Books most popular in the United States●Life Sciences

Release date: 2015-02-10 $14.99

Comments

1. A deeply thought provoking book - What I love about Sapiens is it’s context and perspective it equips you with. I feel as though once you finish this book it will be impossible for you to look at not just humans, but religion, government, money, industry and many others aspects of life in a fundamentally different way.
2020-09-22

2. Hogwash - I was drawn in by the apparent research and data-driven conclusions, but was soon disheartened by leaps in logic. I stopped reading the book when the author suggested that disadvantaged black Americans believed themselves to be inferior. I couldn’t read more. I was about / of the way through the book. Hogwash and drivel. Not worth the read.
2020-07-25

3. Sapiens addresses some final points - This book helped to better understand, clarify and articulate my view on the (non) existence of a soul, of the precious wonder of our brains. His writing is like a magic mushroom in terms of getting us to think outside the box and with an historical perspective. In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king.
2020-02-16

4. In Two Words, Marvelous, Marvelous - This may be one of the most important books I have ever read. It is not for the closed minded, but a book that makes one understand what being a human paradoxically implies, from the magnificent things our evolved creative brain can do to the very damage that same intellect inflicts upon ourselves and our world.
2020-02-02

5. Amazing Summary of History - A great recap of the last , years of human history. Through our story, the author also describes how abstract concepts like money, religion, society, and work have been developed and ingrained into our psyche. I love the author’s writing style and sense of humor. A must read for anyone and everyone.
2019-11-07

6. Not What the Synopsis Describes - Don’t be fooled by the description of this book. Only the first few pages are historical accounts of the human race. The book rapidly shifts to the author’s perspective on race, sexism, injustices, and ideological positions often absent of facts. By the time you get to the % mark in the book, the book is virtually unreadable unless you are expecting a progressive view of humanity as a whole over the last couple hundred years. I return this book for a refund if possible.
2019-10-18

7. THE history book - Mr. Harari has put together the most insightful and amazing history book. Sapiens takes us from our origins in the African savanna, upsetting what I had been taught and understood, to the present day, explaining what allowed us to get to where we are and become who we are. Mr. Harari clearly shows us that the history of humankind has not been a history of a people, but rather a history of ideas. Sapiens should be mandatory reading for anyone belonging to the human race.
2019-09-27

8. Superb: A must read. - I am not a vivid reader but got a catch of an imprint of this book at Court Square library in Queens, NY. Like many subway riders, books were my companion in transit. I read it two years back and this review is based on the slightly faded memory. Within the first few pages itself, I found this book so relatable with what we humans are up to and how the things have changed throughout history. And most important how this history can help us prevent future mistakes.
2019-09-20

9. Very Eurocentric - Completely and unashamedly ignores the contributions to science made by non-Europeans, such as during the Islamic golden age, the ancient Chinese/Indians, etc. I was also quite shocked by the author’s ignorance of the importance of science and secular knowledge in the Islamic tradition. He conflates divine revelation with secular knowledge, which were both considered separate fields, by early Islamic scholars and in several Prophetic narrations. However, if you want a good overview of European contributions to humanity, I suppose it’s a good book.
2019-03-24

10. A Great Place To Start - “Sapiens" does an exellent job of serving it’s said purpose: giving an overview of human history. It’s an introduction. It’s a macro-view of how human society came to be what it is today. And some of it is not pretty. Harari definitely has some opinions in this book, but even he admits that there is more to the story. I think the information is, by and large, all presented in the most objective way he could have put it. You can find evidence from this book to support a number of differing opinions and that’s the marker, for me, that this author is not aspousing an ideology. And with that, the great thing about this book is that some particular part might inspire you to dig deeper and formulate your own opinions! We definitely need more books like that. Great read for anyone looking to have their curiosity peaked!
2019-01-27

11. Piercing and unforgettable - Superb - So know I've listened to another great book from Yuval Noah Harari. I've been a long time philosophy student and Harari could arguably be the Nietzsche of our time. His insights are soul piercing and the argumentation mind numbing. If I would take any ones futuristic prognostications seriously it would be the carefully constructed ideas of Harari. Anyway this was his first book and it was a huge hit for good reason. Harari presents the history of humanity from a unique/fresh/ and sometimes disturbing perspective. One thing for sure his ideas will stimulate your mind on multiple levels and you'll consider yourself fortunate for being exposed to his work. My only criticism is he doesn't narrate his own books. Derek Perkins reads all three of his books for the audiobook versions. He does a good job but he brings a British intellectual elitism to the text that Harari would not. Harari is powerful in intelligence but humble and gentle in his delivery. Point is- no one but the author should read the audio book- just saying. Now it's onto his second book- HOMO DEUS
2018-12-31

