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Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic
Review: I am a midwestern paper-pusher; I am NOT a desert ecologist, or even a biology student. Yet, with Sowell's help, I feel like I learned quite a bit about how life exists--and sometimes thrives--in places which lack water, lack moderate temperatures, and, in fact, seem to lack much of anything useful to life. Also, through Sowell's explanation of the limits that deserts impose on life, I gained new understanding of my own surroundings and why they are able to support so much life, and so consistently. Actually, I was reminded of my foreign language classes in college: Sure I learned about German, but I also gained new perspectives on my native tounge. Beyond content, most people should find Sowell's writing to be pleasant and accessable. Certainly he has to use some scientific terms; but he also provides enough "spoon feeding" that non-scientists like me can keep up without too much effort. Also, I think the length of this book is just about right: long enough to give you a good taste of the material, but not so long that it scares you away from the challenges of a foreign subject. In short, this is a fantastic book for the non-scientist who is curious about deserts, desert life, or just plain life. Bravo.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: I am a midwestern paper-pusher; I am NOT a desert ecologist, or even a biology student. Yet, with Sowell's help, I feel like I learned quite a bit about how life exists--and sometimes thrives--in places which lack water, lack moderate temperatures, and, in fact, seem to lack much of anything useful to life. Also, through Sowell's explanation of the limits that deserts impose on life, I gained new understanding of my own surroundings and why they are able to support so much life, and so consistently. Actually, I was reminded of my foreign language classes in college: Sure I learned about German, but I also gained new perspectives on my native tounge. Beyond content, most people should find Sowell's writing to be pleasant and accessable. Certainly he has to use some scientific terms; but he also provides enough "spoon feeding" that non-scientists like me can keep up without too much effort. Also, I think the length of this book is just about right: long enough to give you a good taste of the material, but not so long that it scares you away from the challenges of a foreign subject. In short, this is a fantastic book for the non-scientist who is curious about deserts, desert life, or just plain life. Bravo.
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