Book Description
The Sixth Edition of
BIOLOGY by Neil Campbell and Jane Reece builds upon the earlier versions' dual goals to both help readers develop a conceptual appreciation of life within the context of integrating themes, and to inspire readers to develop more positive and realistic impressions of science as a human activity. <P>The authors have thoroughly updated each of the book's eight units to reflect the existing progress in our understanding of life at its many levels, from molecules to ecosystems. Examples of updated content include the Human Genome Project, the revolution in systematics, HIV as a research model in evolutionary biology, the role of cell-signaling pathways in plant responses, new frontiers in neurobiology, and experimental approaches that are advancing ecology. To assure accurate representation of each field of biology, a team of stellar specialists has worked with the authors in updating every unit. <P>An innovative design breakthrough ensures that the art is as current as the content. Guided Tour diagrams explicitly guide readers through the more challenging figures, succinctly explaining key structures, functions, and steps of processes within the figure, reducing the need to look back and forth between legend and art. It's as if an instructor were looking over the reader's shoulder and clarifying each part of a figure! Guided Tour commentary is set in blue, making it easy to differentiate these explanations from ordinary labels and keeping the figure itself clear and uncluttered. For college instructors and students.
Customer Reviews:
Well written and organized textbook.......2006-09-21
This was my textbook for Biology 101 & 102. This book was a pleasure to read. It is clearly written and not dry at all so it was easy to keep focus. Even in my upper level classes, I find myself referring back to it occasionally and am still impressed by it. An important point I would like to make is that, if you are using this as a course textbook, the CD is invaluable. The animated tutorials and chapter quizzes, (which are quite thorough), kept me one step ahead. That CD shaved hours off of my study time for each test.
Long, dense, and at first look tedious - but absolutely worth it........2006-06-24
This book was used in my AP Bio class, where my teacher's constant reminders to "read the book" usually went unnoticed. This isn't because Campbell's book is necessarily boring or difficult to understand; in fact, the situation is quite the opposite. Campbell delves into the concepts of biology with more than adequate depth and breadth for the subject, offering both the basics and the details necessary to survive AP Bio (and, from the way my AP Exam went, college freshman Bio, too).
The sad fact and only noticeable drawback, however, is this: all of this information is found in an alarmingly large, heavy book, which can be off-putting to even the most avid readers. (Campbell does have a shorter, lighter book that makes for an easier read, but the "baby Campbell" sacrifices the detail necessary for AP Bio in order to make the book less difficult to get through.) Even with the large amount of material found in Campbell's book, it's an interesting read that covers just about everything biology-related.
Conclusion: The detail involved in every chapter makes this book an ideal pick for an AP Bio class, save for the fact that lazier students just won't ever want to pick the thing up.
THOROUGH, ENCOMPASSING, WELL WRITTEN ..........2006-06-17
I found this book very thorough and well written. What made it so enjoyable is wasn't dry and boring; the colloquial style made it very readable, especially for lay people. I work in a related field - as a medical doctor - but, sad as it is, I sometimes like to read about it for fun! This book was the perfect blend: informative and straight forward yet also reasonably entertaining. Most important, it is accurate and truthful with a good sense of the latest cutting edge research.
Incredible.......2006-06-07
I was studying for the National Medical Assessment Test in my country and i used this book to review my biology. Note, however that my pre-med was a humanities degree and economics. So, I really needed to bone up on my biology. I was intimidated by the size of this book and was reluctant to purchase it but after reading so many reviews i relented.
And i was very happy i did so. I just couldn't put this book down. It was thick and the letters were so small but it was also accessible and comprehensive while providing in-depth information. Biology really comes to life with this book. Everything is put into context and ideas truly build up on one another. Unlike other biology books I've read, other branches of science (e.g. chemistry & physics) are introduced to show how all of science are indeed connected to facilitate a deeper understanding of science itself and not just biology. It even explained many ideas in organic chemistry more clearly and succintly than the intro to org chem book i used.
Some have commented that this book is too thick and i have to disagree. This is not a reference book (it could be a good one i think) but an introduction. As an introductory text it has to lay a solid foundation in understanding the basics innerworkings of biology and how all of it is connected to other sciences. This it does well. I have found that the book usually only uses one short paragraph to introduce one organ/organelle/cell/a step in a chemical cycle/chemical/etc. to describe it, what affects it, and its functions. I do not think the authors could've done any better. People who want a shorter text i think really want a reference book or a bio book that just lists down facts with little or no connections/explanations.
It's a good book for learning biology.......2006-04-28
I learn biology for 10yrs.Campbell's biology is the most I want to study when it's every new edition published.
Book Description
CliffsAP study guides help you gain an edge on Advanced Placement* exams. Review exercises, realistic practice exams, and effective test-taking strategies are the key to calmer nerves and higher AP* scores.
CliffsAP Biology, 2nd Edition, is for students who are enrolled in AP Biology or who are preparing for the Advanced Placement Examination in Biology. Inside, you’ll find hints for answering the essay and multiple-choice sections, a clear explanation of the exam format, a look at how exams are graded, and more:
- A topic-by-topic look at what’s on the exam
- A review of all 12 AP laboratory exercises
- Must-know AP Biology essay questions.
- Typical answers to free-response questions
- Loads of illustrations, graphs, and tables
Sample questions (and answers!) and practice tests reinforce what you’ve learned in areas such as molecular genetics, photosynthesis, and animal behavior. CliffsAP Biology, 2nd Edition, also includes the following:
- Chemistry of metabolic reactions
- Structure and function of cells; cell division
- Respiration, including the Krebs Cycle, glycolysis, and mitochondria
- Heredity, including crosses, dominance, and inheritance
- Taxonomy, with a survey of the five kingdoms
- Plants, including tissues, germination and development, root and stem structures
- Animal structure and function; reproduction and development
This comprehensive guide offers a thorough review of key concepts and detailed answer explanations. It’s all you need to do your best — and get the college credits you deserve.
*Advanced Placement Program and AP are registered trademarks of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse this product.
Customer Reviews:
Great review book.......2007-09-26
The book was delivered on time, in great condition. This is a great review book for the AP BIO exam. It has very concise review information, followed by sample miltiple choices questions. It reviews each of the 12 required labs, also followed by review questions. Finally, it provides 2 sample tests for students to take and practice for the exam.
Not so hot.......2007-09-09
I used this book as a review for tests in my AP Biology class last year and found it to be somewhat lacking. I thought that it would be a good choice to read this when I didn't have time to read the Campbell textbook. BUT when I did do this, the tests covered WAY more. The Cliffs notes seem to just skim the top layer.
Also, I found the graphics to be extremely rough. I'm a visual learner and the diagrams were just convoluted and messy.
While there are several organized charts (i.e. hormonal glands), I would reccomend the student study quide for Biology. This is made by the makers of the Campbell textbook. Each chapter--each section--is outlined for you so that you can review the key topics.
Nicely Organized.......2007-09-08
This is the most thorough out of all the AP Biology study guides and I really liked the way it is organized. It has both multiple choice and essay questions at the end of each chapter. This is the best AP study guide for biology.
The ONLY AP Bio book you need.......2007-08-10
This book is great. I received a 5 on my AP test, and trust me, my teacher sucks. Phillip Pack offers concise, informative explanations that serve as good preview and review tools for your coursework. I recommend using this as a SUPPLEMENT, as sometimes it does not go into too much detail.
I swear my teacher reads this. Sometimes the lectures are so similar to the same chapter it's obvious.
