The Royal Society Prizes for Science Books
DiscussieThe Prizes
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1DaynaRT
"On Thursday 26 April 2007 they announced their shortlist of six books, one of which will win the Prize on 15 May. The shortlist is:
* Homo Britannicus by Christopher Stringer (Penguin Allen Lane)
* In Search of Memory by Eric R. Kandel (WW Norton & Co)
* Lonesome George by Henry Nicholls (Macmillan)
* One in Three by Adam Wishart(Profile Books)
* Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert (Harper Press)
* The Rough Guide to Climate Change by Robert Henson(Rough Guides)
The winner will be announced on the evening of 15 May 2007."
Read more here: http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/page.asp?id=6222&tip=1
* Homo Britannicus by Christopher Stringer (Penguin Allen Lane)
* In Search of Memory by Eric R. Kandel (WW Norton & Co)
* Lonesome George by Henry Nicholls (Macmillan)
* One in Three by Adam Wishart(Profile Books)
* Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert (Harper Press)
* The Rough Guide to Climate Change by Robert Henson(Rough Guides)
The winner will be announced on the evening of 15 May 2007."
Read more here: http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/page.asp?id=6222&tip=1
2DaynaRT
Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert has won the Royal Prize for science books. Press release is here
3DaynaRT
The shortlist for the 2008 Junior Prize is:
Ask Dr K Fisher about Animals by Claire Llewellyn
Big book of science things to make and do by Rebecca Gilpin andLeonie Pratt
How the incredible human body works by the Brainwaves by Richard Walker
It's Elementary! Putting the crackle into chemistry by Robert Winston
Serious Survival: How to Poo in the Arctic and other essential tips by Marshall Corwin
Why is Snot Green? Science Museum Question and Answer Book by Glenn Murphy
More info about these books can be found here - http://royalsociety.org/bookspage.asp?id=6318
Ask Dr K Fisher about Animals by Claire Llewellyn
Big book of science things to make and do by Rebecca Gilpin andLeonie Pratt
How the incredible human body works by the Brainwaves by Richard Walker
It's Elementary! Putting the crackle into chemistry by Robert Winston
Serious Survival: How to Poo in the Arctic and other essential tips by Marshall Corwin
Why is Snot Green? Science Museum Question and Answer Book by Glenn Murphy
More info about these books can be found here - http://royalsociety.org/bookspage.asp?id=6318
4DaynaRT
Longlist for the '08 General Prize:
* A Mind of its Own by Cordelia Fine (Icon Books)
* Bang! The Complete History of the Universe by Brian May, Patrick Moore and Chris Lintott (Carlton Books)
* Francis Crick, Discoverer of the Genetic Code by Matt Ridley (Harper Press)
* Giant Leaps by Jack Challoner and John Perry (Boxtree)
* Homo Britannicus by Chris Stringer (Penguin Allen Lane)
* In Search of Memory by Eric R. Kandel (WW Norton & Co)
* Lonesome George by Henry Nicholls (Macmillan)
* One in Three by Adam Wishart (Profile Books)
* Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert (Harper Press)
* The Goldilocks Enigma by Paul Davies (Penguin Allen Lane)
* The Rough Guide to Climate Change by Robert Henson (Rough Guides)
* The Science of Doctor Who by Paul Parsons (Icon Books)
* A Mind of its Own by Cordelia Fine (Icon Books)
* Bang! The Complete History of the Universe by Brian May, Patrick Moore and Chris Lintott (Carlton Books)
* Francis Crick, Discoverer of the Genetic Code by Matt Ridley (Harper Press)
* Giant Leaps by Jack Challoner and John Perry (Boxtree)
* Homo Britannicus by Chris Stringer (Penguin Allen Lane)
* In Search of Memory by Eric R. Kandel (WW Norton & Co)
* Lonesome George by Henry Nicholls (Macmillan)
* One in Three by Adam Wishart (Profile Books)
* Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert (Harper Press)
* The Goldilocks Enigma by Paul Davies (Penguin Allen Lane)
* The Rough Guide to Climate Change by Robert Henson (Rough Guides)
* The Science of Doctor Who by Paul Parsons (Icon Books)
5DaynaRT
Shortlist for '08:
A life decoded by J. Craig Venter
Coral: A pessimist in paradise by Steve Jones
Gut feelings by Gerd Gigerenzer
Six degrees: Our future on a hotter planet by Mark Lynas
The sun kings by Stuart Clark
Why beauty is truth by Ian Stewart
A life decoded by J. Craig Venter
Coral: A pessimist in paradise by Steve Jones
Gut feelings by Gerd Gigerenzer
Six degrees: Our future on a hotter planet by Mark Lynas
The sun kings by Stuart Clark
Why beauty is truth by Ian Stewart
6cushlareads
Thanks for these fleela - when the touchstones start working I'll figure out my husband's birthday presents for this year and last! Doh, I didn't even know this prize existed and some of these books sound fascinating.
7kiwidoc
Hi fleela. I was just wondering if you meant Longlist for 2007 in #4. It seems to contain the short list for 2007.
Thanks for posting this - interesting group of picks.
Thanks for posting this - interesting group of picks.
