Biology: Life on Earth [Hardcover]

Teresa Audesirk (Author), Gerald Audesirk (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0133681505 | ISBN-13: 978-0133681505 | Publication Date: November 7, 1995 | Edition: 4

Appropriate for Introductory Biology courses.This best-selling introductory text, widely praised for its lively writing style and impeccable scientific presentation, has been revised to reflect the changing dynamics of introductory biology. Emphasizing concepts over facts and critical thinking over memorization, Life on Earth presents the dynamic processes at work in biology and conveys the relevance and excitement of this discipline to students.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This best-selling introductory text, widely praised for its lively writing style and impeccable scientific presentation, has been revised to reflect the changing dynamics of introductory biology. Emphasizing concepts over facts and critical thinking over memorization, Life on Earth presents the dynamic processes at work in biology and conveys the relevance and excitement of this discipline to students.

From the Back Cover

Key Benefit: This best-selling introductory book, widely praised for its lively writing style and impeccable scientific presentation, has been revised to reflect the changing dynamics of introductory biology. Emphasizing concepts over facts and critical thinking over memorization, Life on Earth presents the dynamic processes at work in biology and conveys the relevance and excitement of this discipline to readers. Key Topics: Centered on Concepts—Life on Earth brings concepts to the foreground rather than obscuring them with unnecessary detail; Applying the Concepts sections include creative problems (over 60% new) that ask readers to apply critical thinking skills to real world scenarios; at least 2 questions per chapter directly examine the impact of science and technology upon society; by capturing the wonder of “why?”, connects with readers and their first hand experience as a foundation upon which to learn concepts; conveys the dynamic process of science and discovery, emphasizing the people and processes behind the science; topics from “Scientific Inquiry” include DNA fingerprinting, the use of biotechnology in prenatal diagnosis, and using molecular genetics to investigate evolutionary relationships; by beginning with DNA and molecular genetics, the book captures reader interest by building on a familiar high- impact topic; book also clarifies the unifying threads of the discipline.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 992 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall College Div; 4 edition (November 7, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0133681505
• ISBN-13: 978-0133681505
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.9 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,394,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to biology!, December 26, 2004

By 

Stephen Jones "Textbook reader" (Toronto, Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Biology: Life on Earth (6th Edition) (Hardcover)

(Note: This review refers to the fifth edition of this book.) The authors of Biology: Life on Earth have written a beautiful, fairly comprehensive but not overwhelming introduction to the subject of biology. Although I have a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's in botany and found the book to be straightforward and clear, it is written so well and in such an engaging and conversational style that it should also be straightforward and clear to anyone who is new to biology. The colorful photographs and detailed diagrams add to the beauty of the book. I also like the feel of the pages.
Many introductory biology books nowadays are quite heavy and bulky, and there is so much information in them that it is sometimes hard to get the "big picture." But this particular book is able to get the main aspects of biology conveyed in a more compact size. ( Some biology textbooks can be upwards of 1200 or more pages long, but this book gets the job done in less than 900.)
This is the textbook I would most recommend to someone who is just starting to learn the details of biology. Other biology books, such as those by Campbell, by Raven, and by Solomon et al., are more comprehensive and perhaps are better as reference books than this one might be, but their details can overwhelm the beginner.
I gave this book four stars, not five, for two reasons. First, as with many textbooks, there was at least one incorrect statement. It said on page 74 that potassium, sodium, and calcium ions are molecules, when in fact they are simply charged atoms, not molecules. Second, and this criticism may be biased because I like biochemistry, the book could have included the molecular structures of all twenty amino acids, not just a few. Similarly, the book could have included the molecular structures of the chemicals participating in glycolysis and the Krebs cycle, and giving the molecular structure of the key molecule involved in photosynthesis, chlorophyll, would have been nice. These small but helpful additions would have added perhaps only two pages to the length of the book.
Overall, though, I am very impressed by this book and wish I had had a book like this when I first began to study the details of biology. Enjoy it!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Satisfied with this book, June 27, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Biology: Life on Earth (6th Edition) (Hardcover)

As a student, I think authors did a good job on explaining the subject. It doesn't go too details about every topics it covers but it seems that authors give more emphasis on some topics(should say more interesting ones). Every chapter opens up with a discussion or phenomenon that is addressed in the chapter or at the end of chapter. My university uses this book as a text for NON-MAJOR biology class. I read every single line(no joke) in the book and find the chapters to be stimulating, interesting and cover what students ought to know. The book comes with a CD that helped me out in the learning process (things like simulation of an event, figures, tips and techniques) . Very satisfied with this book.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very interesting for any student, April 12, 2001

By 

Anton (Waterdown, ON Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biology: Life on Earth (Hardcover)

This book is very comprehensive in explaining all aspects of Biology. It has wonderful charts and pictures and is a very good investment. Whether you are in school, high school, college, or University, it will offer a very detailed view of our life on earth. It even includes a CD-Rom, and activities and "tests" at the end of each chapter.