Numerical Ratings and One-line Descriptions of Books Reviewed, Organized by Topic

Lists of available reviews, organized by topic(s) of books

Anthropology

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Barley, Stephen R.	Gurus, Hired Guns, and Warm Bodies	5.0	1/26/2006	The authors examine the care and feeding of professional contractors in the high-tech culture of California's Silicon Valley, and speculate on contracting's future place in society.
Bickerton, Derek	Adam's Tongue	5.0	2/03/2012	Derek Bickerton, linguist at the University of Hawaii, has an idea how human language came to be — and a warning.
Borsook, Paulina	Cyberselfish	4.5	7/19/3011	A close look at Silicon Valley during the heyday of the personal computer revolution finds the creators of that revolution, by and large, too far into extreme, anti-government libertarianism and far too dedicated to the outlook of "I got mine; everybody else can fend for themselves."
Eldredge, Niles	Dominion	4.5	5/20/2011	Eldredge, a Curator at New York's Museum of Natural History, says our unnatural history is in big trouble if we don't change our profligate ways.
Gelernter, David	Drawing Life	5.0	10/30/2000	A meditation on surviving both the Unabomber and the educational system that produced him
Hammond, Allen	Which World?	5.0	9/18/2011	From a year of intense work, Dr. Hammond and others distilled three plausible scenarios for the next fifty years. Supporting information is provided.
Harrison, Albert A.	After Contact	5.0	3/24/2002	How will the human race react when it hears from ET? Psychologist Albert Harrison looks at the current state of human affairs, and is encouraged.
Jackson, Maggie	Distracted	5.0	6/10/2010	We're deluged by information from a society that demands we be good at multitasking. What are these requirements doing to our minds? Maggie Jackson takes a good long look at the question.
Kolata, Gina	Ultimate Fitness	5.0	9/16//2010	New York Times reporter Kolata here probes the world of workouts and exposes a health scam.
Levitt, Steven D.	Freakonomics	5.0	6/03/2007	Why do drug dealers live with their mothers? What was behind the drop in crime during the 1990s? Find out in this book by "rogue economist" Levitt and New York Times reporter Dubner. It's like no economics book you've read.
Pinker, Susan	The Sexual Paradox	4.5	1/12/2010	Developmental psychologist Susan Pinker gives us an empathetic and useful examination of how the career choices of men and women relate to their biological differences
Postrel, Virginia	The Future and its Enemies	5.0	6/17/2002	Those who try to prevent change, and those who try to control it, block the paths to genuine progress.
Ray, Paul H.	The Cultural Creatives	5.0	2/28/2003	Thirteen years of research went into this book, which portrays through anecdotes and statistics the cultural evolution being wrought by the 50 million people making up its namesake group.
Rifkin, Jeremy	The European Dream	5.0	1/09/2006	Is the American Dream obsolete? Jeremy Rifkin argues in this information-dense book that it is, and should be supplanted by the more communitarian model he labels the European Dream.
Ruggiero, Vincent Ryan	Warning: Nonsense is Destroying America	4.0	4/24/2006	Mr. Ruggiero seeks to analyze the harmful effects of popular culture on America, but lets his hatred of that popular culture lead him to overstate his case.
Sagan, Carl	The Demon-Haunted World	5.0	1/07/1997	Why ignorance and superstition persist — and why they must not
Sagan, Carl	The Dragons of Eden	5.0	1/14/1997	Speculations on the origin of human intelligence
Sagan, Carl	Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors	5.0	1/22/1997	An exploration of human nature in its ecological and historical contexts
Teilhard du Chardin, Pierre	The Phenomenon of Man	4.0	6/18/2003	In his best-known work, the renowned paleontologist and Jesuit Father attempts to reconcile evolution and Catholicism.
Weeks, David	Eccentrics	5.0	11/08/2000	A layman's version of Dr. Weeks' report on the study he did of the eccentric personality
Weissman, Dick	Talkin' 'Bout a Revolution	4.5	11/23/2011	Popular music has the ability to inspire, to comfort, even to heal. But can it — can protest music, especially — bring about social change?
Williams, Joy	Ill Nature	4.0	12/31/2009	Novelist Joy Williams here holds forth on the environment (and a few other things) in a collection of her essays.
Wylie, Philip	Generation of Vipers	5.0	1/10/2006	Written in 1942, shortly after Pearl Harbor was attacked, this famously forthright work of social criticism has much about it that still rings true and valuable.

Astronomy

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Bova, Ben	Faint Echoes, Distant Stars	4.5	12/07/2004	A competent overview of the search for life beyond Earth, now expanded to include the new science of astrobiology.
Chapman, Clark R.	Cosmic Catastrophes	5.0	7/21/2002	No-nonsense but non-alarmist evaluation of the many ways the universe might do us hurt — with some science history thrown in for good measure
Chown, Marcus	The Magic Furnace	5.0	5/24/2004	A fascinating account of the multiple scientific discoveries that taught us how the star-stuff of which we are made came to be
Hawking, Stephen W.	A Brief History of Time	5.0	1/12/2003	Professor Hawking's classic layman's introduction to black holes, the Big Bang, and cosmology in general
Hawking, Stephen W.	A Briefer History of Time	5.0	1/12/2006	An admirable update of the 1988 classic.
Heintze, Carl	Search Among the Stars	5.0	3/09/1997	This book on astronomy and SETI is part of the van Nostrand series for children.
Impey, Chris	How It Ends	5.0	1/26/2011	An astronomy professor, Dr. Impey writes more about beginnings than ends. (Descriptions of most endings are, of course, sheer speculation.) His book is enjoyable nevertheless.
Kitchin, C. R.	Journeys to the Ends of the Universe	5.0	6/29/2003	A well-written popular treatment of astrophysical cosmology, but somewhat more technical than most
Lewis, John S.	Worlds Without End	5.0	6/02/2000	New science shows us many planets around nearby stars. What does this mean for extraterrestrial life?
Peterson, Ivars	Newton's Clock	5.0	3/22/1995	Chaos reigns in the solar system!
Rees, Martin	Our Cosmic Habitat	4.5	2/16/2002	Describes the concept of multiple universes, and speculates that we may soon be able to devise experimental ways of testing this mind-blowing idea.
Steel, Duncan	Rogue Asteroids and Doomsday Comets	4.5	2/13/1997	An Aussie astronomer describes the potential problem of these bodies colliding with Earth — and the underfunded efforts to detect them.

Biology

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Carson, Rachel	Silent Spring	5.0	4/27/2003	This path-breaking book by a government wildlife biologist indicted the Department of Agriculture's pesticide programs and founded the environmental movement.
Grinspoon, David	Lonely Planets	5.0	5/13/2004	A wide-ranging account of humankind's quest to discover and understand life on other worlds — written in a breezy, irreverent style by one of the leading current practitioners of that quest.
Loewenstein, Werner R.	The Touchstone of Life	5.0	8/11/2000	Engrossing look at the molecular basis of life, slightly marred by errors in physics and information theory
Sykes, Bryan	Adam's Curse	4.5	5/31/2004	The genetics researcher who introduced the world to mitochondrial DNA here turns his attention to the male of the species — with disconcerting results.
Ward, Peter D.	Rare Earth	4.5	3/14/2004	A very useful survey of what is known today about the origin and development of life on Earth, and the implications of that understanding for the abundance of complex life elsewhere
Ward, Peter D.	Life As We Do Not Know It	4.5	5/12/2006	Peter Ward, an active participant in the fast-changing field of astrobiology, describes in this information-packed book scientists' two-pronged effort to unravel the mystery of how life began.

