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Title: Barron's EZ-101 Study Keys

Subtitle: Biology, Second Edition

Author: Eli C. Minkoff

Narrator: Jeff Riggenbach

Format: Unabridged

Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins

Language: English

Release date: 07-02-09

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 3 of 5 out of 24 votes

Genres: Science & Technology, Biology

Publisher's Summary:

Biology covers key topics, including the chemical basis of life, cells and tissues, bioenergetics, genetics, structure and function of body systems, ecology, evolution, and organic diversity.

Members Reviews:

Have pronunciation checked

Would you recommend Barron's EZ-101 Study Keys to your friends? Why or why not?

Science and other specialty books should have pronunciation reasonably correct. Get readers who know a little of the field or have a checking and correction process.

How could the performance have been better?

Reading of long lists of tables and equations is almost unintelligible. Linked graphics and reading are almost essential for efficient learning. At least name a preferred print edition of the book and give page #'s.

Any additional comments?

This course has more content than the usual introductory course that is available in the wide audio media.

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Title: Endless Forms Most Beautiful

Subtitle: The New Science of Evo Devo and the Making of the Animal Kingdom

Author: Sean B. Carroll

Narrator: Arthur Morey

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-25-09

Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 214 votes

Genres: Science & Technology, Biology

Publisher's Summary:

The gene that causes humans to form arms and legs is the same gene that causes birds and insects to form wings, and fish to form fins; similarly, one ancient gene has led to the creation of eyes across the animal kingdom. Changes in the way this ancient tool kit of genes is used have created all the diversity that surrounds us.

Sean Carroll is the ideal author to lead the curious on this intellectual adventure--he is the acknowledged leader of the field, and his seminal discoveries have been featured in Time and The New York Times".

Members Reviews:

Challenging but rewarding

This is a book that requires close attention and a good working knowledge of genetic terms. It may be frustrating or just plain too difficult for those not versed in at least the basics of genetics, developmental biology, especially some basic embryology, and modern evolutionary theory. The specialist's terms come fast and furious in spite of a very able narrator. If you are hopelessly lost when someone says "homeotic Hox gene" then perhaps easing into this topic would be better than trying to listen to this book, or at least have the Wikipedia handy and be prepared to stop and do a lot of term checking. For the experienced student it is outstanding. Even for the uninitiated generalist, however, the final chapters on human evolution and evolutionary science vs. fundamentalist ignorance are outstanding.

Better in Print

I love audio books, but this one should be read in print. The narrator is fine. It is just too hard to visualize while doing anything else. And if you're not doing anything else, why not read a book? There may be important diagrams, I don't know. Tantor audio books refer you to their web site for visuals. Not this one.

As for the science and thought, could not be better. Great work by a fine scientist about a critically important branch of biology.

Good science, needs pictures

As a professional biologist, I enjoyed the book very much. But, and this is a big but, if you don't know any developmental biology I'm afraid you'll get lost. I checked the hard copy out of the library so I could see the pictures. My advice is to borrow the book and look while you listen.

Keep your finger on rewind...

I am not a biologist and I had only a passing familiarity with evo-devo in my head -- but I still found this book intensely engrossing and readable. You have to really pay attention and learn the terminology as you go (i.e. not necessarily a good read in the car because I think you may need to rewind & re-listen quite a bit -- I listened to it while hiking and had my Ipod in my hand the whole time) because the narrative builds heavily upon early information rather steadily throughout the book. Perhaps you have heard the term evo-devo before, or epigenetics, or read something about HOX, or toolkit, genes. Perhaps you also found other titles on evolution good reads -- like "Why Evolution is True" (Coyne) and "Greatest Show on Earth" (Dawkins) -- but their material was a bit too basic for you. Then, I think this book is a great "next step" on the topic of Evolutionary theory for the layman.