8kidzdoc
The longlist for the 2009 Prize was announced today:
Bad science by Ben Goldacre
Decoding the heavens: Solving the mystery of the world’s first computer by Jo Marchant
Ice, mud and blood: Lessons from climates past by Chris Turney
Living with Enza: The forgotten story of Britain and the great flu pandemic of 1918 by Mark Honigsbaum
Microcosm: E. coli and the new science of life by Carl Zimmer
Physics for future presidents: The science behind the headlines by Richard A. Muller
Quantum: Einstein. Bohr and the great debate about the nature of reality by Manjit Kumar
Strange fruit: Why both sides are wrong in the race debate by Kenan Malik
The age of wonder: How the Romantic generation discovered the beauty and terror of science by Richard Holmes
The drunkard’s walk: How randomness rules our lives by Leonard Mlodinow
The universe in a mirror: The saga of the Hubble Space Telescope and the visionaries who built it by Robert Zimmerman
What the nose knows: The science of scent in everyday life by Avery Gilbert
Your inner fish: The amazing discovery of our 375-million-year-old ancestor by Neil Shubin
The shortlist of six books will be announced on 25 June, and then the winner on 15 September 2009.
http://royalsociety.org/bookspage.asp?id=6318
Bad science by Ben Goldacre
Decoding the heavens: Solving the mystery of the world’s first computer by Jo Marchant
Ice, mud and blood: Lessons from climates past by Chris Turney
Living with Enza: The forgotten story of Britain and the great flu pandemic of 1918 by Mark Honigsbaum
Microcosm: E. coli and the new science of life by Carl Zimmer
Physics for future presidents: The science behind the headlines by Richard A. Muller
Quantum: Einstein. Bohr and the great debate about the nature of reality by Manjit Kumar
Strange fruit: Why both sides are wrong in the race debate by Kenan Malik
The age of wonder: How the Romantic generation discovered the beauty and terror of science by Richard Holmes
The drunkard’s walk: How randomness rules our lives by Leonard Mlodinow
The universe in a mirror: The saga of the Hubble Space Telescope and the visionaries who built it by Robert Zimmerman
What the nose knows: The science of scent in everyday life by Avery Gilbert
Your inner fish: The amazing discovery of our 375-million-year-old ancestor by Neil Shubin
The shortlist of six books will be announced on 25 June, and then the winner on 15 September 2009.
http://royalsociety.org/bookspage.asp?id=6318
9VisibleGhost
I forgot this prize existed. Thanks for posting this kidzdoc. I have read three of them.
Microcosm, The Universe in a Mirror, and Your Inner Fish. I liked all three of them. I would probably put Microcosm at the top of the list as my favorite.
Microcosm, The Universe in a Mirror, and Your Inner Fish. I liked all three of them. I would probably put Microcosm at the top of the list as my favorite.
10rebeccanyc
The only one I've read is The Drunkard's Walk, which I enjoyed but don't necessarily consider prize-worthy. I have What the Nose Knows because I heard the author speak; I've only glanced through it, but if it's anything like the author's talk it's more on the chatty side than the scientific side.
11kidzdoc
The shortlist for the 2009 prize was announced today:
Bad science by Ben Goldacre
Decoding the heavens: Solving the mystery of the world’s first computer by Jo Marchant
The age of wonder: How the Romantic generation discovered the beauty and terror of science by Richard Holmes
The drunkard’s walk: How randomness rules our lives by Leonard Mlodinow
What the nose knows: The science of scent in everyday life by Avery Gilbert
Your inner fish: The amazing discovery of our 375-million-year-old ancestor by Neil Shubin
The winner will be announced on 15 September.
2009 Prize
Bad science by Ben Goldacre
Decoding the heavens: Solving the mystery of the world’s first computer by Jo Marchant
The age of wonder: How the Romantic generation discovered the beauty and terror of science by Richard Holmes
The drunkard’s walk: How randomness rules our lives by Leonard Mlodinow
What the nose knows: The science of scent in everyday life by Avery Gilbert
Your inner fish: The amazing discovery of our 375-million-year-old ancestor by Neil Shubin
The winner will be announced on 15 September.
2009 Prize
12kiwidoc
I have read Bad Science and The Drunkard's Walk - both were really good reads.
13kidzdoc
An article in todays' Telegraph discusses the award and the shortlisted books, in anticipation of next week's announcement:
The inexact science of a good read
The inexact science of a good read
14kiwidoc
Having read (or nearly read) four of the six books I suspect that the Holmes book will win.
However, they are all very different in style and content and I cannot see how they can be compared - being excellent in different ways. All have the pleasure of being very accessible.
I have read and can highly recommend all these four:
The Age Of Wonder
Bad Science
The Drunkards Walk
Your inner fish
However, they are all very different in style and content and I cannot see how they can be compared - being excellent in different ways. All have the pleasure of being very accessible.
I have read and can highly recommend all these four:
The Age Of Wonder
Bad Science
The Drunkards Walk
Your inner fish
16VisibleGhost
No complaints with The Age of Wonder being selected for the prize. I finished it recently and thought it was very well done.
