"The articles . . . draw the reader more tightly into the web of the world. They forge links in unexpected ways. They connect us to nature and to each other, and those connections nourish the intellect and uplift the spirit."--Jerome Groopman, M.D., editor This year's Best American Science and Nature Writing offers another rich assortment of "fascinating science and impressive journalism" (New Scientist) culled from an array of periodicals, such as The New Yorker, Scientific American, and National Geographic. The twenty-four provocative and often visionary stories chosen by guest editor Jerome Groopman form an outstanding sampling of the very best in a field of writing that stays ahead of the curve, bringing important topics to the forefront of American discussion. In "The Universe's Invisible Hand," Christopher Conselice takes us into the recent spectacular discovery of the crucial role of dark energy, which is making our universe expand faster and faster. Florence Williams tells the story of a more down-to-earth form of energy in "A Mighty Wind," which describes how a small Danish island community is making great leaps in energy conservation by using innovative wind farms. John Cohen explores the marvelous world of ligers, zorses, wholphins, and other hybridized creatures in "Zonkeys Are Pretty Much My Favorite Animal." And Robin Marantz Henig delves into the possibly hazardous ramifications of the rapidly expanding science of nanotechnology. The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2008 packs a wallop of intriguing, informative, and wondrous stories, each one bringing with it, as Jerome Groopman writes, "a sense of excitement [to be] shared with others."
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
A stellar collection:
This anthology, edited by Jerome Groopman, is exactly what one would hope for - a wide-ranging collection of well-written, fascinating articles which will expand the reader's horizons and are fun to read. Groopman's anthology benefits from his having cast a very broad net, as well as from the depth of his intellectual curiosity. In his introduction, he outlines his criteria for inclusion: "the articles ... have novel and surprising arguments, protagonists who articulate their themes in clear, cogent... more info
Great Fun!:
I love this series and it gets better every year! Wonderful articles--all well-worth reading and very unique!
Fantastic Collection of Scientific Articles:
Not much hard science, but every essay is compelling reading - a good way to bring your scientific side up to date yearly. I have not missed one in the entire series and every year I end up thinking the new edition is the best ever. This year's editor, Jerome Groopman, made the final selections. John Cohen - You won't find hybrids in American zoos where purebreds are the rule but in alternate sites it's a different story. Whether by the natural method, artificial insemination, or by techniques that... more info