12. Brief History of Homo Sapiens - Wonderful Book, builds the history of humans with the archeological findings and most likely cases on what could have happened and then gives a view of what is the most likely case. Brilliant one. As much as we would like to pretend the humans existed only couple of thousands of years this book takes you to the history too deep that a curious normal person like me can glance through the findings and understand and makes you think.
2018-12-31

13. stars because of gender section - This is a very well-written and easy to read book about complicated aspects of human history. In most cases the author has synthesized good evidence to make insightful conclusions that illuminate important things about human history. But the chapters about sex/gender, women, and the nearly universal history of patriarchy were totally inadequate and unacceptable. First of all, to isolate the issues of the history of half the human race into a few chapters is ridiculous. The details there barely scratch the surface of the depth. The author offers three simple theories why patriarchy has been pervasive, then these chapters conclude essentially in, ‘I’m not sure.’ The only chapters to do so. Even though patriarchy is clearly related to one of the bigger themes of the book: that we humans create myths and imagined orders we enforce in culture. When he deals with racism, or classism, etc., he argues that these are clearly imagined orders, and they reinforce themselves in vicious cycles. And yet, this is not mentioned in the brief discussions of gender, though of course the same vicious cycles of reinforcement are occurring. He looks for biological differences, but then so briefly and inadequately covers them. No real discussion of biology or cultural layers of pregnancy, menstruation, birth control, puberty, labor/birth, breastfeeding, motherhood and fatherhood, the commodification of the female body, not enough about sex and sexuality. These are huge aspects of human history! He should’ve consulted more feminist anthropologists or something to overcome his own myopia. I loved the rest of the book but felt such a huge part was missing. And, as such an authority in the field, bestselling author etc, I feel it was his responsibility to do much better on this issue.
2018-09-23

14. Sapient - An excellent and very well written book full of insight. I recommend it to be read by everyone from every Walk of life.... It should be noted that the author’s noticeable avoidance or unexpected absence of any references to “Judaism” and/or “Jewish faith”, especially when the subject demands it, is baffling and inexcusable. One may wonder the reason is Mr. Harari has chosen to be politically correct in protecting his status and reputation at Hebrew University in Jerusalem!
2018-07-17

15. Everyone should read this book! - One of the best book I have ever read in my life. I could not put it down once I have started. I would really like to thank TED Talk. Otherwise, maybe I would not know about this book. Every line of this book is informative and the way writer put all information together- it’s so pleasure to read. I was totally lost in the book. I bought a hardcover version for my personal library. Planning to buy couple of copies to donate for several community libraries.
2017-12-11

16. Interesting and provocative book - Sapiens does a good job of retelling our past. The information on our history as hunter gatherers, the agricultural revolution and Industrial Age was interesting even though some of the authors conclusions might not be met with agreement. The approximations about the future of Homo sapiens is a tad unbelievable but intriguing nonetheless.
2017-07-31

Release date: 2020-05-26 $14.99

Comments

1. Educational and Inspiring - This book motivated me to identify my breathing issues and fix them. Since reading it, I have learned to breathe correctly, but have also had surgery to correct my crooked septum and reduce my enlarged turbinates. And now I’m in the maintenance phase of my allergy shots, all factors that used to make getting a decent amount of air in my lungs a constant battle. If you struggle with breathing issues, this book can help you to identify the underlying factors, holding you back from effectively obtaining the most important basic physical need - oxygen.
2022-01-26

2. James Nestor does it again - I read Deep a couple of months before reading Breath, however as a former biologist and a freediver I had to learn more about our breathing processes. This book is great to orient yourself on historical practices, but also allows you to identify what you don’t know so that you can dive deeper there. I don’t know what his next book will be about but I’ll sure buy it.
2021-12-24

3. An inspiring book (pun intended) - Wow. I picked this book up because my voice teacher recommended it. And of course it’s the kind of journalistic exploration of scientific information that I really enjoy. But I didn’t expect the impact it would have on me. I’ve made changes since reading this. I am adding deep, slow breathing to my day, and being careful to “shut my mouth” when I’m working and not paying attention. It’s a fascinating read.
2021-10-21