17kidzdoc
I just ordered the paperback edition of The Age of Wonder from The Book Depository, for $14.95; the hardcover edition available in the US has a list price of $40 and costs $26.40 on Amazon.com.
19VisibleGhost
Longlist- 2010
We Need To Talk About Kelvin by Marcus Chown
Why Does E=mc2? by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw
Why Evolution is True by Jerry A. Coyne
In Search of the Multiverse by John Gribbin
Everyday Practice of Science: Where Intuition and Passion Meet Objectivity and Logic by Frederick Grinnell
God’s Philosophers: How the medieval world laid the foundations of modern science by James Hannam
Storms of My Grandchildren by James Hansen
Darwin’s Island: The Galapagos in the Garden of England by Steve Jones
Life Ascending by Nick Lane
The Master and his Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World by Iain McGilchrist
Complexity: A Guided Tour by Melanie Mitchell
A World Without Ice by Henry Pollack
We Need To Talk About Kelvin by Marcus Chown
Why Does E=mc2? by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw
Why Evolution is True by Jerry A. Coyne
In Search of the Multiverse by John Gribbin
Everyday Practice of Science: Where Intuition and Passion Meet Objectivity and Logic by Frederick Grinnell
God’s Philosophers: How the medieval world laid the foundations of modern science by James Hannam
Storms of My Grandchildren by James Hansen
Darwin’s Island: The Galapagos in the Garden of England by Steve Jones
Life Ascending by Nick Lane
The Master and his Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World by Iain McGilchrist
Complexity: A Guided Tour by Melanie Mitchell
A World Without Ice by Henry Pollack
20VisibleGhost
The Shortlist- 2010
Why Does e=mc2?, Brian Cox & Jeff Forshaw
We Need to Talk About Kelvin, Marcus Chown
Life Ascending, Nick Lane
God's Philosophers, James Hannam
Everyday Practice of Science, Frederick Grinnell
A World Without Ice, Henry Pollack
The book I decided to start with from the longlist, The Master and His Emissary, didn't make the shortlist. I'm not sure I can bring myself to read a book with the groan inducing title of We Need to Talk About Kelvin. After Emissary I might try A World Without Ice.
Winner announced Oct. 21st.
Why Does e=mc2?, Brian Cox & Jeff Forshaw
We Need to Talk About Kelvin, Marcus Chown
Life Ascending, Nick Lane
God's Philosophers, James Hannam
Everyday Practice of Science, Frederick Grinnell
A World Without Ice, Henry Pollack
The book I decided to start with from the longlist, The Master and His Emissary, didn't make the shortlist. I'm not sure I can bring myself to read a book with the groan inducing title of We Need to Talk About Kelvin. After Emissary I might try A World Without Ice.
Winner announced Oct. 21st.
21goddesspt2
I'm putting God's Philosophers on my wishlist.
22Mr.Durick
I couldn't find God's Philosophers on BN.COM so I ordered it from The Book Depository in the UK.
Robert
Robert
23kidzdoc
Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution by Nick Lane is the winner of this year's Royal Society Prize for Science Books.
Nick Lane wins Royal Society science book prize for Life Ascending
Nick Lane wins Royal Society science book prize for Life Ascending
24lkernagh
I just took a quick skim read of the first 33 pages of Life Ascending - available for on-line reading through Google Books - and it is a non-fiction book that I could really get into as a non-scientific individual. Off to track down a copy of the complete book.
25kidzdoc
The longlist for this year's prize has been announced; these are the books and comments by the judges:
Alex's Adventures in Numberland by Alex Bellos (US title: Here's Looking at Euclid)
“A playful book that joyously takes us all by the hand on a grown-up trip through the world of mathematics.”
Here on Earth: A New Beginning by Tim Flannery
“Depicting the Earth as a superorganism of which we are just a part, the author uses his optimistic, experienced voice to unravel the natural history of our world and ourselves.”
Massive: The Hunt for the God Particle by Ian Sample
“An exciting adventure through the world of the biggest subject in physics: the Higgs boson.”
Packing for Mars by Mary Roach
“This sharp and witty exploration of spaceflight is a rare combination - a science book with a sense of humour.”
Spider Silk by Leslie Brunetta and Catherine L. Craig
“This book uses an unlikely subject to draw out many of the major principles of biology, drawing the reader into the surprisingly fascinating world of the spider.”
The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean
“A charming book that brings the elements of the periodic table to life.”
The Fever: How Malaria Has Ruled Mankind for 500,000 Years by Sonia Shah
“This book looks at an immense political and scientific challenge, malaria, and illuminates the heroic role science has played in the battle against it.”
The Price of Altruism by Oren Harman: The Bodley Head
“This book has a wonderfully engaging biographical curve, interwoven with the scientific theories of altruism postulated by its hero.”
The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves by Matt Ridley
“Reading this book made us all feel more cheerful and provided a welcome counter-balance to some of the distortions of science by the media.”
The Rough Guide to the Future by Jon Turney
“We really enjoyed the unusual format of this book, whose many summaries, boxes, graphs and illustrations made the huge range of issues covered really accessible.“
The Wavewatcher's Companion by Gavin Pretor-Pinney
“A lovely, eccentric book filled with fascinating science that takes apart all elements of waves.”