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Title: How to Build a Dinosaur

Subtitle: Extinction Doesn't Have to Be Forever

Author: James Gorman, Jack Horner

Narrator: Patrick Lawlor

Format: Unabridged

Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 04-03-09

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 70 votes

Genres: Science & Technology, Biology

Publisher's Summary:

Jack Horner, the scientist who advised Steven Spielberg on the blockbuster film Jurassic Park and a pioneer in bringing paleontology into the 21st century, teams up with the editor of the New York Times's Science Times section to reveal exactly what's in store.

In the 1980s, Horner began using CAT scans to look inside fossilized dinosaur eggs, and he and his colleagues have been delving deeper ever since. At North Carolina State University, Mary Schweitzer has extracted fossil molecules---proteins that survived 68 million years---from a Tyrannosaurus rex fossil excavated by Horner. These proteins show that T. rex and the modern chicken are kissing cousins. At McGill University, Hans Larsson is manipulating a chicken embryo to awaken the dinosaur within---starting by getting it to grow a tail and eventually prompting it to grow the forelimbs of a dinosaur.

All of this is happening without changing a single gene. This incredible research is leading to discoveries and applications so profound they're scary in the power they confer on humanity. How to Build a Dinosaur is a tour of the hot rocky deserts and air-conditioned laboratories at the forefront of this scientific revolution.

Editorial Reviews:

Jack Horner's quest to hatch a dinosaur makes comparisons to Jurassic Park unavoidable - especially given that the paleontologist was an adviser to the film. Rather than extracting DNA from dino blood in a petrified mosquito, however, Horner wants to manipulate the embryo of a chicken and create a bird with teeth and a reptilian tail. Patrick Lawlor's narration of Horner's fascinating work is mostly enthusiastic and engaging, and he's comfortable with the scientific jargon. He does show some insensitivity to the text, and while there are not huge flaws, this detracts from an otherwise polished production.

Members Reviews:

Good book but misplaced title

I enjoyed the book a lot but found the title and the actual book mismatched. As somebody interested in both paleontology and biology I enjoyed the discussions of microbiology, genetics and paleontological findings. To be sure the emerging field of evolutionary developmental biology as described by Horner, is related to his idea of building a dinosaur from a chicken by turning on and off genes to create a non-avian dinosaur-like chicken. That being said the entirety of the book is not about how to build a dinosaur. Rather it is a mix of paleontological findings over the course of the past 50 years mixed with interesting narratives about Montana and the Badlands along with the identification debates surrounding the discovery of proteins and cells in the fossils of a T-Rex and other fossils. I enjoyed the book overall and like this narrator. If you are not familiar with biology at all the technical parts will be hard to follow, but that's in only about 15 percent of the book.

Love it

Jack Horner is my hero and I love his work , this book is amazing.

Maybe a different title?

I felt like very little of this book actually dealt with the process of building a dinosaur and was mostly just his thoughts on paleontology and genetics. I didn't mind it too much though because he brings up great topics and discusses interesting hypothesis while offering expert opinion on them.

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Title: Animals Make Us Human

Author: Temple Grandin

Narrator: Andrea Gallo

Format: Unabridged

Length: 11 hrs and 37 mins

Language: English

Release date: 01-22-09

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 745 votes

Genres: Science & Technology, Biology

Publisher's Summary:

From renowned scientist and animal welfare advocate Temple Grandin, this groundbreaking book is a clarion call to awareness of the inner lives of humankind's far-too-often mistreated and neglected companions. Based on research spanning over 30 years, these stunning insights into the very real emotions and thoughts of animals are sure to be a source of fascination and inspiration.

©2009 Temple Grandin; (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC

Members Reviews:

Interesting in general, but repetitive

Temple Grandin is autistic, and it has given her insights about how animals percieve the world. It's quite interesting, knowing her own challenges have given her a unique view. As others have said, this is not a sentimental homage to animals, it is practical and well described. She is clear when she is stating her opinion, the findings of her research and the research of others. It results in a unique blend of common speech and collegiate dissertation that is sometimes repetitive. I think her first book, Animals in Translation, was better, but it's still a good read for anyone with an interest in trying to understand more about animals.