Business

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Bryce, Robert	Pipe Dreams	5.0	12/30/2005	Aftershocks from Enron's 2001 collapse are still being felt throughout the nation. Texas journalist Bryce tells us what brought the high-flying energy trading company down.
Kelly, Marjorie	The Divine Right of Capital	5.0	9/01/2011	Cofounder of the journal Business Ethics, Ms. Kelly makes the case for a new, more equitable form of corporate governance with passion, cogency and impeccable scholarship.
Krantzler, Mel	Down and Out in Silicon Valley	4.0	6/30/2011	Although it's worth reading, this book about the downside of the computer revolution contains little originality or insight.
Morris, Charles R.	The Sages	5.0	6/18/2011	You think economists know what they're talking about? Here are three very successful investors who beg to disagree.
Phillips, Ken	Bad Money	5.0	9/23/2009	Every American knows about the Great Recession of 2008, but few understand what caused it. Veteran economic reporter Ken Phillips provides a comprehensive education on the topic.

Computers

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Eberhart, Russell C.	Neural Network PC Tools	5.0	5/13/1992	A thorough and essential reference on the theory and implementation of neural networks
Mandel, Thomas	Rules of the Net	4.5	11/14/1997	In this guide to proper on-line behavior, the key words are "personal responsibility".
Meyer, Eric	Eric Meyer on CSS	5.0	12/21/2003	An excellent practical tutorial on CSS for those who have a beginner's knowledge of the subject
Stoll, Clifford	High Tech Heretic	4.5	11/24/2001	Computers, says Stoll, don't belong in the classroom — and should come in designer colors.

Electronics

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
**** DUMMY ENTRY ****

Environment

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Archer, David	The Climate Crisis	5.0	6/30/2011	Written by two scientists with long and deep involvement in the study of Earth's climate system, this book is a commendably calm and clear explanation of current changes in that system for the lay public.
Biggers, Jeff	Reckoning at Eagle Creek	5.0	6/23/2011	By rediscovering his own roots, Jeff Biggers discloses the true extent of coal-company depredations — not only polluting our environment, but pulverizing important chunks of our shared history.
Carson, Rachel	Silent Spring	5.0	4/27/2003	This path-breaking book by a government wildlife biologist indicted the Department of Agriculture's pesticide programs and founded the environmental movement.
Cousteau, Jacques-Yves	The Human, the Orchid, and the Octopus	5.0	3/20/2008	This is both memoir and manifesto of the famed ocean explorer.
Dyer, Gwynne	Climate Wars	5.0	3/03/2011	Canadian observer of world affairs Gwynne Dyer provides a fresh perspective on how we are likely to handle our climate crisis.
Epstein, Paul R.	Changing Planet, Changing Health	5.0	11/26/2011	Dr. Epstein (1943-2011), a physician, reports with journalist Dan Ferber here of the many impacts climate change is already having around the world — not just in public health, but in agricultural productivity too. This first-person account is not to be missed.
Faris, Stephan	Forecast	5.0	6/08/2010	No one I've seen does a better job than globe-girfdling journalist Stephan Faris at convincing us why we should worry about the climate changes that are happening *right now*.
Flannery, Tim	Now or Never	5.0	1/28/2010	Dr. Flannery demonstrates in these essays why there is hope not only of avoiding the worst impacts of climate change, but of avoiding ruinous costs of mitigation as well.
Gibson, James William	A Reenchanted World	5.0	12/13/2009	James Gibson chronicles the reawakening of a vitally needed spiritual view of nature.
Gore, Al	Our Choice	5.0	5/14/2010	The former vice president's third book on the environment sets forth clearly the tradeoffs involved in every aspect of the puzzles of climate-change mitigation and adaptation.
Hansen, James	Storms of My Grandchildren	5.0	2/15/2011	The foremost climatologist in this country explains the urgency of doing something about climate change.
Kennedy, Jr., Robert F.	Crimes Against Nature	5.0	5/12/2005	This report by the son of Robert F. Kennedy, now a lawyer defending the environment, weaves a familiar tale of Bush administration misdeeds. Familiar, yes, but not invalid — and not unimportant.
Kolbert, Elizabeth	Field Notes from a Catastrophe	5.0	1/20/2010	Compelling accounts of its effects on ordinary people are the virtue of Elizabeth Kolbert's book on climate change.
Linden, Eugene	The Winds of Change	5.0	11/23/2006	A unique aspect of this book by long-time climate science writer Eugene Linden is his detailed discussion of the possible financial impacts of global warming.
Mann, Charles C.	Noah's Choice	5.0	6/11/2011	A deep investigation of species preservation efforts under the Endangered Species Act reveals the complexities that are not always apparent on the surface.
McKibben, Bill	Eaarth	5.0	1/15/2011	"This is not your father's planet," says McKibben, author of The End of Nature. His prognosis is grim. But then he tells us what we can do about the situation.
Nadeau, Robert L.	The Environmental Endgame	5.0	1/07/2009	Professor Nadeau thoroughly demolishes the illusion that mainstream economics possesses rigor and reliable predictive power.
Outside Magazine	Out of the Noösphere	5.0	12/24/2001	A collection of cracking good essays, chosen by the magazine's editors.
Reece, Erik	Lost Mountain	5.0	12/28/2009	This is Erik Reece's obituary for that eastern Kentucky mountain, which he watched being cut down during 2003 and 2004.
Romm, Joseph J.	Hell and High Water	5.0	5/04/2007	Dr. Romm examines the arguments of the "Denyers and Delayers" — politically well-connected skeptics who have been blocking any U.S. action on global warming.
Seidl, Amy	Early Spring	5.0	12/14/2010	Ecologist Dr. Amy Seidl describes in gentle and evocative terms, often through the eyes of her two young daughters, ominous changes in the seasons experienced in her Vermont valley home.
Shnayerson, Michael	Coal River	5.0	11/18/2009	A long look at the valley of the Coal River in West Virginia, where the streams are getting filled up and the people are just about fed up.
Strong, Douglas H.	Dreamers & Defenders	5.0	8/27/2001	Short but comprehensive biographies of America's foremost conservationists, from Thoreau to Commoner
Waterman, Jonathan	Where Mountains Are Nameless	5.0	6/18/2010	Wilderness guru Jonathan Waterman tells of his time in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and of the contending interests that strive to exploit or protect it.

