The Way Life Works

by Mahlon B. Hoagland and Bert Dodson

Book Overview

In the tradition of David Macaulay's The Way Things Work, this popular-science book--a unique collaboration between a world-renowned molecular biologist and an equally talented artist--explains how... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0812920201
• ISBN13: 9780812920208
• Release Date: October 1995
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Length: 233 Pages
• Weight: 2.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 8.8" x 11.2"

Customer Reviews

Biology concepts explained

The illustrations and text are so clear at explaining the concepts of biology that I recommend this book to everyone I know with a high school kid. I used this as my basic text for a class for homeschoolers on cell biology. My little geek daughter has read and reread this book from the age of 8 or 9, and at the age of 12 (with some other study) got a 750 on the SAT II Biology test. Hoaglund really knows how to explain life science. I especially recommend the section explaining how life staves off entropy to allow building of complexity. I learned more from this little book than from high school Biology.

Absoultely Inspirational and enlightening

This book is a masterpiece. It opens up your eyes and your imagination in such a fation, you will understand many concepts that otherwise an ordinary person like myself couldnt put together sciencewise. Thanks so much to the Authors. Big talent.

The best book I ever read!

Style is awesome!. The graphics and analogies are so well done that almost anybody without previous biology knowledge can get the full picture of the basics (and even some level of detail) of molecular and cell biology after reading this book. The level of abstraction is so good that sometimes I had to stop to think about what I read to get the real dimension that the writers wanted to expossed. It is a real master piece describing life (as life and not as an specific species) in its full dimension. Congrats to the authors!, I have read so many books, but I can't remember one with such an in depth, simply and universal style. That book is worth far more than the $20 I paid for it.

The everyone's gateway to biology !

I've just terminated to read this book, and I think the authors have done a fantastic job. Explaining major biology themes in such a pleasant way is really wonderful. It's difficult to imagine a better introduction to biology !The book explains what is life, how it produces energy, what is genetics,... Even evolution is covered in a very clear manner. Latest theories and thoughts about these topics are included, for example about the origin of life.I have read some books on biology (I'm a mechanical engineer), and I think this one is the best to begin with. It's a great refreshing to see all these beautiful drawings (the work of Bert Dodson is great), and to read a text so sharp and clear (thanks to Mahlon Hoagland) !A vital book for everybody amazed by life and biology, who feels some gap in his/her knowledge about the subject.

a beautiful illustrated primer of molecular biology

This is simply the book I had been waiting for all my life!! The book is unquestionably a superb introductory text for the biology ignorant like me. :-) I've always been fascinated by molecular biology and genetic but lack any formal training in general biology. Since my chemistry background has been relatively poor I had been looking for a molecular biology primer that relies more on the conceptual and theoretical understanding than formal chemistry background. This text explains the essential concepts in the simplest terms (but not shallow) that anyone can comprehend and appreciate. Want to know how DNA and RNA work? Want to learn what are ATP, mitochondrion, molecular evolution, etc.? Just read this book! You'll understand and want to learn more about biology in general. The 7 chapters in the text cover essential concepts about biological life: pattern, energy, information, machinery, feedback, community, and evolution. I wish there are more biology books like this one targeted toward the general public who wants to understand the deep issues in molecular biology without overally simplifications. This is the book about Life I'd been looking forward to read all my life! I'm sure many others have been waiting for a book like this to be written. And now it's!! I'd highly recommend it to everyone who is interested in biology but is afraid of too much chemistry and/or too shallow of coverage. Lee