Fascinating

This was an absolutely fascinating book. I have bought 4 print copies to give to friends, and to have in my own personal library. Temple points out the obvious, and the not so obvious. She brings to light some fascinating discoveries about wolves and how they relate to our beloved dogs, as well as pointing out how we can make our canine family members more comfortable. I have learned things I about the agricultural industry that everyone should know - though few of us do, and many of the points she brings up can make you think twice about how you react to all the animals and people around you.

educational

As a vegan, I thought the idea of her "squeeze box" for slaughter animals was disgusting. But then I realized that she is a realist in that not everyone feels the way I do about eating animals. She feels that if humans are going to raise animals for food, then the animals' basic needs should be met. She provides the reader with great advice on husbandry and interactions with dogs, cats, pigs, cows, poultry, horses, even wildlife and zoo creatures.

Not As Impressed....

as I thought I would be, having read Grandin's early work. A good deal of this is just common sense, and at times so obvious that she seems to be writing for children. After having developed a taste for much more involved neurological writing (Sacks, Pinker, Ramachandran), Grandin's sweeping references to brain areas leave me filling in the blanks for her ("amygdala," it's called "the amygdala"). I was just left wanting more from this work.

That being said, as someone who is around horses every day, working with my own horse every morning at a boarding farm and seeing other people with their horses, I have to say that it seems to me that a good many people don't have the first notion about four-legged beings, their needs, emotions or welfare.

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Title: What your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer

Subtitle: How Hormone Balance Can Help Save Your Life

Author: John Lee, David Zava

Narrator: Barbara McCulloh

Format: Unabridged

Length: 12 hrs and 35 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-31-08

Publisher: Recorded Books

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 15 votes

Genres: Science & Technology, Biology

Publisher's Summary:

Dr. John Lee is author of the best-selling What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Fibromyalgia. Here, he joins forces with breast cancer researcher David Zava to outline a hormone balance program offering sound strategies for the prevention and treatment of a devastating disease.

Members Reviews:

MUST HAVE for breast cancer patients or those who wish to prevent breast cancer.

Great book! I've researched this subject so much that I thought I've read just about everything there was to know. I couldn't be more wrong! I haven't finished reading this book yet but so far what Dr. Lee writes about makes A LOT of sense. Granted some chapters get pretty technical. If you have breast cancer or want to prevent breast cancer, this is a MUST HAVE!

Breast cancer affects 1 out of 8 women. Unfortunately It's becoming more and more common due to GMO, our toxic environment and obesity. I wished I had found this book much earlier.

Must Read for Women

A must read for all women. Easy to understand. Having had a Stage 1 cancer diagnosis this gave me much needed information to help me on my quest for health. Conventional medicine has this information but refuses to acknowledge and use it for the health of women. Wish I had this book and knowledge 20 years ago prior to my hysterectomy. All of my symptoms were there and this could have saved me much pain and suffering. If this was taught in medical schools women would be better off in their overall health. I also know I would not have had to deal with the Stage 1 diagnosis and my health could of and should have been protected.

The other book about Menopause is very good too.

Worked for me. I used the information in the book when the doctor found a lump. Must not have been cancer as I've had no problems. The other book about Menopause is very good too.

Very informative. I knew some of the information given ...

Very informative. I knew some of the information given in this book but some of it shocked me. This is a must read! I know that this book pertains to women, but more and more men are getting breast cancer these days. I took a lot of information from this book and changed how we do so many things.

I highly recommend reading this

Even though this book is now a bit dated - it contains important information that every woman should know. I highly recommend reading this!

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Title: The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments

Author: George Johnson

Narrator: Dion Graham

Format: Abridged

Length: 3 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 08-29-08

Publisher: Random House Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 27 votes

Genres: Science & Technology, Biology

Publisher's Summary:

Johnson takes us to those times when the world seemed filled with mysterious forces, when scientists were dazzled by light, by electricity, and by the beating of the hearts they laid bare on the dissecting table.

We see Galileo singing to mark time as he measures the pull of gravity, and Newton carefully inserting a needle behind his eye to learn how light causes vibrations in the retina. William Harvey ties a tourniquet around his arm and watches his arteries throb above and his veins bulge below, proving that blood circulates. Luigi Galvani sparks electrical currents in dissected frog legs, wondering at the twitching muscle fibers, and Ivan Pavlov makes his now-famous dogs salivate at ascending chord progressions.