Through the Language Glass: How words colour your world by Guy Deutscher
“A quirky book about the science of language, brought to life with history and anecdote.”
What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly
“The concept at the centre of this book, that technology is evolving somehow and ‘going somewhere’, felt immensely relevant and intrigued us all.”
The shortlist will be annouced on 27 September 2011, and the winner will be annouced on 17 November 2011.
More info: http://royalsociety.org/awards/science-books/longlist/
Alex's Adventures in Numberland by Alex Bellos (US title: Here's Looking at Euclid)
“A playful book that joyously takes us all by the hand on a grown-up trip through the world of mathematics.”
Here on Earth: A New Beginning by Tim Flannery
“Depicting the Earth as a superorganism of which we are just a part, the author uses his optimistic, experienced voice to unravel the natural history of our world and ourselves.”
Massive: The Hunt for the God Particle by Ian Sample
“An exciting adventure through the world of the biggest subject in physics: the Higgs boson.”
Packing for Mars by Mary Roach
“This sharp and witty exploration of spaceflight is a rare combination - a science book with a sense of humour.”
Spider Silk by Leslie Brunetta and Catherine L. Craig
“This book uses an unlikely subject to draw out many of the major principles of biology, drawing the reader into the surprisingly fascinating world of the spider.”
The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean
“A charming book that brings the elements of the periodic table to life.”
The Fever: How Malaria Has Ruled Mankind for 500,000 Years by Sonia Shah
“This book looks at an immense political and scientific challenge, malaria, and illuminates the heroic role science has played in the battle against it.”
The Price of Altruism by Oren Harman: The Bodley Head
“This book has a wonderfully engaging biographical curve, interwoven with the scientific theories of altruism postulated by its hero.”
The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves by Matt Ridley
“Reading this book made us all feel more cheerful and provided a welcome counter-balance to some of the distortions of science by the media.”
The Rough Guide to the Future by Jon Turney
“We really enjoyed the unusual format of this book, whose many summaries, boxes, graphs and illustrations made the huge range of issues covered really accessible.“
The Wavewatcher's Companion by Gavin Pretor-Pinney
“A lovely, eccentric book filled with fascinating science that takes apart all elements of waves.”
Through the Language Glass: How words colour your world by Guy Deutscher
“A quirky book about the science of language, brought to life with history and anecdote.”
What Technology Wants by Kevin Kelly
“The concept at the centre of this book, that technology is evolving somehow and ‘going somewhere’, felt immensely relevant and intrigued us all.”
The shortlist will be annouced on 27 September 2011, and the winner will be annouced on 17 November 2011.
More info: http://royalsociety.org/awards/science-books/longlist/
26kiwidoc
Thanks for posting this list, Darryl. I am starting on the Bellos book next, which is also on the Samuel Johnson prize list. (Actually I just checked and it isn't, so maybe some other prize list).
27kidzdoc
You're welcome, Karen. You are right about the Bellos book, except that it made the shortlist for last year's Samuel Johnson Prize. I don't have any of these books yet, but the Shah and the Bellos look particularly interesting.
I've decided to read last year's winning book, Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution by Nick Lane this week, and I'll read the 2009 winner, The Age of Wonder, next month.
I've decided to read last year's winning book, Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution by Nick Lane this week, and I'll read the 2009 winner, The Age of Wonder, next month.
28rebeccanyc
Haven't read any of these,or heard of most, but I did attempt to read Gavin Pretor-Pinney's earlier work, The Cloud-Spotter's Guide and couldn't finish it, despite my interest in the subject because he ran on and on and had a British sort of humor that I found terribly irritating (not that I find all British humor irritating!). some of them sound quite interesting, including the Bellos.
29kiwidoc
Life Ascending is a very good read, Darryl. It would be a great book for inspiring scientists and even medical students. I thought he really engaged the reader well.
Currently reading the Bellos book and enjoying it - full of trivia about the history of math and a great read so far.
Currently reading the Bellos book and enjoying it - full of trivia about the history of math and a great read so far.
30kiwidoc
Oh... and Age of Wonder is excellent. Can also highly recommend Leviathan by Phillip Hoare which is my best book for 2011 so far - a great read about everything connected to whales. It won the SJ prize and deservedly so.
31kidzdoc
Thanks, Karen. I'll bring it with me to read at my parents' house this week. Oddly enough, I met a prospective medical student who is an undergraduate at Georgia Tech today while she was shadowing another physician on hospital rounds. I gave her several recommendations of books to read, and we're planning to stay in touch, so I'll let her know about Life Ascending if I like it (and I'm sure that I will).
Thanks also for the recommendation of Leviathan. I'll add it to my wish list.
Thanks also for the recommendation of Leviathan. I'll add it to my wish list.
32kidzdoc
The shortlist for the award was announced on Thursday:
Alex’s Adventures in Numberland by by Alex Bellos
Through the Language Glass: How Words Colour Your World by Guy Deutscher
The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean
The Wavewatcher’s Companion by Gavin Pretor-Pinney
Massive: The Missing Particle That Sparked the Greatest Hunt in Science by Ian Sample
The Rough Guide to The Future by Jon Turney
The winner will be announced on 17 November.
