The $64 Tomato
By William Alexander
Alexander’s quest to grow his own organic crops has him battling suicidal critters and vegetation that mutates in an attempt to take over the rest of his suburban landscape. At harvest, he realizes the cost spent growing each tomato could pay for a meal at a respectable family restaurant. The path to this realization is fraught with hilarity that will be familiar to anyone who’s ever attempted to grow their own. [635.09747 Ale]
Crashproof Your Kids : Make Your Teen a Safer, Smarter Driver
By Timothy C. Smith.
Research has shown that 58% of new drivers will be involved in a car accident within a year of getting their license, but also that car crashes can be reduced by up to 30% when parents are actively involved in the teen's instruction. In this book, Smith, a leading expert on driving instruction methods, combines the wisdom of other leading experts with his own experience to create exercises that will increase your teen’s skill and awareness as a driver. While this book is a must-read for anyone teaching a teen to drive, it also may prove illuminating to experienced drivers and improve their skills as well. [363.1251 Smi]
The Science of Happiness : How Our Brains Make Us Happy and What We Can Do to Get Happier
By Stefan Klein
A book everyone should read. After all, who doesn’t want to be happy? Klein, a German science journalist, proposes that positive and negative feelings are generated by different systems of the brain; thus, people whose right frontal lobe dominates tend to be more pessimistic, while those with a stronger left lobe are predisposed to optimism and self-confidence. Despite this genetic programming, the author claims the brain is "malleable," and offers strategies to improve one’s chances of being happy. So take this one out and get your grin on. [152.42 Kle]
Chances Are... Adventures in Probability
By Michael Kaplan and Ellen Kaplan
The authors trace probability back to its original conception in the 1660s and show how it affected not only science but also religion and philosophy. This fascinating trek through probability theory tackles humanity's inherent need to seek order in even the most chaotic phenomena and explores the promise of the math of probabilities through its most powerful modern applications, from determining the effectiveness of new drugs to weighing the merits of combat strategies.
[519.2 Kap]
Brutal Journey : the Epic Story of the First Crossing of North America
By Paul Schneider
This is the vividly told tale of conquistador Pánfilo de Narváez, who was awarded governorship of the Gulf Coast by the King of Spain. The expedition Navarez leads results in complete disaster, and the book is filled with gripping scenes of the journey. Though primarily focused on the explorers’ experiences, Schneider also provides portrayals of the indigenous cultures with which they came in contact with. This book is more than a thrilling adventure, it also serves as a case study of early European colonialism gone wrong. [973.16 Sch]
After Dolly: The Uses and Misuses of Human Cloning
By Ian Wilmut and Roger Highfield
Wilmut, the lead scientist for the project that cloned the first mammal, Dolly the sheep, tells how he and his colleagues made their breakthrough. Although many people at the time were excited about the potential medical advances that cloning presented, others were convinced it was a step toward eugenics and human cloning. Wilmut, assisted by Highfield, science editor of Britain's Daily Telegraph, argues that cloning will revolutionize medicine and that scientists can be relied on to behave. Interesting, accessible read on this highly controversial subject. [176. Wil]
Best Picks By Gus Isaksson