|
Nature and Science December 2017
|
|
|
|
| American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West by Nate BlakesleeNot every wolf gets an obituary in The New York Times. But O-Six, leader of the Lamar Canyon Pack in Yellowstone National Park, was no ordinary wolf. In this thoroughly researched and vividly written account, Texas Monthly writer Nate Blakeslee chronicles O-Six's life, interviewing the park rangers who monitored her progress, the environmental activists who made her a social media star, and the man who killed her. Interested in the controversial topic of reintroducing wolves to U.S. federal lands? Check out Brenda Peterson's Wolf Nation. |
|
| The Butchering Art: Joseph Lister's Quest to Transform the Grisly World of Victorian... by Lindsey FitzharrisUntil the mid-19th century, surgery was a bloody business with a sky-high mortality rate, primarily due to post-operative infections. Then Quaker surgeon Joseph Lister took Louis Pasteur's germ theory and applied it to surgery, utilizing antiseptics, sterilizing instruments, and laying the groundwork for a medical revolution. Not for the squeamish, historian and blogger Lindsey Fitzharris' engaging biography simultaneously entertains and enlightens readers interested in the history of medicine. |
|
| Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone by Juli BerwaldEven as acidification, pollution, and overfishing continue to take a heavy toll on the world's oceans, jellyfish appear to be thriving. But why? Fascinated by these mysterious creatures, science writer Juli Berwald investigates their unique biology as well as the crucial role they play in marine ecosystems. Whether interviewing scientists and fisherman or engaging in some hands-on research (for example, their culinary uses), Berwald reveals the hidden and little-studied world of jellyfish. |
|
| The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World by Jeff GoodellClimate change is melting the polar ice caps and causing sea levels to rise...and we are not prepared for it. At all. In this sobering book, journalist Jeff Goodell outlines "the future we are creating for ourselves, our children, and our grandchildren," in which rising tides will swallow coastal cities, costing trillions of dollars a year and displacing millions of people. If you're wondering what the future holds, get to higher ground immediately and then pick up this book. |
|
| Endurance: A Year in Space, A Lifetime of Discovery by Scott KellyWhat does space smell like? Sparklers on the Fourth of July, according to astronaut Scott Kelly, whose candid memoir provides an often surprising look at life in orbit. Focusing on his year aboard the International Space Station (during which time his twin brother Mark, also an astronaut, remained on Earth as part of a unique research study), Kelly describes his day-to-day experiences in microgravity while reflecting on his decades-long career at NASA. |
|
|
To Eat: A Country Life
by Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd
Don't worry, you're not the only one who doesn't quite know what to do with chard. Nevertheless, with more than 40 years of gardening and culinary experience, authors Joe Eck and Wayne Winterrowd have a lot of good ideas to share. In this book, the couple -- who in 1974 moved to southern Vermont to start a farm on 28 acres of wilderness -- shares what they've learned from a lifetime of growing and cooking their own food. Divided into short thematic chapters, the book also includes charming black-and-white illustrations as well as recipes by chef and restauranteur Beatrice Tosti di Valminuta.
|
|
|
How to Bake Pi : An Edible Exploration of the Mathematics of Mathematics
by Eugenia Cheng
What is math? And how exactly does it work? In How to Bake Pi, math professor Eugenia Cheng provides an accessible introduction to the logic of mathematics - sprinkled throughout with recipes for everything from crispy duck to cornbread - that illustrates to the general listener the beauty of math. Rather than dwell on the math of our high school classes, with formulas to memorize and confusing symbols to decipher, Cheng takes us into a world of abstract mathematics, showing us how math can be so much more than we ever thought possible.
|
|
|
This Is What You Just Put in Your Mouth? From Eggnog to Beef Jerky, the Surprising Secrets...
by Patrick Di Justo
Have you ever wondered what's in eggnog? Steak sauce? Chewing gum? For journalist Patrick Di Justo, it was a can of Easy Cheese that sent him a nearly decade-long quest to find out exactly what ingredients comprise the food products we eat. Based on Wired's popular column "What's Inside," this eye-opening book is the result of in-depth research and interviews with CEOs and PR departments as well as scientists, government officials, and lawyers. As a bonus, it also examines the composition of everyday products that we don't (or at least shouldn't) consume, including household cleaners and illegal drugs.
|
|
|
Tasty: The Art and Science of What We Eat
by John McQuaid
The tongue has one job: "to distinguish food from everything else." However, the process though which we determine what's edible is complicated, requiring an understanding of, among other areas, microbiology, genetics, and neuroscience. It also requires cleansing one's mental palate by, for example, discarding that diagram of the tongue depicting four distinct regions dedicated to sweet, salty, sour, and bitter flavors (which has no scientific basis) and accepting that, to a large extent, taste is hereditary. If you've ever wondered why and how we eat what we eat, check out Tasty.
|
|
|
Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal
by Mary Roach
Can your stomach really burst? And why doesn't it digest itself? As she's proven in previous books, including Stiff and Bonk, science writer Mary Roach isn't squeamish when it comes to the physiology or functions of the human body. In addition to exploring the science of the digestive system, she also debunks myths and misconceptions including flammable farts and the possibility of surviving being swallowed by a whale. And as a bonus, you'll be able to impress your friends with all kinds of trivia ranging from explosive colonoscopies (France, 1977) to slang terms describing the act of concealing contraband in one's rectum ("keistering," "hooped," and "prison wallet" are but a few examples).
|
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
Forsyth County Public Library 660 West Fifth Street Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101 336-703-2665www.forsythlibrary.org |
|
|
|