4. Breath of Fresh Air - BREATH is a nonfiction book which explores the vital but largely ignored act of breathing. The author has a profound experience at a breathing class in San Francisco and spends the next several years researching all aspect of breath, from physiology, to psychology, to anthropology, to mysticism. I enjoyed this book and it gave me some different perspectives on breathing that I never considered. The science in this book is easy to understand. The author argues the importance of breathing through our noses, chewing harder foods more often, not breathing too much, and other concepts. He works with doctors, scientists, and other curious “pulmonauts,” as he calls them. From the breath work of Qi Gong to the catacombs of Paris, this book is a trip around the world and through time. I found it interesting that humans are the only animal species that can die of choking on food. I don’t know if I’ll pursue most of these techniques but I am noticing how I breathe more often.
2021-03-04

5. Must read as precursor to Ayurvedia - This book is amazing and I’m reading this as additional book and helps me in my Ayurvedia Pranayama and other deeper subjects betters The Ayurvedic Instituite, Albuquerque NM. This books gives me basic fundamentals about breathing, why we have so many elements in Respiratory Systems, relationships with Cardiovascular systems etc. Most importantly not only removing myths but giving me few ordinary things I could do to build my own immunity in this COVID- environment and improve my health. This must be use as material for middle school in my humble opinion like Biology of Beliefs by Bruce Lipton. Thanks in Gratitude.
2021-01-23

6. Fascinating and Practical - Rich and informative, this book dives into a topic so commonplace that we would never imagine the need for a deep investigation. It turns out that breathing is not as simple as we might expect in our distraction filled lives, and that it deserves every bit of attention to detail that Nestor gives. The book begins with a self discovery the audience can relate with to a full fledged investigation that includes anthropological, historic, and modern day studies.
2020-09-04

Release date: 2021-10-19 Genre:Science & Nature $14.99

Release date: 2020-03-10 $1.99

Comments

1. cannot annotate - This text is chock-full of information, but information could be laid out more clearly/comprehensively for the neophyte. My biggest frustration is that I cannot make notes nor highlight this book in Books. This is the first book that I purchased in Books app that doesn’t allow me to make annotations. This means this book is pretty useless for my research purposes.
2022-07-10

Release date: 2017-10-03 $13.99

Comments

1. Life Changing - All my life I’ve considered myself to be a night owl,taking pride of how much I cam do on slivers of sleep. Now I fear I’ve cheated myself of a better life due to not getting enough sleep. It’s not too late though. I’m working on my sleep rhythm and focusing on my kids so they don’t suffer the same fate. This book does a great job of illustrating the importance of sleep, something I took for granted. Everyone should read this book to at least understand how many health and wellness issues are tied to the lack of sleep. We’ve poured so many resources into so many other sectors of health while completely ignoring sleep… That won’t happen with me and my family Amy longer! Thank you! -Robert Micheal Walker
2022-07-13

2. Why we sleep - The author provides lots of data, studies, public policy ideas and other information...unfortunately, there is not much on getting better sleep other than the same things everyone already knows. There are a few chapters on dreams and dreaming that are interesting, but, overall I would not recommend this book to anyone.
2021-01-26

3. The Need to Change the Way We View Sleep - If you read this book you will never look at your sleep time the same way and that's a good thing! Matthew Walker's book is an in-depth, easy-to-understand, fascinating read about sleep. We spend a third of our lives sleeping, yet most of us have no idea what is going on in our brains and bodies while we are doing it. One of the best take-aways for me from reading this book is that our circadian cycles are hard wired into our brains. I'm a night owl and have suffered loss of sleep during most of my life. I am now at a point where I can give in to my natural circadian rhythm and get a full night's sleep. The results have been almost immediate for me. I feel more focused, have more energy and less anxiety. Seeing my husband off to work has taken a back seat to my getting a full night of sleep. What a difference. So good to know I'm not just lazy! If our society pays attention to the excellent suggestions in this book, it could have a positive influence on everything from health- mental and physical- to productivity at work and personal achievement. I hope everyone will read it.
2017-12-09

Release date: 2019-09-10 $14.99

Comments

1. An absolute pageturner - I rarely find nonfiction to be a page-turner, but this David Sinclair book happens to be a shining exception. The book flows from the past, present, and future of defying aging without missing a beat. The complex topics are explained elegantly without being overly simplistic. Not to mention the joy of peering over the shoulders of a world-renowned expert. An excellent read is a bonus considering the truthful information on living a healthier, longer life. I plan to implement some of the suggestions in this book myself.
2021-09-06

