Science Books Reviewed in Six Words
By The Editors
The shortest book reviews out there—just six words.
December 17, 2015
Science Culture Communications Review Scientists Nightstand
American Scientist has been publishing leading science book reviews for more than 60 years. Suffice it to say, we love long-form, in-depth nonfiction prose about science and technology. But we also know that part of our job is to distill what we’ve read into
a digestible and enjoyable form for our busy readers, especially during
the eventful holiday season.
American Scientist's Six-Word Book Reviews of 2015
Readers, writers, and editors share the science books that struck their fancy in 2015--summarized in just six words.
Review your favorite 2015 #SciBook in 6 words, #SciBooksIn6- "Fundamental to well-being; complex neuroscience."
- "Touch: The Science of Hand, Heart, and Mind" #SciBooksIn6 Touch: Fundamental to well-being; complex neuroscience http://bit.ly/1E5hy4U
- "Vaccination amid stories we tell ourselves."
- #SciBooksIn6: "ON #IMMUNITY: An Inoculation" #EulaBiss @GraywolfPress #Vaccination amid #stories we tell ourselves. http://bit.ly/1OCR4XY
- "Photographs of organisms above age 2,000."
- #SciBooksIn6:@_sussman_'s "The Oldest Living Things In The World" http://bit.ly/1ygtdKv Photographs of organisms above age 2,000
- "Photographic journey through mysteries of longevity."
- #SciBooksIn6:@_sussman_'s The Oldest Living Things In The World http://bit.ly/1ygtdKv Photographic journey through mysteries of longevity
Six-word science book reviews happening now @AmSciMag--woot!! Quick--share your book love in 6 words: #SciBooksIn6. https://twitter.com/AmSciMag/status/668889539486830592 …- "Alfred Wallace told: Don't study psychics." (He did anyway.)
- #SciBooksIn6: @deborahblum's "#Ghost #Hunters" reviewed by @klburke: "Alfred Wallace told: Don't study psychics." (He did.)
- "Natural selection: No living thing exempt."
#OTD 1859: Darwin's "On the Origin" #SciBooksIn6: Natural selection: No living thing exempt http://bit.ly/101V9TJ pic.twitter.com/orK05idbF6- "Investigating extraterrestrial geology, many meteorites needed."
@AmSciMag #ScibookIn6 Investigating Extraterrestrial Geology, Many Meteorites Needed http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1118798325.html …- "Iron Age cold cases reopened, solved."
- "Iron Age cold cases reopened, solved" #SciBooksIn6 by @diannetimblin of "Bog Bodies Uncovered" http://bit.ly/1jimjyn @thamesandhudson
- "Quadrats changed the trajectory of ecology."
Kohler, Landscapes & Labscapes: quadrats changed the trajectory of ecology #scibooksin6- "Human meets dog in boundary zone."
- Haraway, When Species Meet: human meets dog in boundary zone #scibooksin6
- "How Drosophila became a model organism."
- Kohler, Lords of the Fly: how drosophila became a model organism #scibooksin6
- join me and @AmSciMag in their reviews of science books you've read this year in 6 words #scibooksin6
- "The 'Nonhuman Turn' is for white people."
- Grusin, ed, The Nonhuman Turn: the nonhuman turn is for white people #scibooksin6 (I have so much more to say about this one)
- you'll notice most of my #scibooksin6 are from my Animal Studies ST independent study, so very society / critical lens on science focused
- "Can we really know animals' experience?"
- Agamben, The Open: can we really know animals' experience? #scibooksin6 (technically philosophy of science)
- "Long before ecosystem services, animal imaginations."
- Berger, About Looking (Why Look at Animals): long before ecosystem services, animal imaginations #scibooksin6 (ok also philosophy)
- "Cooking infused with science and delight."
- "Cooking infused with science and delight." #SciBooksIn6 by @diannetimblin of @TheFoodLab @wwnorton http://bit.ly/1kS7yUv
- "Math and passion personified, John Conway."
#SciBooksIn6 "Math and passion personified, John Conway" http://www.amazon.com/Genius-At-Play-Curious-Horton/dp/1620405938 …- "Dragonflies flip, attack prey from below."
"Dragonflies flip, attack prey from below" #SciBooksIn6 @yalepress's "Dragonflies" Longer? http://bit.ly/1LkKgS3 pic.twitter.com/8EnjsOXLmZ- More 6-word science bk reviews, y'all! Great book--hit the link for a longer review by @fenellasaunders #SciBooksIn6 https://twitter.com/AmSciMag/status/669546243555749888 …
- "Shiny, deceiving metal saves the world."
"Shiny, deceiving metal saves the world." #SciBooksIn6 by @fenellasaunders of @OUPAcademic's "Pyrite" pic.twitter.com/CZyw6BgbAT
cenmag: RT fenellasaunders: Add your #SciBooksin6 six-word science book reviews to ours! https://twitter.com/AmSciMag/status/669568922807595008 …- "Somewhere under the rainbow--way under."
"Somewhere under the rainbow--way under" #SciBooksIn6 by @diannetimblin of @JamieJBartlett's The Dark Net pic.twitter.com/ATZ8BSdRw1- "Accessible, inspiring overview of modern science."
