cultural institutions and economic freedom have led to very significant declines in each of these maladies. Continuing his theme from "Sapiens", a major part of the discussion is devoted to shared zeitgeists like religion and other forms of belief that, notwithstanding some of their pernicious effects, can unify a remarkably large number of people across the world in striving together for humanity's betterment. As in "Sapiens", Mr. Harari enlivens his discussion with popular analogies from current culture ranging from McDonald's and modern marriage to American politics and pop music. Mr. Harari's basic take is that science and technology combined with a shared sense of morality have created a solid liberal framework around the world that puts individual rights front and center. Ranging from dating to medical diagnosis, from the care of the elderly to household work, entire industries now stand to both benefit and be complemented or even superseded by the march of the machines. For reading more about these aspects, I would recommend books like Nick Bostrom's "Superintelligence", Pedro Domingos's "The Master Algorithm" and John Markoff's "Machines of Loving Grace". As a proficient prognosticator Mr. Harari's crystal ball remains murky, but as a surveyor of past human accomplishments his robust and unique abilities are still impressive and worth admiring."
"And he claims that humanism believes that individuals always know best about their own needs (when in fact, many have emphasized the importance of education in our development--he does not even reference John Dewey). For most of the book, Harari appears to be adopting a materialistic perspective, and one which is also extremely unsentimental and discounts the significance of human morale and character. He also discusses how animals and people have consciousness and subjective experiences, and presumes that artificial intelligence will remain unconscious (the "weak AI" hypothesis of John Searle). And on the very last page, he makes us wonder if his hardcore materialistic perspective has just been a long, extended ruse: he asks us to question a worldview that would deny the significance of consciousness. So it seems likely that in a future book he will focus on the nature of consciousness, and argue for non-theistic Buddhism (an understated agenda in Harari's writing--perhaps he thinks that this is the way for humanity to avoid the grim fate predicted here?). The comment begins with "Harari indeed believes that developing an understanding of consciousness, a science of mind, or however else one wishes to phrase it is the best and perhaps the only way to avert the grim fate that threatens humanity in this century."
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Best Physics

What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
From the creator of the wildly popular webcomic xkcd, hilarious and informative answers to important questions you probably never thought to ask. In pursuit of answers, Munroe runs computer simulations, pores over stacks of declassified military research memos, solves differential equations, and consults with nuclear reactor operators. Fortunately, such people can turn to Randall Munroe, the author of the XKCD comic strip loved by fans of internet culture. For Munroe, who writes with a clarity and wit honed over eight years of writing captions for his webcomic, the fact that a question might be impossible to solve is no deterrent to pursuing it.” —Wall Street Journal Speakeasy blog. while dealing with relationships and the meaning of a computer-centric life, xkcd has become required reading for techies across the world….The Internet has also created a bond between Mr. Munroe and his readers that is exceptional. "With his steady regimen of math jokes, physics jokes, and antisocial optimism, xkcd creator Randall Munroe, a former NASA roboticist, scores traffic numbers in NBC.com or Oprah.com territory. [A]t its best [xkcd] isn’t a strip comic so much as an idea factory and a shared experience."
Reviews
"I love the blog and was really looking forward to this book, but buying the kindle edition was a mistake."
"This is a great way to enjoy older questions and answers over again, updated, and to share them with new people, and the new questions and answers - never featured on the website - are delightful; I won't spoil it for you, but my favorite has to be the answer to "If a bullet with the density of a neutron star were fired from a handgun (ignoring the how) at the Earth's surface, would the Earth be destroyed?" If you have even a passing interest in science and ever enjoy daydreaming about the fantastic or the ridiculous, this book is for you. Gift season is coming up; thanks to this book my Christmas shopping will be a great deal easier."
"Randall Munroe hits that oddball humor sweet spot with zany questions and actual, scientific--and most importantly, interesting--answers."
"Randall Munroe's XKCD is a cornerstone of the World-Wide Web, and he brings the same intelligence and overabundance of careful research here to absolutely hilarious (and often randomly awesome or terrible) questions."
"Best bathroom book ever... and I mean that in the very best possible way you can imagine."
"All wrapped up in a well made book sufficient for display."
"Whether it's taking a dip in a nuclear reactor cooling pool, or halting the earth's spin just to see what would happen, Monroe accepts the intellectual challenge and delivers with gusto."