Purchase this book.......2007-08-07
I found reading this book and answering its questions while covering the material in class to be incredibly helpful. The content is thorough, and it covered several topics that were never discussed in my class (which happened to turn up on the exam). Most importantly, this book is easy and entertaining to read. Buy it at the beginning of the year and let it guide you through your tests and quizzes as well as the exam. I owe my 5 to this book.
Book Description
Scoring high on the AP Biology Exam is very different from earning straight A's in school. We don't try to teach you everything there is to know about biology--only the strategies and information you'll need to get your highest score. In Cracking the AP Biology Exam, we'll teach you how to
·Use our preparation strategies and test-taking techniques to raise your score
·Focus only on the biology topics that are likely to be covered on the test
·Memorize complicated biology concepts using simple techniques
·Test your knowledge with review questions for each topic covered
This book includes 2 full-length practice AP Biology tests. All of our practice questions are just like those you'll see on the actual exam, and we explain how to answer every question.
Customer Reviews:
The Book That Gives Hope.......2007-09-16
First let me start off with a background. I was a junior when I bought this book and I was barely pulling C to C+ in my AP Biology Class. The Class seemed standard and the teacher was great. My problem was that, as interesting as biology was, I found it hard just to memorize so many things in such a short period of time ( The textbook was 2000+ pages!)
The time to take the AP test came and I needed to review. I was starting to look for more of a 3-4 then the 5 i wanted. I bought this book in hopes of just passing the test. Well this book did that and much more. What this book has to offer is tremendously useful. After taking the test, I saw that this book went over just the things that were the MOST important topics of the exam ( about 60% of the AP biology topics take up 80-90% of the exam).
This book goes into detail on the important topics which is split up into chapters. After each chapter is a chapter review test which helped you remember each topic in a very strategic way. It sound pretty typical but they way the book is constructed helps you remember TREMENDOUS amounts of information in its relatively short review section ( roughly 3/4 of the book the last 1/4 is a Practice Test)
I was pulling a C in the class but I managed to get a 5 on the AP Biology test. Just think about what wonders it can do for you. I bought the other CliffsAP review book and that one turned out to be pretty much useless to me. I highly recomend this book if it is the only book you can afford to buy for this Class.
NOT WORTH IT!!!! GET CLIFFS .......2007-06-15
Princeton Review claims to be the mecca of test prep! Well I WOULD CERTAINLY DISAGREE WITH THAT CLAIM BASED ON THIS BOOK! It over summarizes everything + while the pictures and diagrams look nice and all they aren't gonna get you that 3, 4, or 5!!! I mean sure the overall summary of the concepts is correct but the AP exam is really tough.... i know because i just took it!.... and they will expect you to know everything in a great level of detail!!! Especially with the labs.... This book summarizes each lab in 1 paragraph... ha!!! Cliffs does pgs. for each one + tells you exactly what ETS wants! Also the test questions and practice look nothing like the AP
IF YOU WANT TO DO WELL STOP + GO TO WHERE YOU CAN BUY CLIFFS!!!
This book isn't going to help you at all! Spend your money on something better!.......2007-06-12
I agree with everyone who says this review book is TRASH. Honestly, it has so little necessary information for the exam, that you could've just taken the exam without ever studying. I just thank God that I used a Barron's in conjunction with this book. The Barron's makes complicated concepts so easy that a caveman could understand them. Not only that, but it goes into detail and highlights key concepts that you'll need to know for the exam, unlike the Princeton Review. This book does have practice tests, which are always good to do, but that's about it. If I recall correctly, the book has about a page on the Immune system. A PAGE!!! Barron's on the other hand had around 10. Seriously, this book does close to nothing in giving information essential to doing well on the exam.
So, to summarize everything I just said, Princeton Review is horrible and I'll never use another review book by them again, AND go with either a Barron's or Cliff's because they actually know what they're talking about and will prepare you for the exam.
Great Book!.......2007-06-03
To do well on the AP test, you can't depend completely on this book. you should also take a comprehensive AP Bio course during high school. It is best to use this book through out the school year along with your Bio class materials. If you know everything on this book, you will definitely do well on the multiply choice portion of the test. However, if you did not use another AP Bio textbook and depended completely on this book, you might not do as well on the essay portion. For example, this book does not cover the different kinds of biotechnologies really in detail. But on the 2000(I don't remember the year exactly) AP Bio test, one of the essay questions asked you to talk about several biotechnology tecniques (such as PCR, southern blotting etc.). Overall, this is very good book. The wording is very easy to understand and straightforward. It is not boring to read this book (unlike some of the other ap bio prep book, such as barron's) and the book tells you everthing you need to know (for multiple choice portion). Another thing I strongly recommend for studying ap bio test is McGraw-Hill's Biology Essential Study Partner. I think this program can be found online (like in google). This program accompany the biology textbook by Raven (but you don't need to read the textbook to use this program). I am pretty sure you will get a 5 on the ap bio test if you studied everything on Essential Study Partner and Princeton Review's Ap Biology.
The Perfect Review Book.......2007-05-16
This book drew the line at what I actually needed to know and what was unimportant for the AP Test. I feel that it helped me review all the major points and really contributed to my performance on the exam.
Book Description
For over three decades, Ray Kurzweil has been one of the most respected and provocative advocates of the role of technology in our future. In his classic The Age of Spiritual Machines, he argued that computers would soon rival the full range of human intelligence at its best. Now he examines the next step in this inexorable evolutionary process: the union of human and machine, in which the knowledge and skills embedded in our brains will be combined with the vastly greater capacity, speed, and knowledge-sharing ability of our creations.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic insight into a possible, plauible future of humans and the universe.......2007-10-07
This is one the the favorite books I have ever read. It is not an easy read for a non-scientist, but absolutely rewarding. It is surprisingly accessible, despite the technical and intellectual scope. The logical and insightful nature of Kurzweil's arguments make it a compelling and inspirational read. The book has had a huge impact on my thinking and introduced me to the whole subject of futurism. It is affecting my investment and career decisions. There were numerous mind-bending, mind-expanding moments during reading this as the gravity of the concepts sank in. Garreau's book, Radical Evolution, is a great follow-up read, comparing and contrasting Kurzweil's optimism with the pessimism of others. It is a joy and luxury to be exposed to the visions such "big thinkers".
Look-out future here we come.......2007-09-10
I read this book with such optimism for our future. I only hope to live long enough to see some of the exciting events in our future on this planet. Just when you think you have seen it all, you "ain't seen nutt'n yet". Come on world let's work together and solves some of the mysteries that are tearing us apart.
hold onto your hat.......2007-08-29
the future is going to be wild.
ray kurzweil is the leading guru of the not so far off world where key technologies merge to allow us to turn ourselves into non biological humans.
no crack pot he. when kurzweil presented his thesis at MIT the arguments centered on the when, not the if of kurzweils predictions
Not for non geeks!.......2007-07-26
Although the reading is tedious for someone who is not that scientifically or computer oriented, the concepts and ideas the book presents are fascinating and a bit scary!
Most important book of the next 50 yrs.......2007-07-25
At some point I hope that people will stop paying attention to Paris Hilton and read this book. Our species is at a crossroads and we have some very important decisions to make in the next few decades. This book more than any other will prepare us to make the right choices. Read it now, or be devoured by a swarm of nanobots in 2029 when Skynet takes over.
