5 comments about Animal Behavior: An Evolutionary Approach, Eighth Edition.

1. The reviewer that only gave this book 2 stars is dead wrong, in my opinion. It's sectioned off by topic, then it goes in depth with actual field studies and examples to explain why a particular animal behaviour is what it is, and usually from an ultimate and proximate viewpoint. Very easy to read and follow, lots of pictures and graphs, which helped keep my brain stimulated. I will be keeping this book in my personal library for future reference.



2. While I expected this book (and my course) to be a book of concepts and theories, they are actually filled with examples of field studies, lab studies, etc. This makes the book actually enjoyable to read, if you have any interest in animal behavior. The writer is an evolutionary biologist himself, and he makes this clear when he explicitly compares his opinions to other biologists' opinions. The images of the author's thumb as a mating object by a bee were also amusing. Like another reviewer mentioned, this book is fun, and can -almost- be read for fun.



3. This was a textbook for a class and it is as fun and easy to read as a textbook can be. Lots of good pictures and examples.



4. The book came shrink wrapped in perfect condition. Speedy delivery. No complaints.



5. First of all, this isnt a textbook in the traditional sense, so dont get fooled.
   
   It is actually just a compilation of research done on animal behavior, plus a few bolded words and definition.
   
   Definitely a really dry read that makes it overly complicated to understand a concept.
   
   For example, i dont need to know about the experimental design of ducks and how they got them to imprint, i just need a definition and a quick example, not a 3 page long spiel that is a waste of my time to read

5 comments about Streetwise San Francisco Map - Laminated City Street Map of San Francisco, California - with integrated BART map including lines and stations - MUNI lines, bus routes.

1. These "streetwise" laminated maps are the best there is to get you around any city. Walking OR driving. We wore this one out on our recent trip to San Francisco.



2. I stayed at The Red Vic in Haight-Ashbury, a little off the beaten path. This map and my weeklong muni pass paid for themselves a gabillion times. The map worked great; I was never lost. The way they depict the touristy section of Lombard Street makes me giggle.



3. Handy map, with excellent info on bus routes and all manners of public transit!!!! Can't do without this map if you're on your own and want to use public transit!



4. The streets go every witchway and having this map that we could pull easily out of our pack was a lifesaver. If you don't have a car, the BART and MUNI maps were also handy. People on the street saw us using it and always chimed in with extra advice.



5. Although not as compact, we like this better than the Pocket Pilot. This map has more detail, it just doesn't fit very well in a pocket. Because of its size, it is more readable.
   Golden Gate Trailblazer: Where to Hike, Walk, Bike in San Francisco & MarinZagat San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants 2009 (Zagatsurvey: San Francisco/ Bay Area Restaurants)Newcomer's Handbook for Moving to And Living in the San Francisco Bay Area: Including San Jose, Oakland, Berkeley, And Palo Alto (Newcomer's Handboks)

5 comments about Streetwise Washington, DC Map - Laminated City Street Map of Washington, DC.

1. This was the best source for helping us maneuver through the maze of buildings, monuments, and memorials in Washington, DC. The map is very functional. Flip it one way and you see the Metro, flip it another way you see the mall, still another and you have a DC area map. Since it's laminated, I kept it in my pocket while walking around and didn't worry about it getting sweaty or damaged. I really like the detailed names of the buildings and monuments near and around the national mall. Metro stops and streets are well marked. The next best thing to GPS.



2. We used this guide everyday of our trip to Washington, DC. The subway guide was especially useful. I never felt lost, and didn't waste any time trying to figure out where to go. It was such an important thing to have each day, we double checked each time we left the hotel to make sure we had it. I highly recommend it.



3. This is a nice map because it is plastic coated. It is normal map size which makes it a bit big to carry but has all the landmarks noted pretty well.



4. This map is very easy to read, and a great tool for getting around DC. The laminated cover keeps it durable, and the size makes it easy to pull out and look at anywhere. I recommend it highly.



5. Perfect for carrying around for quick reference to the DC area. It is sturdy, and won't rip apart. Having the metro map is a huge plus.

5 comments about Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature, and Climate Change.