"They're hyperlinked, and you can use the links on the footnote to jump back But the page bounds move slightly every time, and notes near the top activate the Kindle options rather than the footnote."
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Best Mathematics

Outliers: The Story of Success
In this stunning new book, Malcolm Gladwell takes us on an intellectual journey through the world of "outliers"--the best and the brightest, the most famous and the most successful. "In the vast world of nonfiction writing, Malcolm Gladwell is as close to a singular talent as exists today... Outliers is a pleasure to read and leaves you mulling over its inventive theories for days afterward.
Reviews
"If the tale of the self made man is one extreme, then outliers is the other extreme as it basically attempts to discredit the successful and say it was all due to luck. He also mentions that there were only a handful of school at the time to have such a computer. You are correct that now I'd have a harder time creating my own operating system, that ship has sailed, I agree, but that is looking at success with a very narrow lense. The true story of success is that successful people will not let their story be changed by adding or removing a variable from their path, they will keep fighting and find something to replace that variable. That's why some of the most successful people have been declined or faced defeat (be it investors, agents, etc.). This is NOT personal development, or anything of the sort in case you think this is a book I read and learn to be successful... quite contrary the message appears to comfort those that don't have success and blame society, and poke those with success implying that whatever they have was not earned."
"BIG Fan of Malcolm Gladwell -and 1984- and this is a great read for anyone that wants a mind-blowing book."
"“No matter how talented you are, how hard you work and how much you practice, you can be successful only if you also have the right backing and luck.” This is a statement I have had heard from elders a thousand times over and this book statistically validates the point."
"I must call the reader to question the assertion that 10,000 hours or more will make you an expert and the inference that much of what brings about success is the sheer amount of time invested in learning a skill. It is important to realize we often stop short in learning something; yet, it is also important to realize that while you could spend tons of hours learning something that there may be a particular thing you simply enjoy doing more than another or that you're simply better at."
"It contained a lot of factual information that with a grain of salt, made a social theory on how and why people are successful/the way they are."
"Not only does this detail some methods of thinking that are outside of the box and beneficial to the reader, but it also going a long way to help inspire you to overcome difficulties in your own life."
"There is a reason behind any trend and phenomenon."
"Gladwell has once again used his unique writing style, his meticulous research and his ability to tell a story to produce an eye opening and thought provoking book."
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Best Chemistry

Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe
Organized in order of appearance on the periodic table, each element is represented by a spread that includes a stunning, full-page, full-color photograph that most closely represents it in its purest form. The element's position on the periodic table is pinpointed on a mini rendering of the table and an illustrated scale of the element's boiling and/or melting points appears on each page along with a density scale that runs along the bottom. Gray, an element collector and Popular Science columnist, has created a visual homage to the periodic table of the elements. The left-hand side of the spread features a large color image of the element in its true form, when possible.
Reviews
"I was so impressed with this book that I bought it for several kids and then bought one for myself."
"The best part is this book is very easy to read."
"Beautiful book!"
"Jam-packed full of cool and pristine pictures and information!"
"This is a beautiful book with pictures and information about each element."
"We bought this as a gift for our son for Christmas and can't put it down myself."
"My 9 year old adores this book, and it is super interesting and fun for adults as well."
"Since we homeschool, I thought that this would be a welcome addition to "Science Class" as it gives very detailed information to the chemical makeup, atomic structure and information, melting/boiling points, etc as well as a wealth of important (and gee whiz) info about each element. Theodore Gray's "The Elements" book, on the other hand, is hands down LIGHT YEARS better than that book I had growing up."
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Best Environment & Nature

Overview: A New Perspective of Earth
A stunning and unique collection of satellite images of Earth that offer an unexpected look at humanity, derived from the wildly popular Daily Overview Instagram account. "Absolutely gorgeous, yet utterly gut-wrenching" – Wired "Stunning, surprising and intriguing photographs of Earth from the skies." "Grant’s book...uses satellite photography to reveal both environmental wonders and suburban sprawl from a new perspective." – Smithsonian "The awesomeness of earth from above" – The Atlantic "Stunning" – Huffington Post "A tour de force of research and image presentation" – American Photo.
Reviews
"Despite my decades of work in the environmental sciences, this book provided new insights, showing man's ecological, architectural, and terra-forming impacts -- for better and worse -- in ways that I had never seen before."