More info and links to the first chapter of each shortlisted book: http://royalsociety.org/awards/science-books/shortlist-2011/
Alex’s Adventures in Numberland by by Alex Bellos
Through the Language Glass: How Words Colour Your World by Guy Deutscher
The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean
The Wavewatcher’s Companion by Gavin Pretor-Pinney
Massive: The Missing Particle That Sparked the Greatest Hunt in Science by Ian Sample
The Rough Guide to The Future by Jon Turney
The winner will be announced on 17 November.
More info and links to the first chapter of each shortlisted book: http://royalsociety.org/awards/science-books/shortlist-2011/
33kiwidoc
I have only read one of these, Darryl - the Bellos book which is titled Here's looking at you, Euclid. An amusing and well read book about numbers and maths, I enjoyed it.
Thanks for posting the shortlist, too.
Thanks for posting the shortlist, too.
34rebeccanyc
I too have the Bellos book but haven't read it yet. I bought and couldn't read an earlier Pretor-Pinney, The Cloudspotter's Guide, so I'm steering clear of this one.
35cushlareads
Rebecca and Karen, I have the Bellos book too but haven't read it yet.
36kiwidoc
Just got The Disappearing Spoon out of the library this week and, so far (50 pages), it is an entertaining read - if you like science and the elements.
37geocroc
The winner of the Royal Society's science book prize was announced during the course of the last week. The winner was Gavin Pretor-Pinney for his latest The Wavewatcher's Companion.
Hadn't realised he'd written a book on waves, but did enjoy his previous book, The Cloudspotter's Guide. Another one to add to by Christmas list!
Hadn't realised he'd written a book on waves, but did enjoy his previous book, The Cloudspotter's Guide. Another one to add to by Christmas list!
38kiwidoc
Thanks for posting the winner, geocroc. That is one title that I would not have bought if not for this prize's recommendation. Another one for the wishlist.
39rebeccanyc
I, on the other hand, couldn't get into The Cloudspotter's Guide at all, largely because I found the author's writing style annoying, since I would have been interested in learning more about clouds.
40kidzdoc
Thanks, geocroc. I still don't have any of these books, but I'll add The Wavewatcher's Companion to my wish list.
41kidzdoc
The shortlist for this year's Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books was announced today:
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer: An exploration of human memory.
My Beautiful Genome by Lone Frank: A personal perspective on human genetics.
The Information by James Gleick: The story of information and how it is used, transmitted and stored.
The Hidden Reality by Brian Greene: An examination of parallel universes and the laws of the cosmos.
The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker: An assessment of the decline of violence in history and its causes.
The Viral Storm by Nathan Wolfe: An exploration of the world of the virus.
The winner will be announced on November 26. More info, including links to the first chapter of each shortlisted book:
http://royalsociety.org/awards/science-books/shortlist/
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer: An exploration of human memory.
My Beautiful Genome by Lone Frank: A personal perspective on human genetics.
The Information by James Gleick: The story of information and how it is used, transmitted and stored.
The Hidden Reality by Brian Greene: An examination of parallel universes and the laws of the cosmos.
The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker: An assessment of the decline of violence in history and its causes.
The Viral Storm by Nathan Wolfe: An exploration of the world of the virus.
The winner will be announced on November 26. More info, including links to the first chapter of each shortlisted book:
http://royalsociety.org/awards/science-books/shortlist/
42kidzdoc
BTW, here is the longlist, which was announced in June, along with comments from the judges:
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer
“A jaunty and engaging exploration of the human memory”
My Beautiful Genome by Lone Frank
“A refreshingly honest dive into the nature-nurture debate.”
The Information by James Gleick
“An original concept that changes your view of the world and the way information has shaped it.”
The Hidden Reality by Brian Greene
“A clear and compelling account that unveils extraordinary parallel worlds and our place within them.”
The Two Kinds of Decay by Sarah Manguso
“A moving, almost poetic insight into the world of modern medicine.”
The 4 Percent Universe by Richard Panek
“A beautifully written account of what we’re made of – and what we’re not.”
The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker
“An important and original book expounding on mankind’s relationship with violence.”
The Address Book by Tim Radford
“A captivating journey through our place in the universe.”
Pricing the Future by George G Szpiro
“A surprisingly fascinating insight into the world’s financial markets.”
Race? Debunking a Scientific Myth by Ian Tattersall and Rob DeSalle
“An important subject ripe for discussion in a scientifically reputable way.”
The Folly of Fools by Robert Trivers (also published in the UK as Deceit and Self Deception)
“An original exploration of the place of self deception in the human animal.”
The Viral Storm by Nathan Wolfe
“This book takes a potentially terrifying subject and successfully makes it both readable and optimistic.”
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer
“A jaunty and engaging exploration of the human memory”
My Beautiful Genome by Lone Frank
“A refreshingly honest dive into the nature-nurture debate.”
The Information by James Gleick
“An original concept that changes your view of the world and the way information has shaped it.”
The Hidden Reality by Brian Greene
“A clear and compelling account that unveils extraordinary parallel worlds and our place within them.”