1. Climate change is THE issue of our time. Any book that raises public consciousness about it is a good thing. To its credit, "Field Notes From a Catastrophe" does help the cause by educating lay readers about the basics of climate change. However, it never really makes the transition from a series of New Yorker articles to a full-blown book. It consists mostly of human interest stories about climate researchers and the impact of global warming in places like Alaska and Iceland. These vignettes would be easily digestible on a subway or in a doctor's waiting room, but we expect more from a book. The reading non-science-educated public (which includes me) can handle more than this.
   
   One good chapter tells how scientists discovered that carbon dioxide levels can raise or lower the global temperature equilibrium. There's another good chapter on the incredible mendacity and short-sightedness of the Bush Administration (may it rest in peace forever). Every American should read these sections, since America is the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world and the greatest obstacle to international action. The rest of the book, however, is little more than disposable science journalism.



2. This is another famous book on global warming. It is not as lightweight as Al Gore's book, which is basically a rock video put down on paper. This book is a series of stories and vigenttes. It certainly reads easily. Kolbert is a talented writer, and has produced a very easy to read book.
   
   But this is not really a subject where we need more easy to read books. Kolbert's underlying assumptions are the same as Al Gore's. First, global warming is an absolute fact, it is caused by human CO2 emissions and, if we do not stop it, life as we know it will come to an end. Second, the reason that we do not act to stop this danger is that people are idiots, who can not understand science. So, if we talk real slow, and have lots of pictures, maybe we can teach these idiots to save themselves.
   
   Kolbert does not go to Gore's coffee-table extremes. While she does not have any honest to goodness footnotes, she does actually cite us to eight pages of sources at the end. If Gore's book is basically a comic book, her book is about the level one would expect in a middle-brow monthly magazine. It is serious, but not very.
   
   Here is the problem, Al and Ms. Kolbert. Many of us are not persuaded that the world is coming to an end. Many of us would like to see hard, well-reasoned science on the subject. Many of us would like to see the thoughts of skeptics taken seriously instead of brushed aside or mocked. This book does none of those things. It basically tells a bunch of stories, and makes no effort to make a serious, sustained and logical argument. It is possible that Gore and Kolbert are right, but it is going to take a much more serious scientific argument to persuade me.
   
   I am less persuaded then I might be, because, even with my scanty knowledge on the issue, I can see her consciously tilting the evidence her way. Example. At one point, she talks about Greenland. She gives us a very short history of Greenland, noting that there were Norse settlers there for 400 years, who "scraped" out a living and then just kind of disappeared for reasons that Kolbert does not attempt to explain. These Norse settlements were founded at the height of the Medieval Warming -- when conditions were fairly nice -- and they died out due to the Little Ice Age, when it got so cold they could not survive. Kolbert knows that, because she refers to both the Medieval Warming and the Little Ice Age at other parts of the book. BUT she also knows that these non-people caused climatic changes undercut her argument. Global warming skeptics say that the current warming is consistent with the prior pattern of natural change, and the Medieval Warming is Exhibit A. Thus, by carefully not mentioning the real reason why the Norse settlements died out Kolbert has on her thumb on the scale. This does not inspire much confidence.



3. My grandson mentioned this fascinating and informative book which was a must read for incoming freshman last year at Tulane. I was so impressed when I read it that I have been giving and recommending it for high school graduation gifts.



4. This book came to us in very good condition and earlier than we expected. Thanks!!



5. This book will change the way you look at your impact on the world. Whether you consider the environment to be an important issue or not, it is well worth your time to read this short yet powerful book. The world is changing, fast, and it is becoming impossible to reasonably deny that fact. News reports are consistent: the world is warming faster than expected, and the results are found everywhere we look. More powerful hurricanes, ancient glaciers melting, ice caps shriveling, animals extinct and behaviors changing, more powerful storms and floods, longer droughts, incredible fire seasons. These are the signs of a changing climate.
   
   In her Field Notes, Elizabeth Kolbert carefully walks the uninitiated through the spin and bias commonly found when discussing climate change, and sticks with the facts. Though she begins with anecdotal evidence, the claims stack one upon another to create a neat picture, one which clearly shows the many different impacts the warming climate has already made. She quickly reviews other data, from studies which cover a broader scope, but it's the anecdotes--people watching ancient glaciers in their backyards melting away--that will leave an impact and understanding. We are already experiencing the effects of global warming, and those effects will only become more pronounced as we continue down this dangerous path.
   