"I'm enjoying the book and the author's, Benjamin Grant, perspective on the seeing the earth in a different views which mimics my own."
"The pictures that he has captured of our earth that portray the patterns and colors of what we humans have designed, built, planted, harvested, all from a perspective that I have never experienced before, simply captivated me!"
"As someone who already has seen all of Daily Overview's posts I was worried the book might be repetitive."
"I saw this book at Boston Natural Museum's gift shop and just love it when I was flipping through it."
"It's really more than just a coffee table book - I found it mind-expanding; a combination of great beauty and deep truth."
"A totally necessary and beautiful book."
"The images are stunning!"
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Best Nature & Ecology

The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate―Discoveries from a Secret World
In this international bestseller, forester and author Peter Wohlleben convincingly makes the case that, yes, the forest is a social network. Peter Wohlleben spent over twenty years working for the forestry commission in Germany before leaving to put his ideas of ecology into practice.
Reviews
"At this job, he was expected to produce as many high quality saw logs as possible, with maximum efficiency, by any means necessary. Luckily, he made friends in the community of Hümmel, and was given permission to manage their forest in a less destructive manner. In one portion of the forest, old trees are leased as living gravestones, where families can bury the ashes of kin. The book is built on a foundation of reputable science, but it reads like grandpa chatting at fireside. He’s a gentle old storyteller explaining the wondrous magic of beautiful forests to befuddled space aliens from a crazy planet named Consume. Their root systems intermingle, allowing them to send nutrients to their hungry children, and to ailing neighbors. When a Douglas fir is struck by lightning, several of its close neighbors might also die, because of their underground connections. Analyzing the rings of their trunks, they learned that the pines that survived a climate that warmed 42°F, and then cooled about the same amount — in a period of just 30 years! Dinosaurs still exist in the form of birds, winged creatures that can quickly escape from hostile conditions. (Far more questionable is the future of corn, wheat, and rice, whose genetic diversity has been sharply reduced by the seed sellers of industrial agriculture.). They unfold in the spring, capture sunlight, and for several months manufacture sugar, cellulose, and other carbohydrates. When the tree can store no more sugar, or when the first hard frost arrives, the solar panels are no longer needed. Now, with bare branches, the tree is far less vulnerable to damage from strong winds, heavy wet snows, and ice storms. In addition to rotting leaves, a wild forest also transforms fallen branches and trunks into carbon rich humus. By the end, readers are likely to imagine that undisturbed forests are vastly more intelligent than severely disturbed communities of radicalized consumers. More and more, scientists are muttering and snarling, as the imaginary gulf between the plant and animal worlds fades away. Wohlleben is not a vegetarian, because experience has taught him that plants are no less alive, intelligent, and sacred than animals."
"Review The Hidden Life of Trees Peter Wohlleben. The Hidden Life of Trees” is an amazing book presenting trees as sentient, purposeful beings living in dynamic relationship with each other. This single fact has hidden the true life of the trees from us. “The Hidden Life of Trees” is carefully and well presented with humor, with gentleness, with compassion, with joy, even with love."
"He outlines how trees work in terms of light and water, their intricate relationship and co-dependence with the mushroom family. How they communicate, how they deal with pests and warn nearby trees of danger, how they even feed and support each other. These are very human characteristics and we share them with most animals as they are necessary to stop us killing ourselves as we learn to move about our environment and also to make choices. But it is hard to see how they would be of any advantage to a sessile tree with limited options, and so there is no obvious reason to think they would have evolved in plants."
"Wohlleben is a charming guide to magical, but very real, world."
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Best Behavioral Sciences

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution—a #1 international bestseller—that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human.”. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas. “Yuval Noah Harari’s celebrated Sapiens does for human evolution what Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time did for physics.… He does a superb job of outlining our slow emergence and eventual domination of the planet.” ( Forbes ). “[I]nteresting and provocative…It gives you a sense of perspective on how briefly we’ve been on this earth, how short things like agriculture and science have been around, and why it makes sense for us to not take them for granted.” ( President Barack Obama ). “I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a fun, engaging look at early human history…you’ll have a hard time putting it down.” ( Bill Gates ).