History

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Benecke, Mark	The Dream of Eternal Life	3.5	4/05/2004	In a somewhat shallow and fragmentary account, forensic entomologist Benecke traces the much-desired but ever-elusive boon of immortality through recorded history.
Benjamin, Marina	Rocket Dreams	5.0	2/23/2004	Once we all dreamed of a glorious Space Age. What happened to those dreams? This engaging book holds the history of the thirty years since up for thoughtful examination.
Bergaust, Erik	Murder on Pad 34	3.0	7/05/2004	Bergaust was a true "space booster". But his analysis of the Apollo 204 fire, while useful, paints a distorted picture.
Bloodworth, Dennis	An Eye for the Dragon	5.0	12/28/2002	Sketches of southeast Asia 1954-1970 by a reporter (not mild-mannered) for a great metropolitan British newspaper
Cook, Nick	The Hunt for Zero Point	3.5	9/26/2005	Intrepid editor for British bastion of defense data uncovers secret (pseudo)science of anti-gravity, time travel & zero-point energy — or does he?
Cooke, Stephanie	In Mortal Hands	5.0	11/18/2009	A long-time reporter on military and commercial nuclear developments, Ms. Cooke surveys that history and cautions us that its dangers did not vanish with the Soviet Union.
Corson, William R.	The Betrayal	5.0	5/28/2011	Some agonizing ground truth on the Vietnam War from Lt. Col. William R. Corson, USMC, who fought in it and was responsible for the only teams to actually win the "hearts and minds" of Vietnamese peasants.
de Camp, L. Sprague	Lands Beyond	5.0	6/02/1998	One of the essential references for the historical truths behind Atlantis and other tales and legends.
Fallaci, Oriana	If the Sun Dies	5.0	1/27/2002	The woman called "the greatest political interviewer of modern times" in the 1970s here tells us of the year she spent probing NASA's space program.
Fallaci, Oriana	Interview with History	5.0	2/28/2002	Fallaci's interviews provide deep insight into 14 important personages of the 1970s, and into the troubled times which they influenced and were influenced by.
Gray, Mike	Angle of Attack	5.0	8/12/1998	Skilled Rockwell engineer and manager Harrison Storms drove himself and his team for six years to build the Apollo Command Module and the second stage of the Saturn rocket that would launch it — only to become the sacrificial lamb when the Apollo fire happened.
Lambright, W. Henry	Powering Apollo	5.0	6/08/2004	A fascinating introduction to the political machinations surrounding America's moon missions of the 1960s — and to the man who steered NASA through those reefs and shoals.
Lederer, William	Our Own Worst Enemy	5.0	5/23/2011	Ten years after The Ugly American, William Lederer dropped his other plans and wrote a hard-hitting, factual analysis of why we were failing in Viet Nam.
O'Neill, Dan	The Firecracker Boys	5.0	12/26/1997	The history of a Project Plowshare test that — but for local protests — might have produced a super-Chernobyl in Alaska in 1961.
Orwell, George	The Road to Wigan Pier	4.0	7/04/2004	Orwell's gripping account of working-class poverty in the industrial North of England, based on his own in-depth research, is diminished by a mistaken conception of technological progress.
Press, Bill	Train Wreck	5.0	1/20/2010	Press documents the failure of the modern conservative movement with abundant facts and figures, and traces its origin in history.
Rasor, Dina	The Pentagon Underground	5.0	12/30/1997	Dina Rasor takes us inside the flawed procurement of the Army's M-1 Abrams tank.
Rhodes, Richard	Visions of Technology	5.0	3/30/2003	A veritable gold mine of short pieces on technology from throughout the 20th century
Rotter, Andrew J.	Hiroshima: The World's Bomb	5.0	1/03/2010	The vexing question of whether atomic bombs should have been used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki is reexamined by Andrew Rotter.
Schell, Orville	Mandate of Heaven	5.0	9/15/2000	China expert Schell takes us inside the People's Republic of China when Tiananmen Square erupted.
Stern, Gerald M.	The Scotia Widows	5.0	5/04/2010	Gerald Stern shows us that Appalachian coal mines and Appalachian justice looked much the same in 1976 as they do today. That's not a thing to celebrate.
Winkler, Allan M.	Life Under a Cloud	5.0	12/21/1997	Historian Winkler describes the social and cultural effects on America of the first fifty years of the atomic age.

The Language Formerly Known as English

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Orlova, Marina	Hot for Words	3.5	3/17/2010	You've got to admit that this Russian philologist has a way with words.
Truss, Lynn	Eats, Shoots and Leaves	4.5	11/03/2005	An entertaining book about the subtleties of punctuation: not a rule book, though it does have rules.

Learning

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Ashby, Darren	Electrical Engineering 101	4.0	10/23/2011	An outstanding primer or refresher from a practising engineer. (Look for the third edition, out September 2011.)
Bauerlein, Mark	The Dumbest Generation	5.0	9/24/2008	With passion and scholarly precision, Mark Bauerlein reminds us of the ongoing decline in basic skills and general knowledge among our graduating students.
Hirsch, E. D.	The Schools We Need	5.0	5/27/2006	As Mark Twain might have said, "Everyone talks about the schools, but no one does anything about them." E.D. Hirsch explains the problem in this book, sets forth solutions, and reveals that he is doing something.
Ravitch, Diane	The Death and Life of the Great American School System	5.0	1/22/2012	Diane Ravitch finds that NCLB leaves quality in education behind because (as Vince Lombardi might have said) it makes testing the only thing.
Ravitch, Diane	The Language Police	5.0	3/02/2006	All about how fringe-group pressure for politically correct language makes textbook publishers knuckle under
Ravitch, Diane	Left Back	5.0	12/13/2009	One hundred years of failed reforms of American education are chronicled in this book.
Trefil, James	Why Science?	4.5	9/24/2011	Physicist and educator James Trefil explains why the chief benefit of understanding science is not fancy new technology, but a citizenry empowered to make rational decisions about their nation's future.

Linguistics

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
**** DUMMY ENTRY ****

Medicine

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Benecke, Mark	The Dream of Eternal Life	3.5	4/05/2004	In a somewhat shallow and fragmentary account, forensic entomologist Benecke traces the much-desired but ever-elusive boon of immortality through recorded history.
Bodmer, Walter	The Book of Man	5.0	6/26/2003	Pioneering geneticist Dr. Bodmer has penned a thorough and very readable introduction to the history of genetic science and its application to modern problems.
Bova, Ben	Immortality	5.0	12/22/2001	Dr. Bova surveys recent biomedical progress that may bring us nearer to this ancient goal.
Stipp, David	The Youth Pill	5.0	10/20/2011	Another good report on the progress of gerontology in unraveling the very complex puzzle of human aging.
Weiner, Jonathan	Long for this World	5.0	7/02/2011	This profile of Aubrey de Grey brings the vexing questions of the feasiility and the desirability of immortality into sharp focus.

Memoirs

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Asimov, Stanley (ed.)	Yours, Isaac Asimov	5.0	12/16/2000	An edited collection of The Good Doctor's surviving letters, organized by topic
Clarke, Arthur C.	Greetings, Carbon-Based Bipeds!	5.0	12/13/2001	A compendium of Sir Arthur's essays written from 1934-1998
Cousteau, Jacques-Yves	The Human, the Orchid, and the Octopus	5.0	3/20/2008	This is both memoir and manifesto of the famed ocean explorer.
Lehman, Milton	This High Man	5.0	3/28/1998	A biography of rocketry pioneer Robert Hutchings Goddard
Perkins, John	Confessions of an Economic Hit Man	3.5	12/27/2005	I judge Mr. Perkins' confession heartfelt and reasonably well-crafted, but in the final analysis unreliable. Still, it's a good read.
Schneider, Stephen H.	Science as a Contact Sport	5.0	8/03/2010	A memoir of the late Dr. Schneider's remarkable life in climate science and politics
Schoen, Douglas	Pat	5.0	6/21/2004	A biography of the late Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Simon, Charlie May	Faith Has Need of All the Truth	5.0	12/25/1997	A biography of the Jesuit paleontologist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin for young readers
Strong, Douglas H.	Dreamers & Defenders	5.0	8/27/2001	Short but comprehensive biographies of America's foremost conservationists, from Thoreau to Commoner
Takei, George	To The Stars	5.0	3/28/1998	George Takei (Mr. Sulu of the original Star Trek) describes his life, from an Arkansas internment camp to college at UCLA and Berkeley and success in Hollywood.
Wallace, Mike	Between You and Me	5.0	1/03/2006	Long-time 60 Minutes reporter Mike Wallace presents a selection of interview excerpts, along with some news analysis and anecdotes from his eventful journalistic career.
Wilson, Joseph	The Politics of Truth	5.0	11/05/2004	Former Ambassador Joe Wilson recounts his life, with special reference to the current controversy over the disclosure that his wife, Valerie Plame, was an undercover CIA operative.
Wilson, Valerie Plame	Fair Game	4.5	11/14/2007	Unfairly exposed CIA covert agent Valerie Plame finally gets to tell her side of the story.