   My one complaint with this book is that it leaves you with little guidance on what the reader can do to help. What steps can we each take to lessen our impact on the planet?
   
   While "Top 10" lists of steps to lower your CO2 emissions are common online and in print, it takes more than a switch to CFLs or a hybrid car to really make a difference. It takes a conscious effort to reduce, conserve, reuse. Energy efficiency is more than switching one inefficient device for a more efficient one. These steps help, but more is necessary to reduce, if not reverse, the damage that will be done over the coming decades. It's time to consider alternatives. Instead of air conditioning in the spring or fall, why not open a window and use a ceiling or desk fan? Instead of buying that hybrid car you've been eying, why not keep your current car and start bicycling for all trips within 3-4 miles? Turn off your computers at night! Keep your tires inflated to the proper PSI, and your engine properly tuned! Buy less meat (the average American eats far too much as it is) and buy more local produce. These are some real steps, among many more, that you can take to reduce your negative impact on the environment. We do not have to turn back the industrial clock 100 years to reduce our impact on the environment...we only need to be more efficient in how we use the new technologies of the last century. In time, new developments such as renewable energy will catch up with the problem of global warming, but it's up to us to ensure the impact of our current lifestyle does not leave an unnecessary burden for future generations.

2 comments about Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet.

1. I took a class which used this textbook at the University of California, Santa Barbara, which was co-taught by one of the authors, Ed Keller. This is an introductory book that provides a decent overview of the problems we are currently facing in regard to the environment, what we can do to solve those problems, and other opportunities that our environment can give us.



2. Comprehensive and thorough, clear and understanable even for youth. Ilustrations contribute a lot to the overall picture.

5 comments about The Little Ice Age: How Climate Made History, 1300-1850.

1. Since Climate Change is now all the rage, and many partisans have taken decidely striden sides, this book may be a bit controversal. Dr Fagan is niether an Earth Scientist nor a Climatologist. However,he is a well known anthropologist with a decided interest in how Climate Change affects civilizations and individuals. This book was written for the layman and not for the professional climatologist.
   
   This book focuses mainly on how Climate Change -namely a cooling climate- wrought misery and hardship to the Europeans. The period 1315 to 1860 has been dubbed the Little Ice Age (LIA). The main thesis of The Little Ice Age is that a cooling climate does not just bring colder temperatures, but an entire host of extreme weather events(floods, droughts, scorching summers, as well as frigid winters). Unlike the Medieval Warm Period), where the climate was more or less very warm and tranquil (mild winters, hot summers, occaisonal rains), the Little Ice produced an entire spectrum of disasterous weather phenomenon. Dr Fagan gives plenty of charts, and graphs to butress his arguments. His focus is primairily on the North Atlantic Oscillation (a weather oscillation that controls the prevailing winds and storm track for much of Europe and the Atlantic. He also takes advantage of forensic meterologists from Oxford who, using ships logs, were able to recreate synoptic weather patterns for much of the Atlantic and North Sea during this time period.
   
   Dr Fagan's biggest success in this book is to write in vivid deatil the affect of the Little Ice on the individual. He recounts the histroy of the Great Famine (1315-1321), the catastrophic advanced of the Alpine Glaciers, the plight of the Norwiegian settlers in Greenland, as well as the role of climate in political affairs (The Spanish Armada, and French Revolution). As an anthropologist, Fagan's main concern is how humans lived and suffered during this period, and to his credit, he dug through farm journals, diaries, and mountains of forgotten documents to paint a very real narrative. Ultimately Climate Change is not about abstractions such as Principle Component Analysis or radiative forcing equations, but how it effects the individual. This book, paints in detail a tapestry of human suffering brought about by a cooling climate.
   
   This book predates the partisan bickery over Dr Mann's Hockey Stick graph. This is important as Mann -a professional climate scientist- argues that the Little Ice Age and the Medieval Warm Period were only local events to Europe. Mann's famous temperature reconstruction has, however, come under severe scrutiny from professional statisticians in recent years. Despite its fall from grace, many climatologists still abide by the conclusions of the Hockey Stick. As a result, many people will dismiss Dr Fagan's book as mere ancedotal evidence done by a non-professional.
   