Reviews
"Parts of it were downright fascinating such as "imagination" being a keystone to human activity, e.g. corporations, money, and religion. Finally he keeps touching on the fact that animals have paid a terrible price for the rise of sapiens. Incidentally our family has a farm background and I eat no chicken, turkey, pork, or beef. Now I didn't give the book five stars because he makes positive references to the misguided but widely read Jared Diamond. Let me emphasize that on this snowy March day the cat and I are both glad we don't need to go out and scavenge something off the frozen earth."
"A standard history of the human race begins with Paleolithic proto-humans, traces the development of modern man or homo sapiens sapiens, then chronicles the beginnings and expansions of human civilization from agriculture to the present. He asks how "An Animal of No Significance" managed to become the dominant life form, and whether that animal's learning to produce his own food and then to further harness the natural world to his will through science were boons or setbacks, both for that animal and for the rest of the biosphere."
"Thought provoking."
"A fascinating read that clarified many ideas I had on how our species has come to dominate and systematically destroy much of this wonderful planet."
"Every chapter had mind-bending insights into our history."
"a well written master piece that gives the reader unique insight in our history, while making some of the difficult trade-offs in our society visible and comprehensible."
"Very interesting book."
"It uncovers the facts and truths of our human history, from the beginning of Homo Sapiens to the present time."
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Best Biological Sciences

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
From a renowned historian comes a groundbreaking narrative of humanity’s creation and evolution—a #1 international bestseller—that explores the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be “human.”. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas. “Yuval Noah Harari’s celebrated Sapiens does for human evolution what Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time did for physics.… He does a superb job of outlining our slow emergence and eventual domination of the planet.” ( Forbes ). “[I]nteresting and provocative…It gives you a sense of perspective on how briefly we’ve been on this earth, how short things like agriculture and science have been around, and why it makes sense for us to not take them for granted.” ( President Barack Obama ). “I would recommend this book to anyone interested in a fun, engaging look at early human history…you’ll have a hard time putting it down.” ( Bill Gates ).
Reviews
"Parts of it were downright fascinating such as "imagination" being a keystone to human activity, e.g. corporations, money, and religion. Finally he keeps touching on the fact that animals have paid a terrible price for the rise of sapiens. Incidentally our family has a farm background and I eat no chicken, turkey, pork, or beef. Now I didn't give the book five stars because he makes positive references to the misguided but widely read Jared Diamond. Let me emphasize that on this snowy March day the cat and I are both glad we don't need to go out and scavenge something off the frozen earth."
"A standard history of the human race begins with Paleolithic proto-humans, traces the development of modern man or homo sapiens sapiens, then chronicles the beginnings and expansions of human civilization from agriculture to the present. He asks how "An Animal of No Significance" managed to become the dominant life form, and whether that animal's learning to produce his own food and then to further harness the natural world to his will through science were boons or setbacks, both for that animal and for the rest of the biosphere."
"An interesting book and very enjoyable to read."
"And at least for me, a fresh set of insights about the Agricultural Revolution - it was an accident, we can't go back, and if it hadn't happened we'd lack anything we call civilization. Also, our entire economic system - money, capitalism, et al, is another delusion that requires our faith in order to survive. The book can be generously called a set of personal meditations of history and human nature, but done with little research and even scanter evidence."
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Best Agricultural Science

The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science
How to make homemade mac 'n' cheese that is as satisfyingly gooey and velvety-smooth as the blue box stuff, but far tastier? In hundreds of easy-to-make recipes with over 1,000 full-color images, you will find out how to make foolproof Hollandaise sauce in just two minutes, how to transform one simple tomato sauce into a half dozen dishes, how to make the crispiest, creamiest potato casserole ever conceived, and much more. “[Kenji] approaches recipe development with monomaniacal zeal, then shares the delicious results with the infectious enthusiasm of the coolest teacher you had in high school.”. - The Globe and Mail.
Reviews
""The Food Lab" by Lopez-Alt is a dense collection of science based tips, explanations, techniques, and recipes for the home cook. I really like the way this book has been laid out: - The introduction is a modest overview of the author and his background followed by some really helpful information on equipment (such as an explanation on techniques for holding knives, how heat transfers through metal for consideration in what type of pan to use, essential equipment to have in your kitchen, and how to store and organize your fridge and pantry). * Cooked Vegetables has a great range of side dishes such as Brussels sprouts, Mexican street corn salad, roasted cauliflower, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and quite a few more recipes. Recipes in this chapter include mac 'n' cheese, risotto, linguine with clams, lasagna, and spaghetti. - The front and back book covers insides have conversion tables to be opened or flipped to quickly as a reference."