For all of them, diligence was rewarded. In an instant, confusion was swept aside and something new about nature leaped into view. In bringing us these stories, Johnson restores some of the romance to science, reminding us of the existential excitement of a single soul staring down the unknown.

Critic Reviews:

"Johnson has a good feel for detail . . . and an easy touch with larger concepts . . . Johnson's lively book nicely evokes the lost world of the tabletop experiment . . . appealing." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Johnson engagingly dramatizes his stories with failure-crowned-by-success narratives, adding biographical sparks . . . Johnson exerts classic appeal to science readers: presenting the lone genius making a great discovery. Good to go in any library." (Booklist)

"George Johnson's The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments makes its point as elegantly as the experiments it describes." (Wall Street Journal)

Members Reviews:

Must-read

Anyone involved in any scientific discipline should read this book. It is so important to understand the history of scientific exploration and where we fit in today. I have chosen to give descriptions of two of the experiments from this book in hopes to convey the atmosphere of the book. I think it is a really neat way to introduce some of the most important scientific discoveries in history as well as praise the genius it took to discover them.

"The Ten Most Beautiful Experiments", by George Johnson, is a novel written to energize readers about the intricacy and beauty of classic experiments. The author finds it important, in a day in which science has become industrialized and over-run with technology, that his readers are reminded of how some of the greatest discoveries in history came to be. The experiments were simple, often the work of one or two men, yet so elegant and genius that they continue to inspire generation after generation of thinkers. Johnsons begins with Galileo in the 17th century and ends with Robert Millikan in the 20th century, but also recreates many of the experiments himself. Johnson's experiences with the experimental methods and equipment provide a unique contrast which allows the reader to appreciate the skill the original discoverers must have used.

Galileo:

We now know that force = mass x acceleration. But Johnson reveals that the laws of motion confused men for centuries. While Aristotle made sensible observations, he had little grasp on the subjects of acceleration, force, friction, air resistance, etc.

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Title: The Ancestor's Tale

Author: Richard Dawkins

Narrator: Richard Dawkins, Lalla Ward

Format: Abridged

Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-09-07

Publisher: Orion Publishing Group Limited

Ratings: 4.5 of 5 out of 126 votes

Genres: Science & Technology, Biology

Publisher's Summary:

The journey provides the setting for a collection of some 40 tales. Each explores an aspect of evolutionary biology through the stories of characters met along the way or glimpsed from afar: the Elephant Bird's Tale, the Marsupial Mole's Tale, the Lungfish's Tale. Together they give a deep understanding of the processes that have shaped life on Earth: convergent evolution, the isolation of populations, continental drift, and the great extinctions.

Members Reviews:

Very abridged, but fascinating anyway

This audio version is a very much abridged version. It is frustrating when listening to the many parts and tales that are mentioned by title, but left out of this version. Because, Richard Dawkins is always a good listen. Occasionally he goes onto my nerves with his heightened language and strange poems added in weightfull speech. However, the story he has to tell is engaging, the perspective of a pilgrimage back through time, meeting common ancestors we have with all life on Earth is a unique one. Each and every one of the individual tales are a fascinating read. I was most intrigued by the discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of sexual reproduction - unbelievable that such a basic property of life is not understood - what a great problem to work on.

Did I mention that it is too bad that this book is abridged?

student of biological sciences

a brilliant text on evolution.

very entertaining, with appropriate focus given to the most significant historical diversions.

a pleasure to have listened to

Like a slug of brain tonic

Would you consider the audio edition of The Ancestor's Tale to be better than the print version?

Yes, second best only to attending a Dawkins lecture at Oxford.

What did you like best about this story?

Like all of Richard Dawkins' books, listening to The Ancestor's Tale feels like downing a brain tonic - an exhilarating joy ride through time. Only criticism is that is leaves you thirsty for more!

What about Richard Dawkins and Lalla Ward s performance did you like?

