Reviews
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Sex, Drugs, and Sea Slime: The Oceans’ Oddest Creatures and Why They Matter by Ellen Prager
Buy this book A tastefully scandalous tour of defensive secretions and extreme sexual flexibility backs up a plea for ocean conservation. Univ. of Chicago Press, 2011, 200 p., $26
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Antarctic Wildlife: A Visitor’s Guide by James Lowen
Buy this book This photographic field guide could come in handy on a cruise of the Antarctic Peninsula, or just be a fun way to learn about life way down under. Princeton Univ. Press, 2011, 240 p., $22.95
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Out of Character: Surprising Truths About the Liar, Cheat, Sinner (and Saint) Lurking in All of Us by David DeSteno and Piercarlo Valdesolo
Subtle changes in environment and context can lead anyone to act as either a saint or a sinner, two psychologists argue, highlighting the flexibility of character. OUT OF CHARACTER Crown Archetype, 2011, 259 p., $25
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BOOK REVIEW: Annoying: The Science of What Bugs Us by Joe Palca and Flora Lichtman
Review by Devin Powell.
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The Dance of Air and Sea: How Oceans, Weather, and Life Link Together by Arnold H. Taylor
An oceanographer explores the connectedness of the seas, atmosphere and weather, with implications for climate change. Oxford Univ. Press, 2011, 288 p., $29.95.
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Finding Mars by Ned Rozell
This travel yarn is set in the rugged regions of Earth, following permafrost scientist Kenji Yoshikawa as he traverses the frozen Arctic. Univ. of Alaska Press, 2011, 188 p., $22.95.
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Book Review: Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle by Thor Hanson
Review by Sid Perkins.
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A Planet of Viruses by Carl Zimmer
The engaging essays in this slim volume are chock-full of information about viruses, from the common cold to smallpox. Univ. of Chicago Press, 2011, 109 p., $20.
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Inside Jokes by Matthew M. Hurley, Daniel C. Dennett, Reginald B. Adams Jr.
http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Jokes-Using-Humor-Reverse-Engineer/dp/026201582X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1307032679&sr=1-1 Humor isn’t just fun, these authors argue; it’s evolution’s mechanism for building a brain that handles open-ended thinking. MIT Press, 2011, 359 p., $29.95.
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Fizzics by F. Ronald Young
A friendly foray into the humble bubble, from honeycombs and soaps to sunset flashes, written by a physicist in the field. Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, 2011, 114 p., $25.
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Earth: The Operator’s Manual by Richard B. Alley
A climate scientist uses real-world stories to survey climate problems and solutions. A companion PBS documentary is available online. W.W. Norton & Co., 2011, 479 p., $27.95.