   The biggest flaw in this book is that it was Eurocentric. Dr Fagan does extend his studies briefly into North America and New Zealand, where he gives evidence of the Little Ice Age in colonial times, as well as providing refrences to growth of New Zealand's Franz Joef Glacier from 1400-1850. The other flaw is the repitition. Readers may find his constant references to this drought or that famine a bit tedious. However, others may find that these repetions in detailing of human suffering only reinforce his thesis that cooling climate is very unhosptibale.
   
   Overall, this book was written for a layman. I think the reader should also buy his other book The Great Warming, and read them back to back. Both books serve as a good reference point when examining the human implications of Climate Change.



2. Interesting with several unique approaches. The problem for me rests with his intricate explanations of causes of climate changes from North Atlantic Oscillation,Sun spots,solar flares, ocean currents, polar melting, volcanoes. methane release, and a host of other causes. Yet,he speaks in unsubstantated conviction that todays warming is due to mans fossil fuel use. Then he concludes with "The Little Ice Age reminds us that climate change is inevitable, unpredictable, and sometimes vicious.I would ask him does he believe this is really caused by man?



3. This book is a social history of Western Europe and other areas from c.1500-1900. It describes how volcanos, sunspots, ocean currents and other natural phenomena unknown or unappreciated by these people affected their lives. It's an easy read full of anecdotes with a dose of science and the many methods scientists use to determine climate so long ago.
   It's politically neutral and emphasizes the complex processes involved but it's essentially a social history of a period where Winters and Summers were highly variable without much human influence. A great read for an easy understanding of some of the complexities behind the "climate debate".



4. The book was in better condition than expected and arrived sooner than expected, Thank you.



5. Superbly done. The book really hammers out the crucial points of how dramatic historical events were somehow related to violent climate shifts that lasted over 500 years.
   The book examines origins of these violent climate shifts, discusses life during the middle ages and talks about intriguing topics of world events shaped by global climate. Such famous events are the French Revolution, Bubonic Plague of the 1300's, Potato Irish Famine, JamesTown to name just a few.
   The Arthur is very to the point and uses excellent statistics and data to back things up.
   Truly an epic book that will completely change your outlook on history forever.
   Its only 200 pages and can be finished in a weekend. Get it and enjoy.

2 comments about Cracking the AP Environmental Science Exam, 2008 Edition (College Test Prep).

1. Princeton's study guide for AP Environmental Science is the best. Before buying this one, I considered Barron's and REA's. After taking a Barron's practice test, I realized Barron's is overly complex and their practice questions were not realistic. And REA's test contained too many trivial facts.
   
   Princeton's AP Env Sci guide is split into 8 different "content" chapters: "Earth's Interdependent Systems", "The Inhabitants of PLanet Earth and Their Relationships", "Population Ecology", "Resource Utilization", "Energy", "Pollution", "Culture, Society and Environmental Quality" and "AP Environmental Science in the Lab". This guide does a good job of going into enough detail without overdoing it. And the author writes in a comprehensive style and doesn't fill the pages with corny jokes (a problem with many study guides out there). Overall, after reading this guide and taking a practice exam from the College Board site, I realized how much I've learned from this book alone. My teacher, although a nice guy, didn't teach much. So I was flustered before reading this, but Princeton really prepared me. Of course, some summaries didn't make sense to me so I had to review some things from the text book. All the Acts that need to be memorized (i.e. Clean Air Act, The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act) are in here and the diagrams make the summaries easier to absorb. Although a few of practice questions at the end of the summaries can include subjects not "discussed" in the summaries, the answers can be implied from critical thinking or process of elimination. And these questions are similiar to real AP Environmental Science questions.
   
   There are some flaws to this book though. One thing the book doesn't go over are the math related questions that are associated with Environmental Science such as converting energy (i.e. kWh, joules), measuring BTU's from coal, etc... I wished the book had that even though some people might say this math is "common sense". Also, more diagrams could have been presented such as what a dose response curve looks like, the layers of soils, or the different biomes. Another problem is the grammatical errors prevalent throughout the book.
   
   Overall, after taking practices tests from all three brands (Barron's, Princeton and REA), Princeton gave me a more realistic overview of this AP Exam. This book isn't too difficult to get through, so if you're procrasinating, you could probably get through it in a week (I got through it in 4-5 days).



2. Very helpful for studying for the AP exams. highly recommend for parents to pick up for their high school students.

5 comments about Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters.