"Accessible, inspiring overview of modern science" "The Upright Thinkers" by L.Mlodinow http://ow.ly/V56sP #SciBooksIn6- "Playboy has nothing on hermaphroditic mollusks."
.@AmSciMag #SciBooksIn6: Nature’s Nether Regions, by @schilthuizen — Playboy has nothing on hermaphroditic mollusks http://nothinginbiology.org/2015/08/10/junk-science/ …- "De-extinction is bonkers but weirdly appealing."
- .@AmSciMag #SciBooksIn6: How to Clone a Mammoth — De-extinction is bonkers but weirdly appealing. http://www.theawl.com/2015/04/call-of-the-rewild …
- "Stress: what you make of it."
- "Stress: what you make of it" -- #SciBooksIn6 by @TheConjectural about @kellymcgonigal's "The Upside of Stress" http://bit.ly/1PakmSQ
Join us as we #review our #favorite #2015 #science #books with just 6 words, #SciBooksIn6! pic.twitter.com/eBZyDFyppk- "Questioning the very existence of space."
@fenellasaunders Questioning the very existence of space: "Spooky Action at a Distance" by @gmusser #SciBooksin6- More than just #SciBooksIn6, find full reviews of #science #books on the Scientists' Nightstand: http://bit.ly/1uov27g
- "The way things work plus humor."
- "The Way Things Work Plus Humor." #SciBooksIn6 of Randall Munroe's Thing Explainer @HMHCo full review http://bit.ly/1kpJ8ku
- "Rethinks scientists' role within the Cold War."
- "Rethinks scientists’ role within Cold War." #SciBooksIn6 of Bridger's Scientists at War @Harvard_Press full review http://bit.ly/1QPNn6H
- "Toolbox for impressive 2D symmetric designs."
- "Toolbox for impressive 2D symmetric designs." #SciBooksIn6 of Creating Symmetry @PrincetonUPress full review http://bit.ly/1HAgnfN
- "Obsessively making the very best drinks."
- "Obsessively making the very best drinks." #SciBooksIn6 of Dave Arnold's Liquid Intelligence @wwnorton full review http://bit.ly/1N46CES
- "Friendship: an evolved, distinctly human trait."
- "Friendship: an evolved, distinctly human trait." #SciBooksIn6 of Terrell's A Talent for Friendship @OUPAcademic http://bit.ly/1AeQTgP
- "Disrupting the microbiome causes modern plagues."
- "Disrupting the #microbiome causes modern plagues" #SciBooksIn6 of Blaser's Missing #Microbes @HenryHolt http://bit.ly/1zAX3nC
- "With contagious zest, all snow considered."
- With contagious zest, all #snow considered. #SciBooksIn6 by @sj_ackerman of "Secrets of The Greatest..." full review http://bit.ly/1Ipa3I6
Fun hashtag to follow #SciBooksIn6 https://twitter.com/AmSciMag/status/671751957476999169 …- "Science poetry of compromise, complexity, invention."
- #Science #poetry of compromise, complexity, invention #SciBooksIn6 by @TheConjectural of "The #Robot Scientist's..." http://bit.ly/15h2NuW
- "Chemistry plus recipes: Explore savory taste."
- "#Chemistry plus #recipes: explore savory taste" #SciBooksIn6 by @sj_ackerman of "Umami" @ColumbiaUP full review http://bit.ly/1AFKAUb
- "Owls, up close and profoundly personal."
- Owls, up close and profoundly personal. #SciBooksIn6 by @diannetimblin of "The House of Owls" @yalepress full review http://bit.ly/1MkcXyr
- "Mechanical cooling alters printing presses, presidents."
- Mechanical cooling alters printing presses, presidents. #SciBooksIn6 by @diannetimblin of "Cool: How..." full review http://bit.ly/1czLhX9
- "Technology's wildlife, pictured in native habitat."
- #Technology's wildlife, pictured in native habitat. #SciBooksIn6 by @diannetimblin of "Fearless #Genius" full review http://bit.ly/1UpM5g8
- "Everyday matter's complexity, weirdness, and beauty."
- "Everyday #Matter's Complexity, Weirdness, and #Beauty" #SciBooksIn6 by @fenellasaunders of "Molecules" full #review http://bit.ly/1sNmcJX
- "Why doesn't steel taste like anything?"
- "Why Doesn't Steel Taste Like Anything?" #SciBooksIn6 by @fenellasaunders of "Stuff Matters" @PenguinUKBooks excerpt http://bit.ly/1N9shMG
- "Astronauts explored. Photographer clicked. We enjoy."
- Astronauts explored. Photographer clicked. We enjoy. #SciBooksIn6 by @coreyspowell "Infinite Worlds" @simonschuster http://bit.ly/1AlYVCz
- "Can maps blow your mind? Yes."
- "Can maps blow your mind? Yes." #SciBooksIn6 by @coreyspowell of "Cosmigraphics" @ABRAMSbooks full review http://bit.ly/1AlYVCz
Here’s what our editors and followers on social media have read this year, summarized in the shortest reviews out there—just six words. And if you’re left wanting a little more information or a more comprehensive list of our favorite science books of 2015, check out the Scientists’ Nightstand gift guide.
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