Ninety degrees north : the quest for the North Pole
By, Fleming, Fergus
Publisher: Grove Press
Class No.: 919.804 FLE
Accession No.: 011171
Year: 2001
Pages: 470 p.

Of the week: 13th July 2009 to 18th July 2009

From daring medical developments to dire environmental predictions, from sophisticated computer applications to scathing evolutionary skirmishes, the range of scientific topics covered by journalists has never been more eclectic or exhilarating, nor has it ever been so accessible to the layperson whose knowledge of or interest in such presumably "technical" subjects might have been left behind at the end of high-school biology classes. With so many stellar examples of sharp and satisfying writing to choose from, Kolata faced a daunting editing task, yet the 20 selections in this year's annual compilation represent a seamless fusion of the empirical and elemental. Among the highlights: Stacey Burling's nimble tale of diagnosing Alzheimer's disease; Matthew Chapman's nifty behind-the-scenes exposé of the Dover, Pennsylvania, lawsuit regarding the teaching of evolution; and Gregory Mone's noteworthy profile of the scientist behind movie science. Culled from the pages of Harper's, Esquire, and the New Yorker, among other mainstream publications, this compelling compendium is one-stop reading for technogeeks and regular folk alike. Haggas, Carol.