Below the jump, I mention the books that I received recently. They are gifts, review copies that arrived in the mail, or books that I purchased. These are the books that I may review in more depth later, either here or in print somewhere in the world.
When I get new books, I like to share them with people. Unfortunately, you all are so far away, so I cannot host a book party in my crib where you can look over them, so I'll do the next best thing. I'll host a book party on my blog each Friday of the week when I either purchase books or when they arrive in the mail. In this New Books Party, I will try to be your eyes by presenting my quick "first impression" -- almost as if we are browsing the shelves in a bookstore together -- and I'll also provide relevant videos about the book and links so you can get a copy of your own.
Books that arrived recently:
The Eye: A Very Short Introduction by Michael F. Land [Oxford University Press, 2014; Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US/kindle US]
Publisher's synopsis The eye is one of the most remarkable achievements of evolution, and has evolved up to 40 times in different parts of the animal kingdom. In humans, vision is the most important sense, and much of the brain is given over to the processing of visual information. In this Very Short Introduction, Michael Land describes the evolution of vision and the variety of eyes found in both humans and animals. He explores the evolution of colour vision in primates and the workings of the human eye, to consider how that contributes to our visual ability. He explains how we see in three dimensions and the basic principles of visual perception, including our impressive capacity for pattern recognition and the ability of vision to guide action.
My first impression: This book tells the fascinating story of evolution of the eye, yet it still manages to fit easily into a rucksack, pocketbook, or coat pocket. As is true for almost all of the books in the wonderful "very short introductions" series, it is clearly written by one of the world's foremost authorities in the field and it includes lots of diagrams, data images, and black and white photographs.
Flying Dinosaurs: How Fearsome Reptiles Became Birds by John Pickrell [NewSouth Press, 2014; Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US/kindle US]
Publisher's synopsis Dinosaurs didn't die out when an asteroid hit Earth 66 million years ago. Get ready to unthink what you thought you knew and journey into the deep, dark depths of the Jurassic. The discovery of the first feathered dinosaur in China in 1996 sent shockwaves through the palaeontological world. Were the feathers part of a complex mating ritual, or a stepping stone in the evolution of flight? And just how closely related is T. rex to a chicken? Award-winning journalist John Pickrell reveals how dinosaurs developed flight and became the birds in our backyards. He delves into the latest discoveries in China, the US, Europe and uncovers a thriving black market in fossils and infighting between dinosaur hunters, plus the controversial plan to use a chicken to bring dinosaurs back from the dead.
My first impression: Since the film, Jurassic Park, was released 20 years ago, our understanding of dinosaurs has changed dramatically, thanks to a treasure-trove of incredible fossils that have been and are being unearthed, especially in China. The new (to us) dinosaur fossils provide clear evidence of feathers and moult, hollow bones, beaks, nesting and even warm-bloodedness in 40 or so carnivorous dinosaur species. This book reviews the data that shows dinosaurs are not dead after all; in fact, they are still alive and thriving in our back gardens -- in the form of birds. The author even shares some of the findings made by a US group that are trying to resurrect an ancient dinosaur by using molecular biology to "turn on" particular dinosaur traits encoded in the genome of chickens. This engaging book is written by Australian Geographic editor, journalist John Pickrell, and includes a 16 page inset filled with full-colour paintings of a number of dinosaurs -- feathered, brightly coloured, yet still fearsome.
Warriors and Worriers: The Survival of the Sexes by Joyce F. Benenson and Henry Markovits [Oxford University Press, 2014; Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK/audio download UK; Amazon US/kindle US/audible US]
Publisher's synopsis The question of exactly what sex differences exist and whether they have a biological foundation has been one of our culture's favorite enduring discussions. It should. After a baby is born, a parent's first concern is for its physical health. The next concern is its sex. Only in the most modern societies does sex not virtually guarantee the type of future life a new human being will have. Even in modern societies, one's sex usually plays a large role in the path a life follows. Scientists have published thousands of papers on the subject, with the general conclusion being that men and women are mostly the same, whatever differences exist have been socialized, and what differences exist have to do with women bearing children and men being physically stronger. In Warriors and Worriers, psychologist Joyce Benenson presents a new theory of sex differences, based on thirty years of research with young children and primates around the world. Her innovative theory focuses on how men and women stay alive. Benenson draws on a fascinating array of studies and stories that explore the ways boys and men deter their enemies, while girls and women find assistants to aid them in coping with vulnerable children and elders. This produces two social worlds for each sex which sets humans apart from most other primate species. Human males form cooperative groups that compete against out-groups, while human females exclude other females in their quest to find mates, female family members to invest in their children, and keep their own hearts ticking. In the process, Benenson turns upside down the familiar wisdom that women are more sociable than men and that men are more competitive than women.
My first impression: What a fascinating book! The author shares a large body of scientific research that support her argument that human social life is quite different from most mammals -- even other primates. Further, she also describes how very different are the lives of men and women, and they face very different problems that require very different strategies to deal with. Basically, men possess a number of traits that make them more likely to become "warriors" whilst women develop traits that tend to make them become worriers. As I read this book, I am struck by how similar human social life is to that of birds. This smart, thoughtful and meticulously researched book is guaranteed to give you plenty to ponder about the evolution of human behaviour and social development, and will likely trigger years of discussion and controversy.
What book(s) are you reading? How far are you along in the book? What do you think of it so far? Do you think your book is worth recommending to others?
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When she's not reading a book, GrrlScientist can also be found here: Maniraptora. She's very active on twitter @GrrlScientist and sometimes lurks on social media: facebook, G+, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