Book Description
For top grades and an excellent understanding of biology, this powerful study tool is the best tutor you can have. It's been updated to include the latest advances in the field. Features detailed illustrations of complex biologic systems and processes, and takes students by the hand from the smallest elements of life to the primates. Hundreds of problems with fully-explained solutions cut down on study time and make important points easy to remember. Additional problems with answers let students gauge their progress every step of the way.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book for Biology GRE Preparation.......2007-10-07
Although it's not marketed this way, Schaum's outline is a concise yet complete study guide for the Biology GRE subject test. Topics like the endocrine system, plant evolution and development, and nutrition, which are given short shrift in the Princeton Review and Kaplan study guides, are fully covered in this book. More diagrams are provided (although there are no color figures - ditto for PR and Kaplan), as well as handy review tables. The explanations are at an appropriate level for GRE examinees: there is not too much extraneous information. Occasionally, the authors will throw in a humorous aside or phrasing (see def. of sexual selection, parts of Ch.17, etc.), which makes you pay closer attention, but overall the tone is serious (no BS analogies or condescension here).
At the end of every chapter are worked problems in essay and multiple choice formats. These questions cover GRE material but aren't presented in the same style. If you're using this book for GRE preparation, you should also consider buying a book with one or more practice tests in order to familiarize yourself with the exam format.
This Book's Got It All!.......2007-01-17
I bought this book to prepare the DAT. It helped so much and I couldn't have made it without it. I do recommend it, it's way better than those common books dealing with how to prepare the DAT, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, they're just not as specific as this one. Totally worth the money, go for it!
Useful book for recalling established knowledge.......2006-11-08
Well organized, full text book with essential topics on biology. Excellent tool for GRE exams and anyone with basic knowledge on biology, who needs a quick reviewing.
GOOD Reference, LOTS to Read.......2006-07-25
My favorite chapters included Kingdom Fungi, Photosynthesis,excretory system and structure and function of chloroplasta. Like a previous reviewer, I used this book to prepare for the biology section of the DAT (Dental Admission Test). This is a good reference, it explains with examples that get the facts to stick to your brain. Yes, it requires studying, but then again what subject doesn't?
Another great book I totally recommend is "The Ultimate Study Guide for Biology: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations". Volumes 1,2 and 3. It is written by Patrick Leonardi. It is an excellent review for the biology portion of the DAT exam..
Too much information... Just make it simple.......2006-02-27
I was looking to get up to speed to teach an intro bio class for community college. After reviewing bio texts, I bought this book thinking that it would be a great summary, review and offer quiz questions for bio. I wanted it to be to the point, revelant, and a pithy supplement. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. This book didn't highlight or sum up bio. It went into in-depth discussions that might be of interest to grad students. I looked at Biology the Easy Way and liked it much better.
Book Description
The Princeton Review realizes that acing the SAT Biology E/M Subject Test is very different from earning straight A’s in school. We don’t try to teach you everything there is to know about biology–only the techniques and information you’ll need to maximize your score. In Cracking the SAT Biology E/M Subject Test, we’ll teach you how to think like the test writers and
·Learn what subject matter will be tested so you can study more effectively
·Review key biology concepts that will appear on the test
·Use proven techniques to solve complicated questions
The 2007-2008 edition of Cracking the SAT Biology E/M Subject Test is revised and updated to include the most current information possible.
Customer Reviews:
The Book That Gives Hope.......2007-09-16
First let me start off with a background. I was a junior when I bought this book and I was barely pulling C to C+ in my AP Biology Class. The Class seemed standard and the teacher was great. My problem was that, as interesting as biology was, I found it hard just to memorize so many things in such a short period of time ( The textbook was 2000+ pages!)
The time to take the AP test came and I needed to review. I was starting to look for more of a 3-4 then the 5 i wanted. I bought this book in hopes of just passing the test. Well this book did that and much more. What this book has to offer is tremendously useful. After taking the test, I saw that this book went over just the things that were the MOST important topics of the exam ( about 60% of the AP biology topics take up 80-90% of the exam).
This book goes into detail on the important topics which is split up into chapters. After each chapter is a chapter review test which helped you remember each topic in a very strategic way. It sound pretty typical but they way the book is constructed helps you remember TREMENDOUS amounts of information in its relatively short review section ( roughly 3/4 of the book the last 1/4 is a Practice Test)
I was pulling a C in the class but I managed to get a 5 on the AP Biology test. Just think about what wonders it can do for you. I bought the other CliffsAP review book and that one turned out to be pretty much useless to me. I highly recomend this book if it is the only book you can afford to buy for this Class.
Got the Job Done.......2007-09-08
My son had a great freshman biology teacher, but she knew she wouldn't get to all the topics the test might cover. She noted which ones these were for us in the table of contents, and we focussed our attention and time on those. We did work through the entire book anyway; it took from when we received it (March-ish) to the test date (June-ish.) Results: 740, plus a perfect 600 on the biology section of the state standardized tests (not directly helpful, but still perhaps listing on college apps later.)
better than barron -- much better.......2007-08-07
Especially if you're doing a lot of self-studying, I reccommend getting more than 1 review book. Make Princeton Review one of them. It is an organized, clean, no-nonsense format, with chapter summaries and quizzes and lots of charts and diagrams for you visual learners. It'll give you all you need to know. Just as importantly, it won't give anything you don't need to know.
The other good one is Kaplan. As usual, Kaplan is good at explaining.
Barron is very minimal and the format is a little chaotic so the facts are all jumbled up in your head.
Good but not infalliable.......2007-07-10
As a third-year college biology student, I grabbed this book from the library on summer break for a quick review of my first year bio classes. It is exactly what I was looking for. It manages to deliver, in about 250 pages, a review that is not too detailed, but not too terribly skimpy on information. The rest of the book covers test taking techniques and gives you two full-length practice tests. Good choice for anyone looking for a quick review of the subject, as well as anyone who actually does have to take the test!
In response to another review, I would like to point out a couple of mistakes I did find in the text (which managed to bump it down to 4 stars). Pp. 313-314 talk about a virus with a genome made up of DNA being replicated using "the host's RNA polymerase". Quick quiz #1 on p. 333 asks the same question in questions number 2 and 3. Pp. 314 and 317 have an inconsistency in the order of events in the lytic cycle. And there is another question (I can't locate it right now.) In the chapter on organ systems, in which the cerebrum is said to control muscle movement.
All in all a good text, with a small number of errors, but I'm sure they could have done better.
A very thorough guide.......2007-07-05
I bought this book in hopes of using it in preparation for the SAT M Biology exam. I never got to reading the book, but I did look through it after taking my exam.
On the whole, this is a very, very thorough book. I love the Princeton Review; the writing style is absolutely amazing, diagrams are well-drawn and labeled, and there are many supplementary facts throughout the book that you won't learn in your regular AP biology class.
Another thing I love about the book is that it is so thick. You may think that's a bad thing, that it's so long, but the truth is that the Princeton Review has done an amazing job of designing the book, so that each page has many diagrams and only the information you need to know. Thus, the book itself is very easy and fun to go through, as each page is not a long page of text like a normal biology book is.
I personally feel that, if you are a good biology student, you shouldn't need to study for the exam at all. But if you need to reassure yourself, this is the only book you need to get.
Book Description
This fascinating and comprehensive book is the first to explore the complex biological process leading to orgasm. Here, sexuality researcher and nurse Beverly Whipple, coauthor of the international best-selling book The G Spot and Other Discoveries about Human Sexuality, joins neuroscientist Barry R. Komisaruk and endocrinologist Carlos Beyer-Flores to view orgasm through the lenses of behavioral neuroscience along with cognitive and physiological sciences.
The authors explain how and why orgasms happen, why they fail to happen, and what brain and body events are put into play at the moment of orgasm. No topic is left unexplored, as the book describes the genital-brain connection, how the brain produces orgasms, how aging affects orgasm, and the effects of prescription medication, street drugs, hormones, disorders, and diseases.
