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Best General Chemistry & Reference

The Case Against Sugar
He clarifies the arguments against sugar, corrects misconceptions about the relationship between sugar and weight loss; and provides the perspective necessary to make informed decisions about sugar as individuals and as a society. —Dan Barber, The New York Times "[A] blitz of a book... Mr. Taubes’s argument is so persuasive that, after reading The Case Against Sugar, this functioning chocoholic cut out the Snacking Bark and stopped eating cakes and white bread... Or reduce, if not eliminate, it from our diet, thereby improving our odds of living a long, healthy life." The Case Against Sugar is not only a terrific history but a forward-thinking document that can help us think more intelligently about how (and how not) to eat.” —Mark Bittman, author of How to Cook Everything Fast “Once again, the brilliant Gary Taubes manages to make a complex scientific subject easy to understand. Taubes methodically explains why sugar—not sloth, not fat—accounts for our unprecedented levels of obesity, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Taubes answers every counter-argument as he exposes bad research, reveals conflicts of interest, and explodes myths.” —Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project. “I am grateful beyond words for Gary Taubes's courageous and meticulous documentation of the health dangers of sugar. Doctors, scientists, policymakers, and concerned eaters would do well to heed Gary Taubes’s advice.” —Mark Hyman, M.D., author of The Blood Sugar Solution. It’s a carefully reasoned, persuasive account of how doubts about sugar in the modern diet were systematically overlooked for over a century. He once again presents a compelling argument that will challenge our knowledge about the connection between food and health—it’s a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the impact of the ingredients we eat.” —Nathan Myhrvold, lead author of Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking. He is the recipient of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Investigator Award in Health Policy Research and a co-founder of the Nutrition Science Initiative (NuSI).
Reviews
"In The Case Against Sugar, Taubes takes direct aim at the biggest culprit carb that is plaguing the health of those dealing with obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and more--it's SUGAR! Some people might scoff at the idea that we need an entire book all about the dangers of consuming sugar claiming that it's obvious to most people that sugar is not good for you. Since the publication of The Case For Sugar, we've now learned that The Sugar Association paid off Harvard scientists to squelch the connection between sugar and heart disease and vilify saturated fat. The result of this is a much more difficult path to keep blood sugar and insulin levels normalized that requires people with IR to have to significantly cut down on the foods that turn to sugar in the body--all culprit carbohydrates. One of the excellent points Taubes makes in The Case For Sugar that will hopefully begin a public conversation of this concept is the modern argument against sugar has everything to do with "empty calories" they supposedly contain and not the hormonal effects it is having on our bodies. Methodically looking through all the faulty science used to defend sugar, Taubes again goes into bulldog mode pulling back the curtain on the Wizard of Oz to expose the facade we have been led to believe about sugar. The Case Against Sugar should absolutely be required reading of every doctor, dietitian, teacher, parent, and anyone who wants to hear the truth about sugar that they're just not gonna get from mainstream media or any of the so-called leaders in the nutritional health industry."
"Gary Taubes does a great amount of research in this book, like he has his others and shows us how we've been sold a bill of goods and how pervasive the use of sugar is in our foods."
"Taubes makes the case against sugar convincingly in his previous books."
"But not only does sugar tend to make people fatter, the process by which it makes you fat is by the flooding of insulin into the bloodstream, which leads to inflammation, and to the diseases which affect Western Civilization, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and even cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Giving someone a sweet treat is a way to show them love, but probably that line of thinking is going to change. The bottom line is to avoid sugar and refined starches, and for anyone who cares anything about nutrition, that message has been around a long time."
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The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe
Organized in order of appearance on the periodic table, each element is represented by a spread that includes a stunning, full-page, full-color photograph that most closely represents it in its purest form. The element's position on the periodic table is pinpointed on a mini rendering of the table and an illustrated scale of the element's boiling and/or melting points appears on each page along with a density scale that runs along the bottom. The book begins with an introduction to the arrangement of the periodic table. A column running down the right-hand page offers information on the element�s location in the periodic table and its atomic weight, density, atomic radius, and crystal structure in addition to charts portraying its electron order filling, atomic emission spectrum, and states of matter at various temperatures. The volume concludes with a brief bibliography and an index in addition to a foldout poster of the periodic table.
Reviews
"The whole family enjoys paging through it and sharing the facts about elements that we find in it."
"I was so impressed with this book that I bought it for several kids and then bought one for myself."
"The best part is this book is very easy to read."
"Beautiful book!"
"Jam-packed full of cool and pristine pictures and information!"
"This is a beautiful book with pictures and information about each element."
"We bought this as a gift for our son for Christmas and can't put it down myself."
"My 9 year old adores this book, and it is super interesting and fun for adults as well."
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A Short History of Nearly Everything (Bryson)
Bill Bryson's challenge is to take subjects that normally bore the pants off most of us, like geology, chemistry and particle physics, and see if there isn't some way to render them comprehensible to people who have never thought they could be interested in science. His aim is to help people like him, who rejected stale school textbooks and dry explanations, to appreciate how we have used science to understand the smallest particles and the unimaginably vast expanses of space. Though A Short History clocks in at a daunting 500-plus pages and covers the same material as every science book before it, it reads something like a particularly detailed novel (albeit without a plot). What follows is a brick of a volume summarizing moments both great and curious in the history of science, covering already well-trod territory in the fields of cosmology, astronomy, paleontology, geology, chemistry, physics and so on.
Reviews
"This book surprised me in the amount of effort the author took to go through book after book of different sciences, both old and new, and proceeded to connect the dots into several cohesive stories about our home, planet Earth, and its residents."
"I read the hardcover version first, all the while wishing there were pictures, diagrams, maps, etc."
"He is particularly skillful at putting into perspective concepts of size and dimension within the universe, whether mind-bogglingly vast expanses or minuscule marvels of life’s building blocks. Bryson also brings us biographical sketches of the greatest names in science as only an enormously talented humorist could do. Beginning with the unsuspecting and gentle dodo bird, Bryson outlines how we have systematically brought about the termination of thousands of creatures, intentionally or through ignorance."
"Bryson constantly reminds us that even with all the understanding acquired in every field, there are still huge mysteries whose answers (if they come) will no doubt create more questions."
"The gift recipient listened to the 5 CDs over several days and declared it very interesting."
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Best Clinical Chemistry

