Biology (6th Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Best Biology Book Out There
Review: The Campbell and Reece Biology book is one of the best biology books out there. It is extremely well-written; the text is exciting and engaging and includes good examples to reinforce concepts. The illustrations are clear, well-done, and informative. The enclosed CD is an enormous help in studying. It helped me a lot when I was studying for my tests; the animations were particularly useful--they brought to life ideas and concepts from the book.

I used the book in my AP Biology class and I got a 5 on the exam. It's a fantastic book for studying and reading. I could probably learn better from the book than from my teacher.

Rating:
Summary: To comprehensive for an intro bio book
Review: Althought this book is good in displaying the information it contains to much information to be used as a general biology book.

Rating:
Summary: Really Good Book
Review: I found this book to be very informative. Although I wish it would have explained the concepts a little bit better, it was a very good book for my Principles of Biology course. I hadn't had Biology in over 10 years and this book helped me hop right back in Biology like I never left it. And I have the grades to prove it! I recommend this book. It'll take deep into the concepts of Biology. Great for any science major.

Rating:
Summary: Light Summer Reading
Review: Okay, maybe this is not light summer reading, but it is a fascinating overview of the subject of biology. The book is very logically organized, moving from the atomic level to the macrobiological level of ecology. I read this book last summer because I really wanted to refresh my knowledge of biology, a subject I studied in college in the mid 1970s. I now feel that I have a much greater appreciation of the intricacy and depth of life, in all its many fascets.

Rating:
Summary: Extremely Easy to Follow
Review: I am currently taking BIOS 201 Introductory Biology at Rice University, and this book is the textbook for the course. So far, I have not had a problem with the book because the diagrams are strategically placed, the reading is easy to follow, and the material has in no case been ambiguous.

My prof uses it as a supplement to his lecture, when he goes over all sorts of material that are not covered in the textbook. When I go back and do the assigned reading, I easily understand the big picture. Part of the joy of being in BIOS 201 is because of this book.

If your course uses this textbook, awesome. It is probably the best, if not among the best, introductory biology textbooks on this planet.

Rating:
Summary: Great textbook for AP and freshmen bio courses
Review: Having used the 4th, 5th, and 6th editions, the 6th edition is obviously the best; new, clear illustrations, especially on the section on plant growth, have been updated, while updates on subject matter can be found scattered throughout the text. The reading, for the most part, is interesting, until one reaches chapters exceeding 40 pages--the material sometimes seems excessive and dry. Additionally, the text hasn't changed significantly from the 5th edition and the questions at the end of the chapters remain the same--thus, for my intro class, the 5th edition would have been more than suitable and I could have saved quite a bit of money.
I do not recommend getting the entire biology package; the study guide book is somewhat helpful, but there is an outline following the chapters in the textbook, anyhow. The second book in the package is an illustration book, in which the reader labels various parts of the pictures(practically useless). Finally, the cd is not nearly as good the one found in the 5th edition, for it requires one to register online for a limited membership(don't bother unless you have broadband). Save money and just get the textbook. The study guide and questions in the textbook are more than sufficient!

Rating:
Summary: Over the Top
Review: This book covers absolutely everything. It even has a chapter on cell-to-cell communication. Every biologist should have this book on her shelf for reference. Having said that, I much prefer Sylvia Mader's Biology, which is much easier to read and does not bog down so in the details.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best biology textbooks
Review: This book is very complete. I was assigned this book in my college biology I and II classes. It was a good book for helping me learn the necessary details for the class. The book went over such topics as cell structure and function, plant and animal structure and function, photosynthesis, Calvin Cycle, Electron transport system etc. The book is an excellent resource. I also found the following to be right on the mark for preparing me for my college exams. I got them on amazon.com, too. These study guides are.
The Ultimate Study Guide for Biology: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations Vol 1 is isbn 1933023007. Vol 2 is isbn 1933023015, and Vol 3 is isbn 1933023023. These study guides make my college biology I and II classes much easier because they prepared me for the type of questions to get ready for. This textbook and these study guides are well worth it.