Covering every type of sexual peak experience in women and men -- from intense to phantom -- this informative and entertaining work illuminates the hows, whats, and wherefores of orgasm.
Customer Reviews:
Well... *that* sorta took all the fun out of it!.......2007-08-08
OK... I was wandering through the library aisles (really!), and this book sorta jumped out at me... The Science of Orgasm by Barry R. Komisaruk, Carlos Beyer-Flores, and Beverly Whipple. I thought it might be fun to learn a little more about what happens at that "YES!" moment. But this book really takes all the fun out of it. You pretty much have to have a medical degree to understand a majority of it, and there's little spractical material for the layman (pun not intended... much).
Contents: Definitions of Orgasm; Different Nerves, Different Orgasmic Feelings; Bodily Changes at Orgasm; Are Orgasms Good for Your Health?; When Things Go Wrong; Diseases That Affect Orgasm; How Aging Affects Orgasm; Pleasure and Satisfaction with and without Orgasm; The Nervous System Connection; The Neurochemistry of Orgasm; Effects of Medication; Counteracting Medication Side Effects; Recreational Stimulant Drugs and Orgasm; Depressant Drugs and Orgasm; Herbal Therapies; Hormones and Orgasm; Mechanism of Action of Sex Steroids; Nonreproductive Hormones in Orgasm; Atypical Orgasms; The Genital-Brain Connection; Orgasms after Brain Surgery or Brain Damage; Imaging the Brain during Sexual Arousal and Orgasm; The Cast of Characters - How Brain Components Contribute to Orgasm; Consciousness and Orgasm; Glossary; References; Index
Anyway... this is an extremely clinical look at the physiological and psychological components that make up the, you guessed it, human orgasm. If you ever wanted to know exactly what role 5-alpha-DHT or dehydroepiandrosterone play in your body, this book will tell you... in detail. Probably every study on human sexuality in the past 50 years that's ever been published is referenced in here... multiple times. After a couple pages of explanation on evidence that a genital sensory pathway goes directly to the brain, bypassing the spinal cord, I was ready to switch over to something much lighter... like Reinventing Project Management. This was one of those library books that got renewed a number of times, as I just couldn't bear to read more than 10 to 15 pages at a time. Maybe I need a book on why I feel I have to finish a book if I start it. :)
Seriously, I can see how someone in the medical field would find this very useful. Also, if you're dealing with major issues like a spinal cord injury or severe reactions to medication, you'd probably be motivated to dig through the information to find answers and solutions. But for the average male or female with relatively normal functioning parts, this is written at a level that requires far more work than it's worth.
And now I think I'll go find something a bit more readable...
A Masterpiece In Its Field & Springboard for Future Studies.......2007-06-04
This book is technically challenging to wade through, and unless a person has a strong personal interest in the subject matter, or is doing a college level research paper, be aware it is difficult reading. I expected the 'psychology' of orgasm and a better understanding of the relationship between men and women but this book is almost exclusively about the purely physical mechanisms of desire, arousal and orgasm; in other words, the nuts and bolts of how it actually happens. It is like reading a car manual when the reader may be expecting a driver's guide.
Every paragraph, and many times every sentence, is loaded with parenthetical citations to other books, authors and researchers, and/or definitions of the medical terms for physiological body parts and functions, which admittedly are necessary considering it is a scientifically technical assessment of orgasm; however, it seriously impedes the natural flow of the steps in acquiring a new thought, assimilating that thought into one's schema, and retaining the new information into the subsequent overall emergent pattern that the authors are striving to bring to a point. This is not the authors' fault however, but rather the current style for citation as opposed to an earlier style of footnotes which in my opinion is preferable because it leaves to the reader whether to make use of the extended information in the footnote or to have an unimpeded reading experience.
I can imagine that those readers familiar with physiologically technical terms and/or whose discipline or field of study this is will also find it laborious to suffer through the multitude of parenthetical definitions for the benefit of those of us unfamiliar with the advanced medical terminology used throughout the book.
On a positive note, it probably brings together into one source every piece of important data on the physiology of orgasm from a medical perspective accumulated over time in many other venues such as books, studies, and research papers submitted to medical magazines and conferences, and it is no doubt an invaluable tool for the library of a professional who deals with the phenomenon of orgasm in the human species.
The reasons for my interest being subjective rather than academic, I was disappointed initially in the strict adherence to professional jargon employed by the authors to lend scholarly credibility to their work, and to the prevalence of the purely physiological aspects of orgasm; however, I did glean a few gems of personal interest hidden in the profuse amount of detail.
One such piece of data reveals women in general can have many motives other than orgasm for engaging in sex with their partner, while men are linear in their efforts to satisfy their drive with defined steps of desire, arousal, and orgasm following a standard pattern with an intentional ultimate end result. My conclusions after completing this book are that there is now a scientific basis for the paradigm and age old belief that "men give affection to get sex and women give sex to get affection" in the vast majority of women. I am hopeful that there will now be a new round of psychological studies to find other common traits in those women who have a more linear purpose for engaging in sex, and in the majority of women who do not. For example, there are some insights in one chapter of the book about natural herbs that stimulate desire, arousal, and orgasm in humans that have been confirmed by studies, so it would be interesting for future studies to investigate whether those in the minority have taken these herbal remedies over time. I for one have been a health nut since my teenage years and one of my daily regimen is Gingko Biloba, one of the herbs sited in the book, as well as ginseng among others, as having been conclusively found by studies to increase desire, arousal, orgasm, and overall sexual satisfaction.
The book cited many studies dealing with various physical impacts on orgasm but nothing on how light affects the positive or negative aspects of the human sexual response. I would be very interested in future studies about light's effects (as in our solar spectrum) on orgasm, and in particular how exposure to specific colors in light affect sensuality. I have slept with a blue light in my bedroom for over thirty years since I was twenty-nine. I believe this has had an anti aging effect on me as well, since I look, act, and feel much younger than I am. The Universal Mind that channels through me has many dictums on light therapy and the nutritional value of different colors. Over the last decade there have been many discoveries about light and its effects on us which have validated information I have been channeling and documenting for years; it would be fascinating for future studies to determine what effects light, and the individual colors in light, might have on the complex biological process leading to orgasm and the human sexual response.
In one of a few rare excursions away from the 'physical' into the 'psychological' regarding women and their ability to reach climax, studies are cited in the book that reveal women need to be given "permission" to enjoy sex. I believe this is probably more of a cultural problem in America than in other areas of the world because our societal moors have deleterious psychological effects on the physiological process of orgasm. In my opinion, Americans have an aberrant negative fascination with sex as reflected by pornographic demand, a staggering divorce rate and a huge incidence of violent crimes against women such as rape and domestic violence, and Americans are among the most depressed and unhappy culture of people on earth. God does not, and never did, intend this negative perspective about sex. When the Angel told Sarah she would have a son, her immediate response was to ask if she was to have pleasure in her old age, and instead of going in the tent to start knitting a pair of baby booties, she went in and started getting dolled up for Abraham. Women - and men - need to understand that sex is a healthy, natural phenomenon and is to be enjoyed in a monogamous relationship only to prevent the negative side effects of promiscuity, not because sex in itself is wrong. It does beg the question of why women are physically hot wired to experience orgasm if they were not meant to do so joyfully since orgasm is not a requisite for becoming pregnant.
If one is more interested in the psychological and social aspects of sex, there are probably better choices than this book which deals with the brain's relationship to orgasm in a purely physiological way and not much in terms of psychological behavioral factors. It is definitely not a 'how to get it more and do it better' type of book, although the effects of drugs, both legal and illegal, on achieving an orgasmic response is discussed, as well as the aforementioned herbs, but again in a medical application and not a social application.