2. Outstanding coverage of what matters - This book takes a fresh look at aging and seeks to label it as a health condition. The primary thesis is: if we solve the general problem of aging - which the author says is easier to solve than cancer - much of the other specific ailments and diseases that plague society in old age will decline or go away entirely. Evidence is presented of successful and repeated research that is lengthening the life of mice up to % with simple supplements available today. Some brave people are taking these supplements and seeing unbelievable improvements in health. This book is awesome. I’ll be reading it again. And I’ll be sharing it with family and friends. It will be added to the list of books I reference as I seek a healthier and longer lifespan for myself and loved ones.
2019-11-05

Release date: 2021-09-14 Genre:Science & Nature $12.99

Release date: 2012-10-16 $11.99

Release date: 2020-03-11 $16.99

Release date: 2018-04-10 $9.99

Release date: 2020-11-20 Genre:Science & Nature $3.99

Release date: 2018-03-26 $6.99

Release date: 2004-05-17 $12.99

Comments

1. Insufferable - Every paragraph has a joke. No matter what the topic, every paragraph must have a terrible, out-of-place joke. just imagine how many hundreds of paragraphs there are in a book and think of what it would be like to endure hundreds of pointless jokes. I would not have forced myself to finish this book if I didn’t have an upcoming book club meeting scheduled to discuss it. I don’t know how anyone can enjoy reading something written like this.
2022-06-08

2. Great - I very seldom read books, and this is probably the second review I have written in my life. I finished the book about seconds ago felt the need to post this before buying my next Roach book. AMAZING. Super interesting and absolutely hilarious. A few lines in there kept me laughing for days, standing alone waiting for the subway or something I would think of it and burst into laughter- so thanks to Mary for making me look like a crazy person. Totally worth it. A must-read for anyone with a pulse!
2016-02-15

3. I really don't understand how people like this book - For someone being interested in the medical field... This book is so unbearably terrible. I don't understand how this book got high reviews when it's just awful. It's hard to read as there are no attention grabbers, it's just flat out boring. I never write reviews for anything, but I am so compelled to write this review to warn others of this book. It's not what others make it out to be. It's actually boring and I fall asleep reading it.
2013-12-08

4. Must read! - This book is exceptionally well written as it takes a light-hearted look at virtually all angles of death - organ donation, cremation, burial, preparation of the body, crash testing, medical advances, etc. It's written in a way that's not morbid, but rather interesting. I highly recommend this book.
2013-09-08

5. Amazing - One of the funniest books I have read in a long time. The author knows how to take some touchy material and make it easy to read and somehow, not so morbid. The book does a great job of giving a full spectrum view of cadavers and all things that happen to then throughout the world and in science. You get a view of yow cadavers have been used throughout history and in the world today. A very easy read and and all around great book.
2011-04-15

Release date: 2023-03-21 $13.99

Release date: 2012-11-13 $12.99

Comments

1. How To Create A Mind - Ray Kurzweil is such a phenomenal speaker that it’s tempting to want to hear his information delivered exclusively through audio means. However, he is also the Rare Writer who makes Quantum Computing Fun. His amazing gifts are the abilities to take incredible journeys that require a leap of faith to then contemplate and deliver the information systematically and precisely in a way that is fully comprehensible. Building on what we already know about the human species, he extends our knowledge about what is to come. How To Create A Mind provides the semi immersive feeling (using one’s imagination) of riding the wave of technology, while remaining in the cockpit of a revolving helicopter directly overhead, providing a nearly degree view. His books are the extending levers that help us “extend our reach.” No spoiler alerts, but How To Create A Mind is a journey. We are truly lucky to have such information imparted by one of the greatest minds on this planet. Exciting times! :)
2018-04-06

Release date: 2021-11-02 $12.99

Comments

1. Amazing Book - Before I read this book, I knew little to nothing about the immune system. After, however, I felt like I’m an expert in immunology (I’m definitely not). Even with all the simplicity, it was very complex at times. Personally, I like complex things, so this book was a blast to read. Also, I have watched many videos produced by Kurzgesagt, and they’re pretty specific and complex, while also being easy to understand. I would highly suggest you go watch there videos (and maybe hit the Subscribe button?). Thank you Kurzgesagt and Philipp
2022-08-19

2. Awesome! - I absolutely adore and have a great respect for how complicated and complex, yet beautiful evolution made our immune system. Given that, I am a graduate student studying cancer so I found it a fun way to refresh on my immunology concepts!! However, the analogies did get a little dramatic at times, but still fun!!
2022-05-02

3. Easy and educational - The author’s use of metaphors were a bit distracting initially but later I understood they were an important part of the narrative. For instance, appreciating the number of immune related parts in one drop of blood gave me more insights on how to read an allergen test in context. All in all, an easy and educational read.
2022-04-09