Physics

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Falk, Dan	Universe on a T-Shirt	5.0	6/17/2004	A very readable introduction to the latest theories in physics, with an excellent review of the history of science thrown in — and, no equations!
Garwin, Richard L.	Megawatts and Megatons	5.0	6/10/2005	Two vexing problems facing us today are nuclear power and nuclear weapons. Here, physicists Garwin and Chartak do an admirable job of describing the situation and presenting policy options.
Krauss, Lawrence M.	The Physics of Star Trek	5.0	11/09/1995	What are the real scientific prospects for the fictional technologies used aboard the starship Enterprise? Dr. Krauss prognosticates.
McPhee, John	The Curve of Binding Energy	5.0	12/28/1997	Atom-bomb physicist Theodore B. Taylor presents his life — and a warning about the lack of security in America's nuclear materials stockpiles.
Wilczek, Frank	Longing for the Harmonies	4.5	11/25/2000	The structure of modern physics considered as a musical composition

Politics

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Agin, Dan	Junk Science	5.0	2/24/2008	Dan Agin examines the damage that results when scientific findings are distorted for political ends, or to evade corporate responsibility.
Alterman, Eric	The Book on Bush	5.0	5/05/2004	Read this wide-ranging, convincingly documented criticism of the administration of George W. Bush before the November elections.
Amato, John	Over the Cliff	5.0	11/14/2011	Two veterans of political blogging document the right-wing extremism that arose following President Obama's election.
Bhutto, Benazir	Reconciliation	5.0	3/17/2008	The former prime minister of Pakistan argues persuasively that Western powers should use more "soft power" in their quest to defeat Islamic militants.
Bowen, Mark	Censoring Science	5.0	7/05/2008	In his second book, Mark Bowen takes us inside NASA and NOAA to observe in detail the censorship by political appointees at those organizations of scientific work on climate change.
Bowen, Mark	Thin Ice	5.0	8/17/2008	Physicist and mountaineer, Mark Bowen ably takes part in and reports on Dr. Lonnie Thompson's high-peak investigations of climate change.
Bruni, Frank	Ambling into History	4.5	10/27/2004	Based on months on the campaign trail with Bush during the 2000 election season, Bruni's "reporter's notebook" account shows us both the candidate's character flaws and occasional flashes of greater ability.
Chandrasekaran, Rajiv	Imperial Life in the Emerald City	5.0	2/10/2007	Veteran Washington Post reporter Chandrasekaran lives in Iraq, but penetrates the American bubble that is the Green Zone. He shows us what's inside it — and how it came to be.
Clarke, Richard A.	Against All Enemies	5.0	12/02/2005	Former National Security Coordinator Richard Clarke tells what was broken when the planes hit the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001.
Conason, Joe	Big Lies	5.0	3/08/2010	Joe Conason delivers a very thorough dissection of the lies, hypocrisy and sheer short-sightedness which most Republican politicians of late cannot seem to rise above.
Crier, Catherine	Contempt	4.0	12/27/2005	Ms Crier, a former Republican judge in Texas, warns us that the Religious Right, now in control of Congress and the White House, is trying for the federal judicial system.
Crier, Catherine	Patriot Acts	5.0	12/27/2011	Forthright and insightful as always, Ms Crier provides a cogent new analysis of what's wrong with the Right and how they attempt to govern our American republic.
Davidson, Osha Gray	Under Fire	5.0	10/07/1997	Inside the NRA in its battle against all forms of gun control
Dean, John	Worse than Watergate	4.0	12/15/2005	John Dean, convicted in the Watergate scandal, here compares George W. Bush's administration to the Nixon White House in which he served — and finds Bush comes off second best.
Dean, John	Conservatives without Conscience	5.0	2/04/2007	Increasingly troubled by the damage to our democracy done by the neocons, John Dean investigates the roots of their movement and profiles its current principal players,
Findley, Paul	Silent No More	3.5	1/12/2002	Mostly succeeds in correcting America's false images of Islam, but poor on terrorism.
Fitzgerald, A. Ernest	The Pentagonists	5.0	7/28/1998	Testimony by a Pentagon cost analyst about the military-procurement culture of "waste, fraud and abuse".
Franken, Al	Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell them	4.0	6/12/2004	Al Franken's comedic style doesn't translate well to print. And the book has some flaws. Despite that, it conveys some vital messages about the political right — and will make you chortle as well.
Franken, Al	The Truth (with Jokes)	5.0	3/06/2010	Al Franken (now Senator Franken) has a real tour de force in this one. Many books expose and debunk the deceptive and greedy practices of some of today's politicians. Franken eviscerates those practices.
Freddoso, David	The Case Against Barack Obama	4.0	11/03/2008	David Freddoso's critique of Obama's character and career is mostly accurate, but contains some distortions that betray the author's right-wing bias.
Gingrich, Newt	Winning the Future	4.0	1/16/2006	Georgia Republican politician Gingrich has written a campaign book.
Hacker, Jacob S.	Off Center	5.0	11/13/2006	Two professors of political science dissect the Republican revolution.
Hedges, Chris	The World As It Is	5.0	6/06/2011	A series of pull-no-punches essays on politics and governing from the author of War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning.
Hersh, Seymour	Chain of Command	5.0	11/10/2005	Reporter Seymour Hersh shows he's still in top form as he documents the origins and possible aftermaths of the Pentagon's flawed "War on Terror".
Hoggan, James	Climate Cover-Up	5.0	4/17/2010	Public relations, or PR, has been debased in the battle over climate change. PR professional James Hoggan explains how and by whom.
Horner, Christopher	The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming	3.0	11/20/2007	Here's another entry in the continuing campaign of Global Warming Denial. Its reasoning is as defective as others of its kind I have seen, but it is fairly well written.
Ivins, Molly	Shrub	5.0	10/16/2000	Famously forthright columnist Molly Ivins' possibly biased analysis of George W. Bush's record as governor of Texas
Ivins, Molly	Bushwhacked	5.0	12/19/2005	More from famously forthright columnist Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose on George W. Bush's record
Johnston, David Cay	Perfectly Legal	5.0	6/27/2004	This analysis of the tax code and its exploiters grew out of a Pulitzer-Prize-winning investigation that Johnston did for the New York Times. WARNING! It may cause your fists to clench.
Klerkx, Greg	Lost in Space	5.0	11/05/2004	Space-age politics, the efforts of a bureaucratic NASA to preserve its empire, and the recent burgeoning of entrepreneurial spaceflight companies, form the heart of this engrossing narrative.
Kolbert, Elizabeth	Field Notes from a Catastrophe	5.0	1/20/2010	Compelling accounts of its effects on ordinary people are the virtue of Elizabeth Kolbert's book on climate change.