The single most surprising statement in the book for me was that a few women have reported the ability to have orgasm just by thinking about it and without genital stimulation, for which the authors cited their own study in 1992. I would have been interested in other common traits among those women, but that too would have taken the authors outside this book's scope of the purely physiological aspects of orgasm, its processes, and the positive and negative effects of various environmental factors on desire, arousal, and orgasm such as illness, drugs, and disabilities. I hope future studies will look at what traits those who fall within a particular set of parameters have in common, such as right brain expressions like art, writing, and music, or, like myself for which creativity is but a hobby while my functional daily life is more left brain both receptively and expressively. I am looking forward to many new studies utilizing the science in this book.
I'm glad I did finish the book because the last segment of the last chapter was of utmost surprise and fascination for me in which the authors acknowledged nobody knows exactly where orgasm originates, and they speculate it may be in a fifth dimension which they also attribute to possibly being the home of consciousness! They offer the information that many physicists are comfortable with there being as many as ten dimensions. Most people differentiate between the four dimensions we are aware of as 'science' and all other dimensions as 'faith'. This is the first time I have read of a group of people that are swayed by 'science' alluding to something that lends credibility to what I have been channeling for fifteen years. A very exciting "find" for me.
The book is fascinating, albeit difficult to read, and I learned a lot about both women and men that I did not know. I expect this book to be a cornerstone in future knowledge and enlightenment through studies on this subject. I have no doubt it will be a masterpiece in its field.
book review.......2007-05-08
This book was overkill on the scientific explanation and not enough on the practical side for those having problems.
The Science of Sex Hasn't Yet... Peaked .......2007-04-27
So many people and organizations over-emphasize sex for their own agendas, while for others sex is a source of unhappiness and guilt. But the fact is that for most people a balanced sex life is an essential part of healthy living. Yet despite the deluge of information about sex, it is amazing how much ignorance still exists. Most people working in psychology will have seen people who were convinced that they had an illness because he or she had failed to have an orgasm or had sometimes been less interested in sex.
This is the kind of book that will probably get thumbed through a lot at the local lending library, but it is not in any way a "how to" book. It is instead a scholarly work on what is known about orgasm. It is a book of facts and figures, a few diagrams and a lot of scientific references.
I have some minor gripes: the proofing could have been better: bromocriptine is one of a number of words that is misspelled. There is only a short discussion about why female orgasm exists at all. The male orgasm seems to have a straightforward evolutionary function, making males want to have sex more often, which in turn makes them more likely to have offspring. But how to account for female orgasm, when nearly three-quarters of women don't always reach orgasm during sexual intercourse? If the female orgasm had developed because of the same evolutionary pressures, females should have adapted to be as consistently orgasmic as males. (There is an excellent discussion of this issue in the recent book by Elisabeth Lloyd from Indiana University, which is referenced in this book). At some points in this book there is not enough of a distinction made between orgasm and arousal. For instance some women report that arousal rather than orgasm is what drives them to enjoy sex. There is also an over-emphasis on biochemical theories of orgasm, and an under-emphasis on the psychological, subtle and spiritual aspects. Even the topic of consciousness and orgasm gets only a brief chapter.
If you are interested in a more comprehensive view of orgasm, you may want to supplement this book with the works of David Deida, Jenny Wade, Mabel Iam and Mantak Chia.
But all that being said, this is the best single book on the physiology, biochemistry and pathology of orgasm. It also highlights that there is still a great deal that is known.
The book also gives quite a good summary of some of the approaches that may help people who feel that they have a problem with achieving orgasm. It is essential reading for anyone working with relationship problems. And if the only thing that comes from this book is a greater understanding that orgasm is not the only consideration in intimate relationships, that would be worthwhile in itself.
This book is almost unique, and apart from the points that I have raised, I recommend it to anyone who needs a reliable account of the physical aspects of orgasm, and suggestions for helping with problems.
Fernando Camacho MD........2006-12-24
A must have for everyone who is interested in sexuality and its scisnce.
Customer Reviews:
Great.......2006-02-26
My book was recieved before I expected it and it was in good condition. It was a pleasure buying from Belkisa.
Thank You.......2005-09-13
The book came in a weekend as soon as the seller had the address. Book in good condition.
Gentle on the issues but well written........2004-08-21
I am an environmental science teacher who chooses to use this book. I agree with the long winded reviewer that this book is gentle on the issues, but believe this approach to be important in an introductory course. As the teacher, I make it my job to color the issues I find important. The 8th edition is out, so this version will become less popular.
Some good features but no hard truths in textbooks!.......2004-07-27
These comments are on the 6th edition which I'm sure mostly apply to the 7th.
General comments. Well done book from one point of view and I suppose it's about as honest as you can get and still get it published and used. But, as with nearly all public statements on the environment, it carefully(and perhaps unconsciously) avoids any serious presentation of politically incorrect views. Sad, as they are often the only completely honest and accurate ones and as long as the world keeps up the illusions there is no hope for the future. I mention a few of the more notable ones that are nearly universal in public discourse. I mostly stopped reading books on the environment decades ago and this is only the second time I have ever written anything about it as it is clearly hopeless but as this book evidently reaches many I'll try. No, I do not have any vested interests as I am not rich, never have owned stock, have no children, never had any religious or political affiliations and no racial or elitist prejudices whatsoever. I'm old and in a few years I won't be here so I really should not give a damn but just can't help feeling bad about the end of the world!
P21 rt col bottom-"..conflicts over resources may flare up..." This has to be one of the understatements of the century as such conflicts have been a universal feature of society from its inception and get worse by the day so one might better say they happen constantly everywhere and are guaranteed to get far worse as the population grows and resources disappear. I'm sure that "people" were fighting incessantly over resources 3 million years ago. How do we know? Just take a look at primates.
P22 Fig 1.9 legend et seq throughout the book----one might say that "poverty" is the politically correct term for "overpopulation" and that as it is the people themselves who produce more children, and destroy everything they can, they (and their countries and the world) suffer the consequences of their own stupidity and selfishness. Of course the same is true everywhere and though tragic from some points of view it is simple justice from others. The poor are only the rich in waiting.
Fig 1.10---Percent of what ?
P25 Fig 1.12---Of course no precise figures exist on species loss but I'd say you might replace "host" by tens or hundreds of thousands of species being lost annually and no informed person could object.
Fig 1.13 and throughout the book re "helping" the poor. Yes this is the common and politically correct thing to say but if you reflect on the concept of "help" in its global long term consequences I think you will nearly always find that helping one person harms another, or actually many, both in the present and future. Increasing anyone's health, life span or standard of living inevitably destroys the earth faster and causes more suffering in the long run, so at the very least it's debatable as to what is helping and what is more humane and what protects the environment. E.g., they may not chop down so many trees for firewood if they can afford a gas stove or have as many babies if health standards improve but they will build more and bigger houses, consume more of everything, live longer and their negative impact on the world will be far worse in the long run. Of course it's the same for the first world also. The basic problem is the selfish nature of every human. Like all organisms, we are programmed to destroy the earth-i.e., reproduce and consume without limits. I recall some of the new ten commandments that my late mentor Garrett Hardin set forth in an essay some 30 years ago. "Blessed are the merciful for they shall be sitting ducks." and, if memory serves, "Blessed are the meek for they shall reproduce without restraint." It is a legitimate and revealing point of view that we are all enemies of life on earth and that every meal and every pair of pants contributes to its destruction. A dollar is a unit of planetary destruction and it's defensible that it's better spent on planting a tree, buying and protecting a nature reserve or buying birth control pills or an abortion than providing food, medicine or a new dam for the third world(or the first!). Or, if you must "help" others, tie money and food to population control and environmental protection . To live is to destroy, every mother and baby are enemies of life on earth., there is no free lunch, and if we look at the whole picture and are honest, it's clear that the only good human is a dead one. Not comforting, but if we keep up the illusions that are the nearly universal stance of social discourse, there is no hope at all for the future. But who has the courage to tell the truth, or as Hardin put it so aptly, to shout that the Emperor has no clothes?
