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jessferg's review
4.0
My Amazon review: Buzzwords, a compilation of humor columns written for American Entomologist by May Berenbaum from 1991-1999, combines science and wit with a little bit of everyday life to come up with some pretty funny - and interesting - stuff for entomologists and entomologist wanna-bes.
While these essays were written for the scientific community and there are occasional lapses into research methods or Latin syntax, for the most part the essays are in common English and provide some great information on insects in a much lighter format than the average scientific texts.
For example, essays like "Putting on Airs," in which Berenbaum documents the years of research scientists have spent calculating exactly how much methane gas termites are responsible for producing (i.e.: how much termites fart), and "Inquiring Minds Want to Know" which details how often cockroaches make the pages of tabloid magazines, there is much for the non-entomologist to enjoy.
Of course Berenbaum deals with the more serious side of entomology as well, such as in the essay "Just Say Notoclontid?" that details the former president George Bush's plan to raid coca fields by dropping caterpillars from helicopters as part of his efforts on the "war on drugs," she just does it a little tounge-in-cheek.
Overall, Buzzwords is an educational book with a dose of humor, fun to read and, best of all, it won't leave you itchy all over!
While these essays were written for the scientific community and there are occasional lapses into research methods or Latin syntax, for the most part the essays are in common English and provide some great information on insects in a much lighter format than the average scientific texts.
For example, essays like "Putting on Airs," in which Berenbaum documents the years of research scientists have spent calculating exactly how much methane gas termites are responsible for producing (i.e.: how much termites fart), and "Inquiring Minds Want to Know" which details how often cockroaches make the pages of tabloid magazines, there is much for the non-entomologist to enjoy.
Of course Berenbaum deals with the more serious side of entomology as well, such as in the essay "Just Say Notoclontid?" that details the former president George Bush's plan to raid coca fields by dropping caterpillars from helicopters as part of his efforts on the "war on drugs," she just does it a little tounge-in-cheek.
Overall, Buzzwords is an educational book with a dose of humor, fun to read and, best of all, it won't leave you itchy all over!
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