Release date: 2018-03-20 $13.99

Comments

1. Life Changing - I first came across Genius Foods in late , when I was seeking ways to combat my ADHD in a more “natural” way than Ritalin. I was diagnosed in late childhood and the past decade-plus of my life has been spent searching for, experimenting with, and designing “tools” and systems that help me perform my best given my diagnosis. Perhaps the most important part of my current toolkit? Genius Foods. In Genius Foods, Max artfully interweaves his personal journey, hard science and actionable health tips into an empowering and inspiring toolkit for anyone (ADHD or not) to take their cognitive function - and their overall wellbeing - into their own hands. After applying the concepts and recommendations from Genius Foods into my life for only a matter of months, there is a CLEAR and remarkable improvement in my mental clarity, performance, and overall experience in day-to-day life. As a year-old student and aspiring social entrepreneur, Genius Foods has become an essential tool for helping me turn my ADHD from a detriment into my own little secret weapon. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is even remotely interested in brain health or maximizing their own potential. Thank you, Max, for bringing this piece of work into the world.
2020-04-19

Release date: 2017-02-21 $20.99

Release date: 1992-09-15 $9.99

Comments

1. Enlightening Read - This book will fundamentally change the way in which you view the world and your interactions with other people. It identifies and describes why we feel the way we do, allowing its readers to better understand the motives behind the actions of others. The best book available on evolution.
2013-01-22

2. A Must Read! - I just got through watching "Cosmos" & decided to GOOGLE any other books besides that & "Contact" he had written. I came across this, downloaded the sample, got hooked, bought the entire thing & immediately went through it. About Carl -- and his lovely & likeminded wife Ann -- I can only say this: he's on a stamp for a reason ....
2012-02-01

Release date: 1994-05-03 $4.99

Release date: 2012-10-01 $14.99

Comments

1. Like an adventurous textbook - A co-worker gave me a hard copy of this book and I wanted more when I finished. As a physician and someone who is planning how to re-open a university after coronavirus, I feel better equipped after reading this book. There are a lot of “Hey, I never heard of that deadly virus” moments. The author seems to throw weird SAT worthy vocab every pages, so be prepared. A great read with so much historical and scientific information. Only one equation, but that one plays out during the whole book.
2020-06-29

2. Spillover - Spillover is an outstanding overview of zoonotic diseases, their history, and the scientists and physicians who work to unravel their mysteries and treat infected individuals. I have read several of the books referenced in Spillover, but the author does a great job filling in blanks and providing very current information. Excellent book, excellent research, and one of the first lay volumes to clearly show how humans, virus, bacteria, plants, and animals all share Mother Earth: constantly evolving and searching for suitable ecological niches. Dan Clements
2012-11-07

3. Intriguing - I thought that this book was absolutely intriguing. It was very informative and scientific of course, but the author does an amazing job of turning this very factual and informative book into a story as well. It was very fun to read and I couldn't put it down. You won't go wrong reading this book, so if your thinking about buying it because the picture on the front is so awesome but your worried what's inside isn't, don't worry, you won't be let down. Just be aware that if your not into learning then you won't like this book. Zoonosis, the main topic of the book, is something all of Earth's citizens should be aware of, because like he mentions in this text, if your not to sure what zoonosis is now, don't worry, it won't be long before it's a household word, and how right he is! To win a war you must have knowledge, and make no mistake about it, the war on humans is very real, with the enemy being nature itself! If your worried that this book might be apocalyptic, don't be, it's not. The author just wants the reader, and the world for that matter, to be informed of the very real danger that biological specimens pose on the human-animal! Thanks Mr. Quammen for this amazing book. I'm thinking about doing graduate studies in virology because of this book!
2012-09-27

Release date: 2014-05-06 $10.99

Comments

1. Excellent - Not really light reading, but great nevertheless. I can see why liberals heads exploded, because this book details how genetic science proves that race has a lot to do with behavior because of recent evolution. Genetics have also proven that Adam And Eve did exist, which of course is a cross to the liberal draculas. The best part about the book is how he takes you to the brink of a conclusion but does not state the conclusion. For example, he goes over chimpanzee social organization and compares it with the first human social organization (based on deduction from the genetics), leaving the reader to realize that the modern gangsta culture is almost identical to chimp culture, and is not really found anywhere else among humans. He explains the probable genetic reasons for the wild successes of Jewish people. He explains how humans left the horn of Africa and populated the world. He also hints that he is pulling his punches because of the leftist slant of academia. I highly recommend this book!
2014-07-22

