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It Ain't Necessarily So: The Dream of the Human Genome and Other Illusions
Stephen Jay Gould calls Richard Lewontin "simply the smartest man I have ever met." And not the least opinionated, either. Lewontin has long been famous among biologists for a volatile combination of feisty leftism, scientific insight, and verbal skill, which have been displayed for the more general public in his essays for what has been called The New York Review of Each Other's Books. It Ain't Necessarily So is a collection of some of his more characteristic reviews from the 1980s and 1990s. The Mismeasure of Man, by Stephen Jay Gould; Unto Others: The Evolution and Psychology of Unselfish Behavior, by Elliott Sober and David Sloan Wilson; sociological studies of Sex in America; and Ruth Hubbard's books on gender in science: all his essays are informative yet lively, with a high acid content--as when he begins his piece on the Human Genome Project with a definition of "fetish." Lewontin's prose is worth reading in itself, but what lifts this anthology to another level is that it also includes replies and rebuttals selected from the New York Review's letters column--a forum that doubles as the intellectual's World Wrestling Federation. For the older pieces, he also includes updates, "where are they now" summaries to give a sense of historical change in each field. Assertive, brilliant, sarcastic, dense, wide-ranging--Lewontin may be challenging, but he is never dull. --Mary Ellen Curtin.
Price: $1.09
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Travel Tales...: An Old Retiree, His RV, His Dog, and His Woman (Not Necessarily in Order of Preference) Hit the Road
Got the "blahs" - is it snowing - is it cold - are you stuck on the couch and bored to tears? Travel Tales ... An Old Retiree, His RV, His Dog, and His Woman (not necessarily in order of preference) Hit The Road by Ken Halloran could provide the antidote for these all-to-common ailments It focuses, in a humorous way, on everyday events that happen to everyday people while touring and traveling in a Recreational Vehicle (RV). If you are an RV enthusiast, perhaps retired and a current "snowbird", you will readily relate to the adventures in the book. If you're sitting at home wondering what you're going to do when retirement comes knocking, you will receive a bit of insight into an RV "snowbird's" lifestyle. Travel Tales... wants to make you smile and wants to get you up and get you going!.
Price: $8.89
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It Ain't Necessarily So: How the Media Remake Our Picture of Reality
Anthrax scares. Airplane crashes. The AIDS epidemic Presidential election polls and voting results Global warming All these news stories require scientific savvy, first to report, and then-for the average person-to understand. It Ain't Necessarily So cuts through the confusion and inaccuracies surrounding media reporting of scientific studies, surveys, and statistics. Whether the problem is bad science, media politics, or a simple lack of information or knowledge, this book gives news consumers the tools to penetrate the hype and dig out the facts. "Whether it's a scientific study on day care or health care, hunger in America or the environment, once it gets into the hands of journalists - look out! You may think you're getting the straight story - but it ain't necessarily so, as this aptly named book makes clear. But beware: It Ain't Necessarily So may confirm your worst fears about the media. Which is precisely why it's such an important contribution to our understanding of how things really operate inside the American newsroom." (Bernard Goldberg, author of Bias).
Price: $3.83
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Leaper: The Misadventures of a Not-Necessarily-Super Hero
Has he gone crazy? Had too many espressos?
Or is he really a brand new super hero?What if one day-suddenly, inexplicably-you discover you have a superpower? And what if it's not a very good superpower, either, like flying or super strength, and you have no idea what you are supposed to do? Leaper follows the confessions of reluctant hero James, a recently divorced, life-long barista who finds himself in just such a predicament and asking those very questions. Is his newfound leaping power a miracle from God? The result of a lifetime of over-caffeination? Or a final break from sanity? Should James “do good” with his ability? But if doing good proves trickier than expected, where do you go for a superpower manual? And what is “good” anyway? In this witty, unconventional novel, debut novelist Geoffrey Wood serves up equal doses of sharp humor and disquieting poignancy, exploring the meaning of redemption, beauty, and faith beyond all reason..
Price: $0.01
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