Thoroughly enjoyed the duet-style narration by the author and Lalla Ward.

Not-so-common perspective on evolution

Which character as performed by Richard Dawkins and Lalla Ward was your favorite?

Both were good readers. Obviously Dawkins is an experienced lecturer and reads his own book as well as anyone could.

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Title: The Wild Trees

Subtitle: A Story of Passion and Daring

Author: Richard Preston

Narrator: Richard Preston

Format: Abridged

Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins

Language: English

Release date: 03-29-07

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 204 votes

Genres: Science & Technology, Biology

Publisher's Summary:

In The Wild Trees, Richard Preston unfolds the spellbinding story of these young voyagers, who risk everything to explore the redwood canopy, where the massive trees form flying buttresses and cathedral-like structures in the air. They find a vertical Eden of hanging gardens and rare creatures, an untouched paradise where it's possible to stretch hammocks between tree branches and make love 300 feet in the air. But as they move through the treetops suspended on ropes, far out of sight of the ground, these young adventurers know that the smallest mistake can result in a plunge to one's death.

Preston mastered the techniques of tall-tree climbing to recount the discovery of this amazing world. This is a grand adventure, by turns terrifying, moving, and fascinating, from a master of nonfiction narrative.

Critic Reviews:

"Preston's hands-on perspective, suspenseful chronicling of the adventures of these vividly portrayed redwood experts, and glorious descriptions of the tall trees' splendor and ecological significance make for a transfixing read." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

Great book!

I was very pleased with this book and couldn't stop listening to it. The actual interviews with some of the key subjects at the end were very pleasing.

Beautiful

This is an engaging, exciting audio book about a subject I had never even considered, prior to this work. The author delves into the lives of the individuals, weaving between the science of the trees, and the humanity that surrounds them.

The Wild Trees

Preston's account of this story is breath taking. His story telling is intriguing and leaves you wanting to explore these treaures first hand. Great listen, thank you!

Great Book

I thorougly enjoyed this book. The character development is great. Each night as I drove home from work, I felt as though I was going to the woods with them to climb tall trees.

Enjoyable and good read

Would you consider the audio edition of The Wild Trees to be better than the print version?

cant say didnt read the printed version but the audio was great.

What did you like best about this story?

good mix of scientific facts and life story.

Which scene was your favorite?

the high altitude tree sex.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

no cry, no laugh, but smiles. :)

Any additional comments?

had to read this book for class. turns out i love the book. if your into plants or redwoods, than this is a must for you.

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Title: The Making of the Fittest

Subtitle: DNA and the Ultimate Forensic Record of Evolution

Author: Sean B. Carroll

Narrator: Patrick Lawlor

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 1 min

Language: English

Release date: 01-19-07

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 299 votes

Genres: Science & Technology, Biology

Publisher's Summary:

DNA is the genetic material that defines us as individuals. Over the last two decades, it has emerged as a powerful tool for solving crimes and determining guilt and innocence. But, very recently, an important new aspect of DNA has been revealed: it contains a detailed record of evolution. That is, DNA is a living chronicle of how the marvelous creatures that inhabit our planet have adapted to its many environments, from the freezing waters of the Antarctic to the lush canopy of the rain forest.

In this fascinating narrative, Sean Carroll guides listeners on a tour of the massive DNA record of three billion years of evolution to see how the fittest are made. And what an eye-opening tour it is - one featuring immortal genes, fossil genes, and genes that bear the scars of past battles with horrible diseases. This book clinches the case for evolution, beyond any reasonable doubt.

Critic Reviews:

"Carroll offers some provocative and convincing evidence." (Publishers Weekly) "Here is evolution clearly explained and stoutly defended." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

So that's Evolution

Sean Carrol takes on the theory of evolution using DNA as the focus. In his book "The Making of the Fittest: DNA and the Ultimate Forensic Record of Evolution," Carroll makes evolution and DNA approachable.