Rt col top---4 million children hungry in USA?---I always wonder about these statistics as I have traveled over the USA including the ghettos for decades and I don't recall ever seeing anyone who looked like they were starving and in fact mostly people young and old look overfed so just how do they decide this?
Rt col bottom-It is highly debatable that colonialism destabilized or impoverished anyone(provided you look at the whole picture and consider the likely present if colonists had never entered these countries). The background is that all countries everywhere almost nonstop thru history have exploited each other and their own people to the max. If the colonists had not brought in medicine, money and technology most of the third world might be in far worse shape than now. Of course it's also true that the introduction of these is directly responsible for the population explosion that dooms them all.
P26 Fig 1.14 and thru the book---It is a defensible point of view, which they don't seem to mention anywhere, that these (ie third world) countries are overdeveloped and those of the first world grossly overdeveloped. Underdevelopment is another popular but fatal delusion. Nobody anywhere is underdeveloped in my view.
P27 left col middle. The only desire we really need to curb is the desire to produce more than one child---then everything will take care of itself. Without this, all the other laudable actions are almost certainly a waste of time.
P28 rt col. Same comments as for "helping" in Fig 1.13 above. Poverty reduction and social justice guarantee accelerated ecological collapse and that from another viewpoint, the "Good News" is really "Bad News" and vv. If one takes the long term global view, nearly anything that increases anyone's std. of living or a country's GDP is very bad news indeed. If we cared about the future (or say, even our own grandchildren) we would all be doing our best to reduce the GDP every year. It is a reasonable view that one of (or even THE) basic principles of human ecology is "THERE IS NO FREE LUNCH". And it is you and I who pay with our taxes (which equal years of our working lives!) and all the world's people in the future who pay with their happiness. Equality and justice and humaneness have a huge financial (i.e., environmental) cost which usually far outweigh the benefits and in the global long term produce more inequality, injustice and inhumanity than they remove. Of course I assume that like nearly everything I say here, the authors really know it too but just don't dare to say.
P29 left col. It seems very clear to me from the evidence presented throughout this book(and of course everywhere one looks) that the world cannot sustain even its current use rates without making blue sky projections unsustained by any hard facts. Eg, I have never seen a hint anywhere as to how the world will replace the 75 billion tons of topsoil lost every year. Every serious book like this should reference Lester Brown's lovely little book "Who will feed China? I have never seen anything to refute it either and of course the Chinese govt. shut down the web page it was reprinted on there.
P30 left col middle. And Fig 1.10 pg 31. Fine-give aid,-provided you tie it all to population control. Otherwise it just makes things worse. I used to rail against the huge military budgets too until I realized it's either good or irrelevant. "Human development" is just another euphemism for ecological collapse. Better to burn the money than increase the GDP anywhere.
P32 re statistics on a poor African village. So if the village will reduce births to about 10 so it shrinks by one or two a year then give them aid. People anywhere who are unwilling to reduce their population for the benefit of the future are not responsible members of world society, not, one might say, even human(and yes it's the same for NY City!).
P37 left col top. Re shooting of poachers by game wardens. Yes that's what is has, and will, come to-to paraphrase Mao, Ecology comes out of the barrel of a gun.
P38 , 39 Postmodernism etc. I suggest everyone read Pinker's superb "The Blank Slate: the modern denial of human nature." It is easily the best book on this and the influence of genes on human behavior. One way to look at things is that the basis for all our behavior and views come from our inborn psychology and much of this is a web of delusions (some of which Hardin called "Taboos") which prevent us from seeing ourselves as part of the world and thinking about these issues rationally and honestly. It is a revelation to realize that you are arguing with genes and not people but of course whether this really gets you anywhere is another matter.
P39 rt col bottom re the "fact" that we do not hold children responsible for murder. Many now do hold the child responsible and there are compelling reasons for doing so. Is it not the act rather than the precise psychological state of mind that matters? Practically, the combination of genes and environment that produces these acts is irrelevant. Most children or adults do not kill, rape etc and everyone can come up with an excuse. One might view the world's problems as due to the failure to hold people responsible for their actions.
P50 rt col middle re NeoLuddites who want to destroy modern technology. Very few people actually take such a view. Rather they want to stop development, reduce the GDP(Gross Destructive Product-my own highly revealing term but hardly very original), and decrease the population.
P191 and throughout the book. It is only fair to point out that it is the reduction of mortality that is primarily responsible for ecological collapse, war and most human misery. The last thing a sane, decent person wants to do is reduce mortality without reducing births.
P236 rt col middle---"Not all activities are harmful." All human activities are harmful and the only thing one can say is that some are more harmful than others!
P237 left col re supplying food to the world. One should keep in mind here and countless other places in the book that supplying these calories(and housing etc etc) is done at the cost of destroying everyone's future.
P238 left col middle-"poverty is the greatest threat to food security". Again, this is a politically correct term for "overpopulation" is it not?
P240 left col middle "What causes ..tragedies?" Yes of course we know what you mean and yes it's the PC thing that nearly everyone says but nevertheless, tragic and dishonest and absolutely futile not to list overpopulation as the basic universal cause of famine and just about all of the world's problems.
P243 rt col middle---"As a result in many places..." How about in "all" places? Is there really anywhere that human activities do not eliminate the topsoil? How can it be replaced if there is tillage and crop removal? References?
P246 rt col top-"relatively little impact" Ah, yes, what does that mean? If it means it can last a thousand years then maybe its little but even then those alive at that time would surely disagree! So acceptable impact should mean indefinitely sustainable which means the land will be as good 1000 years from now as today. And, so far as I can see, that means there is no such thing as sustainable use of anything in the modern world, not even the air or the sea.
P248 left col top. I have often thought it illuminating to think of each person as eliminating 15 tons of topsoil a year(of course maybe ten times that if they are rich and 1/10th if they are poor) and putting ca 4 tons of garbage and toxic waste and 1000 tons of polluted water etc into the world every year. Think about this in the middle of all the discussions about helping the poor, increasing food output and sustainability.
Rt col top---5 tons topsoil loss is then not really a NET loss at all but I've seen the studies that show that even flat, well managed land in temperate zones(eg USA) loses 10tons/acre/yr and this must be the NET loss. It is unclear how cropland can build up NET any topsoil!
Something very confused here and don't think it's me!
P265 rt col bottom---Again its at least debatable whether disease reduction is a benefit for reasons mentioned elsewhere. What "helps" some hurts others, now and in the future.
P311 left col top---destruction by antigovernment forces of forest projects in Israel??!! Are you sure its not Indonesia or India?
P313 rt col last line-I think the CR govt. terminated Janzen's project, undoubtedly for political(ie,selfish and stupid) reasons.
P325 left col middle----Consider Brazil---The fact is that the rich often do a much better job of protecting the land than the poor, who will eventually increase their numbers and exploit every square cm of anything they can get their hands on. They show this in this paragraph where they note that on big farms owned by the rich , 13% of land is idle-this is exactly what one wants-idle land-if only it could be 95% there would be no problems!
Left col bottom.-"productivity is ...higher". They just don't get it(of course they have most of the world for company!). What one wants if one cares at all about the future is DECREASED productivity, decreased everything and DECREASED GDP.
