Scientific endeavor begins with asking questions about the nature of the world around us and gathering data, but this work cannot be complete without effectively communicating the conclusions and data found. "Communicating Rocks: Writing, Speaking, and Thinking about Geology "not only makes the case for balancing science with writing and speaking, but makes the case that one cannot have the former without the latter. Instruction concerning the rules and styles of writing and speaking are addressed in relation to technical concerns specific to the Earth sciences, illustrating the importance of effective communication in geologic investigations. The book includes guidance on how to write an effective research paper, and the creation of PowerPoints, posters, a thesis, funding proposals, and more is covered in detail.

A user's manual for understanding why we do the things we do, "Living With Our Genes" is the first comprehensive investigation of the crucial link between DNA and behavior.

Nowhere is the nature-nurture controversy being more arduously tested than in the labs of world-renowned molecular geneticist Dean Hamer, whose cutting-edge discoveries of specific genes linked to behavioral traits -- such as anxiety, thrill-seeking, and homosexuality -- prove without a doubt that we are in large part hardwired to behave the way we do. Hamer is one of a small group of researchers mapping the human personality, and his findings help, in part, to explain why one brother becomes a Wall Street trader while his sibling remains content as a librarian; why some people like to bungee-jump while others play Scrabble.

"Living With Our Genes" helps readers understand their particular genetic makeup and decipher the mysteries of genetically inherited behavioral traits. Hamer shows that much of our behavior -- how much we eat, weigh, drink, use drugs, and have sex -- is heavily influenced by genes. He also sheds light on some of the most compelling and vexing aspects of personality, such as shyness, aggression, depression, and intelligence.

In the tradition of Listening to Prozac, this is a wonderfully anecdote-filled book that explains how we arrive at the idea of self in an ever-changing scientific landscape.