Aleta's Book Report

by Natalie Angier Natalie Angier is the author of Woman, and a science writer for the New York Times. Her most recent book discusses science literacy for the nation. She has interviewed numerous scientists and quotes them throughout the book making statements like: "...studying the Kreb's cycle and Linnaean classifications...whips the joy of doing science right out of most people..." "...science is not a collection of rigid dogmas, and what we call scientific truth is constantly being revised..." "...if you must buy a microscope, then get a dissecting microscope... to look at the simple things like a feather..." "...part of critical thinking is to understand that science doesn't deal with absolutes..." "...many teachers who don't have a deep appreciation of science present it as a set of facts...missing the idea of critical thinking..." Natalie approaches many science topics in this book - from astronomy to molecular biolog

by Joseph Wambaugh While Wambaugh usually writes fiction, he broke from his mold and wrote this nonfiction book about DNA evidence. He wrote about the FIRST time DNA was used to exonerate a suspect, and also how DNA was used (in the same case) to convict a suspect. The book is a good tale of how the British government obtained blood from all men in a certain area of Britain (which would never happen in the USA) to use the new technology provided by Sir Alec John Jeffreys. Jeffreys's research had only been used once prior to this case, and that was to determine a citizenship issue. Being a police/crime writer, Wambaugh does get bogged down in the case work and the investigators, but read on - the science is good. I find copies of this book at every used book store I enter - and I buy them to place in the school library. And then read "Pointing from the Grave" by Samantha Weinberg - you'll be glad you did.

by Marilyn Chase A great story of how the Plague came to San Francisco in 1900 and how it was eventually eradicated. Dr. Rupert Blue shines as the hero in the second plague event. Blue promoted and preached sanitation to contain the disease, but it was only when he focused his attack on the newly discovered source of the plague - the infected rats and their fleas - that he finally eradicated it— one of the great, little known, triumphs in American public health history. We see the streets of San Francisco from a "rat" point of view, and how factors like earthquakes can dislodge the rats and bring about illnesses. Hmmmmm. Beth Dunigan at Mississippi College shared this read with me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't know how either of us stayed sane during the Ph. D. crisis, but we both read more than just research for the dissertations. Therein may lie the sanity.

by Molly Caldwell Crosby This book really opens eyes about mosquito carried diseases! The tale of Memphis in 1878 was horrible while the telling was excellent. We have no idea as to the death Yellow Fever caused in just this one epidemic. That year, Memphis had a population of over 40,000. When fevers started, all but 19,000 left the city, and of that 19,000 - 17,000 died. The book goes on to relate the story of Walter Reed and his work in Cuba. Long ago, I saw a black/white movie about Walter Reed, but it was highly romantisized. I am very glad to have read this book, and to learn about a man whose name I have known my entire life, without really knowing the reason why I knew his name.

Now this is one strange book! A really good conspiracy theory story, but who knows - I guess that's like any good conspiracy theory. Thomas Dudley recommended this book, and I did read it, but I am not sure I enjoyed it - because it "weirded" me out. It is all about Cuba, virus development from monkeys as agents of was, David Ferrie (part of the JFK conspiracy), the CIA's role in a plot to kill Castro, etc. Scientifically, it gives good history on the development of the Polio vaccine, but then goes to a different track, discussing the increase of cancer in the human population as a result of receiving the polio vaccine which was developed from monkeys. I really want some of you to read this book and give me your thoughts.

by Philip Dodd This is a delightful book which gives us the origins of product names. One of my many "I heard it on NPR" books, this one has not disappointed this reader. I am halfway through the books and have loved learning the origin of the name "Jacuzzi" and "frisbee." Part of this is because I love WORDS and LANGUAGE. The other part is the beauty of invention. I'll have it for swap in October at our book swap session.