The Two Kinds of Decay by Sarah Manguso
“A moving, almost poetic insight into the world of modern medicine.”
The 4 Percent Universe by Richard Panek
“A beautifully written account of what we’re made of – and what we’re not.”
The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker
“An important and original book expounding on mankind’s relationship with violence.”
The Address Book by Tim Radford
“A captivating journey through our place in the universe.”
Pricing the Future by George G Szpiro
“A surprisingly fascinating insight into the world’s financial markets.”
Race? Debunking a Scientific Myth by Ian Tattersall and Rob DeSalle
“An important subject ripe for discussion in a scientifically reputable way.”
The Folly of Fools by Robert Trivers (also published in the UK as Deceit and Self Deception)
“An original exploration of the place of self deception in the human animal.”
The Viral Storm by Nathan Wolfe
“This book takes a potentially terrifying subject and successfully makes it both readable and optimistic.”
43bergs47
The longlist for the 2013 Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books is shown below with the judges' comments.
The Spark of Life: Electricity in the Human Body by Frances Ashcroft (Allen Lane)
“Beautifully clear, engaging and accessible. A live wire account of the body electric.”
Bird Sense by Tim Birkhead (Bloomsbury)
“A wonderful glimpse into an alien world. Imagine how birds hear, taste and feel.”
The Particle at the End of the Universe by Sean Carroll (Oneworld Publications)
“Fizzing with enthusiasm. Makes you realize what the fuss with the Higgs Boson is all about.”
Cells to Civilizations: The Principles of Change that Shape Life by Enrico Coen (Princeton University Press)
“Daring and ambitious. Succeeds in making transparent the mechanisms of evolution and development.”
Pieces of Light: The New Science of Memory by Charles Fernyhough (Profile Books)
“Illuminating. This book is not only about how memory works but what memory means to us.”
The Story of Earth by Robert Hazen (Viking)
“Brilliantly explains the origin of earth and life. Skilfully compressed into a punchy text.”
The Book of Barely Imagined Beings by Caspar Henderson (Granta)
“This is a treasure. Encapsulates the pure wonder of discovery and the strangeness of the world around us.”
Life’s Ratchet by Peter Hoffmann (Basic Books)
Air: The Restless Shaper of the World by William Bryant Logan (WW Norton)
“Lyrical - the poetry of this book is beautiful. Delights in dust and scent and all that fills the air around us.”
The Cosmic Tourist by Sir Patrick Moore, Brian May and Chris Lintott (Carlton Books)
“Exuberant and well illustrated. A book to inspire future cosmologists and astronomers.”
Ocean of Life by Callum Roberts (Allen Lane)
“A celebration and a wake-up call. The changing state of our oceans has never been made clearer.”
The Life of a Leaf by Steven Vogel (The University of Chicago Press)
“Exciting and visually engaging. Takes you back to what it is like to be a child looking at the world of plants.”
44rebeccanyc
The only one I've read is Pieces of Light and it was a big disappointment; I certainly don't think it's prize-worthy!
45yapete
Just to complete:
Life's Ratchet by Peter M. Hoffmann
"A bold, enterprising book that explains how life starts from the very small."
Can't comment on it, since I wrote it ;-)
Life's Ratchet by Peter M. Hoffmann
"A bold, enterprising book that explains how life starts from the very small."
Can't comment on it, since I wrote it ;-)
47VivienneR
>45 yapete: Congratulations and good luck!
49bergs47
The longlist for the 2014 Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books is shown below;
Serving the Reich: The Struggle for the Soul of Physics under Hitler by Philip Ball (The Bodley Head)
Seven Elements That Have Changed The World: Iron, Carbon, Gold, Silver, Uranium, Titanium, Silicon by John Browne (Weidenfeld & Nicolson - an imprint of the Orion Publishing Group)
Tesla: Inventor of the Electrical Age by W. Bernard Carlson (Princeton University Press)
What a Wonderful World: One Man’s Attempt to Explain the Big Stuff by Marcus Chown (Faber & Faber)
Dice World: Science and Life in a Random Universe by Brian Clegg (Icon Books)
The Compatibility Gene by Daniel M Davis (Allen Lane, Penguin Press)
My Brief History by Stephen Hawking (Transworld)
The Perfect Theory by Pedro G. Ferreira (Little, Brown Book Group)
The Cancer Chronicles: Unlocking Medicine’s Deepest Mystery by George Johnson (The Bodley Head)
Paleofantasy: What Evolution Really Tells Us about Sex, Diet, and How We Live by Marlene Zuk (W.W. Norton)
Stuff Matters: The Strange Stories of the Marvellous Materials that Shape Our Man-made World by Mark Miodownik (Viking – an imprint of Penguin Books)
Gulp: Adventures of the Alimentary Canel by Mary Roach (Oneworld)
50kidzdoc
This year's shortlist was announced last week:
Serving the Reich: The Struggle for the Soul of Physics by Philip Ball
Seven Elements That Have Changed The World: Iron, Carbon, Gold, Silver, Uranium, Titanium, Silicon by John Browne
The Perfect Theory: A Century of Geniuses and the Battle over General Relativity by Pedro G. Ferreira
The Cancer Chronicles: Unlocking Medicine’s Deepest Mystery by George Johnson
Stuff Matters: The Strange Stories of the Marvellous Materials that Shape Our Man-made World by Mark Miodownik
Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach
The winning book will be announced at a public event on 10 November 2014.
