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Five Patients
By Michael Crichton. 1970
The Story of San Michele
By Axel Munthe. 1929
This `dream-laden and spooked? (Marina Warner, London Review of Books) story is to many one of the best-loved books of…
the twentieth century. Munthe spent many years working as a doctor in Southern Italy, labouring unstintingly during typhus, cholera and earthquake disasters. It was during this period that he came across the ruined Tiberian villa of San Michele, perched high above the glittering Bay of Naples on Capri. With the help of Mastro Nicola and his three sons, and with only a charcoal sketch roughly drawn on a garden wall to guide them, Munthe devoted himself to rebuilding the house and chapel. Over five long summers they toiled under a sapphire-blue sky, their mad-cap project leading them to buried skeletons and ancient coins, and to hilarious encounters with a rich cast of vividly-drawn villagers. The Story of San Michele reverberates with the mesmerising hum of a long, hot Italian summer. Peopled with unforgettable characters, it is as brilliantly enjoyable and readable today as it was upon first publication. The book quickly became an international bestseller and has now been translated into more than 30 languages; it is today an established classic, and sales number in the millions.Pretty Is What Changes: Impossible Choices, The Breast Cancer Gene, and How I Defied My Destiny
By Jessica Queller. 2008
A timely, affecting memoir from the front lines of medical science: When genetics can predict how we may die, how…
then do we decide how to live? Eleven months after her mother succumbs to cancer, Jessica Queller has herself tested for the BRCA “breast cancer” gene mutation. The results come back positive, putting her at a terrifyingly elevated risk of developing breast cancer before the age of fifty and ovarian cancer in her lifetime. Thirty-four, unattached, and yearning for marriage and a family of her own, Queller faces an agonizing choice: a lifetime of vigilant screenings and a commitment to fight the disease when caught, or its radical alternative—a prophylactic double mastectomy that would effectively restore life to her, even as it would challenge her most closely held beliefs about body image, identity, and sexuality. Superbly informed and armed with surprising wit and style, Queller takes us on an odyssey from the frontiers of science to the private interiors of a woman’s life. Pretty Is What Changesis an absorbing account of how she reaches her courageous decision and its physical, emotional, and philosophical consequences. It is also an incredibly moving story of what we inherit from our parents and how we fashion it into the stuff of our own lives, of mothers and daughters and sisters, and of the sisterhood that forms when women are united in battle against a common enemy. Without flinching, Jessica Queller answers a question we may one day face for ourselves: If genes can map our fates and their dark knowledge is offered to us, will we willingly trade innocence for the information that could save our lives?Isaac Newton, The Asshole Who Reinvented the Universe: The Asshole Who Reinvented The Universe
By Brian Taylor, Florian Freistetter. 2018
A blunt and humorous profile of Isaac Newton focusing on his disagreeable personality and showing that his offputting qualities were…
key to his scientific breakthroughs.Isaac Newton may have been the most important scientist in history, but he was a very difficult man. Put more bluntly, he was an asshole, an SOB, or whatever epithet best describes an abrasive egomaniac. In this colorful profile of the great man--warts and all--astronomer Florian Freistetter shows why this damning assessment is inescapable.Newton's hatred of fellow scientist Robert Hooke knew no bounds and he was strident in expressing it. He stole the work of colleague John Flamsteed, ruining his career without a second thought. He carried on a venomous battle with Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz over the invention of calculus, vilifying him anonymously while the German scientist was alive and continuing the attacks after he died. All evidence indicates that Newton was conniving, sneaky, resentful, secretive, and antisocial. Compounding the mystery of his strange character is that he was also a religious fanatic, a mystery-monger who spent years studying the Bible and predicted the apocalypse.While documenting all of these unusual traits, the author makes a convincing case that Newton would have never revolutionized physics if he hadn't been just such an obnoxious person. This is a fascinating character study of an astounding genius and--if truth be told--an almighty asshole as well.Darwin and Modern Science
By A. C. Seward.