Love Sense: The Revolutionary New Science of Romantic Relationships
The bestselling author of Hold Me Tight presents a revolutionary new understanding of why and how we love, based on cutting-edge research. Sue Johnson covers all the new science, and she has led the scientific field in helping us all understand love and how to repair an ailing relationship. "Sue Johnson, the developer of Emotion Focused Couple Therapy, has written a powerful book on the science of securely bonded marriages. With genuine enthusiasm and admirable clarity, she shows how emotion-focused therapy, guided by attachment theory and research, can heal troubled relationships while benefiting society more generally. -- Phillip R. Shaver, PhD , Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of California, Davis; Past President, International Association for Relationship Research. Dr. Sue Johnson is a clinical psychologist and Distinguished Research Professor at Alliant International University in San Diego, CA. Dr. Johnson is the author of Hold Me Tight and other numerous books and articles, and has trained thousands of therapists in North America and around the world.
Reviews
"We worry that if we are "too soft" that we will raise self centered people but, in fact, we are mostly driven to be empathic rather than competitive. She addresses many issues couples struggle with over a lifetime of partnership such as making a commitment, parenthood, coping with the empty nest, retirement. In chapter nine Sue tells a love story and describes a betrayal between a couple, the opening up, understanding what was happening between them that created the environment for this fracture to happen and then the repair. This will be a wonderful piece for our clients to read to begin to understand the opening that needs to happen when people have hurt each other."
"Great, maybe the best, book on relationships I've come across - ever."
"As compelling, is the author's brief mention of how her own understanding evolved counter to the theoretical status quo at the time."
"This book helped me to understand my avoidant attachment style and see the lies I lived by more clearly."
"How wonderful that we now have real science on love and a comprehensive book that puts it all together for us."
"excellent book for clinicians, couples in therapy, or anyone wanting to understand how we love, bond and attach to our partners."
"A wonderful book for all the reasons people here have mentioned."
"Sue Johnson is a pioneer in the research of couples, and how attachment patterns affect relating to one another!"
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Best Organic Chemistry

