The Best American Science and Nature Writing (Best American Science & Nature Writing)

With the inaugural volume of THE BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE AND NATURE WRITING, Houghton Mifflin showcases the finest writing of the past year on subjects of ever-increasing interest to readers. Guest editor David Quammen and series editor Burkhard Bilger have assembled a remarkable group of essays that originally appeared in periodicals from National Geographic, Science, and The New Yorker to Puerto del Sol and DoubleTake. Among the acclaimed writers represented are Natalie Angier on "Men, Women, Sex, and Darwin," Peter Matthiessen exploring "The Island at the End of the Earth," Richard Preston considering "The Demon in the Freezer," and Oliver Sacks remembering the "Brilliant Light" of his boyhood. Also including work by such literary lights as Anne Fadiman, Edward Hoagland, and Cullen Murphy, this volume presents selections bound together by their timelessness.

With The Best American Science and Nature Writing, Houghton Mifflin expands its stellar Best American series with a volume that honors our long and distinguished history of publishing the best writers in these fields.

David Quammen, together with series editor Burkhard Bilger, has assembled a remarkable group of writers whose selections appeared in periodicals from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, SCIENCE, and THE NEW YORKER to PUERTO DEL SOL and DOUBLETAKE. Among the acclaimed writers represented in this volume are Richard Preston on “The Demon in the Freezer,” John McPhee bidding “Farewell to the Nineteeth Century,” Oliver Sacks remembering the “Brilliant Light” of his boyhood, and Wendell Berry going “Back to the Land.” Also including such literary lights as Anne Fadiman, David Guterson, Edward Hoagland, Natalie Angier, and Peter Matthiessen, this new collection presents selections bound together by their timelessness.

Contents Foreword ix Introduction: The Vine-Tree by David Quammen xiii Natalie Angier. Men, Women, Sex, and Darwin 1 from The New York Times Magazine Wendell Berry. Back to the Land 14 from The Amicus Journal Richard Conniff. Africas Wild Dogs 22 from National Geographic Paul De Palma. http://www.when_is_enough_enough?.com 34 from The American Scholar Helen Epstein. Something Happened 48 from The New York Review of Books Aanne Fadiman. Under Water 63 from The New Yorker Atul Gawande. The Cancer-Cluster Myth 67 from The New Yorker Brian Hayes. Clock of Ages 75 from The Sciences Edward Hoagland. That Sense of Falling 87 from Preservation Judith Hooper. A New Germ Theory 91 from The Atlantic Monthly Wendy Johnson. Heavy Grace 114 from Tricycle Ken Lamberton. The Wisdom of Toads 116 from Puerto del Sol Peter Matthiessen. The Island at the End of the Earth 125 from Audubon Cullen Murphy. Lulu, Queen of the Camels 135 from The Atlantic Monthly Richard Preston. The Demon in the Freezer 150 from The New Yorker Oliver Sacks. Brilliant Light 179 from The New Yorker Hampton Sdes. This Is Not the Place 209 from DoubleTake Craig b. Stanford. Gorilla Warfare 235 from The Sciences Gary Taubes. String Theorists Find a Rosetta Stone 245 from Science Contributors Notes 257 Other Notable Science and Nature Writing of 1999 261