https://royalsociety.org/awards/science-books/shortlist/
Serving the Reich: The Struggle for the Soul of Physics by Philip Ball
Seven Elements That Have Changed The World: Iron, Carbon, Gold, Silver, Uranium, Titanium, Silicon by John Browne
The Perfect Theory: A Century of Geniuses and the Battle over General Relativity by Pedro G. Ferreira
The Cancer Chronicles: Unlocking Medicine’s Deepest Mystery by George Johnson
Stuff Matters: The Strange Stories of the Marvellous Materials that Shape Our Man-made World by Mark Miodownik
Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach
The winning book will be announced at a public event on 10 November 2014.
https://royalsociety.org/awards/science-books/shortlist/
51kidzdoc
BTW, The Particle at the End of the Universe by Sean Carroll won the 2013 prize:
https://royalsociety.org/awards/science-books/sean-carroll/
https://royalsociety.org/awards/science-books/sean-carroll/
52bergs47
05 August 2015
The Royal Society has today announced the shortlist for the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books 2015, the only major international prize that celebrates science writing for a non-specialist audience
The Man Who Couldn’t Stop by David Adam
Alex Through the Looking-Glass: How Life Reflects Numbers and Numbers Reflect Life by Alex Bellos
Smashing Physics: Inside the World’s Biggest Experiment by Jon Butterworth
Life’s Greatest Secret: The Story of the Race to Crack the Genetic Code by Matthew Cobb
Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology by Johnjoe Mcfadden and Professor Jim Al-Khalili
Adventures in the Anthropocene: A Journey to the Heart of the Planet we Made by Gaia Vince
The winner will be crowned at an evening ceremony on 24 September and will receive a cheque for £25,000
The Royal Society has today announced the shortlist for the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books 2015, the only major international prize that celebrates science writing for a non-specialist audience
The Man Who Couldn’t Stop by David Adam
Alex Through the Looking-Glass: How Life Reflects Numbers and Numbers Reflect Life by Alex Bellos
Smashing Physics: Inside the World’s Biggest Experiment by Jon Butterworth
Life’s Greatest Secret: The Story of the Race to Crack the Genetic Code by Matthew Cobb
Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology by Johnjoe Mcfadden and Professor Jim Al-Khalili
Adventures in the Anthropocene: A Journey to the Heart of the Planet we Made by Gaia Vince
The winner will be crowned at an evening ceremony on 24 September and will receive a cheque for £25,000
53bergs47
A bit late but Adventures in the Anthropocene: A Journey to the Heart of the Planet we Made by Gaia Vince was the winner
54bergs47
The Shortlist for 2016 Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books was
- Cure: A Journey into the Science of Mind Over Body by Jo Marchant
- The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee
- The Hunt for Vulcan by Thomas Levenson
- The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf
- The Most Perfect Thing by Tim Birkhead
- The Planet Remade by Oliver Morton
The Royal Society has announced Andrea Wulf as the 29th winner of the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize for The Invention of Nature, her biography of Alexander von Humboldt, an explorer, naturalist and foreign member of the Royal Society.
- Cure: A Journey into the Science of Mind Over Body by Jo Marchant
- The Gene: An Intimate History by Siddhartha Mukherjee
- The Hunt for Vulcan by Thomas Levenson
- The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf
- The Most Perfect Thing by Tim Birkhead
- The Planet Remade by Oliver Morton
The Royal Society has announced Andrea Wulf as the 29th winner of the Royal Society Insight Investment Science Book Prize for The Invention of Nature, her biography of Alexander von Humboldt, an explorer, naturalist and foreign member of the Royal Society.
55bergs47
3rd August 2017
The Royal Society has revealed the shortlist for The Royal Society Insight Investment (previously Winton) Science Book Prize 2017, celebrating the best of science writing for a non-specialist audience.
•Beyond Infinity: An Expedition to the Outer Limits of the Mathematical Universe by Eugenia Cheng
•Testosterone Rex: Unmaking the Myths of Our Gendered Minds by Cordelia Fine
•Other Minds: The Octopus and the Evolution of Intelligent Life by Peter Godfrey-Smith
•In Pursuit of Memory: The Fight Against Alzheimer's by Joseph Jebelli
•To Be a Machine: Adventures Among Cyborgs, Utopians, Hackers, and the Futurists Solving the Modest Problem of Death by Mark O'Connell
•I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life by Ed Yong
The 2017 winner will be announced at an evening ceremony on Tuesday 19th September and will receive a cheque for £25,000
The Royal Society has revealed the shortlist for The Royal Society Insight Investment (previously Winton) Science Book Prize 2017, celebrating the best of science writing for a non-specialist audience.
