Book Reviews May 2008

A Rum affair Karl Sabbagh Allen Lane, 1999 ISBN: 0306810603 In the 1940's the botanist John Heslop Harrison reported finding several rare plants and insects on the remote Scottish island of Rum. But many were suspicious - no one else was finding such specimens and the findings fitted in too well with Harrison's own theories. In A Rum affair: A True Story of Botanical Fraud Karl Sabbagh tells the story. Continued..

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The Power of Babel John McWhorter Heinemann, 2001 ISBN: 0434007897 There are about 6000 languages spoken on earth today. Where did this diversity come from? Will it survive in a world in which English is becoming ever more dominant? In The Power of Babel John McWhorter takes a wide ranging look at such questions. Continued..

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Struck by Lightning Jeffrey Rosenthal Granta, 2005 ISBN: 9781862079960 We live in an uncertain world, and an understanding of probability is vital to prevent us from being decieved by false claims of certainty. In Struck by Lightning:Struck by Lightning: The Curious World of Probabilities , Jeffrey Rosenthal gives a gentle introduction to the subject to those untutored in the ins and outs of probability. Continued..

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Where's My Jetpack Daniel Wilson Bloomsbury, 2007 ISBN: 9780747582861 We've all seen the sort of futuristic life which science fiction promises us. But this is the future, so why don't we have colonies on the moon and Mars, and why aren't we surrounded by robots? In Where's My Jetpack?:A Guide to the Amazing Science Fiction Future That Never Arrived , Daniel Wilson looks at a number of futuristic technologies, and tell us if they have actually been imp. Continued..

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Six degrees : our future on a hotter planet Mark Lynas Fourth Estate, 2007 ISBN: 9780007209040 Global Warming is much in the news nowadays and so it should be - most of the other problems we have pale into insignificance compared to what global warming might bring. InSix degrees : our future on a hotter planet Mark Lynas tells the reader just how bad it might get. Continued..

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Fox Martin Wallen Reaktion Books, 2006 ISBN: 1861892977 From when we are very young we are likely to hear stories involving foxes, and these are likely to affect our views concerning these creatures as we grow older. In Fox, Martin Wallen looks at how foxes are viewed in different cultures, and how this has shaped our relationship with them. Continued..

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The Stuff of Thought Steven Pinker Penguin, 2007 ISBN: 9780713997415 The relationship between language and thought is a topic which has generated a considerable amount of argument. In The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature Steven Pinker shows that a deep look at the ins and outs of language can move us away from empty philosophising and give some valuable insights into the workings of our minds. Continued..

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Yes! 50 secrets from the science of persuasion Noah Goldstein ,Steve Martin and Robert Cialdini Profile Books, 2007 ISBN: 9781846680168 You might think that making ourselves more persuasive would require learning some complicated tactics and obscure details of human psychology. Yes! 50 secrets from the science of persuasion shows that this is not the case, that sometimes the simplest of things will greatly improve our chances of getting what we want. Continued..

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If a Lion could Talk Stephen Budiansky Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1998 ISBN: 0297819321 Animal minds can be something of a puzzle. Sometimes they seem to exhibit almost human behaviour, but we need to beware of excessive anthropomorphism.In If a Lion Could Talk: How Animals Think Stephen Budiansky discusses how to make sense of animal thought. Continued..

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Quantum Computing Josef Gruska Mcgraw Hill, 1999 ISBN: 0077095030 Mentioned in quantum computing Quantum Computing by Josef Gruska is a wide ranging textbook dealing with quantum computational topics at a level suitable for advanced undergraduates or those pursuing independent study who have a similar level of experience. Continued..

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Computers and Intractability M Garey and D Johnson Freeman, 1979 ISBN: 0716710455 Mentioned in P vs NP Co-author Garey,M Computers and intractability : a guide to the theory of NP-completeness by Michael R. Garey and David S. Johnson is a standard textbook for those interested in the theory of NP completeness. Continued..

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The Sun Kings Stuart Clark Princeton University Press, 2007 ISBN: 0691126607 A large solar storm can cause quite a lot of trouble on Earth in the form of power cuts, communication failures and the like. This link between solar activity and happenings on Earth isn't obvious though. In The sun kings : the unexpected tragedy of Richard Carrington and the tale of how modern astronomy began, Stuart Clark tells the story of how the link came to be recognised. Continued..

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