Fig 13.28 re the signing away of Indian rights to some land. I assume that they leave out the most important part -that they were FORCED in some way to sign the contract and how were they forced?
P 331 left col bottom and of course all over the book. "continue to use..in traditional ways." One might better substitute "abuse" or "destroy" as truly traditional, sustainable use is virtually nonexistent anywhere. They and all "native peoples" all use modern tools(ie steel hoes, machetes, fertilizers, chemicals, tractors, horses, sheep etc) they never had before, medicines etc and have larger populations and use the environment in countless ways and to a degree their ancestors never did. Sure, there is bad and very bad but I doubt very much a careful look will show that "traditional use" anywhere is really sustainable or that it has preserved anything like the ecology that was there 1000 years ago.
P340 rt col top, p 341 left col top---See the comments on p28. I can't see any evidence at all that the "new world order" will save a damn thing! In fact, with minor exceptions, it will only accelerate the destruction and the same goes for Thoreau's comment. Recall this dictum?-"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions". The surest way to destroy the planet is to give everyone what they want, or even what they need.
P377 Fig 17.4 Maybe I'm just dense but it is not obvious from this figure why the greenhouse effect causes more than 100 units to be radiated.
P378 left col top-"because of cycling..." Again it's just not obvious where the extra 30% comes from---the earth's core?
P403 rt col top--- and elsewhere: The costs of health care or of various diseases are almost always hugely wrong-ie, 180 deg in the wrong direction! Like the calculation of costs and benefits of many things, they deliberately or unconsciously(monkey psychology again)fail to represent the true situation. If one includes the savings resulting from decreased costs to society(ie medical costs, ecological costs of all kinds etc-to say nothing of the personal costs in suffering of patients and relatives)in the long term due to shortened life spans one gets very different results(eg, the huge costs turn into huge benefits). Amazingly, as this is an utterly taboo subject, this was pointed out in a report by an accountant for one of the large tobacco companies a couple years ago but of course they immediately issued an apology. It is only possible for the rich countries to ignore the facts and it is highly likely this will change also by mid-century when even the US welfare system(social security etc) will be bankrupt(just dial the SS 800 tel #) and the national debt will likely be soaring past $40 trillion and neither the US nor anyone will have the money or materials to feed the world(or to be its policeman). So from a strictly rational and humane point of view governments should do everything possible to encourage smoking.
Also, calling smoking control a pollution control measure is both wrong(as the decreased death and debility will clearly produce far more pollution of other kinds) and right, as we could then include population control as a form of pollution control and the only one which is really cost effective and permanent!
P414 and elsewhere: list of things-- What can you do? Infinitely greater impact by not having children or preventing others from having them. Failing this, working for any social measure that will decrease the population or GDP of your own country or others, eg, opposing the World Bank, the IMF, the UN, the WTO, construction of any kind anywhere, any type of Globalization, use of agricultural chemical and fertilizers, dams, irrigation projects, roads, public health projects, immunization, antibiotics etc etc , and spreading abortion, birth control, knowledge about the coming collapse of planetary ecology and the idea that every mother and baby are enemies of life on earth. All the listed measures do a little but in the end they are really just a sham.
Rt. Col. Bottom and elsewhere throughout the text. I think its critical to make everyone understand that the environment is so fragile(or people so destructive) that serious and often irreversible damage was being done on smaller ecosystems-especially in semiarid areas-- in prehistoric times and ever since. E.g., just a couple of many: archeologists a few years ago studied an ancient village in the middle east and found that in just a decade or so the plaster floors became mud ones as the wood available for making lime disappeared. Here and many other places they can see pollen changes that show the elimination or drastic reduction of some plants. Even Attenborough give some examples in his famous programs-the Roman's destruction of the ecosystem on the N. African coast by a few decades of farming and the desertification of Greece and the destruction of Ephesus by human activities in the dry surrounding hills. The disappearance of large animals in many areas coincident with occupation by early humans(eg Australia ca 50K years ago).
P434 Case Study: As I said elsewhere, "helping" Malawi now harms them and everyone else in the long run and the only models we should want to spread are one child families, declining GDP, no destruction of nature whatsoever and a very modest living standard.
P449 rt col middle-"surely these are goals worth pursuing". Surely not! The last thing the world needs is more and healthier people! Only if any kind of "help" is inextricably linked to population control and other environmental measures should it be given to anyone anywhere. Those who will not place the survival of the ecosphere above their own interests do not deserve any help nor even status as human beings. And yes, same for Indians or New Yorkers!
P455 In Depth rt col center re arsenic in Bangladesh water. No sane, honest, informed person should want to do anything to save them from the consequences of their own genetic greed unless they could be forced to become responsible citizens of the world at the same time(ie mandatory pop. and other environmental controls).
P468 left col top---As pointed out before, it is incontrovertible that misery and suffering will NOT be avoided but increased by providing sanitation to the world.
P468 left col re "taking" of private land by the government. Up to now the world has operated on the most primitive, undemocratic, unecological and totally self centered principles. The people who "own" the land and money and resources have "taken" it from the planet and all other people and other creatures without real(in my view) authorization or justification. So, the government(ie, the people or the world) is justified in "taking" them back. Yes of course they all have some rationalization but if you take a long term global view, its all just theft. Of course one could say this makes all current laws and government moot and I say -"Now you are getting it!"
P484 rt col top---'waste of ...resources". Wonderful!---the sooner all the energy sources are gone, the better.
P485 rt col middle----"methane is ten times.." but on pg 387 you say its 20 to 30 x as effective as C02.
P488---Nobody seems to realize that Chernobyl is the only meaningful nature reserve in the world and a model for what could be done elsewhere. Only if it causes a quick and certain death to use it will anything be protected.
P494 rt col---I don't have the reference handy but I recall that if most of the worlds energy ever comes from fission(and much more so from fusion) not only will it devastate the ecology of many rivers and large areas of the sea(cooling water) but the heat will likely produce a significant acceleration of the greenhouse effect.
Table 22.2----these yields are over useful life of the equipment or what and they are the total earnings/total costs or total energy yield in BTU/total energy input in BTU or?
P511 Table 22.3 ---Yes the efficiency of some fuel cells may be 40% provided you do NOT count the energy needed to produce the fuel and the cell and transport and maintain and dispose of them etc. and of course the energy and materials for deal with the pollution they make and the consequences of the C02, plastic, heat pollution etc. Of course as they note someplace there are major hidden and subsidized costs for all energy sources, foods, jobs etc etc.
Rt. Col bottom-same comments for biomass re hidden costs(financial, health, ecological etc) of production, transportation, pollution, disposal etc.
P514 rt col. Middle---"contain 4.8 billion gigajoules"--- OK but see my comments on p513 re the costs(energy etc) to get this biofuel and use it and dispose of it and deal with the consequences and much of this 4.8 will disappear and, as with using anything for any reason on a large scale, the long term consequences re financial and ecological costs may make it a better choice to just forget the whole thing.
P515 left col top re fuel alcohol production and "grain surpluses".... It is a certainty that this situation ( surpluses, space, topsoil, low cost chemicals etc) will not last more than a few decades, so again if one looks at the global long term situation, or even just at Brazil's I think one will come to a very different conclusion as to what really makes sense.
