Good Scientific Non-Fiction books?

rock · 04-20-2010, 03:42 PM

I am looking for a good scientific non-ficiton book.

Even if they are theories about a civilization or anything.

I am up for anything.

Archeology anything.

ardeegee · 04-20-2010, 03:52 PM

Here's a good start:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62517

rock · 04-20-2010, 03:56 PM

Ah very good. didn't see that. Thank you kind sir.

MartinParish · 04-21-2010, 11:52 PM

A few suggestions:

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. You may have read and/or heard of this one anyway, but it's still a really neat book - even if I don't agree with all of his ideas myself. It tries to answer the fundamental question: why did some civilizations(i.e., European) enjoy such technological superiority over the other cultures and societies they encountered(and conquered)? Or, to put it a little differently, why did Charles the Fifth's men take the Inca Atahualpa prisoner instead of the other way around?

Another neat one along the same lines is Plagues and Peoples by William Hardy McNeil. I just read this one myself recently. Basically the author argued(it was written in the 1970s) that the impact of epidemic disease on history had been greatly underestimated and might explain, among other things, the fall of the Roman Empire.

If you're a nerd like me and you enjoy reading textbooks(admittedly, not everyone does), consider this book on cell biology - nice introductory book that covers the whole deal. Neat stuff if you are so minded.

rock · 04-22-2010, 12:09 AM

Actually I never heard of the Gun Germs and Steel before. Must check that out.

I read so many psychology text books it is not funny. I never liked history text books though, or at least I never really found a good one.

I still remember my American History teacher in high school ( he never used the text much) always say you can't trust text books often because they are written by the winner, or have a twist. I learned a lot in his class.

I used to read a bunch of science text books when I was a kid as I was planning to follow that path later on, but decided to go into IT for now. though I hated biology in High school, but I was a freshman lol. Physics, Chemistry, and geology and stuff appealed to me more.

04-20-2010, 03:42 PM	#1
rock Addict Posts: 240 Karma: 18772 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Nook, Astak EZ Reader Pocket, iPhone 3g, Droid	Good Scientific Non-Fiction books? I am looking for a good scientific non-ficiton book. Even if they are theories about a civilization or anything. I am up for anything. Archeology anything.

04-21-2010, 11:52 PM	#4
MartinParish Author of 2184 Posts: 61 Karma: 810 Join Date: Apr 2010 Device: Kindle	A couple thoughts A few suggestions: Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. You may have read and/or heard of this one anyway, but it's still a really neat book - even if I don't agree with all of his ideas myself. It tries to answer the fundamental question: why did some civilizations(i.e., European) enjoy such technological superiority over the other cultures and societies they encountered(and conquered)? Or, to put it a little differently, why did Charles the Fifth's men take the Inca Atahualpa prisoner instead of the other way around? Another neat one along the same lines is Plagues and Peoples by William Hardy McNeil. I just read this one myself recently. Basically the author argued(it was written in the 1970s) that the impact of epidemic disease on history had been greatly underestimated and might explain, among other things, the fall of the Roman Empire. If you're a nerd like me and you enjoy reading textbooks(admittedly, not everyone does), consider this book on cell biology - nice introductory book that covers the whole deal. Neat stuff if you are so minded.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Good historical fiction?	some call me tim	Reading Recommendations	63	11-26-2012 07:08 AM
What are your favorite non-fiction books?	GatorDeb	Reading Recommendations	57	05-08-2010 01:05 PM
When does good fiction become pulp fiction?	Steven Lake	Writers' Corner	38	04-28-2010 11:27 AM
Fiction in the Age of E-Books	Nate the great	General Discussions	15	04-20-2010 08:06 PM
reading and working with scientific books	sammy	Which one should I buy?	1	04-15-2010 10:04 AM

04-20-2010, 03:52 PM	#2
ardeegee Maratus speciosus butt Posts: 3,292 Karma: 1162698 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: PRS-350	Here's a good start: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62517

04-20-2010, 03:56 PM	#3
rock Addict Posts: 240 Karma: 18772 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Nook, Astak EZ Reader Pocket, iPhone 3g, Droid	Ah very good. didn't see that. Thank you kind sir.

04-22-2010, 12:09 AM	#5
rock Addict Posts: 240 Karma: 18772 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Nook, Astak EZ Reader Pocket, iPhone 3g, Droid	Actually I never heard of the Gun Germs and Steel before. Must check that out. I read so many psychology text books it is not funny. I never liked history text books though, or at least I never really found a good one. I still remember my American History teacher in high school ( he never used the text much) always say you can't trust text books often because they are written by the winner, or have a twist. I learned a lot in his class. I used to read a bunch of science text books when I was a kid as I was planning to follow that path later on, but decided to go into IT for now. though I hated biology in High school, but I was a freshman lol. Physics, Chemistry, and geology and stuff appealed to me more.

Advert

Advert