Schaum's Outline of Biology

Rating:
Summary: Clear and comprehensible, yet at a high level
Review: A great concise yet thorough review of biology. Everything is explained very clearly and logically (although like any complex subject you may have to re-read portions). But the authors don't talk down to you -- they assume an intelligent reader. What I really liked is the authors' commitment to helping you UNDERSTAND the subject, rather than just giving you facts to memorize. The historical and conceptual background they provide for different topics really helps you grasp the material. If you really want to understand biology rather than just have facts rehashed, this is the outline for you. (Note: I would suggest having a biology dictionary handy -- the Oxford Dictionary of Biology worked for me.)

Rating:
Summary: Great for the student!
Review: I am a biology student that is going to take my master's entrance exam in biology. I am using this book to help me review some of the important topics. This book is great. Not only does it offer good information, but also it has sample problems and answers to help quiz yourself. If you want to know everything about biology, get this book. It is also great as a handy reference guide.

Rating:
Summary: It's like an American Express Card...
Review: I am a chemistry/pre-medical student at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University; therefore, biology is a very integral part of my curriculum. I didn't have a strong biology foundation before my matriculation to college. However, at the suggestion of my academic advisor, I purchased this book. Thus far, it has been on target with my biology textbook. It's almost as if the authors of my text collaborated with the authors of this installment of the Schaum's Outline Series. Without this book, I would be lost. It is a must-buy for any and all college students aspiring to pass biology with a healthy understanding of the course.

Rating:
Summary: It's like an American Express Card...
Review: I am a chemistry/pre-medical student at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University; therefore, biology is a very integral part of my curriculum. I didn't have a strong biology foundation before my matriculation to college. However, at the suggestion of my academic advisor, I purchased this book. Thus far, it has been on target with my biology textbook. It's almost as if the authors of my text collaborated with the authors of this installment of the Schaum's Outline Series. Without this book, I would be lost. It is a must-buy for any and all college students aspiring to pass biology with a healthy understanding of the course.

Rating:
Summary: Not a good review of the material
Review: If you are trying to review for a standardized test such as the MCAT or DAT this book has poor organization and complicated explanations of general biological principles. What I look for in a review book is outlines of important facts and figures to restore those little details that my brain has wandered away from. This book goes into excruciating detail and lists far too many historical facts to be a good outline that refreshes and prepares you for standardized tests. If you are trying to teach yourself this material, textbooks are much simpler and have better illustrations-well worth the added expense.

Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Biology Reference!
Review: This is a fantastic reference for everyone interested in biology from laymen to graduate students.

Despite being mercifully thin and portable (as compared to those massive textbooks), this book manages to cover all of the key topics in biology ranging from biochemistry and molecular biology to ecology. Moreover, the treatment is sometimes surprisingly sophisticated; this is indeed a real science book, not pop science.

At the same time, the writing style is very simple and clear, and therefore easy to understand, yet also concise, so you don't have to waste your time reading a lot of fluff. The format of the book is also pedagogically very effective because it mixes standard narrative text with solved example problems, questions which are posed and then answered in essay format, and problems for the reader to solve.

Finally, the price of the book is so ridiculously low that you might even feel a little guilty that you are getting so much while paying so little!

IN SHORT, DON'T HESITATE TO BUY THIS BOOK IF YOU HAVE ANY INTEREST IN BIOLOGY AT ALL.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent reference for college biology
Review: This is a very good book for college biology. I do agree with the previous reviewer that this book gets right to the point without all the added material (fluff). The book is simple to understand. I really liked the how sometimes hard topics in textbooks like photosynthesis are explained. I also used:
The Ultimate Study Guide for Biology: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations (Volume 1, ISBN-1933023007)
(Volume 2, ISBN-1933023015)
(Volume 3, ISBN-1933023023)
These study guides prepared me well for my college bio tests. I got really good grades thanks to these four books.