Release date: 2009-06-22 $14.99

Release date: 2002-10-08 $8.99

Comments

1. Simply Amazing - If you’re a microbiologist and fascinated by infectious diseases like I am, you’ll love this. This book details the importance of vaccines and the tremendous eradication efforts involved to maintain smallpox. I knew smallpox was serious threat, but never knew to what extent. This book was excellent, very informative and educational. Highly recommend!
2019-07-13

2. Variola was scary indeed.... - After reading "The Hot Zone" I wanted to read more by Richard Preston. Smallpox was not a disease I was familiar with and after reading about it through the novel, feel that D.A Henderson should have gotten the Nobel Prize for the eradication of that terrible disease. Great novel and will be reading more!
2014-08-19

Release date: 2022-02-01 $11.99

Release date: 2014-09-30 $11.99

Comments

1. Informative and moving - Reaching Down the Rabbit Hole is neurologist Dr. Allen Ropper's book about the experiences of neuological patients, their families and their medical teams. Each chapter is primarily devoted to one illness, such as ALS. The book does a great job of presenting the perspectives of the respective people affected and nvolved. I learned a lot, and it was a very moving book. Dr. Ropper generally seemed to genuinely care about and respect his patients; however, there was one disappointment. In Chapter , he calls one of the patients a moron, and speaks of him disparagingly because he disagrees with some of the patient's lifestyle habits and beliefs. He could have been more kind and patient, and realized perhaps that if he the neurologist had grown up in the environment of that patient, without privileges and advantages, he might do and think some of the same things. What I liked best was that the book also shows that while all neurologists are obviously smart, some are more insightful and skilled than others - not because they went to Ivy League schools (though some did), but rather because they keep an open mind, and they pay close attention to their patients. As the wife of a GBS patient, I appreciate that very much because I know too many GBS patients whose cases were worse than need be because to start with, their doctors ruled out GBS as "too rare, a million to one" etc. By the time they were in plasmapheresis, the patients had full paralysis to the point of being on a vent. In fact, my own husband was almost a victim of that. But his referring hospital MD went over the head of the admitting ER doc at a major medical center, and saw that my husband had a spinal tap the next day on a SUNDAY, and started the plasmaphesis within hours of symptoms. So he did NOT end up on a vent like another GBS patient down the hall, who had been on it for eight months (per a doctor there)! We need more books that allow us into the minds, hearts and lives of those who have these illnesses, as well as their medical providers. It would make for more empathy and understanding.
2022-06-20

Release date: 2008-08-17 Genre:Science & Nature $14.99

Release date: 2012-05-16 $0.99

Release date: 2022-11-15 $19.99

Release date: 2011-06-15 $12.99

Release date: 2019-04-23 $16.99

Release date: 1992-07-17 $11.99

Release date: 2009-05-26 $12.99

Release date: 2019-02-08 $11.99

Release date: 2010-09-14 $11.99

Release date: 2015-12-14 $4.99

Release date: 2015-04-28 $11.99

Release date: 2006-10-31 $30.99

Release date: 2017-02-21 $15.99

Comments

1. Great historical thesis, too much speculation - This book has great, sweeping visions of the future and describes a great logical chain. I liked the historical reframings. However a lot of the prose is speculative and thinly-evidenced. The sentence structure is monotonous and professorial. Interesting book with a lot of novel ideas, but became a little tough to finish.
2021-01-25

2. Homo Deus - An exploration of possible outcomes for humanity - frightening and inspiring. Harari’s projections offer a glimpse beyond the veil of ignorance burdened upon the present and revitalize wonderment in our time. Having read the book, it’s impossible to come away from the experience feeling that the present is lackluster. Forget the common refrain of “born too late to explore the earth, born too early to explore space” for we have more important horizons in our immediate sights - bliss, immortality, and divinity. This is the most important time to be alive, because we are at the end of the story that is Homo Sapiens. With any luck, we are the first generation of what comes next, and the abilities we develop will secure us the stars or suffocate us in the cradle.
2019-12-12

3. Homo Sapiens have been around for thousands of years - If Darwin’s theory was true then by now there would be many intermediate forms of human by now. Homo Sapien skeletons hundreds of thousands of years old have been found and there are no differences at all. Shouldn’t there be a telltale sign of evolution by now? The answer is.... there’s not. Stop reading fairy tale books and find the meaning of our existence through the Bible & Qur’an, in the Qur’an there are many scientific miracles to be found, unlike the theory of evolution which has nothing to do with science.
2019-05-21