"And this book is great, and beautiful, full of photos, his great sense of humor, and excellent instructions. I was just hoping to see more of that type of food, whereas this book is targeted towards beginners (not to say that experienced cooks can't get value out of this book, because it's full of great info) or more specifically, towards people who haven't been reading his column all this time. Though in the meanwhile, there are already recipes I've got bookmarked to try out, like his puttanesca, pot roast, oven fries, THAT MEATLOAF, not to mention his excellent egg salad, which I've previously made from the site…. I'm so glad to be able to pay Kenji back in some form for the years of free content on Serious Eats and I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in cooking and improving their skills, in particular beginner cooks."
"Like most cookbooks today, it begins with a background of the author, who is an MIT grad turned culinary scientist. There are some things which go contrary to cooking norms (flip your steak often, and searing does not lock in juice), but there are explanations for the methods behinds the madness. Even if you never bother to make a recipe from this book verbatim, it will greatly increase your cooking skills from practical knowledge of physics, chemistry, taste, and technique."
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Best Science for Kids

If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating
He guides us through his discoveries, showing how communication can be improved through learning to relate to the other person: listening with our eyes, looking for clues in another’s face, using the power of a compelling story, avoiding jargon, and reading another person so well that you become “in sync” with them, and know what they are thinking and feeling—especially when you’re talking about the hard stuff. Exploring empathy-boosting games and exercises, If I Understood You is a funny, thought-provoking guide that can be used by all of us, in every aspect of our lives—with our friends, lovers, and families, with our doctors, in business settings, and beyond. And that is who will find his book invaluable: everyone.” —Deborah Tannen, #1 New York Times bestselling author of You’re the Only One I Can Tell and You Just Don’t Understand. “Alda’s curiosity, intelligence and desire to wipe out baffled and bewildered faces make a compelling case for clarity, communication and, always, empathy.” —Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Aided by his warm, conversational style, Alda’s message shows that the lessons also apply to the rest of us—and at a time when we could really use it.” — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Alda developed this compelling conversation technique to help scientists distill down complex scientific principles for a general audience.” — Entrepreneur Magazine. “A distinguished actor and communication expert shows how to avoid ‘the snags of misunderstanding’ that plague verbal interactions between human beings. “In this charming, witty, and thought-provoking book, full of rich anecdotes, Alan Alda describes some of the tools of communication that he teaches in his work with the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science and shows how everyone—from lovers to politicians to scientists—can benefit from being better communicators.” —Lawrence M. Krauss, author of The Greatest Story Ever Told .
Reviews
"Alan Alda's book has the one idea, that we have to relate to each other in order to communicate, and then he embroiders on that theme for the rest of the book, but it is so entertaining and chatty, that I enjoyed it well after buying into the big idea."
"He also focuses on improving communication through listening with our eyes, using a story to make a point, eliminating confusing jargon, and paying close attention to what the other’s person’s face is telling us. After I finished it, I immediately emailed my daughter’s teachers suggesting they use it to support a creative combined math and science class that she took last year."
"Very useful for me and I am practicing its suggestion and pay attention (listen intensively) to what speaker says, body language and facial expression."
"Got a few pages to go."
"Alan Alda's words are worth reading and paying attention to."
"I only wish there was a little more "take away" from the book."
"Make it easier for these types of people to understand me so I can be the better and bigger person whichI already am."
"Alan follows his own advice of telling stories, and the result is a book that reads fast and smoothly. Precisely because Alan tells stories (mostly about all the "fascinating" projects he's been involved in to improve how scientists communicate) but never brings it all together into a clear, memorable framework -- like, say, the four steps of Marshall Rosenberg's Nonviolent Communication. If you take an improv class, it may improve your skill to communicate complex information to a lay audience, at least for a while. In the comments, I would love it if people would suggest books that contain actual practical advice about how to communicate better."