1. This is a SUPERB and utterly FASCINATING book on the logic and proof of evolution, presented in more or less easy to grasp 'laymans terms'. It is a perfect marriage of undisputed science and fact coupled with superb charts and photos that bolster the beauty and truth of evolution. Most of the latest discoveries and science are discussed as well, in regards to further cementing the proof of evolution. Sadly, the extreme, fanatical, 'out of touch' elements of Christianity have desperately used religion/God as a 'power-play' to attempt to discredit evolution, using nothing but outright lies and 'knee jerk' distortions to try and further their own misguided agendas. Little do they realize that legions of Christians or others who believe in a God, also believe in the truth and logic of evolution. Which of course, makes them appear all the more foolish and delusionary. Prothero literally annihilates their infantile thinking and assertions, and makes them look like the fools that they are! This is one of the best books I have read on the subject, and should be required reading for every high school student in the United States (before more of them become brainwashed by the Creationists and Intelligent Design buffoons and whackos).



2. I'm not even finished with this book yet, but I just could not wait to comment on how GREAT this book is. If you appreciate books involving the beauty of true science and candid rationalism [like The God Delusion, no less] you HAVE to get this book. Prothero breaks everything down in a straightforward fashion: Evolution and its history, Geology and its history, and a detailed explanation of the fossil record [of course]. But along with this he includes the obsurd assertions of creationists as it relates to these topics. His writings are professional and reflect his decades of experience and knowledge, but he doesn't mince words: if its a stupid claim #i.e. Flood Geology) he calls it what it is...garbage "science"...and then tells you specifically WHY.
   
   Dr. Prothero, thank you for this wonderful book!



3. The author, Donald R. Prothero is a professor of geology at Occidental College and lecturer in geobiology at the California Institute of Technology. He is the author, or co-author, of more than 20 books and about 200 research papers.
   
   Published in October, 2007, by Columbia University Press, Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters is Prothero's latest work and has two objectives. The first is to illustrate the abundance of fossil evidence for evolution, much of it discovered in the last 20 years. The second is to debunk the claims of creationists and their latest iteration, intelligent design. He accomplishes both with this book.
   
   However, this is not a jeremiad against religions and god-belief. In fact, Prothero goes out of his way to make the case that neither the facts nor the theories of evolution are necessarily a threat to anyone's religious beliefs.
   
   In a note to the reader, he invokes Stephen Jay Gould's nonoverlapping magisteria or NOMA and states, "When science tries to proscribe morals or ethics, it falters; when religion tries to interfere with our understanding of the natural world, it overreaches. For example, when Copernicus and Galileo showed that the Earth is not the center of the Universe, the Church eventually had to recant its error and regret its persecutions."
   
   On this point I do take issue with the author. There's no question there are scientists who are devoutly religious. However, the neat line of demarcation suggested by Gould's NOMA does not exist in reality. And it is disingenuous to speak of the Catholic Church correcting itself about the heliocentric solar system without acknowledging that it took the church the better part of four centuries to make that concession and express any regrets.
   
   But if Prothero is on shaky ground here, his footing is rock solid once he moves into the body of his work.
   
   In the prologue, "Fossils and Evolution," Prothero writes, "The fossil record is now one of the strongest lines of evidence for evolution, completely reversing its subordinate status only 150 years ago. Instead of the embarrassingly poor record that Darwin faced in 1859, we now have an embarrassment of riches."
   
   The rest of the book documents that "embarrassment of riches" and demonstrates why it is so important. Along the way, the author thoroughly dismantles creationist claims about the inadequacy of the fossil record and shows why they are false.
   
   In the first of two major divisions, "Part I: Evolution and the Fossil Record" (chapters 1 through 5), Prothero begins with a general discussion of the nature of science. He follows this with a comparison of science and creationism, deals with some of the misconceptions about the fossil record put out by creationists, talks about the evolution of the idea of evolution, and concludes with a discussion of "Systematics and Evolution," in which he sets the stage for the second part of his book.
   
   Part II of the book (chapters 6 through 16) is called "Evolution? The Fossils Say Yes!" and lays out the evidence from "Life's Origins"--the title of Chapter 6--through to the penultimate chapter "The Ape's Reflection" about human evolution. He concludes a chapter called "Why Does It Matter?"
   