The Cambridge Philosophical Society collected this series of essays in commemoration of the centenary of the birth of Charles Darwin…
and the 50th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species. Aiming to be accessible to the 'educated layman', the eminent contributors reviewed the impact of Darwin's ideas in many spheres. They addressed contemporary (1909) attitudes, Darwin's theories and their far-reaching implications, and the progress of new lines of research that had emerged from them. The diversity of views among biologists regarding both the origin of species and the best directions for further research is clearly evident. In his work, Darwin had sought only the truth, writing 'Absolute accuracy is the hardest merit to attain, and the highest merit. Any deviation is ruin.' However dramatic the controversies he stirred, what shines from these essays is profound admiration for both Darwin's intellect and the quality of his character.An Unexpected Miracle
By Jennifer De Pippo. 2014
Three days before her eighth birthday, Jennifer De Pippo was nearly killed in a car accident which claimed the life…
of her mother and left her with brain injuries so severe that the doctors said she would never walk or talk again. Join Jennifer as she describes the highs and lows of her life-long struggle to prove the doctors wrong, and to rebuild herself into a functioning, fun-loving and fast-thinking adult.Through sheer determination, Jennifer has succeeded in achieving what was considered impossible, turning every day of her life into an unexpected miracle.Son of the Wilderness: The Life of John Muir
By Linnie M. Wolfe. 1973
Working closely with Muir’s family and with his papers, Wolfe was able to create a full portrait of her subject,…
not only as America’s firebrand conservationist and founder of the national park system, but also as husband, father, and friend. All readers who have admired Muir’s ruggedly individualistic lifestyle, and those who wish a greater appreciation for the history of environmental preservation in America, will be enthralled and enlightened by this splendid biography. The story follows Muir from his ancestral home in Scotland, through his early years in the harsh Wisconsin wilderness, to his history-making pilgrimage to California. This book, originally published in 1945 and based in large part on Wolfe’s personal interviews with people who knew and worked with Muir, is one that could never be written again. It is, and will remain, the standard Muir biography. Pulitzer Prize WinnerAdvice to a Young Scientist
By P. B. Medawar. 1979
To those interested in a life in science, Sir Peter Medawar, Nobel laureate, deflates the myths of invincibility, superiority, and…
genius; instead, he demonstrates it is common sense and an inquiring mind that are essential to the scientist’s calling. He deflates the myths surrounding scientists--invincibility, superiority, and genius; instead, he argues that it is common sense and an inquiring mind that are essential to the makeup of a scientist. He delivers many wry observations on how to choose a research topic, how to get along wih collaborators and older scientists and administrators, how (and how not) to present a scientific paper, and how to cope with culturally ”superior” specialists in the arts and humanities.Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track: The Letters of Richard P. Feynman
By Richard P. Feynman. 1939
A Nobel Prize-winning physicist, a loving husband and father, an enthusiastic teacher, a surprisingly accomplished bongo player, and a genius…
of the highest caliber---Richard P. Feynman was all these and more. Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track--collecting over forty years' worth of Feynman's letters--offers an unprecedented look at the writer and thinker whose scientific mind and lust for life made him a legend in his own time. Containing missives to and from such scientific luminaries as Victor Weisskopf, Stephen Wolfram, James Watson, and Edward Teller, as well as a remarkable selection of letters to and from fans, students, family, and people from around the world eager for Feynman's advice and counsel, Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track not only illuminates the personal relationships that underwrote the key developments in modern science, but also forms the most intimate look at Feynman yet available. Feynman was a man many felt close to but few really knew, and this collection reveals the full wisdom and private passion of a personality that captivated everyone it touched. Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From the Beaten Track is an eloquent testimony to the virtue of approaching the world with an inquiring eye; it demonstrates the full extent of the Feynman legacy like never before. Edited and with additional commentary by his daughter Michelle, it's a must-read for Feynman fans everywhere, and for anyone seeking to better understand one of the towering figures--and defining personalities--of the twentieth century.The Story of Thomas Alva Edison, Inventor: The Wizard of Menlo Park
By Margaret Davidson. 1964
The Story of Clara Barton (Cornerstones of Freedom)
By Zachary Kent. 1987
Kevin Guest House (Images of Modern America)
By Gerald L. Halligan, Denis Garvey. 2016
While unknown to many living in western New York, the Kevin Guest House has served thousands of critically ill individuals…
and their families for over 40 years. Quietly nestled within the expanding Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus of Buffalo, New York, the demand for the facility continues to increase. The opening chapter is a testimony to the Speyser-Beer family, who originally owned the property. The second and third chapters memorialize the founders of the Kevin Guest House, the Garvey family of Sharon, Pennsylvania. The remaining chapters provide a virtual tour of the grounds and building expansions of 2016.Twenty-three women from 10 different countries whose careers span a half century of human spaceflight are profiled in this educational…
book for young readers. Women in Space features such figures as Sally Ride, the first American woman to orbit the earth; Peggy Whitson, who logged more than a year in orbit while aboard the International Space Station; Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space; and astronauts from Japan, Canada, Italy, South Korea, and France. Additional attention is paid to the women of Mercury 13, a program that trained women in the same screening tests administered to the men who became the first astronauts at NASA. Space pioneer Valentina Tereshkova, who in 1963 became the first woman to rocket into space, is also profiled. These stories of the pilots, physicists, and doctors who broke the stratospheric ceiling demonstrate the vital role women have played in the history of space exploration.Would you cut out your healthy breasts and ovaries if you thought it might save your life? That's not a…
