The Oryx Guide to Natural History: The Earth and All Its Inhabitants [Hardcover]

Patricia Barnes-Svarney (Author), Thomas E. Svarney (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1573561592 | ISBN-13: 978-1573561594 | Publication Date: October 18, 1999

Ideal for librarians, instructors, and students, this superior, one-stop reference guide makes finding answers to natural history questions or doing research a breeze. More than just an answer book on natural history, this unique guide provides understanding into the history of science itself. Readers get rare insight into the beginnings of a scientific event, how it evolved, and who were some of the key scientists along the way. Recent scientific controversies also are included. Covering the history of earth and its living creatures, this special reference contains 30 chapters on topics in geology, oceanography, climatology, meteorology, biology, paleontology, and anthropology.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up-A history of the natural world from the beginnings of the universe to today. Thirty topical chapters, from "Amphibians" to "Volcanoes," each include a brief introduction, a time line, historical background on the subject including current research, and a detailed glossary. Sidebars contribute additional information. Average-quality, black-and-white photos, diagrams, and charts are scattered throughout. One appendix defines different careers in the field; another provides Web addresses. The writing is not as tight as an English teacher might demand, but is sufficiently clear. A mistake in the introduction of the first chapter ("amphibians were the first air-breathing animals to evolve onto land") is stated correctly later on: "amphibians-became the first air-breathing land vertebrates." There are also a few typographical errors. Nevertheless, the book is easy to use and its broad scope will satisfy students' requests for that elusive nonencyclopedia resource.
Nancy A. Andersen, OLC School, Erie, PA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The authors of Skies of Fury: Weird Weather Around the World condense over four billion years of natural history, highlighting the important events and discoveries in the evolution of the physical earth and its organisms. The book is divided into 30 chapters covering topics ranging from bacteria to the universe. Averaging six pages long, each chapter provides a time line of major discoveries; description of expeditions, studies, discoveries, and major breakthroughs; and definitions of important terms related to the topic. Appendixes include a list of types of scientists, web sites for each topic, a glossary, and a bibliography of general information sources. Both the index and the cross references within the text are very useful. While much of the information here can be found in a general encyclopedia, this overview shows how scientific thought for each topic has changed over time. Written in an engaging style and directed at a general audience, this Guide will be most valuable for smaller public libraries that need a good survey of natural history.
-Teresa Berry, Univ. of Tennesee Lib., Knoxville
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Greenwood (October 18, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573561592
• ISBN-13: 978-1573561594
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,237,053 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Provides a simple A-Z reference, February 14, 2001

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Oryx Guide to Natural History: The Earth and All Its Inhabitants (Hardcover)

The Oryx Guide to Natural History provides a simple A-Z reference featuring condensed version of the most important topics in natural history, from at-a-glance sidebar timelines of events to simple introductions to the topic and its importance. The Oryx Guide to Natural History isn't meant to be a comprehensive encyclopedia, but a quick reference covering the highlights, very accessible to browser needs for quick answers.