Top | Rare Earth: Why Complex Life Is Uncommon in the Universe by Peter Douglas Ward. What determines whether complex life will arise on a planet, or even any life at all? Questions such as these are investigated in this groundbreaking book. In doing so, the authors synthesize information from astronomy, biology, and paleontology, and apply it to what we know about the rise of life on Earth and to what could possibly happen elsewhere in the universe. Everyone who has been thrilled by the recent discoveries of extrasolar planets and the indications of life on Mars and the Jovian moon Europa will be fascinated by Rare Earth, and its implications for those who look to the heavens for companionship. Science suggests that life is common throughout the universe at least as single cells. Complex life may be very rare and intelligent life rarer still. Great read. Top |
Top | Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur C. Clarke. The story begins when an enormous, cylindrical object appears in our solar system. It's mistaken for an asteroid and dubbed Rama, but scientists quickly learn that it's not a piece of floating space rock, but an alien vessel. A team of astronauts treks out to Rama and explores its vast interior world. The only "life" they find are biological robots, or biots, which seem to be preparing the craft for some great mission. Unfortunately, that mission — and the alien genius behind it — remains a complete mystery. A well told tale with some good science behind it, not the flashy, reckless approach of StarTrek TOS. Top |
Top | The Republic by Plato. This is unparalleled in its coverage of all areas of life. While Plato addresses metaphysical issues, he does so with language and analogies that most people can grasp with studious reading. But Plato talks about much more than metaphysics. Marriage, music, war, kings, procreation and more are all topics of discussion for Plato's dialog. In addition to the teachings about life, this book also offers a great introduction to philosophy. The famous "cave story" illustrates not only the purpose of philosophy, but also the inherent difficulties. While this book is absolutely necessary for students of philosophy and religion, I think there are golden truths for all people no matter what they do. So, why this particular translation of the work? This translation offers the best ease in reading while mainting a tight grasp of the original Greek meanings of Plato's text. Besides, it isn't that expensive. This book is clearly a timeless classic, and if you can't read classical Greek, this translation is probably the best you will get. I do recommed reading it in the original Greek. Top |
Top | The Richness of Life: The Essential Stephen Jay Gould by Stephen Jay Gould. "Nature is so wondrously complex and varied that almost anything possible does happen....I rejoice in [its] multifariousness and leave the chimera of certainty to politicians and preachers."—from Ever Since Darwin
Upon his death in 2002, Stephen Jay Gould stood at the pinnacle among observers of the natural world, recognized by Congress as a "living legend." His prodigious legacy—sixteen best-selling and prize-winning books, dozens of scientific papers, an unbroken series of three hundred essays in Natural History—combined to make Gould the most widely read science writer of our time. This indispensable collection of forty-eight pieces from his brilliant oeuvre includes selections from classics such as Ever Since Darwin and The Mismeasure of Man, plus articles and speeches never before published in book form.
This volume, the last that will bear his name, spotlights his elegance, depth, and sheer pleasure in our world—a true celebration of an extraordinary mind. 20 illustrations Top |
Top | Rip Foster Rides the Grey Planet by Harold L. Goodwin. From the moment Rip boards the space ship Scorpius there is a thrill a minute. He and his nine daring Planeteers must cope with the merciless hazing of the spacemen commanding the ship, and they must outwit the desperate Connies, who threaten to plunge all of space into war. There are a thousand dangers to be faced in high vacuum and all of this while carrying out an assignment that will take every reader's breath away. As a boy this was one of my favorite books. Published in 1952, I think I read it the first time in early 1954 and probably reread it at least once a year through 1960. In 1952, there was a definite chill in regards to the future of the planet with the US and USSR as the only nuclear powers. Goodwin sees the future space race between the US and USSR but instead of calling the "bad guys" Commies he names them Connies. Still a great book for kids. Top |
Top | Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America by John M. Berry. An American epic of science, politics, race, honor, high society, and the Mississippi River, Rising Tide tells the riveting and nearly forgotten story of the greatest natural disaster this country has ever known -- the Mississippi flood of 1927. The river inundated the homes of nearly one million people, helped elect Huey Long governor and made Herbert Hoover president, drove hundreds of thousands of blacks north, and transformed American society and politics forever.