4. Harari is Brilliant! - For Christmas, my daughter surprised me with Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari and I can truly say that I have never been so amazed with one person’s ability to convey several huge thoughts to me at once. But rather than overwhelming me, this very talented historian impressed me with his wonderful understandings of science, religions and life as he clarified topic after topic and delicately stitched the episodes together into a magnificent tableau of human evolution. A very savvy man, Harari’s bottom line has focused on the reality of human obsolescence and his take on the currently shifting trends toward humanism and beyond, as we confront issues of artificial intelligence and the emerging ideology of ‘big data’ head on. His first step for us is to know what differentiates Homo sapiens from all the other animals on the planet since emotions are not unique to humans. Emotions are biochemical algorithms that are vital for the survival and reproduction of all mammals and for us to better appreciate our life we must understand what an algorithm is. Simply stated, it is ‘a set of rules to be followed in a problem solving operation’ and it is arguably a most important concept in our digital world because biologists have recently reached the conclusion that the actions of humans are algorithms, even our own reproduction and survival, some very complicated algorithms! Next Harari sets out to help us to understand how it has worked to have Homo sapiens dominating our planet and giving the world meaning. This started over , years ago, when Sapiens began to talk about things that only existed in their imagination. His historical perspective shows us how man’s evolution got us to where we are. Not only were we smarter and more nimble-fingered, we were the only species capable of cooperating flexibly in large numbers. If not, our crafty brains and deft hands would still be splitting flint stone spear tips rather than atoms and have iPhones in them. But even , years ago, humankind was still much weaker than it is today; the basic abilities of individual humans had not changed much since the Stone Age. Sapiens rule the world now because only they can weave meaning into the web of laws, forces, entities and places that exists only in our common imagination. But where will we go next? A Gallup survey indicates that only per cent of Americans think that Homo sapiens evolved through natural selection alone, free of all divine intervention while per cent believe that God created humans in their current form sometime during the last , years. That now conflicts with what st century science and technology shows us daily and how religions based on men and gods are discounted and Dataism has collapsed the barriers between animals and machines. The competition becomes one where electronic algorithms attempt to decipher and outperform biochemical algorithms, parallel processing and distributed processing compete and cyberspace becomes crucial to our economy, our security and our daily lives. Dataists also believe that experiences are meaningless unless they are shared. Harari does remind us that much of the human mind is still uncharted territory and who knows what hidden talents we might yet discover in ourselves. He is enlightening, entertaining, open and optimistic and I struggle to encapsulate my total enjoyment of reading Homo Deus in this review; I recommend this book highly to everyone! Bob Magnant is the author of 'The Future Is At Your Fingertips' on iTunes, 'Domestic Satellite: An FCC Giant Step' and 'The Last Transition...', a fact-based novel about Iran. He writes about politics, globalization, the Internet and US policy; he lives in Jupiter, FL.
2018-07-12

5. Homo Deus - The concepts behind this book fascinated me even more than Sapiens. However, despite an often annoying repetition of history and data, the author alluded to human love being a prospective “armor” against complete global takeover by DATA only once - with no further discussion on how love might save humans from extinction by data. I would “love” to hear your thoughts on love as savior.
2018-02-21

6. Homo deus - A vision of where we have been, who we are now, and what we may become. Professor Harari challenges the reader to ask the big question, where are we going as a species? He points out some options that may not be too pretty. Is the end of the line irrelevance? Give it a read. Come see for yourself.
2017-11-10

7. amazing - Agree or not, as there will be times you will not agree with Harari, let that be a clear indication that nobody can predict the future, yet this Historian makes way for things that are happening as I currently read through this book. He has turned history into an art form, and it has helped inspire and enlighten new paths of thinking for many, in many different fields. A true gift.
2017-05-29

8. A Great Sequel To Sapiens - From war, famine and plagues to immortality, bliss and divinity. Are we bioelectric algorithms in an interconnected world of everything? What is our future? An intriguing and provocative book with which you may not totally agree but it certainly provides you with a lot to ponder.
2017-03-09

