Texts in this collection explore topics like climate change, energy, and humanity's place in the environment through a variety of genres, whether the science fiction of Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake or the scientific journalism of Dan Egan's The Death and Life of the Great Lakes.
Publication year 2016
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Tags Science / Nature, Technology, Biography
Professor Hope Jahren’s 2016 memoir, Lab Girl, chronicles the author’s life and experience as a geobiologist. The memoir contains three parts, each spanning a major period in Jahren’s life. Autobiographical chapters are followed by brief, lyrical chapters examining various plants and their habits. These chapters on plants contain extensive use of personification, relating plant experience to that of humans.Part 1, “Roots and Leaves,” spans Jahren’s childhood to her first teaching job.The author grows up in... Read Lab Girl Summary
Publication year 1960
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride
Tags Mythology, Ekphrastic, Free verse, Modernism, Grief / Death, Science / Nature
Publication year 1916
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Language, Life/Time: The Future, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Science / Nature, Modernism
Publication year 2005
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Life/Time: The Future
Tags Parenting, Education, Psychology, Children's Literature, Education, Science / Nature, Psychology
Publication year 2000
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Climate, Society: Colonialism, Society: Economics
Tags History: World, Politics / Government, Business / Economics, Science / Nature, Sociology, Indian Literature, Chinese Literature
Publication year 2013
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags Science / Nature, Journalism, Sports, History: World, Health / Medicine
League of Denial: The NFL, Concussions, and the Battle for Truth is a 2013 work of investigative nonfiction by brothers Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru. The book chronicles the National Football League’s concussion crisis, which came to light with a few career-ending head injuries in the 1990s and became an even more serious issue as numerous deceased former players were found to have developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). League of Denial won the PEN/ESPN Award... Read League of Denial Summary
Publication year 1990
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Values/Ideas: Fate, Natural World: Place
Tags Lyric Poem, Science / Nature
Publication year 2013
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Community
Tags Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy, Philosophy, Biography
Publication year 1615
Genre Essay / Speech, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Philosophy, Science / Nature, Religion / Spirituality, Education, Education, History: World, Philosophy
Publication year 2017
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Natural World: Space & The Universe, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil
Tags Philosophy, Business / Economics, Futurism, Science / Nature, Technology, Technology, Philosophy
Publication year 2008
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Society: Politics & Government, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Leadership/Organization/Management, Politics / Government, Science / Nature
Little Brother, a dystopian young adult novel written by Cory Doctorow, was published by Tor Teen books in 2008. The book debuted at number nine on The New York Times Bestseller list and was a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2009. Little Brother also won the 2009 White Pine Award, Prometheus Award, and John W. Campbell Memorial Award. The story takes place in the near future and chronicles the efforts of... Read Little Brother Summary
Publication year 1997
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Food, Natural World: Place, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Economics, Society: Education, Society: War, Society: Nation
Tags Science / Nature, Health / Medicine, Politics / Government, Social Justice, Education, Education, Gender / Feminism
Publication year 2005
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Science / Nature, Education, History: World, Travel Literature, Biography
Dava Sobel’s best-selling book Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time tells the story of the 18th-century contest to find a precise way to locate a ship at sea, the clockmaker who built the first timepiece that could do so, and his battle with the astronomers whose alternate method competed for the winning prize. Replete with sea disasters, brilliant scientists, and scheming politicians, Longitude won... Read Longitude Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Community
Tags Self Help, Psychology, Mental Illness, Health / Medicine, Sociology, Philosophy, Depression / Suicide, Science / Nature, Psychology, Philosophy
Publication year 2014
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Society: Education, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology
Tags Education, Psychology, Self Help, Science / Nature, Education, Leadership/Organization/Management, Business / Economics, Psychology
Publication year 1993
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Race, Society: Class, Society: Politics & Government
Tags Health / Medicine, Sociology, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Politics / Government
Publication year 1964
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Identity: Mental Health
Tags Psychology, Mythology, Relationships, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Philosophy, Arts / Culture, Psychology, Fantasy, Classic Fiction, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 1999
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos
Tags Psychology, Philosophy, Sociology, History: World, Science / Nature, Philosophy, Psychology, Fantasy, Self Help, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Action / Adventure, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Education, Technology, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature
Publication year 2007
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Tags Race / Racism, Science / Nature, History: World, Social Justice, Health / Medicine
In the 2007 nonfiction book Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present, medical researcher Harriet A. Washington describes the long history of American medical experiments on Black Americans. Although some of these abuses are well-known, such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, the book presents a comprehensive history that describes the long-standing pattern of exploitative practices. By uncovering how American medicine has been built upon the... Read Medical Apartheid Summary