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? Why do you think the world needs ScienceBookGuide?
There has been an explosion in the number of good science books for lay readers
that are published each year, and the web offers wonderful new ways
to recommend, catalog and cross-classify them. We don't think that
anyone else has taken full advantage of this opportunity. We hope to
make it much easier for readers to find science books that they
will like, and also provide other features that will make the site
a fun and educational place to visit.
? What kinds of books do you review?
Books about science and scientists, written for a popular audience. We do not
include textbooks, or books written by specialists for specialists.
? Can I write for ScienceBookGuide?
Absolutely --- see our Contribute! page.
? How do you choose which books to review?
We're just starting out with ScienceBookGuide, and so
we're especially looking for books that fill large gaps in our
classification schemes. For example, if anyone out there knows
of a good mathematical polemic, or an overview of all of social
science in one volume, please send us email at
editor@sciencebookguide.com. Similarly, suggestions for
books that fill gaps in our
Time Scales and
Size Scales pages are solicited.
As we get larger, we'll be looking in general for books that
are both good and unique, although we'll also cover some bad books
especially if they are well-known. Please recognize that
our resources are limited, and anything like complete coverage
is an impossible dream ---
we love to get suggestions by email, but we especially love the
suggestions that aren't belligerent.
? You morons! You omitted the single most
important work of forensic ornithology ever written! Please redress
this omission within
the next 24 hours, or I may never come read your free reviews again.
See the answer to the previous question.
? How do I order the books?
Almost all the in-print titles on our site can be ordered from Amazon. To do this, find the particular book page on our site, and click
on the "Buy the book!" icon on the right side near the top.
(Full disclosure: we get a small cut from Amazon if you buy a book this way.)
? What are your qualifications to produce
a guide to science books?
We are not scientists, but we have reasonably good lay scientific educations.
We are avid readers of the types of books we review.
Our day jobs are in software development, and
we've been doing web-based book guides for a couple of years now (see
MysteryGuide.com). But
our most important qualification for ScienceBookGuide.com is simply
that we are willing to spend the necessary time.
? Your books on biology all clearly buy
into Darwin's "theory" of evolution. Aren't you obligated to give
equal space to books about creation science and "intelligent design"?
Nope.
? So you're not letting creation science
on to your site at all? Isn't that censorship?
No. Freedom of the press means that you get to
buy and set up your own press --- it doesn't mean that you
get to commandeer ours. Websites have to maintain some focus
to keep an audience, and if you believe in creation science
you probably won't be comfortable with our focus. But starting
your own website is now a lot cheaper than buying a printing
press used to be, and we actively encourage people who dislike
the mission of our website to start up their own.
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