Clear, easily accessible but challenging all at once. A great addition to any Bookshelf!
Fantastic book, clear illustrations where used and the use of large text to draw out quotes highlights concepts in an interesting way.
The book is written in a clear, easy to follow way, making it accessible to all, both students and adults alike. I feel like a more intelligent person for reading this book, so many facts I was unaware of but also points at which I was challenged to stop and question my own previous ideas.
A definite useful addition to any Bookshelf!
Completely fascinating, Biology: The Whole Story is a very engaging and accessible read.
Completely fascinating, Biology: The Whole Story is a very engaging and accessible read. Not being naturally drawn to the sciences, I was interested to see how I coped with a book devoted entirely to biology. I was pleasantly surprised.
Concepts are clearly explained, allowing those with little prior knowledge to confidently develop their understanding and make sense of the subject. For students of biology, this is sure to make an excellent companion to their studies, easy to return to again and again.
The book is organised into ten chapters with the edges of the pages coloured, enabling each section to be quickly located and making the book attractive. Had this colour coding been reflected in the contents page, it would have been even better. The text is supported by clear diagrams, developed in conjunction with illustrator, Cecile Girardin, to be simpler than those usually found in text books, and some pages bear facts which catch the attention of the browsing reader, encouraging them to delve deeper. A comprehensive glossary and detailed index help make the book useful for those using the book for research.
Even for the non-scientist (like me!), the book is fascinating. It manages to be both informative and incredibly readable.
I feel that I now have a much better understanding of the beautiful intricacies that governor our planet. The world really is an amazing place when looked at through a biologist's lens.
I loved biology at school. It may have been amazing teachers or just that it runs in the genes (my sister is a biochemist). However, apart from teaching science at school I haven't really thought about it in much depth for a long time. This book brought that spark back! It's really well written, and is perfect for the layman or experienced student of science. There were only a few sections which I found too detailed and heavy and had to skip those, and those were mainly in Chapter 4 - Energy, but the rest was a fascinating read. I feel that I now have a much better understanding of the beautiful intricacies that govern our planet. Also, I'm more ready for biology questions on University Challenge! I like the simple structure of the chapters, and how they lead you almost chronological through life on Earth from the smallest and earliest single celled forms to the massive, complex and unique multicellular forms that surround us today or existed in the past. The world really is an amazing place when looked at through a biologist's lens. The pictures are super and do help to explain the detail; however, I would hope for more in new editions, as I felt there were some parts that really needed a diagram to help explain them.