Amazon.com (ISBN 0300084609, Paperback)

Science isn't for everyone, but if you have even the faintest trace of curiosity about the world around you, Almost Everyone's Guide to Science will be a delight. Author John Gribbin, a cosmologist by training, is better known for writing such popularizations of the freaky world of 20th-century physics as In Search of Schrödinger's Cat. His choice of subjects for this latest project reaches new territory, expanding in breadth to cover not just physics but chemistry, geology, meteorology, and the life sciences as well; in short, he introduces the world as we know it. Challenging but not intimidating, his writing presumes an actively intelligent reader willing to pause and think things out from time to time. Like the best science writers, he knows that his characters are people like Einstein and Darwin rather than theories like relativity and natural selection. This human-centered writing style is absorbing and a little sneaky--even those readers pathologically resistant to retaining scientific information will find themselves startled once or twice by an odd paradox or brilliant insight. This mastery of storytelling is ultimately what sets Gribbin apart from most other science writers; if you've decided that it's time to survey what we know about the world, Almost Everyone's Guide to Science is the best place to start. --Rob Lightner

Amazon.com Book Description (ISBN 0753807696, Paperback)

John Gribbin is one of the few science writers who is equally comfortable writing about biology as about physics, and this beginner's guide will take the reader through the basics and the fundamental issues of the crucial areas of modern science, from the birth of the universe through to the evolution of our own species, the nature of human behaviour and the workings of our minds. Crucially, the book will not only provide an overview of the central areas in a single volume, but also explain how the areas link up, what evolutionary theory has to say bout how we think, how sub-atomic particles came into being in the big bang, and atoms in stars.

Amazon.com Book Description (ISBN 0300081014, Hardcover)

For anyone interested in the remarkable achievements and discoveries of modern science--but intimidated by confusing technical detail--this book offers the perfect solution. Award-winning author John Gribbin stands back from the details and offers a broad picture of science, from the structure of particles within the atom to the birth of the universe. With eloquent clarity, Gribbin explains the simple rules that govern the physical world.

Amazon.com Book Description (ISBN 0297820001, Hardcover)

An introduction to the central facts, evidence and issues of modern science, from black holes to DNA, from the Big Bang to the workings of the brain. It will be an ideal introduction to an increasingly central area, and an entry for teenagers, and adults with no or little background, alike.