Release date: 2020-05-12 $9.99

Comments

1. Symbiotic Dependance - Merlin Sheldrake could not have a more fitting name as the author of a book about the magical qualities of Fungi. He gies beyond mere symbiotic relationships, and delves into the unseen dependencies we have to our fungi friends. Most of us know the gastronomic delicacies of fungi, but we have no idea how dependent our very existence is to these miraculous creatures. Simultaneously, we are just beginning to understand the disease causing challenges of fungus. In plain spoken manner, Sheldrake categorically proves how the metabolic qualities of fungi can sustain and save us. Where we struggle they thrive. But where we cause unnatural ecological change we accelerate their destructive capabilities while missing out on their benefits. Sheldrake extrapolates an engaging and educational story from what could have simply been a Wikipedia entry. His anecdotes, myth busting, and historical tie-ins are the techniques that make science fun and enthralling. The main take away is a wish that the collective we start redirecting spending away from destroying ourselves and towards tapping into the unknown potential of the % plus of fungi we have yet to document. Additionally, you start to question how “intelligence” is defined. Sheldrake demonstrates that the designation of “brainless organisms” is misapplied to fungi and maybe underutilized when it comes to humans. We have a lot to learn from the hidden workers behind the machinery of life.
2022-11-21

2. Highly recommend! - Entangled Life is a perfect blend of informational and philosophical. It invites you to reframe the way you view the relationship between living things, and challenges commonly held notions about the relationships between organisms and their broader implications on the world. If you are looking for a book that will make you think, look no further.
2021-08-21

Release date: 2008-01-15 $8.99

Comments

1. A Persuasive Book That Enjoys Belittling Its Own Points - "Your Inner Fish" is an attempt by a researcher to communicate a discovery and its importance to a wider audience disguised as a journey to find the history of the human body. Some of its points are very interesting, but most of them are over-simplified or unimpactful. I was assigned this book to read before an AP Biology course, and was given positive review by its teacher on this book, so I was excited to get in to the book. Unfortunately, when I actually started reading, I couldn't stand how two simple sentences took two pages for the author to explain, when the meaning should have been common sense. The semi-advanced concepts in the book are hidden behind elementary-level names that become ridiculous to identify as a scientific theory. The path to find the history of the human body should be an interesting concept, but when Neil Shubin writes it, it becomes an over-complicated process of trying to find out why some thoughts are even relevant to the topic, and trying to stay awake during its incredibly algorithmic anecdotal experiments.
2016-09-02

2. Excellent account of an extraordinary story - Shubin tells the story of how Darwin's theory of evolution allowed him to predict the most likely place to find the fossil of a fish that is the common ancestor of every limbed animal that lives on land... and some that managed to find their way back to the sea. Discovered less than miles from the north pole, and after years of searching, Shubin and his team found Tiktaalik. This book describes the path to discovery and the amazing revelations that this fossil has taught us about how all land animals evolved from this creature, million years ago.
2011-12-24

3. Believe it - Even through we all knew about the previous evolution from TV and Biology in the past, it's time to get real and discover the real emphasis behind human approach. I read this book for an AP Biology assignment and didn't want to read it at first because of the humongous requirement for this book from my teacher. However, I tried to read the first chapter and found out some things that kept me interested.
2011-08-20

Release date: 2022-03-29 $13.99

Release date: 2016-02-23 Genre:Science & Nature $13.99

Release date: 2023-02-28 $15.99

Release date: 2023-05-23 Genre:Science & Nature $3.99

Release date: 2014-02-25 $5.99

Comments

1. Unimpressed and erroneous - As a neuroscientist, I found this book irritatingly oversimplified and misleading. I do not recommend this. The examples he gives are contrite and overused, and so surface level that some of the ideas he conveys are simply wrong. The part about stem cells, for example, was hard for me to even read. There are hundreds of other books on the brain that provide much more factual analysis and insight without being so hokey and misleading for the average reader. Clearly this man is NOT a biologist and should just stick with physics instead of trying to cherry pick brain facts to suit his own science fiction fantasies. Yes, I believe in many of the predictions he asserts about future brain tech, but his justifications for these are inaccurate and painful for any real biologist to read.
2017-01-18

2. A captivating first half. - The first half is a skillful, fascinating translation of our current scientific understanding of the brain into an accessible text for the layman. The second half is a flawed attempt to imagine the future; driven by pointless conjecture and pop culture references instead of carefully thought out scientific predictions.
2015-02-18

3. The Future of the Mind - This view of consciousness is about as future as Descartes! It is sad to see a "scientist" locked into such a tight speciesist box that he has to justify human higher intelligence by designing criteria that only a human would find interesting. His discussion on brain anatomy carefully avoids discussion of other animals that have evolved brains with specialized parts that humans do not posses in order to justify a falsely concieved hierarchy. Skip it!
2014-02-28

Release date: 2022-08-16 $11.99

Release date: 2023-03-07 $11.99

Release date: 2020-11-10 $14.99

Release date: 2001-04-04 Genre:Science & Nature $13.99