   Anyone interested in the science of evolution or in countering the arguments of creationists and advocates of intelligent design will find this book worthwhile. It is written clearly and with a minimum of scientific jargon.
   
   If you are only going to read one book on the science of evolution, then I would recommend The Ancestor's Tale by Richard Dawkins. It is still, in my opinion, the best and most complete narrative of the story. But if you are going to read two, then I would definitely recommend Prothero's Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters as the second.



4. Evolution: What the Fossils Say and Why It Matters, by Mr. Prothero is one of the best books I've read on the subject of evolution. It is also one of the most complete.
   
   The way I see it this book serves three purposes:
   
   1. It provides excellent information about the fossil record.
   2. It debunks many common creationist/intelligent design claims.
   3. It gives an excellent overview of evolution in general, including some information on the findings regarding origin of life studies.
   
   As for the first purpose, the latter half of the book is devoted to explaining the fossil evidence for the earliest forms of life found to be fossilized to detailing many of the fish/amphibian transitional fossils, all the way to humans. In regards to the section on human fossils I was a little disappointed that he did not go into as much detail as with the other fossils. He did not include as many pictures or diagrams of the fossils of the human ancestors as he did with the other groups, but the information is very good either way.
   
   As for the second purpose, I think the author successfully debunks many common claims made by creationists, such as their confusion about the scientific method, Cambrian "slow fuse," to use Prothero's phrase, and "flood geology."
   
   I also wanted to add one thing about the author's discussions of the creationists. Several of the reviewers seemed to look down on Prothero for his "venom" and "rage" as one reviewer put it. I had read some of the reviews and once I began reading the book I was expecting Prothero to throw insult after insult out at the creationists and simply verbally attack them. I found that this wasn't the case. Prothero was clearly agitated at these con-men continuously taking his fellow scientists out of context and resorting to bold faced lies to achieve their goals, but with the author calling these people liars, deluded, or dumb isn't that bad in my opinion. That's about as bad as his insults get. Yes, in beginning each chapter there were cartoons ridiculing the creationists, but with targets so easy, I see no harm in interspersing your work with a little humor. I didn't feel these things took from the rest of the book at all. Besides, the truth is that these people are liars, deceivers and are deluded. I see no problem with stating the obvious.
   
   Overall, the author responds throughly and intelligently to many claims of the creationists, and throws a few low blows at the same time, but again I didn't think it subtracted anything from the author's message or his arguments.
   
   Finally, the first half of the book covers some creationist arguments but then delves into the history of evolution; how Darwin came to develop his theories, to the difference between real science and pseudoscience, and gives some background on the creationist/intelligent design movement.
   
   Overall, the book is very well written with fantastic explanations about the findings of evolutionary biology with very informative pictures, drawings and charts to illustrate what is said in the text. With the book covering such a wide range of topics as well as the author does, it would be an excellent addition to anyone's library.



5. Evolution: What the Fossils Say...is a thorough examination of science and religion. The first chapter of the book I felt a bias coming off of the author (which made me want to stop reading), but about half way through the second chapter he discusses the in's and out's of religion and science. The author also discusses his background, which gives me insight as to why he can speak on such topics so confidently. I am very pleased w/ this book, and I recommend it.

5 comments about Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time.

1. One of the most pressing issues for early sailors was the problem of longitude. Because it was impossible to determine longitude, many ships and sailors died. Also, captains used the same routes as pirates or enemies of the state, which made it easy to lie in wait for your next victim. In 1714, English Parliament passed the Longitude Act which created an award for the first person to accurately determine longitude. Longitude, by Dava Sobel, explores the work of John Harrison, the man credited with accurately determining longitude for ships at sea.
   
   Contents:
   Acknowledgements
   Foreword, Neil Armstrong
   Chapter 1: Imaginary Lines
   Chapter 2: The Sea Before Time
   Chapter 3: Adrift in a Clockwork Universe
   Chapter 4: Time in a Bottle
   Chapter 5: Powder of Sympathy
   Chapter 6: The Prize
   Chapter 7: Cogmaker's Journal
   Chapter 8: The Grasshopper Goes to Sea
   Chapter 9: Hands on Heaven's Clock
   Chapter 10: The Diamond Timekeeper
   Chapter 11: Trial by Fire and Water
   Chapter 12: A Tale of Two Portraits
   Chapter 13: The Second Voyage of John Cook
   Chapter 14: The Mass Production of Genius
   Chapter 15: In the Meridian Courtyard
   Sources
   Index
   
