Comments on: Great science books for high school students: The hive-mind speaks

By: Dana

Dana — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 18:27:29 +0000

I see many great titles here. I am an English teacher who would like kids to read both non-fiction and fiction. Scientists/ science fans: Can you recommend novels (and esp. novels that are well regarded) that can help feed inquiry/thinking about scientific topics? Thank you!!

By: Fictional Book Reviews

Fictional Book Reviews — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:45:30 +0000

No Neuromance by William Gibson or Stranger in A Strangeland by Robert Heinlein?

By: John Gribbin

John Gribbin — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:38:25 +0000

Stardust is now available on Kindle.

By: Jon at Science Book Express

Jon at Science Book Express — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 22:08:34 +0000

I like Larry Gonick’s cartoon science series. It may be geared more towards younger students, but I think high schoolers can benefit from his books. My favorite is “The Cartoon Guide to Genetics”. The basic principles of biology are extremely well laid out, makes a great read even for a university student (that’s when I first read the book!)

By: amy

amy — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 16:11:53 +0000

I read a couple books about schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder that fascinated me in high school –

Sybil (fiction based on a true story about a dissociative personality)
The Many Faces of Eve (by Freud I think)
No One Promised You a Rose Garden (technically fiction)

I think the Man Who Mistook His Wife for A Hat by Oliver Sacks would also be great high school reading and is short vignette-based non-fiction. Musicophilia is also good, just longer and more specific.

Proust and the Squid about the brain’s development of reading may be good for advanced readers who don’t mind wading through some technical terms for parts of the brain.

I read Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers in college and I don’t think it’s appropriate for high schoolers. Even in college I felt it was too long and a bit difficult to wade through. The concept behind it is great and fascinating, but a bit wordy.

By: Interesting links (4/3/11) | Ron Gray

Interesting links (4/3/11) | Ron Gray — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 18:28:26 +0000

[...] Some great science books for high school students. [...]

By: Ben Capoeman

Ben Capoeman — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 15:03:08 +0000

Jared Diamond’s _Third Chimpanzee_, and if you’re suggesting Gould’s _Wonderful Life_ then the students should also read Simon Conway Morris’s _Crucible of Creation_. On my personal nightstand right now are _Microcosm_, Greene’s _Elegant Universe_ and Steven Pinker’s _The Blank Slate._ Astronomy changes too rapidly for books right now, maybe direct students to Galaxy Zoo?

By: Wherein Science Comedian Interviews Science Writer Carl Zimmer | Science Comedian

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:44:37 +0000

[...] list of great science books for high school [...]

By: Chris F.

Chris F. — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:35:53 +0000

Melissa, I teach 7th grade science and I love to use popular science in class. My kids have bought Genome by Matt Ridley after reading the chapter on Huntingtons (chromosome 4) with me. We all loved The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, Mutants by Armand LeRoi, Uncle Tungsten by Oliver Sacks, At the Waters Edge by Carl, The Making of the Fittest by Sean Carroll, Next(a novel) by Michael Creighton, any of the Best American Science Writing, there is a compilation of Best Science Blogging I just bought. A Short History of Nearly Everything is good and not too technical, by Bryson (a couple of kids read A Walk In the Woods after). Acquiring Genomes by Lynn Margulis, of course Cosmos by Sagan. Check out The Open Notebook for a behind the scenes look at science writing. A Primates Memoir by Robert Sapolsky, Why Don’t Zebra’s Get Ulcers by the same. Life by Richard Fortey. The Reluctant Mr. Darwin by David Quammen. Whew, I’ll stop there, but isn’t it awesome how much great science there is to read, and we aren’t even talking about all the great blogs or articles from mags like The New Yorker. Hope this helps.

By: donncha

donncha — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 00:44:42 +0000

Diamond’s “Guns. Germs & Steel” is a must read, and would also recommend “Rise and Fall of the Third Chimpanzee”.

“Stardust” – John Gribbin really struck a chord with me when I read it. That we are literally made of the remnants of stars is a real awe-inspriring concept.

“Eating The Sun” – Oliver Morton, about the wonders of chlorophyll/photosynthesis is another good one.

(I can see my credit card is going to get a workout with all these recommendations I’ve yet to read!!)