Tag - book recommendations
The New Optimists Recommend Science Books – Keith Richards and Jenny Uglow give their recommendations
In the final part of our New Optimists Recommend series, we have recommendations from two very special contributors to the book. Firstly, Keith Richards – who edited the book – offers up a series of recommendations for recently published science tomes he’s enjoyed.
Bill Bryson – Seeing Further: The Story of Science and the Royal Society: This has to be the ideal companion to The New Optimists. The range of subjects, styles and approaches does justice to the ideals of the Royal Society – and it’s beautifully produced. It’s perhaps a tad heavy for bedtime reading, but the attraction of finishing every day with a new essay was too strong to resist. Get it on your bedside table.
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The New Optimists Recommend Science Books: Helen Griffiths on books about food and Larkin’s poetry
Helen Griffiths is a Professor in Biomedical Sciences at Aston University, and she contributes her book recommendations to this next post in our ‘New Optimists Recommend’ series.
Richard Mabey – Food For Free: Great illustrations that point the reader in the direction of foods that can be safely foraged and then put to good use. I am presently making sloe gin recipe with my foraged treasure.
Madhur Jaffrey – Curry Easy. The first curry recipe book that was bought for me over 20 years ago was written by Madhur Jaffrey. Her latest addition to my recipe shelf is very different, with lighter sauces which retain the flavoursome tastes that are her trademark.
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The New Optimists Recommend Science Books: Jackie Chappell on evolution and engineering
In the next post of our ‘New Optimists Recommend’ series, we ask Dr Jackie Chappell – lecturer in animal behaviour at the University of Birmingham – to recommend the books which she finds to fascinating.
Bill Bryson – A Short History Of Nearly Everything: If you’ve ever felt that your scientific knowledge has big holes in it, this is the book to begin to fill those holes. Its length may seem intimidating, but it is written in a very engaging way by someone who is not a scientist, but who would really like to understand science, and asks all the right questions.
Peter Gärdenfors – How Homo Became Sapiens: On the Evolution of Thinking: I didn’t agree with all Gärdenfors’ arguments, but it is a fascinating book, bringing together all of the components that make up human thought and cognition.
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The New Optimists Recommend Science Books: Veronica Lawrie on books about plant life and animal species
Veronica Lawrie, an ecologist with Atkins, is the latest New Optimist to suggest her book recommendations for you. Below you’ll find her thoughts on books about trees, mountain gorillas and nature at large.
Colin Tudge – The Secret Life of Trees: This book will impress you with a wealth of detail about these long-lived plants, with a description of their remarkable diversity and ecology. It includes both familiar and exotic species in a story of their past, present and future.
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The New Optimists Recommend Science Books: Robin May on Dawkins, Attenborough and biology with gallons of gore
Today, Robin May from the University of Birmingham’s School of Biosciences offers his book recommendations for Christmas stocking fillers, taking in genetics, gore and a great of naturalist.
Carl Zimmer – Parasite Rex: Fantastic stories, easy to read, illustrates the incredible diversity of biology with an amazing smorgasbord of gory examples!
David Attenborough – Life on Air: Not exactly science, but still inspiring.
Richard Dawkins – The Selfish Gene: Now a classic, but still ought to be obligatory reading for everyone!
To read more from Robin and the other New Optimists, click here to buy the book.
The New Optimists Recommend Science Books: Ann Vernallis on science themed memoirs
It’s time for another list of recommended books from one of the New Optimists, in the next instalment of our series. Today, Ann Vernallis from Aston University praises a collection of memoirs which are about science or medicine as much as they are about humanity.
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The New Optimists Recommend Science Books: Roger McFadden delves into DNA structure and natural history
Rounding off this first week of our ‘New Optimists Recommend’ series, Roger McFadden – senior lecturer in pharmacology at Birmingham City University – takes a look at some books he’d like to recommend to you.
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The New Optimists Recommend Science Books: Stuart Slater on books about computer games and emotions
In the latest post from our ‘New Optimists Recommend’ series, Dr Stuart Slater from the University of Wolverhampton reveals his selection of recommended books for you this Christmas.
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The New Optimists Recommend Science Books: Peter Lambert on books about microbes and medicine
Next in our series of book recommendations from the New Optimists, Peter Lambert – Professor of Microbiology at Aston University – suggests a selection of science books covering microbes, malaria, medicine and much more.
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The New Optimists Recommend Science Books: Graham Medley on Ian McEwan and Richard Green suggests David MacKay
In the second part of our guide to great gift ideas this Christmas, two more New Optimists recommend the books which they think should be on your shelves. First up, Graham Medley from the University of Warwick suggests some science fiction.
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