•Beyond Infinity: An Expedition to the Outer Limits of the Mathematical Universe by Eugenia Cheng
•Testosterone Rex: Unmaking the Myths of Our Gendered Minds by Cordelia Fine
•Other Minds: The Octopus and the Evolution of Intelligent Life by Peter Godfrey-Smith
•In Pursuit of Memory: The Fight Against Alzheimer's by Joseph Jebelli
•To Be a Machine: Adventures Among Cyborgs, Utopians, Hackers, and the Futurists Solving the Modest Problem of Death by Mark O'Connell
•I Contain Multitudes: The Microbes Within Us and a Grander View of Life by Ed Yong
The 2017 winner will be announced at an evening ceremony on Tuesday 19th September and will receive a cheque for £25,000
56bergs47
In the UK, the Royal Society has announced the shortlist for the 2018 Science Book Prize for ‘outstanding popular science books’ written for a non-specialist audience.
The shortlisted books are:
•Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain (Sarah-Jayne Blakemore)
•The Unexpected Truth About Animals (Lucy Cooke, Black Swan)
•The Beautiful Cure: Harnessing Your Body’s Natural Defences (Daniel M Davis)
•Hello World: How to be Human in the Age of the Machine (Hannah Fry)
•Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World (Simon Winchester)
•Liquid: The Delightful and Dangerous Substances That Flow Through Our Lives (Mark Miodownik).
Sarah-Jayne Blakemore has won the £25,000 (A$44,140) Royal Society Science Book Prize for her book Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain
The shortlisted books are:
•Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain (Sarah-Jayne Blakemore)
•The Unexpected Truth About Animals (Lucy Cooke, Black Swan)
•The Beautiful Cure: Harnessing Your Body’s Natural Defences (Daniel M Davis)
•Hello World: How to be Human in the Age of the Machine (Hannah Fry)
•Exactly: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World (Simon Winchester)
•Liquid: The Delightful and Dangerous Substances That Flow Through Our Lives (Mark Miodownik).
Sarah-Jayne Blakemore has won the £25,000 (A$44,140) Royal Society Science Book Prize for her book Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain
57bergs47
The Royal Society Science Book Prize shortlist for 2019
Physicist John Gribbin returns to the shortlist with Six Impossible Things: The ‘Quanta of Solace’ and the Mysteries of the Subatomic World
Clearing the Air: The Beginning and the End of Air Pollution by debut author Tim Smedley
Infinite Powers: The Story of Calculus – The Language of the Universe by mathematician Steven Strogatz
Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
The Remarkable Life of the Skin: An Intimate Journey Across Our Surface by debut author Monty Lyman
The Second Kind of Impossible: The Extraordinary Quest for a New Form of Matter by physicist Paul Steinhardt
The winner of the 2019 Prize, sponsored by Insight Investment will be announced at an awards ceremony at The Royal Society on Monday 23rd September 2019
Physicist John Gribbin returns to the shortlist with Six Impossible Things: The ‘Quanta of Solace’ and the Mysteries of the Subatomic World
Clearing the Air: The Beginning and the End of Air Pollution by debut author Tim Smedley
Infinite Powers: The Story of Calculus – The Language of the Universe by mathematician Steven Strogatz
Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
The Remarkable Life of the Skin: An Intimate Journey Across Our Surface by debut author Monty Lyman
The Second Kind of Impossible: The Extraordinary Quest for a New Form of Matter by physicist Paul Steinhardt
The winner of the 2019 Prize, sponsored by Insight Investment will be announced at an awards ceremony at The Royal Society on Monday 23rd September 2019
58Pharmacdon
Shortlist and Winner 2021
Breath: The New Science of Lost Art, James Nestor
Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures, Merlin Sheldrake, Winner
Science Fictions: Exposing Fraud, Bias, Negligence and Hype in Science, Stuart Ritchie
The End of Bias: How We Change Our Minds, Jessica Nordell
The Last Stargazers: The Enduring Story Of Astronomy's Vanishing Explorers, Emily Levesque
The Sleeping Beauties and Other Stories of Mystery Illness, Suzanne O'Sullivan
Breath: The New Science of Lost Art, James Nestor
Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds and Shape Our Futures, Merlin Sheldrake, Winner
Science Fictions: Exposing Fraud, Bias, Negligence and Hype in Science, Stuart Ritchie
The End of Bias: How We Change Our Minds, Jessica Nordell
The Last Stargazers: The Enduring Story Of Astronomy's Vanishing Explorers, Emily Levesque
The Sleeping Beauties and Other Stories of Mystery Illness, Suzanne O'Sullivan
59bergs47
The full 2020 shortlist is (in order of author surname):
The World According to Physics by Jim Al-Khalili
The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson
The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
Explaining Humans: What Science Can Teach Us about Life, Love and Relationships by Camilla Pang WINNER
The Double X Economy: The Epic Power of Empowering Women by Linda Scott
Transcendence: How Humans Evolved through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time by Gaia Vince
The World According to Physics by Jim Al-Khalili
The Body: A Guide for Occupants by Bill Bryson
The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
Explaining Humans: What Science Can Teach Us about Life, Love and Relationships by Camilla Pang WINNER
The Double X Economy: The Epic Power of Empowering Women by Linda Scott
Transcendence: How Humans Evolved through Fire, Language, Beauty, and Time by Gaia Vince