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Books > Biography > Science, technology & engineering
John Burdon Sanderson Haldane F.R.S. (1892-1964) was one of the
leading scientists of the twentieth century, renowned for helping,
through statistical wizardry, to reconcile Darwin's theory of
natural selection with Mendel's discovery of genes. The product of
a distinguished family of scientists and public figures, "JBS"
trained and influenced a swathe of students and colleagues at
Oxford, Cambridge, and University College London, many of whom,
such as the evolutionary theorist John Maynard Smith, went on to
distinction in their own right. As a widely known left-wing "public
intellectual," Haldane gained fame as a popularizer of science and
commentator on public affairs, broadcasting often on the BBC and
publishing extensively in newspapers and magazines. His collections
of popular scientific essays influenced a generation of upcoming
scientists and remain in print today. On his death in 1964, he was
accorded the rare tribute of a televised self-obituary on the BBC.
Celebrated for his ability to connect seemingly disparate subjects,
during the Second World War Haldane was extensively involved in
scientific research to aid the British war effort. Using evidence
gathered from VENONA Signals Intelligence intercepts, MI5 files,
and the Haldane papers, this book reveals that Haldane was also a
Soviet spy-a member of the "X Group," an espionage ring that was
run out of the Soviet Embassy in London. His interlocking
associations with other spies, such as Ivor Montagu and Hans Kahle;
his role as a hardline Stalinist propagandist through the onset of
the Cold War; his betrayal of his colleague and friend, the Soviet
geneticist Nikolai Vavilov; his long-standing support for the
charlatan Soviet "scientist" Trofim D. Lysenko; and his concealed
stalemate with the Communist Party of Great Britain once his
ability to finesse Lysenko was extinguished, are unraveled here for
the first time.
When Dr David Hosack tilled the America's first botanical garden in
the Manhattan soil more than two hundred years ago, he didn't just
dramatically alter the New York landscape; he left a monumental
legacy of advocacy for public health and wide-ranging support for
the sciences. A charismatic dreamer admired by the likes of
Jefferson, Madison and Humboldt, and intimate friends with both
Hamilton and Burr, the Columbia professor devoted his life to
inspiring Americans to pursue medicine and botany with a rigour to
rival Europe's. Though he was shoulder-to-shoulder with the
founding fathers Hosack and his story remain unknown. Now, in
melodic prose, Victoria Johnson eloquently chronicles Hosack's
tireless career to reveal the breadth of his impact.
From the age of ten, looking up at the stars, Jerry Ross knew that
he wanted to journey into space. This autobiography tells the story
of how he came not only to achieve that goal, but to become the
most-launched astronaut in history, as well as a NASA veteran whose
career spanned the entire US Space Shuttle program. From his
childhood in rural Indiana, through education at Purdue University,
and a career in the US Air Force, Ross charted a path to NASA after
overcoming many setbacks-from failing to qualify for Air Force
pilot training because of "bad" eyesight, to an initial failure to
be selected into the astronaut program. The majority of the book is
an insider's account of the US Space Shuttle program, including the
unforgettable experience of launch, the delights of weightless
living, and the challenges of constructing the International Space
Station. Ross is a uniquely qualified narrator. During seven
spaceflights, he spent 1,393 hours in space, including 58 hours and
18 minutes on nine space walks. Life on the ground is also
described, including the devastating experiences of the Challenger
and Columbia disasters. For readers who have followed the space
program from Mercury through the International Space Station and
wonder what comes next, this book provides fascination; for young
people interested in space exploration and reaching for their
dreams, whatever they might be, this book provides inspiration.
Full of stories of spaceflight that few humans have ever
experienced, told with humor and honesty, Spacewalker presents a
unique perspective on the hard work, determination, and faith
necessary to travel beyond this world. Key Points: An insider's
account of the US Space Shuttle program, from before its first
launch through the final landing, and the building of the
International Space Station. A firsthand account of life in space
from the first human to fly seven missions. An inspirational story
of a personal journey from rural Indiana to outer space, powered by
a deep Christian faith.
A RICHARD AND JUDY BOOK CLUB PICK 'With poignancy, humour and
compassion, Jones invites us into "the invigorating chaos of
pre-hospital care" . . . a panorama of experiences: the mundane,
the ridiculous, the heartbreaking and the tragic' - The Guardian
'This beautifully written book, punctuated with wry humour, is a
sobering portrayal of the ailing, the distressed and the lonely...
Yet it's also an uplifting read which will make you thankful that
should your hour of need arrive, so will someone like Jones' -
Daily Express A memoir of the chaos, intensity and occasional
beauty of life as a paramedic. A young man has stopped breathing in
a supermarket toilet. A pedestrian with a nasty head injury won't
let the crew near him on a busy road. A newborn baby is worryingly
silent. An addict urinates on the ambulance floor when denied a
fix. This is the life of an ambulance paramedic. Jake Jones has
worked in the UK ambulance service for ten years: every day, he
sees a dozen of the scenes we hope to see only once in a lifetime.