Coconut Oil Bible: (Boxed Set): Benefits, Remedies and Tips for Beauty and Weight Loss
This boxed set offers you information on the types and history of coconut oil as well as internal and external uses for coconut oil. We continually update our products, ensuring accuracy of information , making sure they are fun and entertaining.
Reviews
"I really enjoyed the comparison of coconut oil to other oils, I enjoyed the step-by-step explanation of how coconut oil is made and used, and I really enjoyed the difference in learning what each type of coconut oil does."
"I have always heard so many great things about coconut oil and I even have a large jar myself. Sure, you can probably find most of the info in this on the Internet (on many different websites) with a little searching, but this has it all together in one convenient book. I received this product complimentary in exchange for my honest review."
"I really enjoyed the comparison of coconut oil to other oils, I enjoyed the step-by-step explanation of how coconut oil is made and used, and I really enjoyed the difference in learning what each type of coconut oil does."
"In the second book (since this is a boxed set), there are recipes that utilize coconut oil making these dishes even more delicious and healthy. This vast expanse of knowledge really takes most of the "guess work" out of this oil and makes it less "exotic" and more practical for any user."
"When I started looking at the table of contents, I immediately went to the recipes sections ;) My sisters both were on a diet similar to paleo (don't ask for details because I did not participate specifically with their diet just ate their food lol) and they used coconut oil a lot in their food; so I new that coconut was healthy but didn't really know the specifics or why it was healthy or could help with weight loss."
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Best Inorganic Chemistry

Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World
Miodownik studies objects as ordinary as an envelope and as unexpected as concrete cloth, uncovering the fascinating secrets that hold together our physical world. " Stuff Matters is about hidden wonders, the astonishing properties of materials we think boring, banal, and unworthy of attention...It's possible this science and these stories have been told elsewhere, but like the best chocolatiers, Miodownik gets the blend right." University professor Miodownik accomplishes a bit of a miracle here by making a discussion of materials science not only accessible but witty as well.
Reviews
"I purchased this book because it's my first year teaching 5th-grade science and I wanted to flesh out my curriculum with some interesting facts. The chapter on chocolate is nothing short of a love letter to one of mankind's most sophisticated and delicious engineering achievements (make sure you have some on hand while you're reading—trust me)."
"The author has the ability to use simple language and illustrations to explain the incredible complexity of the materials aound us with which we interact on a daily basis."
"I'm rounding up perhaps half a star."
"Author Mark Miodownik has written an enjoyable, clear, and very informative book on a potentially very dry subject - material science."
"The reason is that sunlight does not have enough energy to dislocate the atoms in glass but ultra violet light does. That is the reason can't get a tan thru a window."
"It gave me a whole to appreciation for the things around me, so much so that I later bought The Elements by Theodore Gray which does an exceptional job of visually exploring all the atoms in the universe so you can better appreciate the Periodic Table as a layperson."
"This book is more appropriate for a strictly lay audience (in my opinion)."
"A amazing tale of materials that have shaped our modern world."
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Best Analytic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry As a Second Language: First Semester Topics, 4th Edition
Covers important areas such as resonance, nomenclature, conformations, substitution reactions, synthesis and more.
Reviews
"Klein phrases things in a way that makes sense, gives steps and practice problems for each concept, and it’s a small book so it’s not a burden to bring to class."
"I bought both volumes, and while they came to me dog-eared (which annoyed me, because I bought them "new", and dog-eared books don't have the same value), but the content is great."
"The book is in the form of a workbook, so you get lots of practice, which really helps master the concept."
"If you read this, make an effort to understand the material, and do the practice problems at least once a day - you will get at least a B in the class, minimum."
"Shipping was extremely quick, and the book offers a really basic understanding of organic chemistry for people coming in with no knowledge of the subject!"
"From configurations to the 3 main reactions (Substitution, Elimination, and Addition), I felt like this book was able to fill in the "gaps" from my class lectures."
"This is vital for passing organic chemistry."
"This definitely didn't cover all of the topics that my class went over in the first semester, but I went through a couple chapters before the start of the term and it gave me a REALLY solid foundation in terms of identifying the relationship between molecules, finding chirality centres (and determining configuration), finding atoms with partial positive or negative charge (due to resonance), etc."
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Best Physical & Theoretical Chemistry

