Life Cycles: Reflections of an Evolutionary Biologist (Princeton Legacy Library) - Softcover

Bonner, John Tyler

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0691001510 ISBN 13: 9780691001517

Publisher: Princeton University Press, 2006

Synopsis

Within a single captivating narrative, John Bonner combines an intensely personal memoir of scientific progress and an overview of what we now know about living things. Bonner, a major participant in the development of biology as an experimental science, draws on his life-long study of slime molds for an understanding of the life cycle-the foundation of all biology. In an age of increasing specialization and fragmentation among subfields of biology, this is a unique work of reflection and integration.

About this title

Review

"If we measure books by the degree to which they alter our perceptions, then this one is certainly a winner. We will never be able to look at a rotting log in quite the same way again or dig through the soil in the garden."--Steven Austad, Natural History

"Charming, fascinating, and insightful, this slim volume combines a memoir of a life in science with an accessible distillation of what we know about the workings of living things."--Kirkus Reviews

"Bonner's prose is a felicitous blend of science simply explained, gentle but insistent rigor, and a fetching triad of wry humor, personal anecdote and unexpected diversion. This makes for an enchanting book that reflects a thoughtful preoccupation with life cycles and their evolution...rang[ing]...widely from the inherent importance of the size of particular organisms to the nature of animal thought and human culture."--Bernard Dixon, New Scientist

"This, then, is not only a book that grapples with some of the most profound issues in biology but also a professional autobiography; a life history that has intertwined with the life cycles under study....Bonner's book ought to be a classic."--Peter Calow, The Times Higher Education Supplement

Synopsis

The author builds on his research with the life cycle to explain to non-specialists the principles behind the drama of the living world. He recounts a number of insightful stories about the achievements and eccentricities of biological scientists.

Edition details

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0691001510
• ISBN 13: 9780691001517
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 209