Can You Hear Me? - the first thing he says when he arrives on the
scene - is a memoir of the chaos, intensity and occasional beauty
of life on the front-lines of medicine in the UK. As well as a look
into dozens of extraordinary scenes - the hoarder who won't move
his collection to let his ailing father leave the house, the
blood-soaked man who tries to escape from the ambulance, the life
saved by a lucky crew who had been called to see someone else
entirely - Can You Hear Me? is an honest examination of the strains
and challenges of one of the most demanding and important jobs
anyone can do.
This book sheds new light on the life and the influence of one of
the most significant critical thinkers in psychology of the last
century, Theodore R. Sarbin (1911-2005). In the first section
authors provide a comprehensive account of Sarbin's life and
career. The second section consists in a collection of ten
publications from the last two decades of his career. The essays
cover topics such as the adoption of contextualism as the
appropriate world view for psychology, the establishment of
narrative psychology as a major mode of inquiry, and the rejection
both mechanism and mentalism as suitable approaches for psychology.
The book is historically informed and yet focused on the future of
psychological theory and practice. It will engage researches and
scholars in psychology, social scientists and philosophers, as well
general readership interested in exploring Sarbin's theories.
In this work, Carl Anthony shares his perspectives as an
African-American child in post-World War II Philadelphia; a student
and civil rights activist in 1960s Harlem; a traveling student of
West African architecture; and an architect, planner, and
environmental justice advocate in Berkeley. He contextualizes this
within American urbanism and human origins, making profoundly
personal both African American and American urban histories as well
as planetary origins and environmental issues, to not only bring a
new worldview to people of color, but to set forth a truly
inclusive vision of our shared planetary future. The Earth, the
City, and the Hidden Narrative of Race connects the logics behind
slavery, community disinvestment, and environmental exploitation to
address the most pressing issues of our time in a cohesive and
foundational manner. Most books dealing with these topics and
periods silo issues apart from one another, but this book
contextualizes the connections between social movements and issues,
providing tremendous insight into successful movement building.
Anthony's rich narrative describes both being at the mercy of
racism, urban disinvestment, and environmental injustice as well as
fighting against these forces with a variety of strategies. Because
this work is both a personal memoir and an exposition of ideas, it
will appeal to those who appreciate thoughtful and unique writing
on issues of race, including individuals exploring their own
African American identity, as well as progressive audiences of
organizations and community leaders and professionals interested in
democratizing power and advancing equitable policies for low-income
communities and historically disenfranchised communities.
Niels Bohr, who pioneered the quantum theory of the atom, had a
broad conception of his obligations as a physicist. They included
not only a responsibility for the consequences of his work for the
wider society, but also a compulsion to apply the philosophy he
deduced from his physics to improving ordinary people's
understanding of the moral universe they inhabit. In some of these
concerns Bohr resembled Einstein, although Einstein could not
accept what he called the "tranquilizing philosophy" with which
Bohr tried to resolve such ancient conundrums as the nature (or
possibility) of free will. In this Very Short Introduction John
Heilbron draws on sources never before presented in English to
cover the life and work of one of the most creative physicists of
the 20th century. In addition to his role as a scientist, Heilbron
considers Bohr as a statesman and Danish cultural icon, who built
scientific institutions and pushed for the extension of
international cooperation in science to all nation states. As a
humanist he was concerned with the cultivation of all sides of the
individual, and with the complementary contributions of all peoples
to the sum of human culture. Throughout, Heilbron considers how all
of these aspects of Bohr's personality influenced his work, as well
as the science that made him, in the words of Sir Henry Dale,
President of the Royal Society of London, probably the "first among
all the men of all countries who are now active in any department
of science." ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series
from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost
every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to
get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine
facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make
interesting and challenging topics highly readable.
'I think you have something here' I said, 'This could lead to a
whole new way of understanding criminal behaviour. As far as I know
no one's ever tried to figure out why serial killers kill. The
implications are profound.' Haunting, heartfelt, and deeply human,
Dr Ann Burgess's remarkable memoir combines a riveting personal
narrative of fearless feminism and ambition, bone-chilling
encounters with real-life monsters, and a revealing portrait of the
ever-evolving US criminal justice system. A Killer By Design will
inspire, terrify, and enlighten you in equal measure. It forces us
to confront the age-old question 'What drives someone to kill, and
how can we stop them?' 'Of all the colleagues I've worked with, Ann
is one of the sharpest - and one of the toughest ... She taught us
how to harness the chaos of serial killers' minds and helped us
decipher the undecipherable. I'd recommend that everyone read A
Killer By Design; not only is it a great page-turner, but it's
about time Ann's story was heard' - JOHN E. DOUGLAS, former FBI
criminal profiler and bestselling author of Mindhunter.