Kuttner, Robert	A Presidency in Peril	5.0	8/08/2010	Robert Kuttner gives us a tour de force explaining why President Obama has disappointed his base on the economic recovery — and how he can recover.
Lapham, Lewis	Pretensions to Empire	5.0	12/21/2007	In a lively collection of essays, longtime journalist Lapham opines on current politics, popular culture, and the shortcomings of the Bush administration.
Lynn, Barry W.	Piety and Politics	5.0	11/28/2011	Another voice, ordained minister Barry Lynn, warns of encroachment on constitutional rights by the Religious Right.
Maguire, Joe	Brainless	4.5	4/12/2007	See the threadbare thinking of hard-right icon Ann Coulter dissolve under journalist Joe Maquire's trenchant analysis.
Mallaby, Sebastian	The World's Banker	5.0	2/15/2006	A lively profile of the World Bank and the complicated man who ran it for a decade starting in 1995.
Margulies, Joseph	Guantánamo	5.0	8/24/2008	The Bush administration's treatment of prisoners at Guantánamo defies both law and logic, as attorney Joseph Margulies reveals in this gripping account.
McClellan, Scott	What Happened	3.5	2/27/2010	Scott McClellan tells us what was wrong with the Bush administration, as he saw it.
Mooney, Chris	The Republican War on Science	5.0	3/26/2010	Here's a documentation of Republican depredations against science that's more thorough and wide-ranging than Seth Shulman's excellent work.
Nadeau, Robert L.	The Environmental Endgame	5.0	1/07/2009	Professor Nadeau thoroughly demolishes the illusion that mainstream economics possesses rigor and reliable predictive power.
Nader, Ralph	The Good Fight	4.5	10/15/2004	Consumer advocate Ralph Nader continues his long battle for the public good. An Appendix, The Conscious Voter, reminds us how easily an inattentive electorate can be hoodwinked.
Nader, Ralph	Whistle Blowing	5.0	5/11/2011	A dated but comprehensive look at whistle-blowers and the abuses that motivated them in 1972. It's, like, *nowsville*, man!
O'Hanlon, Michael	Neither Star Wars nor Sanctuary	5.0	11/12/2004	An excellent layman's introduction to the timely subject of military space policy.
Oliphant, Thomas	Utter Incompetents	5.0	2/23/2010	Tom Oliphant, a Boston Globe columnist, examines the Bush administration on 16 performance areas and finds it wanting in all of them.
Oreskes, Naomi	Merchants of Doubt	5.0	8/25/2010	Decade after decade, from smoking & lung cancer to carbon dioxide & global warming, a few misguided ideologues have done their utmost to confuse the public about the seriousness of problems. Now, science historian Oreskes and NASA physicist Conway team up to set the record straight.
Pooley, Eric	The Climate War	5.0	7/14/2010	A lively and engrossing account of the last three years in the ongoing political struggle to get a handle on climate change
Pope, Carl	Strategic Ignorance	5.0	9/30/2004	The Sierra Club's Executive Director has produced a devastating critique of the Bush administration record of protecting the environment.
Press, Bill	Toxic Talk	5.0	1/15/2011	Talk radio today is 90 percent right-wing. Bill Press examines how it got that way, and shows us the disappointing result.
Press, Bill	Train Wreck	5.0	1/20/2010	Press documents the failure of the modern conservative movement with abundant facts and figures, and traces its origin in history.
Reece, Erik	Lost Mountain	5.0	12/28/2009	This is Erik Reece's obituary for that eastern Kentucky mountain, which he watched being cut down during 2003 and 2004.
Reich, Richard B.	Supercapitalism	5.0	4/27/2011	Economics professor and Clinton's former Labor Secretary, Reich wants corporations free to be corporations and thinks the trend to personify them is terribly wrong — but wants them restrained by a well-educated and actively involved citizenry which induces government to pass laws which level businesses' playing field.
Ricks, Thomas E.	Fiasco	5.0	6/09/2008	Veteran Pentagon correspondent Ricks documents the U.S. military's blunders in its current occupation of Iraq.
Rifkin, Jeremy	The European Dream	5.0	1/09/2006	Is the American Dream obsolete? Jeremy Rifkin argues in this information-dense book that it is, and should be supplanted by the more communitarian model he labels the European Dream.
Romm, Joseph J.	Hell and High Water	5.0	5/04/2007	Dr. Romm examines the arguments of the "Denyers and Delayers" — politically well-connected skeptics who have been blocking any U.S. action on global warming.
Rushkoff, Douglas	Life Inc.	5.0	6/14/2010	Rushkoff, a prominent media critic, provides a penetrating analysis of corporate executives' continuing quest to acquire legal personhood for their firms — while natural persons, beset on all sides by rampant commercialism, act less and less like real people.
Sands, Philippe	Lawless World	5.0	1/31/2006	The complexity and difficulty of making and adhering to international treaties are well described in this account of recent developments in the field — as is America's short-sighted refusal to adhere to such norms of behavior.
Scammell, Henry	Giantkillers	5.0	11/11/2004	A gripping account of several hard-fought victories by whistle-blowers against greedy companies in the defense and health-care industries
Shenkman, Rick	Just How Stupid Are We?	4.0	6/11/2009	Shenkman's examination of the American body politic finds it wanting of wit and will.
Shnayerson, Michael	Coal River	5.0	11/18/2009	A long look at the valley of the Coal River in West Virginia, where the streams are getting filled up and the people are just about fed up.
Shulman, Seth	Undermining Science	5.0	8/01/2007	The administration of any president contains at least some crooks and liars. But none made a systematic effort to toss aside facts (and people) that don't support the party line — until George W. Bush became president. Shulman documents the debacle.
Smith, Clive Stafford	Eight O'Clock Ferry to the Windward Side	5.0	5/19/2010	At Guantánamo, explains British attorney Clive Smith, justice was often a shell game.
Solomon, Norman	War Made Easy	5.0	10/15/2005	Norman Solomon explains how a president can have a war whenever he wants — for good reasons or bad.
Street, Paul	Barack Obama	4.5	4/29/2009	A counterpoise to David Freddoso's book about Obama is provided by progressive historian Paul Street, who also thinks our new president is no messiah.
Suskind, Ron	The Price of Loyalty	5.0	12/20/2005	Alcoa CEO Paul O'Neill was lured back into government service. He became Treasury Secretary because he knew he could make a difference. However, his reality-based approach did not mesh well with the administration of George W. Bush.
Suskind, Ron	The One Percent Doctrine	5.0	2/25/2007	Veteran journalist Ron Suskind takes an unblinking look at the "War on Terror", based on extensive interviews with its leaders as well as those who are actually waging that war — and finds the leaders wanting.
Wilson, Joseph	The Politics of Truth	5.0	11/05/2004	Former Ambassador Joe Wilson recounts his life, with special reference to the current controversy over the disclosure that his wife, Valerie Plame, was an undercover CIA operative.
Wilson, Valerie Plame	Fair Game	4.5	11/14/2007	Unfairly exposed CIA covert agent Valerie Plame finally gets to tell her side of the story.

