What We Are Reading Today: Hoverflies of Britain and Ireland

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Updated 27 June 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: Hoverflies of Britain and Ireland

Authors: Stuart Ball & Roger Morris

“Hoverflies of Britain and Ireland” is a beautifully illustrated photographic field guide to this increasingly popular group of insects, focusing on the species that can be most readily identified. 

It is the perfect companion for wildlife enthusiasts, professional ecologists and anyone with an interest in this fascinating group of insects, and is designed to appeal to beginners and experts alike.


What We Are Reading Today: Sharkpedia

Updated 03 July 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: Sharkpedia

Author: Daniel Abel 

“Sharkpedia” is an entertaining and enlightening celebration of sharks featuring close to 100 entries, based on the latest knowledge and enriched by original illustrations.

Avoiding tired factoids, Daniel Abel gives new bite to essential information about sharks, including their adaptations as top predators, 450-million-year evolution, behavioral complexity, ecological importance, and existential threats.


What We Are Reading Today: The Sixth Element

Updated 01 July 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: The Sixth Element

Authors: Theodore Snow & Don Brownlee

In “The Sixth Element,” astronomers Theodore Snow and Don Brownlee tell the story of carbon from a cosmic perspective — how it was born in the fiery furnaces of stars, what special chemical and physical properties it has, and how it forms the chemical backbone of the planets and all life as we know it.

Foundational to every part of our lives, from our bodies to the food, tools, and atmosphere that sustain our existence, carbon is arguably humankind’s most important element.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘You Can’t Screw This Up’

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Updated 01 July 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘You Can’t Screw This Up’

In the 2023 book “You Can’t Screw This Up: Why Eating Takeout, Enjoying Dessert, and Taking the Stress out of Dieting Leads to Weight Loss That Lasts,” Adam Bornstein, one of the most well-known health consultants in the game, offers realistic advice.

As the CEO and founder of Born Fitness, the former editorial director of livestrong.com and the fitness editor for Men’s Health Magazine, he has worked with celebrities such as LeBron James, Cindy Crawford and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“We categorize health as a choice, and while you have a say in what you eat and how you exercise, the environment you live in and the endless options you’re given make it hard to see the real problems,” Bornstein writes. “There are dozens of diets, each offering differing opinions, which means you never really feel confident that you’re doing the right thing for your body.”

Bornstein emphasizes how the wellness industry, as it stands, has been feeding people negativity, and that a one-size-fits-all mentality won’t work. The book equips readers with tools that empower them to carve out their own path and personalize the takeaways to fit their lifestyles and goals.

He offers solutions such as a six-week plan that allows you to eat without counting calories and gives suggestions for take-out options from the top 50 most-visited restaurants in the US to make it easier for readers to select mindfully. He also includes 30 delicious, nutritious recipes that can be whipped up within 15 minutes, including indulgent but healthy versions of French toast sticks, sweet potato mac & cheese, and nachos.

The foreword, written by bodybuilder-turned actor-turned politician Schwarzenegger, who has known the author for a decade, is surprisingly thoughtful and self-aware while also being helpful.

“It’s frustrating to see so many plans built around fear and negative motivation,” Schwarzenegger writes. “When I look at the amount of shame and guilt, I’m not surprised that so many people have struggled to eat better and exercise consistently. As I sit and watch many people struggle to become healthier, I’m frustrated for them, because I see many people who want to change and are motivated to do so. No one has ever changed by beating themselves up. Change only comes from a positive vision.”

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘The African Revolution’

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Updated 30 June 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘The African Revolution’

Author: RICHARD REID

Africa’s long 19th century was a time of revolutionary ferment and cultural innovation for the continent’s states, societies, and economies.

Yet the period preceding what became known as “the Scramble for Africa” by European powers in the decades leading up to World War I has long been neglected in favor of a Western narrative of colonial rule.

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Real Internet Architecture’

Updated 29 June 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Real Internet Architecture’

Author: PAMELA ZAVE AND JENNIFER REXFORD

This book meets the long-standing need for an explanation of how the Internet’s architecture has evolved since its creation to support an ever-broader range of the world’s communication needs.

The authors introduce a new model of network architecture that exploits a powerful form of modularity to provide lucid, insightful descriptions of complex structures, functions, and behaviors in today’s Internet.