Book Recommendation: Krista James

We recently asked Krista James, senior Biology lecturer and Environmental Science Program Director, to recommend books in her research area that would appeal to UW-Stout students as a follow-up to her feature in UW-Stout's 5 Questions series, which profiles faculty from across campus. Here is what she picked:

Letters to a Young Scientist
By Edward O. Wilson
New York: Liveright, 2013

Available in the library on 3rd floor.  Call number: QH31.W64 A4 2013

Edward O. Wilson has distilled sixty years of teaching into a book for students, young and old. Reflecting on his coming-of-age in the South as a Boy Scout and a lover of ants and butterflies, Wilson threads these twenty-one letters, each richly illustrated, with autobiographical anecdotes that illuminate his career—both his successes and his failures—and his motivations for becoming a biologist. At a time in human history when our survival is more than ever linked to our understanding of science, Wilson insists that success in the sciences does not depend on mathematical skill, but rather a passion for finding a problem and solving it. From the collapse of stars to the exploration of rain forests and the oceans’ depths, Wilson instills a love of the innate creativity of science and a respect for the human being’s modest place in the planet’s ecosystem in his readers. (Amazon.com)

Hope for Animals and Their World : How endangered species are being rescued from the brink

By Jane Goodall
New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2009

Available in the library on 3rd floor.  Call number: QH75 .G636 2009

At a time when we are confronted with bad news about the environment nearly every day, renowned scientist Jane Goodall brings us inspiring news about the future of the animal kingdom. With the insatiable curiosity and conversational prose that have made her a bestselling author, Goodall--along with Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard--shares fascinating survival stories about the American crocodile, the California condor, the black-footed ferret and more--all formerly endangered species and species once on the verge of extinction whose populations are now being regenerated. Interweaving her own first-hand experiences with the research of premier scientists, Goodall illuminates the heroic efforts of dedicated environmentalists and the truly critical need to protect the habitats of these beloved species. At once a celebration of the animal kingdom and a passionate call to arms, this book presents an uplifting, hopeful message for the future of animal-human coexistence. (Grand Central Publishing) 

To learn more about Krista James' research, teaching, and special interests, check out her profile in the 5 Questions series.