Science

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Agin, Dan	Junk Science	5.0	2/24/2008	Dan Agin examines the damage that results when scientific findings are distorted for political ends, or to evade corporate responsibility.
Bowen, Mark	Censoring Science	5.0	7/05/2008	In his second book, Mark Bowen takes us inside NASA and NOAA to observe in detail the censorship by political appointees at those organizations of scientific work on climate change.
Bowen, Mark	Thin Ice	5.0	8/17/2008	Physicist and mountaineer, Mark Bowen ably takes part in and reports on Dr. Lonnie Thompson's high-peak investigations of climate change.
Broecker, Wallace	Fixing Climate	5.0	5/15/2009	With the help of science writer Robert Kunzig, climatologist Wallace Broecker ably describes the current state of our climate and the prospects for averting unwanted changes.
Brown, Julian	Minds, Machines, and the Multiverse	5.0	8/20/2000	A report on current scientific progress toward building the quantum computer, which — if it can be built — could consign all other computers to the dumpster of history.
Cook, Nick	The Hunt for Zero Point	3.5	9/26/2005	Intrepid editor for British bastion of defense data uncovers secret (pseudo)science of anti-gravity, time travel & zero-point energy — or does he?
Cox, John D.	Climate Crash	5.0	12/28/2005	A good layman's introduction to the history of climate science, and a glimpse of what we are learning portends
Grazier, Kevin R. (ed.)	The Science of Michael Crichton	5.0	1/03/2011	Several authors well-versed in science investigate how well the novels of Michael Crichton treat the scientific underpinnings of his plots.
McConnell, Brian	Beyond Contact	3.5	9/03/2001	How to construct an encoding scheme for interstellar messages that ET will want to read
Mooney, Chris	Storm World	5.0	12/20/2010	A thorough examination of the phenomenon of hurricanes, the men who study them, and their disparate theories.
Morton, Oliver	Eating the Sun	5.0	9/20/2010	Photosynthesis is a mystery only partly unraveled. Oliver Morton is our guide for an entertaining journey along the tangled pathways already pursued.
Pearce, Fred	With Speed and Violence	5.0	9/20/2007	Fred Pearce looks at cutting-edge research that suggests the IPCC prediction of troublesome climate change may be far too mild.
Powell, James Lawrence	The Inquisition of Climate Science	5.0	12/05/2011	Former professor of geology Powell shows us in a clear, comprehensive and well-organized analysis why none of the persistent attacks on climate science and the scientists who investigate it should be taken seriously.
Regis, Ed	Great Mambo Chicken	5.0	8/25/1996	Regis explores cutting-edge scientific ideas that are literally far out — and the scientists behind them.
Ruddiman, William F.	Plows, Plagues, and Petroleum	5.0	5/24/2010	We humans, says Dr. Ruddiman, took control of Earth's climate 8,000 years ago. Evidence? It's right here in the book.
Shapiro, Robert	Planetary Dreams	5.0	5/21/2001	An examination of the quest to understand the origins of life
Shostak, Seth	Confessions of an Alien Hunter	4.5	2/06/2010	We still listen for alien signals, and we're getting better at it. Astronomer Seth Shostak tells us why and how in this interesting update on SETI — the search for extraterrestial intelligence.
Specter, Michael	Denialism	4.0	9/16/2011	With particular focus on drugs and vaccination, journalist Michael Specter examines the phenomenon of denialism in his first book.
Vacca, John	The World's 20 Greatest Unsolved Problems	2.0	11/15/2005	Not content with describing the 20 unsolved problems mentioned in the title, John Vacca presents a credulous compendium of scientific and pseudoscientific ideas.
Ward, Peter D.	The Flooded Earth	4.5	9/01/2010	In another must-read book, Dr. Ward continues his cautionary forecasts and explanations of climate change.
Ward, Peter D.	The Life and Death of Planet Earth	4.0	5/30/2005	An informative but needlessly pessimistic projection about the bleak future that awaits us and our home planet
Ward, Peter D.	Out of Thin Air	5.0	6/15/2007	In a book that is fascinating but somewhat technical, Dr. Ward investigates the relationship between body forms and changes in oxygen levels on prehistoric Earth.
Ward, Peter D.	Under a Green Sky	5.0	5/07/2010	After pretending in his introduction to be Hunter S. Thompson, Dr. Ward turns serious as he tells of some early fossil-hunting expeditions and the once-radical theories they support — theories that relate to global warming.
Washington, Haydn	Climate Change Denial	3.5	12/06/2011	The authors, both scientists, provide more well-reasoned arguments against the rampant climate-science denial that still persists.

Space

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Achenbach, Joel	Captured by Aliens	5.0	2/18/2004	All those who have been so captured — that is, had their imaginations captured by aliens, scientists as well as UFO believers — are covered in this entertaining and thoughtful book.
Belfiore, Michael	Rocketeers	5.0	11/18/2009	Follow Michael Belfiore on a tour of NewSpace — the commercial space-launch companies competing to be the first private venture into the final frontier.
Benjamin, Marina	Rocket Dreams	5.0	2/23/2004	Once we all dreamed of a glorious Space Age. What happened to those dreams? This engaging book holds the history of the thirty years since up for thoughtful examination.
Bergaust, Erik	Murder on Pad 34	3.0	7/05/2004	Bergaust was a true "space booster". But his analysis of the Apollo 204 fire, while useful, paints a distorted picture.
Berry, Adrian	The Giant Leap	1.5	1/04/2003	A well-intentioned but sorely misguided attempt to describe how interstellar travel will be accomplished
Cabbage, Michael	Comm Check...	5.0	3/25/2004	Space journalists Michael Cabbage and William Harwood have done a solid and very detailed job of reporting on the Columbia disaster, its investigation, and the implications for the future of NASA.
Elias, George Henry	Breakout into Space	3.0	3/16/1997	Elias' thesis: that it is the duty of "the Gifted Generation" (baby boomers) — and in their own best interest — to expand into space.
Fallaci, Oriana	If the Sun Dies	5.0	1/27/2002	The woman called "the greatest political interviewer of modern times" in the 1970s here tells us of the year she spent probing NASA's space program.
Fogg, Martyn	Terraforming	5.0	5/24/1996	This book bids fair to become the bible of its very abstruse field, which concerns making living conditions on other planets more like those of Earth.
Gray, Mike	Angle of Attack	5.0	8/12/1998	Skilled Rockwell engineer and manager Harrison Storms drove himself and his team for six years to build the Apollo Command Module and the second stage of the Saturn rocket that would launch it — only to become the sacrificial lamb when the Apollo fire happened.
Grinspoon, David	Lonely Planets	5.0	5/13/2004	A wide-ranging account of humankind's quest to discover and understand life on other worlds — written in a breezy, irreverent style by one of the leading current practitioners of that quest.
Gutsch, William A.	The Search for Extraterrestrial Life	5.0	5/07/1996	This book by Hayden Planetarium director Gutsch is a good introduction to the subject for children.
Hujsak, Edward	The Future of U.S. Rocketry	5.0	3/12/1997	Good data on U.S. launch vehicle families. Good opinions about where the launch industry can go in the future. Trenchant opinions about why it's not getting there fast.
Klerkx, Greg	Lost in Space	5.0	11/05/20004	Space-age politics, the efforts of a bureaucratic NASA to preserve its empire, and the recent burgeoning of entrepreneurial spaceflight companies, form the heart of this engrossing narrative.
Lambright, W. Henry	Powering Apollo	5.0	6/08/2004	A fascinating introduction to the political machinations surrounding America's moon missions of the 1960s — and to the man who steered NASA through those reefs and shoals.
Lord, M. G.	Astro Turf	5.0	10/15/2005	A daughter of American aerospace engineering culture of the mid-twentieth-century examines how she — and we — got to the vastly different here and now.
O'Hanlon, Michael	Neither Star Wars nor Sanctuary	5.0	11/12/2004	An excellent layman's introduction to the timely subject of military space policy.
Mishkin, Andrew	Sojourner	5.0	4/30/2004	Mishkin was a systems engineer on JPL's Sojourner Mars rover. His account conveys in readable wise all the tension, frustration, and lost sleep attendant to such projects — and the exultation when they succeed.
Morton, Oliver	Mapping Mars	5.0	2/01/2004	The exploration of Mars, and the scientists performing it, are portrayed in this informative book.
Pendle, George	Strange Angel	5.0	3/15/2006	Finally, a worthy biography of rocketry pioneer John Whiteside Parsons. In his rather bizarre life, the largely self-taught Parsons made major contributions to solid-fuel technology.
Ride, Sally	To Space and Back	5.0	12/04/1994	America's first woman in space tells how it is to fly on the Space Shuttle.
Robinson, George S.	Envoys of Mankind	4.0	7/20/2003	An examination of the changes humanity may undergo when large numbers of people live off-planet, and the legal frameworks that will be needed to ensure civil order and a fair measure of freedom.
Spudis, Paul D.	The Once and Future Moon	5.0	5/21/2001	All about the value of Luna, and why we should get off our duffs and go back to Earth's natural satellite
Webb, Stephen	Where is Everybody?	5.0	2/26/2004	Physicist Webb has done mighty research and created a thorough analysis of the Fermi Paradox and many of its possible solutions. Recommended, even if his conclusion is a downer.
Weil, Elizabeth	They All Laughed at Christopher Columbus	0.5	12/07/2002	A book about one of the most advanced aerospace engineering efforts of the 20th century, written by someone who doesn't understand engineering or aerospace

