 An excellent introduction to biology! |
| Review Date: December 27, 2004 |
| Reviewer: Stephen Jones, Toronto, Canada |
(Note: This review refers to the fifth edition of this book.) The authors of Biology: Life on Earth have written a beautiful, fairly comprehensive but not overwhelming introduction to the subject of biology. Although I have a bachelor's degree in biology and a master's in botany and found the book to be straightforward and clear, it is written so well and in such an engaging and conversational style that it should also be straightforward and clear to anyone who is new to biology. The colorful photographs and detailed diagrams add to the beauty of the book. I also like the feel of the pages.
Many introductory biology books nowadays are quite heavy and bulky, and there is so much information in them that it is sometimes hard to get the "big picture." But this particular book is able to get the main aspects of biology conveyed in a more compact size. ( Some biology textbooks can be upwards of 1200 or more pages long, but this book gets the job done in less than 900.)
This is the textbook I would most recommend to someone who is just starting to learn the details of biology. Other biology books, such as those by Campbell, by Raven, and by Solomon et al., are more comprehensive and perhaps are better as reference books than this one might be, but their details can overwhelm the beginner.
I gave this book four stars, not five, for two reasons. First, as with many textbooks, there was at least one incorrect statement. It said on page 74 that potassium, sodium, and calcium ions are molecules, when in fact they are simply charged atoms, not molecules. Second, and this criticism may be biased because I like biochemistry, the book could have included the molecular structures of all twenty amino acids, not just a few. Similarly, the book could have included the molecular structures of the chemicals participating in glycolysis and the Krebs cycle, and giving the molecular structure of the key molecule involved in photosynthesis, chlorophyll, would have been nice. These small but helpful additions would have added perhaps only two pages to the length of the book.
Overall, though, I am very impressed by this book and wish I had had a book like this when I first began to study the details of biology. Enjoy it! |
Satisfied with this book
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| Review Date: June 27, 2002 |
| Reviewer: , |
| As a student, I think authors did a good job on explaining the subject. It doesn't go too details about every topics it covers but it seems that authors give more emphasis on some topics(should say more interesting ones). Every chapter opens up with a discussion or phenomenon that is addressed in the chapter or at the end of chapter. My university uses this book as a text for NON-MAJOR biology class. I read every single line(no joke) in the book and find the chapters to be stimulating, interesting and cover what students ought to know. The book comes with a CD that helped me out in the learning process (things like simulation of an event, figures, tips and techniques) . Very satisfied with this book. |
Very interesting for any student
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| Review Date: April 12, 2001 |
| Reviewer: Anton, Waterdown, ON Canada |
| This book is very comprehensive in explaining all aspects of Biology. It has wonderful charts and pictures and is a very good investment. Whether you are in school, high school, college, or University, it will offer a very detailed view of our life on earth. It even includes a CD-Rom, and activities and "tests" at the end of each chapter. |
Fantastic to read
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| Review Date: August 19, 2001 |
| Reviewer: , |
| This book is great for the classroom and also for pleasure reading. It explains many topics in great detail and leaves the reader with a great understanding and enthusiasm for the topic. Even if you're not a student taking a class, this book is a great buy! The CD-ROM is useful, but not necessary. The content of the book is more than worth the cost! I HIGHLY recomend buying a used copy of this book and reading it! |
Great starter!
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| Review Date: May 30, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Breez, New York, USA |
| The book helped me a lot. I never had general biology before taking the exam. For best use, I read "Biology: Life on Earth" to give an overview of the topic and the major mechanisms behind it. Then, I used other textbooks which had much more details on the subject. This method worked well, for example, for DNA replication and Protein Synthesis on which "Biology: Life on Earth" seems to have left out some information. So this is a great biology "starter" and if you decide/need to know more, other in-depth textbooks will be helpful. |
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