   Today, ships have GPS to tell them where they are on the seas. But before John Harrison created his first sea worthy clock, sailors were pretty much lost at sea as soon as they lost sight of land. Watches were not accurate and clocks worked on a pendulum, which didn't help on a rolling sea. Sobel weaves an interesting tale of John Harrison, a carpenter turned clockmaker, who created an extremely accurate clock for determining longitude. But this story isn't solely about Harrison. There are others that are attempting to do the impossible as well, using the heavens to find longitude. Harrison must battle prejudice, and himself, to get his timekeeper judged for the prize (£20,000 is the award). In the end, Harrison developed several chronometers, extremely accurate and able to withstand the seas and weather, that by the 1780's all log books had an entry for longitude readings by timekeeper.
   
   This is a topic that many may not find interesting. But Sobel hasn't written an academic dissertation on the subject, she has created a highly engaging study of a man dedicated to solving one of the greatest issues facing the world at the time. Her writing style makes this an easy book to read, as there are few technical details. However, for those that need more information, she provides a rather detailed source listing. I found the book to be a fascinating look at early sailing and the answer to a problem that plagued those sailors. Also, the background on Harrison adds to the story. While he worked as a carpenter, his knowledge of wood aided him in his quest for an accurate timekeeper. His chronometer was accurate to less than a second, in the 1700's, when other, more learned clockmakers could only be accurate to 15 minutes a day (plus or minus).
   
   This is a very good, enjoyable book on a fascinating subject.



2. What do Galileo and John Harrison have in common? They both had run-ins with bureaucracies that impeded the acceptance of their breakthrough ideas. And they are both subjects of books by Dava Sobel. Longitude is second book by her that I have read, the other being Galileo's Daughter. As with the latter book, Sobel combines the science of the times with a lot of background on the politics and religion of the age. She weaves these together into a coherent story that is entertaining and informative. I had never even considered that there was a ever a problem in determining longitude, so this book opened my eyes. The book I had purchased contained color illustrations that helped bring the devices that are the subject of this book to life (more can be found at http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConNarrative.132/chapterId/2685/Greenwich-and-the-story-of-time.html). These devices were one inventor's way of solving the problem of determining longitude at sea. Sobel covers her topic with a great deal of sympathy. Indeed, the blatant way in which the establishment hampered Harrison was very frustrating, meaning that the writing was very compelling. Interestingly it speaks to Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific revolutions, which pointed out the great steps forward in science can be accomplished by those newer to the field and that science doesn't really change until the older generation passes. I recommend this book to anyone interested in boating or science or anyone who uses a GPS device to have an appreciation for how difficult travel used to be.



3. John Harrison completes his first pendulum clock in 1713 before the age of 20. He made the gears for this out of wood which was radical for such a use, but as a carpenter, perhaps not to him---which is a mark of genius, I'd say; to reach beyond accepted norms in this manner. This he did after borrowing a book on math and the laws of motion; which he copied word for word, making his own copy. He incorporated different varieties of wood into his clock for strength and later invented a bi-metal pendulum to counteract the expansion and compression of various individual metals. He also employed friction-free movements so as to do away with problematic lubricants. When intrigued by the puzzle of time at sea and the issue of longitude he contemplated substituting something not prone to gravity, as a pendulum of course is, to track times passing. In 1737 he creates a cantilevered clock 4 foot square. This the longitude board (which had offered a cash bonus to anyone who could devise a method in which time at sea could be kept) admired. Four years later he returns with an improved model; then starts on a 3rd model, like the previous two, also a fairly large sized clock.But there exists a problem within this book: An artisan freemason by the name of John Jefferys at the Worshipful Company of clockmakers befriends Harrison and then later presents to him a pocket watch in 1753. Then in 1755, while still working on his 3rd model, Harrison says this to the Longitude board: I have..."good reason to think" on the basis of a watch "already executed that such small machines[he's referring to pocket watches] may be of great service with respect to longitude." He then completes version 3 in 1759. His fourth version appears just a year later, however, and is a 5 inch wide pocket watch! The obvious inference made by the author is that after he received the pocket watch from Jeffreys he seemingly put his version #3 on the back burner and soon started on the pocket watch 4th version. The author does not claim Harrison copied anything from the Jeffreys model, but she certainly phrases this section so as to lend one to believe that this may have been the case; that Jefferys had a hand in the masterstroke invention Harrison eventually produced in version #4. This is not true. Harrison commissioned the watch he received from Jeffreys and was based on Harrison's specifications. It seems that Harrison simply asked Jeffreys to test an idea which he himself hadn't the time to attack just then; as he was still working on his 3rd version of a table-top prototype clock. Hence Harrison's above statement to the board in 1755 whence his ideas were validated by Jeffreys. In addition, the author plays up the part of the Astronomer Royal's part in attempting to impede Harrison from convincing the longitude board of the efficacy of a time-piece solution to this problem over a celestial answer to this conundrum. The author also jazzes up the issue of whether Harrison received the prize the board promised to pay for a successful solution herein; even though the board supported him for upwards of 20 years as he pursued this quest. It's as if the author intentionally omitted some facts (that the Jefferys was a Harrison commission), and pumped up others (of a rival/foil on the board trying to impede Harrison and the compensation issue; implying that Harrison was jipped) just to make the story more compelling. John Harrison's story, however, is extremely compelling as it is and didn't need this extra spice served up by the author.Do read this (very short) book on how this Mr. Harrison solved the problem of knowing where one is when at sea; and if you're in London, visit the Old Royal Observatory and the Clockmakers museum (in the Guildhall) where you can see Harrison's wonderful creations in person. Enjoy!