Technology

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Cravens, Gwyneth	Power to Save the World	5.0	3/10/2010	Follow Gwyneth Cravens and her guide on a quest to discover the truth about nuclear power plants.
Cuttle, Christopher	Lighting by Design	4.0	1/12/2010	For architects and others professionally concerned with building lighting systems, this highly theoretical book will be valuable; for homeowners, not so much.
Ferguson, Eugene S.	Engineering and the Mind's Eye	5.0	6/30/1998	Ferguson documents how — to its detriment — engineering education in America has changed since the 1960s, de-emphasizing practical, hands-on learning in favor of the purely analytical approach.
Fogg, Martyn	Terraforming	5.0	5/24/1996	This book bids fair to become the bible of its very abstruse field, which concerns making living conditions on other planets more like those of Earth.
Fuller, John G.	We Almost Lost Detroit	5.0	8/15/2011	Journalist Fuller's riveting account is overly alarmist in places but well researched and accurate about the slipshod performance of the AEC and the nuclear industry during their first three decades.
Gipe, Paul	Wind Energy Comes of Age	5.0	2/04/2010	Wind energy came of age fifteen years ago, according to this 1995 book. In it, Paul Gipe explains why by describing much about how the fastest-growing source of alternative energy works.
Goodell, Jeff	Big Coal	5.0	2/01/2010	Three years of world-ranging research went into this hard-hitting examination of the coal industry.
Goodell, Jeff	How to Cool the Planet	4.5	4/17/2010	Turning from the problem of climate change to possible solutions, Goodell once again produces a worthy read.
Hapgood, Fred	Up The Infinite Corridor	4.5	1/24/1997	A penetrating but fragmentary look at MIT and the soul of engineering
Hassoun, M. Nadim	Structural Concrete	5.0	6/30/2011	The fourth edition of a very thorough introductory textbook on the use of concrete in construction.
Hessley, Rita K.	Coal Science	5.0	8/25/2011	An introduction to the classification and gasification of coal — useful, but with some errors and obscurities.
Kintisch, Eli	Hack the Planet	5.0	7/09/2010	Another book on the hot topic of geoengineering, appropriately cautious about plunging into such measures as a means of adapting to climate change.
Krupp, Fred	Earth: The Sequel	5.0	2/10/2010	Fred Krupp and Miriam Horn of the Environmental Defense Fund offer us an entertaining and inspiring tour of today's clean-energy developments.
Magner, Mike	Poisoned Legacy	5.0	10/30/2011	British Petroleum (aka BP), as documented by journalist Mike Magner, has a history of putting profits before the safety of its workers or the health of the communities where its facilities lie.
Monbiot, George	Heat	4.5	1/20/2010	Thinking "outside the box", British journalist George Monbiot looks for some unconventional options to slow the production of greenhouse gases. And he finds some.
Morone, Joseph G.	The Demise of Nuclear Energy?	5.0	7/31/2011	Why did the United States fail at developing nuclear power? The authors provide a well-researched, clear-eyed answer.
Petroski, Henry	The Essential Engineer	4.5	7/10/2011	Henry Petroski's continuing mission: To raise the public's recognition of the engineering profession. In this book, his fifteenth, he achieves only mixed success.
Rhodes, Richard	Nuclear Renewal	4.5	12/20/2005	Nuclear power, says Rhodes in this 1993 book, is poised to pull out of the power dive into which it was sent by Three Mile Island — and high time, too.
Rhodes, Richard	Visions of Technology	5.0	3/30/2003	A veritable gold mine of short pieces on technology from throughout the 20th century
Romm, Joseph J.	The Hype About Hydrogen	5.0	1/03/2006	Dr. Romm's work with the Department of Energy convinced him that creating a hydrogen economy is vital — but only if we avoid half measures and do the job right.
Sweet, William	Kicking the Carbon Habit	5.0	2/01/2010	Another good treatment of options for dealing with the effects of global warming; especially strong on climate science.
Tucker, Todd	Atomic America	5.0	8/18/2011	A seldom reported side of nuclear fission power plant development — that done by the Navy, Army and Air Force — is the subject of Todd Tucker's comprehensive and insightful account.
Wolfson, Richard	Nuclear Choices	5.0	1/17/2006	An excellent and insightful technical description of the principles, practical operation, and problems attendant to, nuclear power plants and nuclear weapons.

