Biology

• Life at the Limits by David Wharton (Cambridge). Here we take a look at extreme conditions, and the life forms that manage to survive in them. Deep in the sea around boiling-hot thermal vents, in the arctic and antarctic ice, in nearly waterless deserts, and radioactive environments, even the anaerobic bacteria in our own guts -- life thrives. Wharton examines how plants and animals overcome the problems extreme conditions present.
• Synaptic Self: How our brains become who we are by Joseph LeDoux (Viking). This work clearly explains the elctro-chemical workings of neurotransmitters and other substances influencing synaptic function, but it also looks at less tangible effects, like cognition, emotion and motivation. LeDoux also examines malfunctions of the brain, such as mental illness and dementia, and tries to elucidate the physical underpinnings of those conditions.
• Animals and Plants of the Ancient Maya : A Guide by Victoria Schlesinger and Carlos Galindo-Leal, illustrated by Juan C. Chab-Medina (Univ. of Texas, 2002). I live in Mexico, and believe me -- it is very difficult to find any guidebooks to the plant and animal life here. This useful book makes a start by describing some of the plants and animals most heavily utilized by the Maya in southern Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador and western Honduras. More than a field guide, this book not only describes and illustrates the plants and animals along with their habitats and natural history, but also explains how they fit into Mayan culture.