"A comprehensive celebration and exploration of life on Planet Earth"
Written by a Professor of Plant Ecology at the University of Oxford, this is an essential book for Biology students keen to read around their subject. Equally, it is the perfect companion for other curious minds looking to develop an understanding of the natural world.
In the introduction, Turnbull describes Earth as a place that “teems with unimaginable wonders”, it is absolutely fair to draw a comparison with her book, as that too is teeming with wonders to excite and inspire. Each colour coded chapter is full of information on, and explanations of, subjects such as cells, ecosystems, sex, bacteria, energy and plants. Real world examples are successfully employed to explain often complex subjects in a way that is both engaging and understandable. Each chapter is approximately 30 pages long, this alongside the colour coding make the large book inviting to dip into and consult according to interest.
Indeed, Turnbull shows a real care for and understanding of her readers, sharing her enthusiasm for her subject on every page. The keenness to draw the reader in and enable them to love and understand the subject is evident in a number of ways, including the use of clear language, considered formatting and an avoidance of overwhelming the readers with excessive scientific terminology and names. Whilst the appealing illustrations successfully help explain complex concepts.
Impressively balancing the fine line between being informative, entertaining and accessible, this is an enjoyable read that brings the story of life on Earth to life for the reader.
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Clear, easily accessible but challenging all at once. A great addition to any Bookshelf!
Fantastic book, clear illustrations where used and the use of large text to draw out quotes highlights concepts in an interesting way.
The book is written in a clear, easy to follow way, making it accessible to all, both students and adults alike. I feel like a more intelligent person for reading this book, so many facts I was unaware of but also points at which I was challenged to stop and question my own previous ideas.... Read Full Review
Completely fascinating, Biology: The Whole Story is a very engaging and accessible read.
Completely fascinating, Biology: The Whole Story is a very engaging and accessible read. Not being naturally drawn to the sciences, I was interested to see how I coped with a book devoted entirely to biology. I was pleasantly surprised.
Concepts are clearly explained, allowing those with little prior knowledge to confidently develop their understanding and make sense of the subject. For students of biology, this is sure to make an excellent companion to their studies, easy to return to again and again.
The book is organised into ten chapters with the edges of the pages coloured, enabling each section to be quickly located and making the book attractive. Had this colour coding been reflected in the contents page, it would have been even better.... Read Full Review
I feel that I now have a much better understanding of the beautiful intricacies that governor our planet. The world really is an amazing place when looked at through a biologist's lens.
I loved biology at school. It may have been amazing teachers or just that it runs in the genes (my sister is a biochemist). However, apart from teaching science at school I haven't really thought about it in much depth for a long time. This book brought that spark back! It's really well written, and is perfect for the layman or experienced student of science. There were only a few sections which I found too detailed and heavy and had to skip those, and those were mainly in Chapter 4 - Energy, but the rest was a fascinating read. I feel that I now have a much better understanding of the beautiful intricacies that govern our planet. Also, I'm more ready for biology questions on University Challenge!... Read Full Review
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