P533 left col top-and throughout the book--Of course there is a large degree of arbitrariness in how anything is to be valued but this is one of the key ecological concepts and mostly misunderstood or ignored(deliberately!). A can of coke costs say 75 cents to buy retail but the real costs include the energy, soil loss, other ecological damage and pollution created to produce and transport (and dispose of wastes) the sugar, flavorings, and above all the aluminum in the can. Most of this is hidden (ie, subsidized in various ways by taxes or ecological, health etc., consequences that are just ignored-ie, other people or the future has to deal with them). So from the perspective of someone whose life is being destroyed by a bauxite mine or a sugar plantation or from say 50 years in the future we might value the coke at $5 or 10 or 100. The markup increases as we go further into the future and as the complexity , size and cost of the item increases. A reasonable current value for a car might be 5 or 10 times its actual costs and food the same (but highly variable)as it costs topsoil, chemicals that devastate the ecology etc and a house varies depending on its materials, where it is and what was or would be on that land now etc.
P554-left col bottom.-"tragically high" infant death rates. Of course many beg to differ and say its neither a tragedy nor nearly high enough. An infant who grows to adulthood and reproduces uses vast resources that may increase by say 10 to 100 times if it has eg, great grandchildren and the total of misery they suffer and cause others to suffer is hardly negligible.
P565-left col bottom..."feasible benefit"---As I have stated elsewhere it is very clear that there is a huge LOSS to the world and no benefit at all if ones takes a global long term view.
Rt col middle---"China has done....". All the sources I see show that China's cities are swelling rapidly and the population is increasing some 12 to 15 million a year and as for much of the third world the std of living is improving on the average but most of it is by a small minority and this is all being done by destroying their own and the world's future.
P584 Global Issues----Yes of course this is the standard refrain and we know what they mea,n but for reasons stated before, I maintain its obvious that making the poor rich(or the rich richer) does not REALLY make the world a better place but inevitably destroys it faster. In the global long term view development is destruction.
P591---Table 25.7 first line--One hopes they will "respect " the world, but in fact regardless of what anyone says we all do "resect" it!
Horrible........2004-01-21
Any text that advises poverty-stricken Africans to use solar-powered stoves as opposed to wood-burning fires to cook their food in attempt to lower energy consumption has gone too far off the deep end as to be a suitable college source.
Too many typos, too opinionated in the wrong places, not opinionated enough in the right places, just horrible. Wretched book. And to think, my family spent over $100 on the package. Ack!
[Ask your prof to use one of the labs to research better textbooks if this is all he/she can come up with.]
Book Description
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, 11th Edition, boasts an unparalleled coverage of sustainability, basic science, and bias-free comparisons, within a flexible chapter organization and supported by the strongest media tools and illustration program available. New media to this edition includes: "How Would You Vote?" found at http://biology.brookscole.com/miller11. This is an application of 68 provocative environmental issues covered in the text. Students investigate the issues in a structured manner, and then cast their votes on the Web where the results are tallied; Environmental ScienceNow, a learning tool that helps students assess their study needs through pretests, post-test, personalized learning plans and "How Do I Prepare," which aides students in basic math, chemistry and graphing review; and InfoTrac College Edition, a library of full text articles; PowerLecture for Miller's Environmental Science, 11th Edition. This one-stop PowerPoint Tool contains robust, preloaded PowerPoint lecture images organized by every chapter. PowerLecture contains: animations that bring key topics and concepts to life; a slide-sorting view for each chapter that lets you select, copy and paste slides into your PowerPoint lecture; the ability to select a piece of a figure and enlarge it; labels in text boxes that you can edit, remove, or present one label at a time; quick access to animations and videos--if a PowerPoint slide contains a green button, just click on it to show a related animation; Instructor's Manual and associated chapter outlines; and Test Bank--a complete electronic file of test items.
Customer Reviews:
great seller!.......2007-05-14
I received the product in the condition stated and in a short time.
New.......2006-07-19
Environmental Science/Tenth Edition.Excellent condition. No highlighting, torn pages or other marks. Sealed CD (Interactive Concepts in Environmental Science) included with book.
A great text for teaching Environmental Science.......2006-05-05
I began teaching with Miller's thicker text "living in the environment" but found that the main material was covered by this thinner and less expensive version. The graphics are helpful and the students enjoy reading the material as it is presented in an accessible and applicable fashion. The guest essays and case studies are from some of the top names speaking at conferences and so students are getting some really current views and information. Although there is not much of a lab book or teacher text-- there are plenty of other sources for field work and activity inspiration. The students also liked the website for activities and practice problems.
Excellent from multiple excellent thoughts ..........2006-03-01
Thyler Miller's books (I have 5 of them) are always the source of inspiration for me. I started reading his book when I took my Environmental Health Class for my Master of Public Helath Program.
The contents are clear, concise, correct, courtesy and full with critical thouught that has facilitated my curiosity to know more and more ....
Santa-Fe-Red
explains issues like population growth and global warming.......2006-02-25
Miller stresses the intricate interrelationships with the Earth's environment. Vital issues like population growth and its impact on the environment are gone into. Here, there is perhaps cautious optimism. But only if we as a species moderate our growth rate (maybe even turn it negative!) and resource consumption.
There is a natural flow from this issue to a discussion about global warming. The scientific basis for concern is explained, and the evidence for warming presented. While not absolutely conclusive, it is seen as very strong. In fact, in the 5 years since the book came out, even more evidence has appeared to indicate a continuing and possibly accelerating trend. Miller also suggests several ways that global warming might be slowed.
Book Description
Save hours of study time, build test taking confidence, and ace the USMLE Step 1 and course exams with most user-friendly, complete, and frequently updated review of medical microbiology and immunology available
There's no faster or more effective way to prepare for the USMLE Step 1 and course exams than Medical Microbiology & Immunology Examination. Completely updated throughout, the Ninth Edition offers a concise, high-yield review of the basic and clinical aspects of bacteriology, virology, mycology, parasitology, and immunology, with an emphasis on the clinical application of microbiology and immunology to infectious diseases.
Everything you need for fast and thorough exam preparation:
The most frequently updated microbiology review available
600+ USMLE-format questions
A complete USMLE-style exam with case-based questions
Review questions and case studies to reinforce essential material
An emphasis on must-know areas of bacteriology, virology, mycology, parasitology, and immunology
An intense focus on clinical application
Summaries of important microorganisms for rapid review
Summary tables that emphasize important epidemiological aspects of infectious diseases
Basic science pearls that summarize fundamental concepts
Informative tables and figures
An understanding of the clinical relevance of microbiology
Revised and expanded coverage of HIV, hepatitis viruses and immunology
Customer Reviews:
Great Review Book.......2007-09-19
This book is an EXCELLENT review of Microbiology. Highly recommended for use with a Medical Microbiology course.
Great Medical Micro Book!!!.......2007-07-06
For those who are sick of bullet-point powerpoint presentations and bulky books, finally a book that has all the stuff you NEED for the USMLE..
I have tried the BRS, Lippinocott's and other's; this one is THE book to get. It is a great way to review the concepts in a concise and compact way. Plus it has great charts in it; these are great for the quick reference.
A very good review for USMLE.......2007-02-12
I liked this book very much. It is a very good review of Microbiology and Immunology for USMLE.
The main section covers major bacteriology, virology and parasitology. At the end of each chapter, there is a brief section with 'PEARLS', most important information in the chapter in brief. Then there is a 40-page section with brief summaries of medically important organisms. There is a concise Immunology section. It is followed by clinical cases and USMLE type exam questions.
If you like to have most important information repeated more than once, then this is the book for you. I found a little problem with organization of information. In virology, there is a chapter with brief description of virus families. Most of that information is repeated in following chapters. In immunology section, I had to go back and forth between chapters. The chemotherapy section could cause some confusion if you also read Katzung & Trevors Pharmacology (Exam & Board Review). I don't know if you need all that information about the parasites not common in the US.
Overall, a very good review book for USMLE.
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