Science Fiction

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Aldrin, Buzz	Encounter with Tiber	5.0	9/159/1996	In this novel by Buzz Aldrin & John Barnes, a decoded ET signal reveals that visitors from Alpha Centauri once set up camp on Mars.
Anthony, Patricia	Cradle of Splendor	0.0	7/05/2001	Here, the acclaimed author of Brother Termite presents an inconclusive mishmash of events which may or may not have happened to conflicted characters who, if they're male, are almost all weak or perverted.
Anthony, Piers	Isle of Woman	5.0	10/07/2011	Volume 1 of Piers Anthony's Geodyssey series dramatizes the ascent of humankind.
Biggle, Lloyd	The Chronocide Mission	5.0	5/14/2010	In this novel by the late, great Lloyd Biggle, a contemporary man mistakenly swept 300 years into a barbaric future finds a way to return and set time to rights.
Bradley, Marion Zimmer	Heritage and Exile	5.0	11/24/2011	Two of Marion Z. Bradley's popular and engrossing Darkover novels — The Heritage of Hastur and Sharra's Exile — are collected in this volume.
Bradley, Marion Zimmer	The Ruins of Isis	5.0	9/24/2011	Dallard Malocq came to the matriarchal planet of Isis to study its million-year-old ruins, believed to be those of the mysterious Builders. But all he got was delay — while the women looked on him as his wife's plaything.
Bradley, Marion Zimmer	Web of Light	4.0	7/24/2011	Domaris is just coming of age when the Atlantean Micon comes to her city. He sets in her young heart admiration which blossoms into love — and he sets in motion events which lead to a war of magics.
Burton, Levar	Aftermath	4.5	4/26/2010	Levar "Geordie LaForge" Burton's 1997 debut novel sends the inventor of a revolutionary medical device on a run for her life through an impoverished near-future America.
Cook, Gene	Stars' End	5.0	8/04/2011	To a region of the galaxy just recovering from the Human-Ulantonid War, and still plagued by Sangaree raiders, comes a new menace: a race out of galactic center that eradicates every living world it finds. Can the secrets hidden at Stars' End save the day?
Crichton, Michael	State of Fear	3.0	1/05/2011	The late Dr. Crichton penned a decent adventure story, but it's intended as — and being used as — a scientific reference. That's its downfall.
Foster, Alan Dean	Bloodhype	5.0	10/02/2011	Ever on the hunt for ways to disadvantage their enemy the Humanx Commonwealth, minions of the AAnn Empire think they have something specially destructive in a creature called the Vom. They're right. But they're closer to the Vom.
Foster, Alan Dean	Cachalot	5.0	5/02/2011	Something is destroying the human settlements on the ocean world of Cachalot. Is it the whales that were moved there from Earth centuries ago, and have lived peacefully since? Everyone suspects human agency. Then the investigators catch whales in the act.
Foster, Alan Dean	The End of the Matter	5.0	8/26/2011	Flinx goes home to find the identity of his father, if he can. What he finds is a funny-looking, nonsense-babbling alien who is the key to a massive problem that menaces the whole of the Commonwealth.
Foster, Alan Dean	The Howling Stones	5.0	4/30/2010	Set in the universe of the Humanx Commonwealth created by Foster, this novel weaves an engrossing tale of a trade mission to the Parramati, who care nothing for trade, and the awesome secrets that make them that way.
Foster, Alan Dean	The Spoils of War	5.0	8/06/2011	Never mess with the bird-woman Lalelelang of Mahmahar. Sure she's small, physically fragile, and hates the sight of blood. But she's tough as they come where it counts — tough enough to end a thousand-year war.
Gordon, Stuart	Time Story	5.0	10/27/2011	When he got a good look at the woman who rescued him from the well, Phil Kitson saw she was the same woman who had tried to kill him, and died herself. How could this be? And how did she know about the stolen moongems floating in the bag beside him? Time would tell.
Heinlein, Robert A.	For Us, the Living	4.5	2/06/2004	Heinlein's just-published first novel is a thinly disguised series of lectures, but enjoyable nonetheless.
Hogan, James P.	Code of the Lifemaker	5.0	11/10/2011	The mission was headed for Mars. At least, that's what the public and most of the participants were told. But, after the ship left Earth orbit, a stage psychic named Zambendorf learned they were bound for Titan, and picked up rumors of an alien civilization there — a civilization of machines.
Hogan, James P.	Inherit the Stars	5.0	12/10/2002	Gifted scientist Victor Hunt embarks on an other-worldly quest that leads to a shattering conclusion.
Hogan, James P.	Mission to Minerva	5.0	1/08/2011	Victor Hunt finds himself once again venturing into the wonder-worlds of fiction and science.
King, Betty	Women of the Future	5.0	12/15/2011	The author traces the improving status of female characters in works of science fiction from the late nineteenth century through the 1980s.
LeGuin, Ursula	The Dispossessed	5.0	4/06/2011	LeGuin's award-winning novel of social criticism featuring Shevek, an idealistic temporal physicist, as the potential agent of change.
MacDonald, John D.	Time and Tomorrow	5.0	4/22/2010	From a master of the mystery form, three supremely fascinating tales of science fiction — including The Girl, the Gold Watch, and Everything
Pohl, Frederik	The Singers of Time	5.0	2/26/2011	Another hugely enjoyable collaboration from SF veterans Pohl & Williamson, with some surprising plot twists.
Pohl, Frederik	The Starchild Trilogy	5.0	9/26/2011	The Reefs of Space anchors this Pohl & Williamson classic, and is the standout of three enjoyble tales.
Russell, Eric Frank	The Mindwarpers	4.5	10/18/2011	Why had he killed Arline? Richard Bransome could not remember, though his memories of doing so were vivid. His home life in tatters, he had to take a leave from his defense job to track down the mystery. Soon he found a bigger one to grapple with.
Williamson, Jack	Lifeburst	5.0	2/26/2011	The first of two novels from SF Grand Master Jack Williamson about the world of SkyWeb has humans provisionally accepted by the eldren.
Williamson, Jack	Mazeway	5.0	2/26/2011	In the second of the two SkyWeb novels, humanity wins full acceptance through the actions of Benn Dain.
Williamson, Jack	Manseed	5.0	2/26/2011	SF grandmaster Jack Williamson gives us an original and engrossing tale with plenty of high tech.

Mainstream Fiction

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Clavell, James	Shōgun	5.0	4/06/2011	A crackling good tale, based on real history, of intrigue and battles in medieval Japan.
Fallaci, Oriana	A Man (Un Uomo)	5.0	11/04/2002	A novel based on the life of Alexandros Panagoulis, leader of a revolt against the Greek dictator George Papadopoulos
Fallaci, Oriana	Letter to a Child Never Born	5.0	1/27/2002	In this short novel, Fallaci explores the dilemma of a career woman pregnant out of wedlock.
Lederer, William	The Ugly American	5.0	2/06/2011	Fictional in only the narrowest sense, this famous novel by Lederer & Burdick lays bare the reasons behind the failures of America's battle against communism in Southeast Asia during the twentieth century.
Pohl, Frederik	Chernobyl	5.0	4/26/2010	Veteran science-fiction author Pohl brings the 1986 Chernobyl disaster home in this gripping dramatization.
Shute, Nevil	A Town Like Alice	5.0	4/27/2011	One of Shute's most engaging novels, about a plucky Englishwoman and her adventures in Malaysia during World War II as a prisoner of the Japanese — and her even more eventful life afterward.
Shute, Nevil	On the Beach	4.5	4/17/2010	This novel of Shute's is his most familiar, at least in America. It is well-written, but I found its tone of resignation depressing.

Visual Media

PRINCIPAL AUTHOR	TITLE (Linked to review)	RATING (0-5)	REVIEW DATE	ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION
Perkowitz, Sidney	Hollywood Science	5.0	11/26/2011	Cogent and reasonably flexible analysis of the scientific accuracy of Hollywood film-making through the years.

Quality Ranges for Book Reviews
The books are rated from 0 to 5 in increments of 0.5. Colors represent the following quality ranges:
4.0 to 5.0	Quality:	HIGH	(Color = Aqua)	Competent to exceptional; well worth the money
2.0 to 3.5	Quality:	FAIR	(Color = Lime)	Useful despite some flaws; may or may not be worth buying.
0.5 to 1.5	Quality:	POOR	(Color = Yellow)	Seriously flawed; read it if you wish, but don't buy it.
0.0 to 0.0	Quality:	YUCK	(Color = Fuchsia)	Avoid this book at all costs!