How the Circulatory System Works [Paperback]

Robert E. Mehler (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0865425485 | ISBN-13: 978-0865425484 | Publication Date: January 15, 2001 | Edition: 1

This book includes 10 lectures in a light, entertaining style, with each "lecture" building on the previous one - making it easy for the reader to comprehend the vastly complicated functions of the circulatory system.

The length of the text has intentionally been kept short; it is neither exhaustively complete nor over-simplified. It is enriched by details about basic biologic mechanisms and clever ways nature has solved a problem or achieved a result.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Look for this other bestseller in the "How it Works" Series

How the Immune System Works by Lauren Sompayrac, PhD

"Most of us prefer novels over textbooks for the ease of reading and the joy of great storytelling. Dr. Sompayrac combines both traits in this innovative new book on immunology in which he teaches the state of the art by making key concepts easy and fun to understand." – Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology University of Colorado Health Sciences Center

From the Back Cover

Not just another book on circulatory system physiology, this book includes 10 "lectures" that are presented in a light, entertaining style, with each lecture building on the previous one—making it easy for the reader to comprehend the vastly complicated functions of the circulatory system.

The author succeeds in telling a clear, interesting story. The length of the story has intentionally been kept short; it is neither exhaustively complete nor over-simplified. The story is enriched by details about basic biologic mechanisms and clever ways nature has solved a problem or achieved a result.

This book will be a tremendous resource for the student of health science to help him or her understand and organize the topic; the established professional will appreciate the clarity and simplicity of the basic information that is sometimes dimmed by a plethora of details; and the general reader will satisfy his or her curiosity about the circulatory system and how it sustains life.

Product Details

• Paperback: 85 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 1 edition (January 15, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865425485
• ISBN-13: 978-0865425484
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #513,907 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Intro to the Circulatory System, September 30, 2006

By 

Medicine Resident (USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: How the Circulatory System Works (Paperback)

Physiology books can seem intimidating for those of us with no background in the subject, and introductory books like this one can help ease novices into the subject without overwhelming us. I read this book first before reading my regular medical school physiology textbooks, and it was a huge help for getting a general overview of the circulatory and respiratory systems. The writing style is similar to the other books in Sompayrac's "How it Works" series, so if you liked those, you'll probably like this one too. I would say that this book is written at about the level of an intelligent layman or maybe a college student, which is why it's such a huge help for beginning health science students. That being said, it's definitely NOT enough to get you through your cardio block on its own. Read this book first, and then read your assigned cardio textbook and/or Linda Constanzo's Physiology chapter 4 (Cardiovascular System), and that will give you a good foundation for further study.

3.0 out of 5 stars OK For the Right Audience, But Not Great, September 25, 2009

By 

Irfan A. Alvi (Towson, MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: How the Circulatory System Works (Paperback)

The level of this book is a bit above an introductory undergraduate human anatomy/physiology course, but below physiology courses for graduate students and medical students.

Regarding the content of the book, I found the coverage of the heart itself to be surprisingly skimpy and inadequate, whereas there's perhaps too much emphasis on molecular biology details which are of limited clinical value.

Regarding the writing style and overall presentation, I thought that some topics weren't explained well enough, especially compared to other books. It may be that the effort to be cute and chatty (an attribute of this series) got in the way of clarity.

So, overall, I suppose this book might have some value for graduate students and medical students looking for a quick review, but I can't really recommend it, especially when you factor in the relatively high price for only 85 pages.

For general readers, a standard human anatomy/physiology textbook would work much better (eg, Principles of Anatomy and Physiology (Tortora,Principles of Anatomy and Physiology)). And for graduate students and medical students learning this material for the first time, more comprehensive textbooks would also work much better (eg, Physiology Third Edition With [...] Access).