This fascinating portrait of an amateur astronomy movement tells
the story of how Charles Olivier recruited a hard-working cadre of
citizen scientists to rehabilitate the study of meteors. By 1936,
Olivier and members of his American Meteor Society had succeeded in
disproving an erroneous idea about meteor showers. Using careful
observations, they restored the public's trust in predictions about
periodic showers and renewed respect for meteor astronomy among
professional astronomers in the United States. Charles Olivier and
his society of observers who were passionate about watching for
meteors in the night sky left a major impact on the field. In
addition to describing Olivier's career and describing his
struggles with competitive colleagues in a hostile scientific
climate, the author provides biographies of some of the scores of
women and men of all ages who aided Olivier in making shower
observations, from the Leonids and Perseids and others. Half of
these amateur volunteers were from 13 to 25 years of age. Their
work allowed Olivier and the AMS to contradict the fallacious
belief in stationary and long-enduring meteor showers, bringing the
theory of their origin into alignment with celestial mechanics.
Thanks to Olivier and his collaborators, the study of meteors took
a great leap forward in the twentieth century to earn a place as a
worthy topic of study among professional astronomers.
The story of the end-of-life experience of a palliative care
physician who helped thousands of patients to die well. We all die.
Most of us spend the majority of our lives ignoring this
uncomfortable truth, but Dr. Larry Librach dedicated his life and
his career to helping his patients navigate their final journey.
Then, in April 2013, Larry was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic
cancer. Unlike the majority of us, Larry knew the death he wanted.
He wanted to die at home, surrounded by his family: his wife of
forty years, his children, and his grandchildren. He did. He was
peaceful and calm at the end. Larry proved that the "good death"
isn't a myth. It can be done, and he showed us how. Ever the
teacher, Larry made his last journey a teachable moment on how to
die the best death possible, even with a pernicious disease. As
hard as it is to guide patients toward dying well, it is far harder
to live those precepts day by day as the clock ticks down to one's
own death, but Larry, together with author Phil Dwyer, chronicled
his final journey with courage and humour.
This remarkable true story about the co-founder of Jet
Propulsion Laboratory. By day, Parsons' unorthodox genius created a
solid rocket fuel that helped the Allies win World War II. By
night, Parsons called himself The Antichrist. "One of the best
books of the year."--"The Anomalist"
L. Ron Hubbard exposed the brutal truth of a psychiatric chemical
onslaught, the likes of which this world has never seen. This,
then, is the story of 21st century cultural wastage. Also detailed
is Mr. Hubbard s clear and understandable solution to all chemical
toxins, with the Purification Program and the worldwide network of
Narconon rehabilitation centers. Narconon is the by far most
successful drug rehabilitation program, with the maximum percentage
of those who never revert to drugs again. This volume covers L. Ron
Hubbard's development and discoveries, as well as a history of its
organizations, that have saved hundreds of thousands of lives by
getting them off of drugs permanently.
The wildly entertaining and eye-opening biography of J. Allen
Hynek, the astronomer who invented the concept of "Close
Encounters" with alien life, inspired Steven Spielberg's
blockbuster classic science fiction epic film, and made a nation
want to believe in UFOs. In June 1947, private pilot Kenneth Arnold
looked out his cockpit window and saw a group of nine silvery
crescents weaving between the peaks of the Cascade Mountains at an
estimated 1,200 miles an hour. The media, the military, and the
scientific community-led by J. Allen Hynek, an astronomer hired by
the Air Force-debunked this and many other Unidentified Flying
Object sightings reported across the country. But after years of
denials, Hynek made a shocking pronouncement: UFOs are real. Thirty
years after his death, Hynek's agonizing transformation from
skepticism to true believer remains one of the great misunderstood
stories of science. In this definitive biography, Mark O'Connell
reveals for the first time how Hynek's work both as a celebrated
astronomer and as the U. S. Air Force's go-to UFO expert for nearly
twenty years stretched the boundaries of modern science, laid the
groundwork for acceptance of the possibility of UFOs, and was the
basis of the hit film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. With
unprecedented access to Hynek's personal and professional files,
O'Connell smashes conventional wisdom to reveal the intriguing man
and scientist beneath the legend. Tracing Hynek's career, O'Connell
examines Hynek's often-ignored work as a professional astronomer to
create a complete portrait of a groundbreaking enthusiast who
became an American cult icon and transformed the way we see our
world and our universe.
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