theoretical question for journalist Lizzie Stark's relatives, who grapple with the horrific legacy of cancer built into the family DNA. It is a BRCA mutation that has robbed most of her female relatives of breasts, ovaries, peace of mind, or life itself. In Pandora's DNA, Stark uses her family's experience to frame a larger story about the so-called breast cancer genes, exploring the morass of legal quandaries, scientific developments, medical breakthroughs, and ethical concerns that surround the BRCA mutations. She tells of the troubling history of prophylactic surgery and the storied origins of the boob job and relates the landmark lawsuit against Myriad Genetics, which held patents on the BRCA genes every human carries in their body until the Supreme Court overturned them in 2013. Although a genetic test for cancer risk may sound like the height of scientific development, the treatment remains crude and barbaric. Through her own experience, Stark shows what it's like to live in a brave new world where gazing into a crystal ball of genetics has many unintended consequences.A Life Lived Outdoors: Reflections Of A Maine Sportsman
By George Smith. 2014
From laugh-out-loud funny to deeply poignant, A Life Lived Outdoors presents a collection of hand-picked essays by George Smith, one…
of Maine's favorite outdoor writers, exploring the way life should be, could be, and sometimes is in the great state of Maine. After writing more than 850,000 words for his newspaper editorial column, over a 22-year period, George Smith had plenty to offer for this, a collection of his favorite columns. In his first book, George writes about home and camp, family and friends, life in rural Maine, hunting and fishing and other outdoor fun. Readers will also find a few columns that previously appeared in Down East magazine, and some that George wrote especially for this book.Reporting on a range of historical and contemporary female builders and designers, this educational book strives to inspire a new…
generation of girls in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math. With many of the profiles set against the backdrop of such landmark events as the women's suffrage and civil rights movements and the Industrial Revolution, and with original interviews from a number of current architects and engineers, this book provides inspiration and advice directly to young women by highlighting positive examples of how a strong work ethic, perseverance, and creativity can overcome life's obstacles. Each profile focuses on the strengths, passions, and interests each woman had growing up; where those traits took them; and what they achieved. Sidebars on related topics, source notes, and a bibliography make this an invaluable resource for further study.The Great American Jet Pack: The Quest for the Ultimate Individual Lift Device
By Steve Lehto. 2013
Tracing the remarkable history of a certain kind of flying machine--from the rocket belt to the jet belt to the…
flying platform and all the way to Yves Rossy's 21st-century free flights using a jet-powered wing--this historical account delves into the technology that made these devices possible and the reasons why they never became commercial successes on a mass scale. These individual lift devices, as they were blandly labeled by the government men who financed much of their development, answered man's desire to simply step outside and take flight. No runways, no wings, no pilot's license were required. But the history of the jet pack did not follow its expected trajectory and the devices that were thought to become as commonplace as cars have instead become one of the most overpromised technologies of all time. This fascinating account profiles the inventors and pilots, the hucksters and cheats, and the businessmen and soldiers who were involved with the machines, and it tells a great American story of a technology whose promise may yet, one day, come to fruition.I Love My Computer Because My Friends Live in It: Stories from an Online Life
By Jess Kimball Leslie. 2017
I Love My Computer Because My Friends Live in It is tech analyst Jess Kimball Leslie's hilarious, frank homage to…
the technology that contributed so significantly to the person she is today. From accounts of the lawless chat rooms of early AOL to the perpetual high school reunions that are modern-day Facebook and Instagram, her essays paint a clear picture: That all of us have a much more twisted, meaningful, emotional relationship with the online world than we realize or let on. Coming of age in suburban Connecticut in the late '80s and early '90s, Jess looked to the nascent Internet to find the tribes she couldn't find IRL: fellow Bette Midler fans; women who seemed impossibly sure of their sexuality; people who worked with computers every day as part of their actual jobs without being ridiculed as nerds. It's in large part because of her embrace of an online life that Jess is where she is now, happily married, with a wife, son, and dog, and making a living of analyzing Internet trends and forecasting the future of tech. She bets most people would credit technology for many of their successes, too, if they could only shed the notion that it's as a mind-numbing drug on which we're all overdosing.Gravity
By George Gamow. 2002
A distinguished physicist and teacher, George Gamow also possessed a special gift for making the intricacies of science accessible to…
a wide audience. In Gravity, he takes an enlightening look at three of the towering figures of science who unlocked many of the mysteries behind the laws of physics: Galileo, the first to take a close look at the process of free and restricted fall; Newton, originator of the concept of gravity as a universal force; and Einstein, who proposed that gravity is no more than the curvature of the four-dimensional space-time continuum.Graced with the author's own drawings, both technical and fanciful, this remarkably reader-friendly book focuses particularly on Newton, who developed the mathematical system known today as the differential and integral calculus. Readers averse to equations can skip the discussion of the elementary principles of calculus and still achieve a highly satisfactory grasp of a fascinating subject.Starting with a chapter on Galileo's pioneering work, this volume devotes six chapters to Newton's ideas and other subsequent developments and one chapter to Einstein, with a concluding chapter on post-Einsteinian speculations concerning the relationship between gravity and other physical phenomena, such as electromagnetic fields.Out Came the Sun: One Family's Triumph over a Rare Genetic Syndrome
By Judith Scott. 2008
Six years into their marriage, Judith Scott and her husband Greg decided to take the next step in becoming a…
family: having a child. At first unsuccessful, they are blessed with the birth of a beautiful girl, Emily. The joy of having their first child is short lived, however; after just a few months, following numerous trips in and out of the hospital, Emily is diagnosed with a rare and disabling condition, Partial Trisomy 13. Doctors expect additional physical complications and severe learning disabilities, and say Emily will never walk, talk, or read.