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Best Scientific Reference

Pocket Ref 4th Edition
The concise all-purpose pocket-sized reference book featuring abundant information on many subjects, hundreds of tables, maps, formulas, constants and conversions. Temperature Auto Headlight Warning Automotive Air Conditioning Automotive Electric Wiring Tire Size vs. Load Rating Tire Manufacturer Codes Tire Size Coding Load Range vs. Ply Rating Automotive Formulas Carpentry and Construction Softwood Lumber Sizes Softwood Lumber Grading Hardwood Lumber Size and Grade Wood Moisture Content Plywood & Panel Grading Wood Characteristics Insulation Value of Materials Maximum Floor Joist Spans Douglas Fir - Larch Group Hemlock,-Fir Group Spruce- Ping Group Southern Pine Group Redwood Group Strength of Wood Beams Wood Gluing Characteristics Concrete Mortar Chemistry and Physics Element Tables Element Properties Periodic Table of the Elements pH of Common Acids pH of Common Bases pH Indicators Elementary Particles Radioisotope Half Lives Uranium-238 Decay Series Galvanic Series of Metals in Seawater Computers Computer ASCII Codes IBM PC Memory Map IBM PC Hardware Interrupts Serial Ports DMA Channels Megabytes and Kilobytes Constants- Physical, Chemical and Math Electrical- Wire, Motors and Frames Copper Wire Current Capacity Ampacity vs. Height Physical Growth % - Boys Physical Growth %$- Girls Acceleration Due to Gravity Beaufort Wind Strength Scale Wind Chill Factors Heat - Humidity Factors Firewood/Fuel Heat Comparisons Frequency Spectrum Sun and Planetary Data Geology Mineral Table Abbreviations Mineral Tables Element to Oxide Conversions Minerals Sorted by Density Minerals Sorted by Hardness Metal Content of Minerals Distinct Color Minerals Mineral Crystal System Minor Elements in Sedimentary Rocks Minor Elements in Igneous Rocks Igneous Rock Classification Igneous Rock Classes by Color Sedimentary Rock Classes Metamorphic Rock Classes Geochemical Lower Detection Limits Mohn Scale of Hardness Particle Size Descriptions Richter & Mercali Earthquake Scales Core Drill Specs Geologic Time Scale Glue, Solvents, Paints and Finishes Glue Types and Applications Common Solvents Paints and Finishes Hardware Bolt Torque Specs (Inch) Effect of Lubrication on Torque Rating Bolt Torque Specs (Metric) Bolt Torque Specs (Whitworth Std) Wood Screw Specifications Wood Screw Number vs. Screw Length Sheet Metal Screw Specs Pictures of Screw Heads Cable Clamps for wire Rope Nails Pictures of Nail Types Math Numeric Prefixes Roman Numerals Convert Inch-Foot-mm-Drill # Squares, Cubes and Roots Degrees, Radians, and Trig Functions Log, Log e, Circumference, & Circle Area Right Triangle Formulas Oblique Triangle Formulas Plane Figure Formulas Solid Figure Formulas Mine, Mill and Aggregate Standard Sieve Series Mineral Dressing Sizing Scale Stockpile Volume and Weight Material Dumping Angles Rock Bulking Factors Length of Conveyor Belt in a Roll Conveyor Slope Angle Maximums Conveyor Capacities Conveyor Horsepower vs. Load Jaw Crusher Horsepower vs. Tons/Hour Money Currency Exchange Rates Discount Factors for Net Present Value Simple Interest Compound Interest Numbered Days of the Year Plumbing and Pipe Copper Pipe and Tubing Plastic Pipe Steel Pipe Steel Pipe Formulas Steel Pipe - Pressure Ratings of Sch 40 Rope, Cable and Chain Rope (poly, nylon, manila) Wire Rope Chain Feet of Cable or Rope on a Reel Pull Angle vs. Number of Turns/Inch Decibels vs. Voltage & Power Ratios Formulas for Electricity General Information Holidays Season & Clock Dates Signs of the zodiac Flowers for each Month Birthstones Anniversary Names Paper Sizes English - Greek Alphabet Radio Alphabet Morse Code "Ten" Radio Codes Military Rank and Grade State Information Climate Data in U.S. Cities Time Zones 9780969582229\\Dr Michael Greenwood draws on the healing wisdom of many traditions in treating a variety of common problems.
