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  The Best American Science and...

  Rebecca Skloot

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  This anthology of essays and articles explores topics ranging from untouched wilderness to scientific ethics—and the nature of curiosity itself. Scientists and writers are both driven by a dogged curiosity, immersing themselves in detailed observations that, over time, uncover larger stories. As Rebecca Skloot says in her introduction, all the stories in this collection are “written by and about people who take the time, and often a substantial amount of risk, to follow curiosity where it may lead, so we can all learn about it.”The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2015 includes work from both award-winning writers and up-and-coming voices in the field. From Brooke Jarvis on deep-ocean mining to Elizabeth Kolbert on New Zealand’s unconventional conservation strategies, this is a group that celebrates the growing diversity in science and nature writing alike. Altogether, the writers honored in this volume challenge us to consider the strains facing our planet and its many species, while never losing sight of the wonders we’re working to preserve for generations to come. This anthology includes essays and articles by Sheri Fink, Atul Gawande, Leslie Jamison, Sam Kean, Seth Mnookin, Matthew Power, Michael Specter and others.

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  Flawless - Understanding Faults...

  Jamie Goode

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  Flawless is the first book of its kind dedicated to exploring the main causes of faults in wine. From cork taint, to volatile acidity, to off-putting aromas and flavors, all wine connoisseurs have encountered unappealing qualities in a disappointing bottle. But are all faults truly bad? Are some even desirable?Jamie Goode brings his authoritative voice to the table once again to demystify the science behind what causes a good bottle to go bad. By exposing the root causes of faults in wine, Flawless challenges us to rethink our assumptions about how wine should taste and how we can understand beauty in a glass.

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  Australia on the Brink

  Ian Lowe

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  In 1996, the first independent national report on the state of Australia’s environment found that we faced serious problems. With increasing urgency, five subsequent reports declared those problems were all getting worse, each calling for immediate action to protect our future. The 2021 report determined that, ‘Overall, the state and trend of the environment of Australia are poor and deteriorating as a result of increasing pressures from climate change, habitat loss, invasive species, pollution and resource extraction,’ and warned of the dramatic impact on our health and living standards. It is now clearer than ever that the consequences of long-term inaction are upon us.Accelerating climate change and the loss of our unique biodiversity are the most obvious signs of the grim outlook for future generations of Australians. But the international trends are equally worrying, with quixotic economic systems casting doubt on the wisdom of running down our domestic production of essential goods and services in favour of a dependence on trade. It is no exaggeration to conclude that Australian society itself is at risk.In Australia on the Brink, Ian Lowe argues that the essential first steps in addressing these threats are stabilising the global climate and protecting our local biota. We must also change the emphasis of resource extraction from a damaging reliance on trade to improving our capacity to meet our own needs. This is our best – perhaps our only – chance of restoring a sense of social stability, and the equality of opportunity that was once a hallmark of this country.

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  Modernizing Medicare -...

  Marie Fishpaw, Robert Emmet Moffit

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  In Modernizing Medicare, editors Robert Emmet Moffit and Marie Fishpaw bring together a rare combination of leading scholars and policy practitioners to outline a vision for Medicare reform and provide solutions for the millions of seniors whose health care depends on it. Contributors include a former Medicare trustee, a former Medicare administrator, and a former director of the Congressional Budget Office.Detailing Medicare’s biggest problems, this team of top policy experts offers solutions based on personal freedom of choice, transparency of price and performance, and market competition among health plans and providers that will secure patients more affordable, more accountable, and higher quality medical care. They also address Medicare’s reform needs and analyze the promising performance of the Medicare Advantage program. Contributors outline Medicare’s major financial problems and the best solutions for Medicare patients and taxpayers alike. While Medicare’s accelerating spending is generating higher deficits and debt, standard cost-control strategies—such as payment reductions and price controls—jeopardize patients’ access to high-quality care.

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  A Railway History of New Shildon...

  George Turner Smith

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  An “extraordinarily informative and profusely illustrated” history of how a town built a railway, and a railway built a town (Midwest Book Review).   On September 27, 1825, the first public railway steam train left New Shildon for Stockton-on-Tees, England. The driver was George Stephenson and the engine he was driving was the “Locomotion No.1.” It set off from a settlement that consisted of just a set of rails and four houses, none of which had been there a year before. The four houses became a town with a five-figure population, a town that owed its existence to the railway that made its home there—the Stockton and Darlington (S&DR).   Some of the earliest and greatest railway pioneers worked there, including George and his son Robert; the Hackworth brothers, Timothy and Thomas; and the engineer William Bouch. Their story is part of New Shildon’s story. The locomotive works, created to build and maintain steam locomotives, morphed into the world’s most innovative works, whose demise had more to do with politics than productivity. This book covers Shildon’s years between 1820 and today, including the war interludes when the Wagon Works was manned by women and the output was mostly intended for the Ministry of Defense. The story of the creation of the town’s railway museum and the arrival of Hitachi at Newton Aycliffe brings the history up to date and, to complete the picture, there is also a description of the ongoing new build G5 steam locomotive project on Hackworth Industrial Estate, the very site where the S&DR locomotive and wagon works was located. It is the story of a railway town—and also the story of the people who lived there and made it what it is today.

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  When Cats Reigned Like Kings -...

  Georgie Anne Geyer

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  “A lively blend of travel, autobiography and insights . . . explores connections between the royal felines of ancient civilizations and domestic cats.” —Midwest Book Review 
   
  Chasing an irresistible mystery across the globe, journalist Georgie Anne Geyer conducted exhaustive research into the little-known puzzle of how cats came to occupy their unique position in the lives of humans. Treated with the tenacity, resourcefulness, and narrative instinct of a seasoned foreign correspondent, the investigation yielded unexpected answers—and posed tantalizing new questions. The result is a remarkable book, bound to delight and amaze cat fanciers and adventure seekers. 
   
  It was Geyer’s curiosity about her own cats that inspired her to study the history of human-feline relations and especially cats’ exalted status among the ancients as royal or sacred beings. Her quest spanned the earth. In Egypt, Geyer learned of the cat-goddess, Bastet, and of the cat’s role in the transmigration of souls. In Myanmar, she saw Leonardo DiCaprio, Ricky Martin, and the other incongruously named cats of the Nga Phe Kyaung monastery, trained by the monks to jump through hoops. She even met a family who dutifully guards the heritage of the Japanese bobtail, cultivating the line in—of all places—rural Virginia. 
   
  Richly illustrated with photos of Geyer’s journeys and historical cat images, When Cats Reigned Like Kings also presents a Family of Cat section that describes the origins and characteristics of the 38–40 recognized modern cat breeds, including photos of each.  
   
  “A fascinating trip into the cat world from one cool-cat writer.” —Paul Duke, veteran journalist and moderator of PBS’s Washington Week in Review 
   
  “[A] charming blend of reportage and personal history.” —Publishers Weekly

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