The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2001

by Edward O. Wilson (Editor), Burkhard Bilger (Editor)

Also an instant bestseller in the Best American series, this second annual Best American Science and Nature Writing volume, edited by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author, scientist, and naturalist Edward O. Wilson, promises to be another “eclectic, provocative collection” (Entertainment Weekly) that is both a science reader’s dream and a nature lover’s sustenance.


Iterations of immortality / David Berlinski --
To save a watering hole / Mark Cherrington --
New life in a death trap / Edwin Dobb --
Abortion and brain waves / Gregg Easterbrook --
Baby steps / Malcolm Gladwell --
In the forests of Gombe / Jane Goodall --
The doubting disease / Jerome Groopman --
The recycled generation --
Stephen S. Hall --
Endurance predator / Bernd Heinrich --
Harpy eagles / Edward Hoagland --
Why the future doesn't need us / Bill Joy --
A killing at dawn / Ted Kerasote --
Seeing scarlet / Barbara Kingsolver and Steven Hopp --
The best clock in the world / Verlyn Klinkenborg --
The wild world's Scotland Yard / Jon R. Luoma --
Breeding discontent / Cynthia Mills --
Ice station Vostok / Oliver Morton --
Being prey / Val Plumwood --
Troubled waters / Sandra Postel --
The genome warrior / Richard Preston --
Megatransect / David Quammen --
Inside the volcano / Donovan Webster

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Anthologies

272 pages, Paperback

First published October 10, 2001

About the author

Edward Osborne Wilson, sometimes credited as E.O. Wilson, was an American biologist, researcher, theorist, and author. His biological specialty is myrmecology, a branch of entomology. A two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction, Wilson is known for his career as a scientist, his advocacy for environmentalism, and his secular-humanist ideas pertaining to religious and ethical matters. He was the Pellegrino University Research Professor in Entomology for the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University and a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. He is a Humanist Laureate of the International Academy of Humanism.

Reviews

[Asvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading through the articles from 2001 and getting to know what had happened to their subjects in the intervening 20 years. Wonderful selection of articles!

[Ethan Pastor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just some biologists doing some biology. I fw this heavy.

[Merrin Foltz · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting to read these 25 years later and see how things have progressed since then! a few of the essays struck me as preachy and annoying but they all served good food for thought

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great compilation for the science and nature nerd. Rapel over the edge of a volcano, go behind the politics of cataloging the first human genome, follow the development of an embryo from conception to birth. I totally geeked out on these stories, and also enjoyed their craft and description. I think I will read more of this series for sure!

[Vince Darcangelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Faves:

Edwin Dobb: "New Life in a Death Trap"

Jerome Groopman: "The Doubting Disease"

Verlyn Klinkenborg: "The Best Clock in the World"

Bill Joy: "Why the Future Doesn't Need Us"

Val Plumwood: "Being Prey"

Gregg Easterbrook: "Abortion and Brain Waves"

Malcolm Gladwell: "Baby Steps"

[Darth Jader · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing collection of short to medium length articles covering the most intriguing aspects of science and nature in 2000. It's very interesting reading some of these articles with the perspective of events as they are occurring today!

[Diana Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This contains an essay called "Becoming Food". One of the absolute best stories/reflections on what it means to be a part of the food chain. A true Australian croc vs. human tale.

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is more Nature than Science , but that's because it's Captain E.O.'s