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Top | Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe. Son of a middle-class Englishman, Robinson Crusoe takes to the sea to find adventure. And find it he does when on one of his voyages he is shipwrecked on a deserted South American island for thirty-five years. After scavenging his broken ship for useful items, he had only his skills and ingenuity to keep him alive as there was to be no one else on the island for the next twenty-four years. In the middle of that twenty-fourth year he rescued a native about to be eaten by cannibals who were using his island for a place of feasting. Crusoe named this man Friday, after the day of his rescue. Friday became his faithful servant and friend, even returning with him to England after their deliverance by an English ship. Listeners will enjoy Crusoe's determination for survival against all odds and admire the spirituality that gave him the strength to survive. A hero through the ages, he richly deserves the admiration that has endured over three centuries. As a boy this was a book that I read over and over. It is the epic hero's journey against all odds. Top |
Top | The Robots of Dawn by Issac Asimov. Just when you thought the first two books "Caves of Steel" and "The Naked Sun" were as good as Asimov gets, here comes "The Robots of Dawn" and knocks them both down in one blow.In this novel, a middle aged Detective Elijah Baley sets out on his most defying investigation ever. His journey takes him to the capital of the Spacer Worlds; the planet Aurora, where he is reunited with his old partner R. Daneel Olivaw. The story has everything that I missed in the first two books, including some romance with the sexy Gladia Delmarre (which Lije was always too cautious about in "The Naked Sun"). Asimov hooks you on the "whodunnit" trail right from the start, and gives you a knock on the head right at the end. Truly spectacular, a work of a genuis. In this book, Asimov makes Aurora feel like your own world, describing every bit of detail with superb depictions and without a single sense of tediousness. For the first time, the relationship of robots with humans when it comes to sexual intercourse is explored, and how the three laws of robotics handle it. (Start Trek TNG does it a bit better.) Asimov wrote this book 28 years after the last Elijah Baily book Naked Sun. Asimov was following Heinlein's lead to tie his stories together. Top |
Top | The Robots and Empire by Issac Asimov. This book is a prequle to Elija Bailey books and is a continuation of Asimov's attempts to thread his stories together. A classic novel about the decline and fall of Solaria. Gladia Delmarre's homeworld, the Spacer planet Solaria, has been abandoned - by its human population. Countless robots remain there. And when traders from Settler worlds attempt to salvage them, the robots of Solaria turn to killing!in defiance of the Three Laws of Robotics. Pax Robotica Long ago, Gladia's robots Daneel and Giskard played a vital role in opening the worlds beyond the Solar system to Settlers from Earth. Now the conscience-stricken robots are faced with an even greater challenge. Either the sacred Three Laws of Robotics are in ruins - or a new, superior Law must be established to bring peace to the galaxy. With Madam Gladia and D.G. Baley - the captain of the Settler traders and a descendant of the robots' friend Elijah Baley - Daneel and Giskard travel to the robot stronghold of Solaria! where they uncover a sinister Spacer plot to destroy Earth itself. Not as good as the the other three books but if you are a fan, it is well worth reading. I am not sure it is in print anymore, so you may have to trace down other sellers via the Amazon link. Top |
Top | The Roman Republic by Issac Asimov. The great thing about this book is that it is written by an actual writer. Too many times i have picked up a history book by some famous historian and have found the sentances so convoluted that i could hardly find any meaning in them. Many historians have attempted to become authors and have failed. Asimov is a writer who has become a historian with sucess. This book offers a glimpse at the Roman Republic with the same depth as many well known historians, but is on a literary difficulty level equal to the Cat in the Hat. I have read many books that are slightly more indepth than this, but none that were written in a way so that the level of understanding of The Roman Republic even comes close to the level provided by Asimov. I am not sure it is in print anymore, so you may have to trace down other sellers via the Amazon link. Top |
