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Title: The Diversity of Life (Questions of Science) by Edward Osborne Wilson, Amy B. Wright, Sarah Landry ISBN: 0-674-21298-3 Publisher: Belknap Pr Pub. Date: October, 1992 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $31.50 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.43 (21 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Impressive and clever defence of biodiversity.
Comment: This is an important book.
But first a warning: readers should have some basic biological knowledge and part of the book (with many examples and useful digressions) will only appeal to botanists/microbiologists.
Prof. Wilson clearly demonstrates that the world's demographic explosion initiated a big extinction of all sort of biological species and that we have to stop this, for biodiversity is priceless.
Governments take the biological wealth of their country not serious enough. He states for instance that fewer than 3 percent of the flowering plants of the world have been examined for alkoloids and that many species are at risk.
Prof. Wilson illustrates very forcefully the impact of biodiversity by giving numerous examples from the medical, pharmaceutical, energy and agricultural field with colossal numbers in $ for actual applications.
To give one example: 'the rosy periwinkle of Madagascar produces two alkaloids that cure most victims of two of the deadliest of cancers, Hodgkin's disease and acute lymphocytic leukaemia. The income from the manufacture and sale of these two substances exceeds $ 180 million a year.' (p.271)
This is a very important book for the future of humanity. It cannot be underrated.
Rating: 5
Summary: The Diversity of Life
Comment: The Diversity of Life written by Edward O. Wilson is a very descriptively historical writing about biodiversity and the intergration of man and the changes that have evolved over time. The author is an entomologist and a Harvard professor making a lucid point with scientific explanation about the deterioration of the physicial enviornment and its effect upon man in the long term.
Wilson eloquently describes how species diversification was accomplished and how the loss of this diversification of biodiversity, would be an enormous loss to mankind. Wilson's major theme throughout the book is to save the the planet from man's development, loss of biodiversity and its effects, and the repair and reversal of the deliterious affects of the physical enviornment.
I found the book to have truth in the end result, but to accomplish this end, things would radically change in the short run. The book does open ones eyes to what is going on around us daily, things that if only looking with a keen eye would you notice. Wilson's engaging and nontechonical prose work through the subject matter and offers a fresh perspective. This book will give the reader broad views of evolution, but with enough specifics to illustrate the point.
The book has excellent illustrations, further developing the argument, making this a classical text as we read the last section, where the enviornmental ethic makes Wilson's point.
Do NOT be alarmed by the science in this book, as it is straight forward and easily understood, so the reader should make it through with no problem. Whether examining insects or a patch of grass, Wilson has mastered the science and brings it to the reader in understandable form.
Rating: 5
Summary: Very rich book!
Comment: An incredibly full and rich book that seems to cover every aspect of nature - it poses great questions about diversity and human impact and uses countless examples and sound research. Really great - better if you have a science background as I (without such a background) was a little lost in some of the examples/descriptions. I ceratinly feel better for having read this book. Its a very important work.
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Title: The Future of Life by Edward O. Wilson ISBN: 0679768114 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 11 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $13.00 |
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Title: Consilience : The Unity of Knowledge by Edward O. Wilson, Edward Osborne Wilson ISBN: 067976867X Publisher: Random House Pub. Date: 30 March, 1999 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
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Title: On Human Nature by Edward Osborne Wilson ISBN: 067463442X Publisher: Harvard Univ Pr Pub. Date: October, 1988 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
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Title: Biodiversity by National Forum on Biodiversity, E.O. Wilson, Frances M. Peter, National Academy of Sciences (U.S.), National Academ Smithsonian Institution ISBN: 0309037395 Publisher: National Academy Press Pub. Date: September, 1989 List Price(USD): $34.95 |
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Title: Naturalist by Edward O. Wilson ISBN: 0446671991 Publisher: Warner Books Pub. Date: 01 December, 1995 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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