Reviews
"How about the request that anyone who finds an inaccuracy or misprint contact the publisher, with an address for that right next to the "this book is lost, return it to:" page? Everything from Algebra to Zinc sheeting gauge tables is in this book, which fits in the space from the pad on the base of my thumb to the end of my little finger in length and the width of my hand when closed. Its about as thick as the end joint on my index finger, and it's packed with stuff you'll need at some time or other. Military ranks so you don't look like an arse when you meet a person on active service? Need to know what day your wife's birthday will fall on every year from now 'til next muckspreading? This will bring out the inner eight year old in everyone and is about as useful as a Swiss Army Knife welded to a Leatherman Wave. There's now a desk-sized version for people who lack pockets, prefer to browse at a desk or are fed up with being laughed at by those who feel that when it comes to reference books, size matters."
"This is a must-have for any shop that also contains a wealth of additional reference information."
"Great analog item, I keep in my workshop, great gift for dads, kids or nerds like me alike , sure all this info can be found in an app or google search bar, but sometimes nice to unplug, my 10 year old son things super cool too."
"I've had one of these little books for years and think it is an essential source of information - better than an encyclopedia (and a whole lot easier to carry around)."
"Great general reference book or all the little...and big things in life."
"absolutely necessary and useful beyond engineering, just look inside one and you'll probably buy it just because of it's contents."
"Also a good book to have in your pocked to solve bar bets....Over all, a reference book in a small package that I'm glad to have and you will be as well."
"i rather look in the book."
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Best Astronomy & Space Science

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
How do we fit within the universe? “Tyson is a master of streamlining and simplification....taking mind-bogglingly complex ideas, stripping them down to their nuts and bolts, padding them with colorful allegories and dorky jokes, and making them accessible to the layperson”. - Salon. “With wry humor, keen vision, and abundant humanity, Neil deGrasse Tyson distills the big questions of space, time, and reality into short, insightful chapters you can enjoy with your morning coffee.”. - Discover.
Reviews
"My issue with this book is that I read it directly after reading his book "Death by Black Hole"...and A LOT of the content from that book is inserted into this one...word for word. I will always read his books but I don't like that there is very little original content in this one."
"I have read Origins, Death By Back Hole, and Space Chronicles before this one."
"The subject is not presented especially deep but it is useful for anyone wanting to get a better layman's understanding of the Big Bang (weird stuff), dark matter (weirder stuff), and dark energy (way weirder stuff)."
"Reasons: (1) it is a collection of magazine articles he wrote over an extended period of time some years ago, and (2) the knowledge base one needs for comprehension is beyond the layman in my opinion."
"This book is made out to be an "astrophysics for dummies" but it's far more difficult to grasp than I'd imagined."
"Mr Tyson's voice is lovely to listen to, his emphasis on terms and words and enthusiasm is contagious, I loved hearing him talk about the things that excite him, like neighbouring galaxies."
"Dr. Tyson's sense of humor and fluid style most definitely makes this ride through the universe entertaining rather than intimidating."
"I love listening to Neil deGrasse Tyson but this book is certainly not an elementary read about astrophysics and its wonders."
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Best History & Philosophy of Science

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Now an HBO® Film starring Oprah Winfrey and Rose Byrne #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER. Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. Amazon Best Books of the Month, February 2010 : From a single, abbreviated life grew a seemingly immortal line of cells that made some of the most crucial innovations in modern science possible. Henrietta Lacks was a mother of five in Baltimore, a poor African American migrant from the tobacco farms of Virginia, who died from a cruelly aggressive cancer at the age of 30 in 1951. A sample of her cancerous tissue, taken without her knowledge or consent, as was the custom then, turned out to provide one of the holy grails of mid-century biology: human cells that could survive--even thrive--in the lab. Meanwhile, Henrietta's family continued to live in poverty and frequently poor health, and their discovery decades later of her unknowing contribution--and her cells' strange survival--left them full of pride, anger, and suspicion. Jad Abumrad is host and creator of the public radio hit Radiolab , now in its seventh season and reaching over a million people monthly. Just the simple facts are hard to believe: that in 1951, a poor black woman named Henrietta Lacks dies of cervical cancer, but pieces of the tumor that killed her--taken without her knowledge or consent--live on, first in one lab, then in hundreds, then thousands, then in giant factories churning out polio vaccines, then aboard rocket ships launched into space. The cells from this one tumor would spawn a multi-billion dollar industry and become a foundation of modern science--leading to breakthroughs in gene mapping, cloning and fertility and helping to discover how viruses work and how cancer develops (among a million other things). But what's truly remarkable about Rebecca Skloot 's book is that we also get the rest of the story, the part that could have easily remained hidden had she not spent ten years unearthing it: Who was Henrietta Lacks?