Physical Chemistry
Edition after edition, Atkins and de Paula's #1 bestseller remains the most contemporary, most effective full-length textbook for courses covering thermodynamics in the first semester and quantum mechanics in the second semester. He has taught courses in general chemistry, physical chemistry, biophysical chemistry, instrumental analysis and writing.
Reviews
"As we all know you don't choose your textbooks."
"This is an absolutely excellent text that certainly meets my expectations for the topic - physical chem."
"I like the mathematical review sections."
"This book came with great condition!"
"I cant believe that the book came so fast."
"can get a little wordy which makes it difficult to follow."
"I was a chem major in undergrad so I have a lot of chem text books and this is by far my favorite one."
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Best Industrial & Technical Chemistry

Yeast: The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation (Brewing Elements)
The authors adeptly cover yeast selection, storage and handling of yeast cultures, how to culture yeast and the art of rinsing/washing yeast cultures. Included are fantastic tips for working with all kinds of yeast strains and beer styles, introducing new strains, and how to use best brewing and lab practices to keep your yeast healthy and your beer tasting great."
Reviews
"I found this book to be much more informative than the Hops book and much easier to follow then the Water book."
"This is more than a yeast book."
"This book is aimed at everyone from a homebrewer up to a professional craft brewer."
"While providing useful information that can expand the understanding of the beer enthusiast, this book more directly addresses the needs of the home and small craft brewer. It’s written for lay readers – amateur and professional brewers and for a subset of beer aficionados who want to burrow deeper into the subject."
"Lots of practical advice on yeast and it's impact on your beer."
"This book will take anyone well beyond simply dumping a packet or vial of yeast into their wort and waiting for fermentation. Having such a listing at hand to thumb through when building a recipe (or making substitutions) is really handy, and I was longing to find a similar guide here."
"If you are looking for a book thoroughly discussing the intricacies of yeast in general, this isn't for you; but if you're looking for an extensive guide on propagating, storing and pitching brewer's yeast, this is the perfect reference book."
"Excellent shape book!"
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Best Crystallography Chemistry

BIOMOLECULAR CRYSTALLOGRAPHY: Principles, Practice, and Application to Structural Biology
Synthesizing over thirty years of advances into a comprehensive textbook, Biomolecular Crystallography describes the fundamentals, practices, and applications of protein crystallography. "Over the past 34 years Louise and I have often discussed the possibility of updating [ Protein Crystallography ]....However, this marvelous text by Bernhard Rupp provides everything that we could have done and more: indeed all that is required for the student of 2010. Figures and graphs computed from new and original data are used extensively to help clarify important concepts, and derivations of all relevant mathematical and statistical principles―many of which have never been brought together in a single volume―are presented. 'This thorough treatment of modern macromolecular X-ray crystallography combines a comprehensive coverage of the fundamentals with methodological details that are often omitted in introductory texts. 'Given the extraordinary progress in biomolecular crystallography, the challenge of providing a comprehensive and authoritative overview, starting from first principles, is formidable.
Reviews
"This is one of the best crystallography books you can buy."
"I have nothing to say about this book except that it is just PERFECT!"
"lots of figures, images to help you understand, many chapters on practical use, very practical."
"Yet I have to admit I am not yet completely done with it."
"Great book for better understanding of crystallography."
"As the technology and information renaissance has evolved, the spotlight has been cast upon the need for a deeper understanding of the mysteries locked within the structure of macromolecular systems and for knowledgeable and astute practitioners of diffraction science whom hold the keys to unlock those secrets. In order to properly train the next generation of structural biologists educated in crystallography, it is essential to have a modern reference volume which deftly unites the various topics critical to this field of science. Such a need has been addressed by Biomolecular Crystallography, which not only focuses on the key elements essential for any crystallographic textbook, such as crystal growth, the physics of diffraction, symmetry, the phase problem, model building, refinement and validation, but also includes information useful for the practicing structural biologist, such as protein production and engineering, bioinformatics and structure-based drug design."
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