Customer Reviews

The World of the Cell, 5th Edition

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I think the recent reviews of this book have been unfair. I have looked at the beginning chapters of this recent (6th)revision and I think the book has remained a great quality Cell Biology book. As stated in other reviews, the book is detailed, but most good schools will require you to know at least the level of detail presented in this book and likely more. I found this book to be an excellent preparation for more advanced classes in Cell Biology (which used Alberts) and Biochemistry. The book is organized to make sure the students have the underlying knowledge to successfully understand more complex concepts later. The only major drawback of this book is that Alberts exists and the eloquence and sophistication in Alberts is lacking in Becker's World of the Cell. That said, I still recommend this book for people needing to know and understand all the basics of Cell biology/biochemistry.

I know that Cell Biology is a difficult subject to master, so there will always be shortcomings in a textbook's ability to communicate the subject in an understandable fashion. However, I thought this book was awesome. I followed the text entirely. I loved the fact that this text was an introductory text and didn't assume that the reader has previous knowledge of the subject. The authors explained everything. In later chapters of the book, they would summarize previously mentioned material, and reference you to the appropriate section of the book if you needed a more in-depth recap. The figures and tables are incredibly helpful in visualizing what is going on within each molecular process. Like I said, loved this book. I will say that I didn't find the CD-ROM helpful at all, but I won't dock points from such a good book for that reason. Good luck to everyone with your studies. Hope you enjoy the text.

I am in awe of the usability of this book. The subject matter is not trivial, but is presented in a very logical, step-by-step sequence. Illustrations are in color and strongly reinforce the text. I was able to learn the material without the benefit of attending a class on the subject. Bravo to the Authors and the Publisher, Benjamin Cummings.

the textbook is very very inclusive. there is lots of information so u have to read it many times to filter out what u need for your class's needs. it isnt impossible to read but u definitely need to read it over a bit to grasp the content. slides online and those provided by the teacher TAUGHT me the material and the text just reenforced it.

I used this text for pre-med biology course-- I was simulataneously taking Biochemistry as well, but more on that later.

The text, while not overwhemingly as detailed as other reviewers write, was all in all okay, but fell short in many areas. One of them is the distinct typographical and grammatical errors that riddled, what seemed, to be the only chapters we covered. There were many sentences that were run-ons, which disrupted the learning and flow of the text (and, in my opinion, a textbook backed by such a major publisher as this, errors like that are out of the question).

Sometimes, for instance in the TCA chapter, I felt that the material presented on Oxidative Phosphorylation seemed out of order, and just a bit too condensed.

The photosynthesis chapter was utterly horrible.

The exercises at the end were poorly written, and seemed to ask esoteric questions about common topics. The answers to these questions were esoteric still.

I felt that the only saving grace about this were the wonderful pictures: I liked how each chapter opened up an exhaustive diagram. Other than that, this is book pretty much only a decent cell bio book, but no biochemistry one.

I have a BS in biology and continue to buy various cell biology (and other biology) texts. I already have 2 editions of "World of the Cell" (including this 7th edition) and am buying the newest (8th) edition now. But I noticed that the average customer rating for this edition was only 3 stars. That's riduculous!

"The World of the Cell" series is my favorite on cell biology. It gives a great amount of detail but at the same time starts from square one and explains everything along the way in a clear, well-organized manner; and the diagrams are excellent. They are great undergraduate-level cell biology texts. The 7th edition is no exception.

I am a student taking a Cellular bio class from Jeff Hardin. While he is a terrific lecturer, I, like many of these reviewers, find the book extremely difficult to follow.

The index is incomplete. The text will highlight a word as if it is the definition (see cis-acting element), while the glossary definition includes information merely glossed over in text. Isn't the text where you are supposed to get a complete description as well as examples, while the glossary provides the concise definition? The glossary definition of endocytosis doesn't even include the directionality of the vesicle. The section on the Calvin cycle is needlessly complex. I found myself viewing an overview on the MIT website, so that I finally understood what the book was getting at. Then I went back to the book and understood the reading.

I shouldn't have to look up each topic online to get an overview before I read the book. For most courses I take, the book is the reference we refer to first. Not so for this course with this book. This is doubling the amount of homework time spent on an already complex topic. The diagrams include many acronyms with little or no explanation. Pretty pictures, but they don't elucidate the key points without a different text for explanation.

I am almost done with this semester and am on my way to getting an AB, the equivalent of either an A- or a B+ at other universities. I do not feel as if I have learned much for the amount of time I have spent, and I am an extremely hardworking honors student.

GET ANOTHER BOOK.

Not only did I receive my textbook extremely fast, even though he listed the book with the wrong price, he was willing to take a huge loss and honor the price! The book was in EXCELLENT condition...brand new, I would definitely purchase from him again!!!! VERY Fast Shipping!

This was an incredibly boring and dull book. Normally, I find it interesting to read biology books for my classes, but this one was so boring that it was painful to read. The author goes way into detail about the individual enzymes involved in every single cell process. The book is so detailed that it makes it difficult for students to get the "big picture" out of every concept covered. Every time I tried to read chapters of this for my class, I would fall asleep. I talked to other friends who were in my class. Everyone agreed that this book was plain horrible to read. If you are required to read this for your class, then I feel sorry for you. All I can recommend is that you go to all of your professor's lectures and write down everything they say so that you don't have to read World of the Cell.

This book is a decent text; however, I found it to be excruciatingly detailed at times and also quite a bit esoteric. The book goes in to so much detail, that it is usually hard to find a suitable and understandable explanation for basic concepts. It is better, probably, for higher level biology classes.