It has always seemed to me that those who believe in a God, god, or a creator have no more problems than those who don't - so far as the ultimate origin of life is concerned. Those looking to support their faith or destroy the beliefs of others there will find no help here. Rather, Carroll deftly helps the reader to understand why species appear as they do NOW and how some did not make it to the present. Therefore, everyone can relax and learn what science has found about DNA and evolution to date. Audible listeners will be rewarded.

Actually, my reading of the book has brought a larger interest in evolution, DNA and disease. Carroll discusses cancer and links Malaria to Sickle Cell for example. These passages have focused and adjusted my views of disease - their origins and possible cures. I also found the sections related to DNA that is lost through disuse was very informative.

The book is wonderfully written, very well read, and will inform all who enounter it.

Be prepared...

Unlike "Survival of the Sickest", which lays out a premise and provides some great background, this book is so ovbiously an argument for evolution that it gets old. Now, I believe in evolution so I didn't need this book to convince me. In fact, I was interested in hearing more about the science - the problem for me was that I didn't need all the convincing. But, this author keeps deriding those "non believers" so often that I felt like much of the books time was wasted. Also, I would expect that a book aimed at an intelligent, thinking audience could just say once (at the beginning) that graphs and charts could be found on the publisher's website. Why repeat it every 5-10 minutes? Why??

the molecular case for evolution

-excellent narration.

-The authors' main motivation is to argue the case for evolution. He does so with a broad spectrum of EVIDENCE. For example, he discusses the evolution of photoreceptors across a range of animals.

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Title: The Family That Couldn't Sleep

Subtitle: A Medical Mystery

Author: D.T. Max

Narrator: Grover Gardner

Format: Unabridged

Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins

Language: English

Release date: 10-03-06

Publisher: Tantor Audio

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 338 votes

Genres: Science & Technology, Biology

Publisher's Summary:

What these strange conditions, including fatal familial insomnia, kuru, scrapie, and mad cow disease, share is their cause: prions. Prions are ordinary proteins that sometimes "go wrong", resulting in neurological illnesses that are always fatal. Even more mysterious and frightening, prions are almost impossible to destroy because they are not alive and have no DNA. And the diseases they bring are now spreading around the world.

In The Family That Couldn't Sleep, essayist and journalist D. T. Max tells the spellbinding story of the prion's hidden past and deadly future. Through exclusive interviews and original archival research, Max explains this story's connection to human greed and ambition, from the Prussian chemist Justus von Liebig, who made cattle meatier by feeding them the flesh of other cows, to New Guinean natives whose custom of eating the brains of the dead nearly wiped them out.

The biologists who have investigated these afflictions are just as extraordinary. They include Daniel Carleton Gajdusek, a self-described "pedagogic pedophiliac pediatrician" who cracked kuru and won the Nobel Prize, and another Nobel winner, Stanley Prusiner, a driven, feared self-promoter who identified the key protein that revolutionized prion study.

Critic Reviews:

"Very timely and compellingly written." (Booklist)

Members Reviews:

A great scientific mystery

This has become one of my favorite non-fiction books on audible. If you enjoyed "Splendid Solution", "The Great Influenza" or "Germs" you will love this one. It may not have the humor or entertainment value of "The Omnivore's Delimma" but the author does a fine job of weaving personal stories with science to create a fascinating story. This is a great introduction to Mad Cow and other prion diseases, and also provides a distrubing account of how governments bumble their way through such outbreaks.

Grover Gardner also performs another excellent reading. In my opinion, Gardner is by far the top narrator for any material that has any scientific or technical content. His voice moves gracefully over the text - always with the right nuance and pronunciation - allowing the listener to become quite captivated by the story.

Very entertaining and enlightening

Wonderfully written account of prions: the diseases associated with them; the nobel laureates who study them; people affected; and how the problem began, was discovered, and has spread. Like a PBS special and a novel rolled into one, you learn quite a bit while being thoroughly entertained. A page turner.

Quite informative

I know others have put down this book because it isn't just about the life of the family that couldn't sleep. True, it is a book about prions, and tells of all of the research in many fields and into many disorders. But, scientific though it is, it really is facinating and quite easy to follow along with and understand.