4. A short but well written book that sheds light on an almost forgotten man who changed the world. Interesting and fun to read, worth checking out.



5. My husband (a scientist) loves books on exploration and discovery. When he finished this book - surprisingly quickly - he said "you'll love this." Sure, I'll read anything once so I gave it a try. The author has such a knack with prose that this book basically read itself! Time flew when I picked it up and I was done in no time. What a fantastic surprise! When I finished it, I mailed it to my brother who read it & sent it to a friend; it;s that good....

5 comments about How Humans Evolved, Fourth Edition.

1. This is a terrific introduction (a textbook) to human evolution. It is written in a very accessible fashion--not just students but those in the larger public interested in the mechanism and products of human evolution will find this a useful volume.
   
   The first part, of course, focuses on the evolutionary process, with a nice introduction to adaptation by natural selection and to genetics. Other introductory chapters introduce readers to the nature of species, phylogeny, and the synthetic theory of evolution. The discussion is well written and understandable. There are many examples to illustrate key points.
   
   The next section explores primate evolution and behavior, to provide context for understanding human evolution and behavior. The chapter on the evolution of primate social behavior is especially helpful. Next, the authors take a look at the evolutionary lineage of humans, from primates to early hominids, to the genus Homo, to Homo sapiens. The text goes on to examine how language evolved, as well as evolution in modern humans (e.g., genetic diversity, the human life cycle, human behavior, and mate choice and parenting).
   
   All in all, a nice introduction to the study of human evolution. Well worth taking a look at. . . .



2. Presents material in an interesting, concise, and easy-to-read format - excellent choice for biological/physical anthropology students!



3. This textbook perfectly outlines each chapter. The author states the important points before going into depth. If you find yourself reading a textbook for class and having to re-read over and over again because you keep zoning out, this book really helps. I found it to be very interesting and a helpful study tool.



4. This is a textbook that I actually enjoyed reading from cover to cover. It is an excellent introduction to evolution, primatology, and anthropology. Highly recommended for either the undergrad or the layman.



5. Boyd & Silk do an excellent job of covering the broad expanse of human evolution. The examples, explanations, illustrations and periodic anecdotes are very well-organized and cogent. I especially enjoyed the coverage of opposing points of view and the pros/cons for each.
   The one thing I was in disagreement over though was their inclusion of Koko as an example of how gorillas can be taught human language skills (in this case American Sign Language). It's been observed that at least some of what Koko appeared to be communicating via signing was the result of unconscious nonverbal prompting on the part of Francine Patterson, hence why many linguists are skeptical of using Koko as an example of animal use of ASL.
   Besides that (which the authors may just simply have not known about) the book is INCREDIBLY well-researched and honest in it's examination of modern-day evolutionary theory. Highly recommended for anyone interested in evolution, biology or anthropology.