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The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2004 (The Best American Series) Paperback – October 14, 2004

4.2 out of 5 stars 10 customer reviews

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Product Details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Mariner Books; 2004 ed. edition (October 14, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0618246983
  • ISBN-13: 978-0618246984
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #870,785 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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By magellan HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWER on May 28, 2005
Format: Paperback
This is an enjoyable as well as very informative collection of essays on science and nature. The book contains a couple of dozen articles on different topics, too many to go into here, so I will limit my comments to discussing just a few of them. But if you're considering purchasing the book, you could look at the table of contents and some of the articles themselves to get a better idea of what topics the articles cover before buying.

I hadn't read a book of nature writing like this in several years (I pride myself on reading the more technical literature usually), but time constraints impelled me to take a look, and I was glad I did, as you will find some excellent articles and science writing here. But be aware that this is not the same as reading, say, the articles in Scientific American, let alone the more technical literature. They aren't at the same level of rigor or scientific depth and detail. If you have the sort of fortitude necessary to stick with S.A. for year after year, you probably don't need books like this. But for the average reader, this collection of essays, and the overall series, is an enjoyable and readable way to keeps tabs on some of the important developments going on in science.

The essays vary a bit in level of difficulty and in the topics covered, and the subjects range from scientific ethics to modern cosmology. One is even a brief (and somewhat racy) bio of Watson, the co-discoverer of DNA, who basically admits that getting laid is his top priority when he isn't thinking about science. :-) It also discusses his often strained relationships with his peers; for example, in his biography he once remarked that he had never seen Crick in a modest mood.
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Format: Paperback
There are a lot of fine essays in this wide ranging collection, but my favorite is a piece from "Scientific American" by neuroscientist Robert Sapolsky, "Bugs in the Brain." In cogent, lively, humorous prose this short piece opens the reader's eyes to the marvelous and horrible ability of some microscopic parasites to infiltrate the host's brain and change its behavior.

The rabies virus, for instance. "There are lots of ways rabies could have evolved to move between hosts." Sneezing, for one. Instead it invades the brain, zeroes in on aggression, and stomps the pedal to the floor. Lots of scientists study aggression; there are whole conferences on various aspects of the phenomenon. But no one studies rabies to see how the trick works.

Even more beauteous is the diabolical specificity of the toxoplasma protozoan. The bug gets eaten by a rat where it creates cysts until the rat is eaten by a feline. The cat is the only animal taxoplasma can reproduce in; so it behooves the bug to make sure the right predator eats the rat. How does it do this? Simple. It deprives the rat of its congenital, hard-wired, instinctive fear of cats. Nothing else in the rat's behavior is affected.

As Sapolsky puts it: "This is akin to someone getting infected with a brain parasite that has no effect whatsoever on the person's thoughts, emotions, SAT scores, or television preferences but, to complete its life cycle, generates an irresistible urge to go to the zoo, scale a fence and try to French-kiss the pissiest-looking polar bear."

Expanding infinitely outward, Max Tegmark's "Parallel Universes" (also "Scientific American) argues quite reasonably for infinite versions of you on infinite earths. "If anything the Level I multiverse sounds trivially obvious.
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Format: Paperback
If it's literary nonfiction essays you seek, look no further than the 2004 edition of Best American Science And Nature Writing as it showcases the finest nonfiction writing on diverse scientific topics published in 2004, from the psychology of suicide terrorism and the war on obesity to the diversity of DNA and medical pioneering efforts. A diverse collection which ranges through all scientific disciplines to provide only the best.
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Format: Paperback
I am not a scientist, but in past years I've enjoyed the stretch of reading the "best" series. I have counted on really good, meaty articles that offered up some of the most interesting and stimulating thinking about science and nature to be brought within the reach of readers like me.

Not so this year. The majority of the articles in this anthology are simply entertainment. A superficial personality piece about James Watson. An article about trends in baby names. Etc. This is waiting room material--good for passing time, but not for learning or provoking thought.

Normally, I only bother to write reviews when a book is so wonderful I want to encourage others to read it. But this one was such a letdown, I wanted to take the trouble to warn others away. I don't know if the editors just made bad selections this year, or if the material they included really WAS the best of 2004. If the latter, it's a scary thought!
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Format: Paperback
It must have been a capricious sprite that convinced Series Editor Tim Folger to select Steven Pinker to choose the essays in this collection. In any collection of science and nature writings there will be some of wide, even intense interest, while others may appeal to a limited few with special interests. This anthology is no exception. While the majority of them are good [best!] articles over a range of topics, Pinker added a few "ringers". These latter certainly lighten the mood of the set even while imparting compelling information on their own. Perhaps surprisingly, some of these deal with the vague field of "demographics".

"Hard" science in this collection is covered by an article on diabetes, one on "the stuff of genes" and an introduction to octopus life. Another element of life is the role of parasites on behaviour. Carl Zimmer's "Parasite Rex", an excellent introduction to this topic, is furthered here by neurologist Robert Sapolsky. Cosmology isn't ignored, with Max Tegmark suggesting you glance over your shoulder to learn whether a duplicate of you isn't reading the same article in a parallel universe. Public health may not be a hard science, but it must firmly rest on top research to be effective. Atal Gawande's brief history of the career of Dr Francis Moore is enlightening and provocative - as was Moore.

How the public views research and its implications is a topic of increasing importance. Daniel C. Dennett's explanation of why the notion of "genetic determinism" must be shelved is essential reading. Gregg Easterbrook's "We're All Gonna Die!" deals with perceived threats to society and life. Unsuccessfully challenged by a recent book, Easterbrook's article lists scenarios that could lead to disastrous consequences if not approached wisely.
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