Reviews
"This was a great book that I'm so glad I read."
"In “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” Rebecca Skloot introduces us to the “real live woman,” the children who survived her, and the interplay of race, poverty, science and one of the most important medical discoveries of the last 100 years. Skloot narrates the science lucidly, tracks the racial politics of medicine thoughtfully and tells the Lacks family’s often painful history with grace. When science appears, it does so effortlessly, with explanations of cell anatomy or techniques like “fluorescence in situ hybridization” seamlessly worked into descriptions of the coloured wards of Johns Hopkins hospital to Lacks’s hometown of Clover, Virginia. And yet for all its grand scope, skilful writing and touching compassion, there is one simple element that makes As a final thought, I was struck by the parallels between Henrietta’s cells and her story."
"The author did a great job of allowing the reader to decide if Henrietta's family should have profited from her cells."
"After reading about Henrietta Lacks, I began thinking about all the blood tests I've had done, and some minor surgeries I've had and I constantly wondered, what did those doctors and/or hospitals do with my tissues and/or blood? I realize there are laws in place now that weren't there when Henrietta lived, but to read how Dr. Gey took samples of Henrietta's cancerous tumor and used it to advance science and medicine as we know of it today, is mind-boggling. All of us living today should be thankful for Henrietta because she has done something that no one else seems to ever have been able to do, which is live immortally. Lacks' cells, while her family continues to live in poverty. I learned so much about cells and DNA, not to mention that just about every pill I've ever taken, most likely was the result of Henrietta's cells, which still grow today."
"When a friend recommended this book I'd never heard of Henrietta Lacks or HeLa."
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Best Science Essays & Commentary

A Short History of Nearly Everything
Bill Bryson is one of the world’s most beloved and bestselling writers. In A Short History of Nearly Everything , he takes his ultimate journey–into the most intriguing and consequential questions that science seeks to answer. "This is a book about how it happened," the author writes. Bryson relies on some of the best material in the history of science to have come out in recent years.
Reviews
"This book surprised me in the amount of effort the author took to go through book after book of different sciences, both old and new, and proceeded to connect the dots into several cohesive stories about our home, planet Earth, and its residents."
"The gift recipient listened to the 5 CDs over several days and declared it very interesting."
"I heard about this book from a guy I met at a charity event."
"A fantastic and detailed, comprehensive book about nearly everything!"
"One of, if not the most thorough, entertaining, and delightful books of general science knowledge I've ever read."
"Bill Bryson can do no wrong and while doing no wrong he does it with style, understanding and great humor."
"It's hard not to love this book, and having it on c.d."
"This book is a bit outdated now but very entertaining and humorous!"
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Best Science Experiments & Measurement

Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words
In Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words, things are explained in the style of Up Goer Five, using only drawings and a vocabulary of the 1,000 (or "ten hundred") most common words.
Reviews
"In doing so, it makes you consider when and why it's actually important to use a special name for some things, and think harder about what your words are really telling people. But I sometimes ask my students to try explaining complicated stuff using only simple words, because when you do that, you find out whether you really understand it. So, this book shows us a way to pay special attention to how our own thinking bag works."
"...because the details of the diagrams do not translate well to the smaller Kindle."
"The thing about this book is that it only uses the ten hundred most used words by people to tell you about things that are hard to understand."
"Thing Explainer writes without expectation of understanding, prior knowledge of language, or any prior knowledge; it is one of the closest things to a window into someones thoughts. I hope to clarify for many potential buyers that saw the early "Up Goes Five": this book is more focused on explaining things in paragraphs rather than the pure labelling style of that early prototype. This book is great for me and my family to make connections between what we already know and the book, but I believe it will also be great for kids to easily learn new things, and get a grasp of complex ideas. A Thought: I'd love to see this style of writing carried across to genres beyond science, because I think it has the potential to make generally interesting yet charm-less writing far more fun; history books, biopics, even short stories."
"Pretty funny, pretty cool, but also written in such simple language that at times it's actually harder to read than you'd think!"
"Do think you can explain an atomic bomb using the same 1.000 words you would use to explain an elevator or a train."
"Complicated concepts explained only using the 1,000 most commonly used words in the American English language."
"This book is just fantastic."
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