The AMS Weather Book

by Jack Williams

Comprehensive and spectacularly illustrated, this guide covers everything from daily weather patterns, air pollution and global warming to stories of researchers who study the atmosphere, oceans and climate. HC. 368pp. 2009.

Absinthe & Flamethrowers

by William Gurstelle

Dedicated to the risk-takers among us, Gurstelle’s book shares insights ranging from the science of the alcoholic drink known as absinthe to step-by-step instructions for creating your very own flamethrower. SC. 224pp. 2009.

The Airplane

by Jay Spenser

Spenser vividly re-creates the conception and birth of the earliest flying machines, and addressed in turn the evolution of the airplane’s fuselage, wings, flight controls, flight deck, propulsion, landing gear and more. HC. 320pp. 2008.

Alien Volcanoes

by Rosaly Lopes

Packed with spectacular color photography, this book shows how insights from terrestrial volcanology have informed our study of volcanism on Mercury, Venus, Mars, Io, Europa, Titan and other solar system worlds. HC. 170pp. 2008.

Animal Investigators

by Laurel A. Neme

Neme takes us inside the only forensics lab dedicated to animals, and shows how it has cracked cases involving walrus slaughtered for their ivory, black bear gallbladders and smuggled feathers from endangered tropical birds. HC. 256pp. 2009.

Animal Life

by DK

Counts as 2

The Annotated Flatland

by Edwin A. Abbott

Stewart takes us through the entire text of Abbott’s Flatland, offering unprecedented literary and social insights into this classic and impressively expanding on the mathematical ideas contained in the book. SC. 272pp. 2001.

Anthropology for Dummies®

by Cameron M. Smith

Smith and Davies offer an insightful look at the basics of physical and cultural anthropology—focusing on humanity as a biological phenomenon and addressing all facets of modern living cultures from religion to language. SC. 380pp. 2008.

Antimatter

by Frank Close

Close reviews early theorizing about the nature of antimatter, shows how its existence and properties were first confirmed, and highlights ongoing attempts to explain its rarity and confine it in the laboratory. HC. 176pp. 2009.

Apollo

Featuring 80 iconic images from the Apollo lunar missions—including handpicked images and commentary from Apollo astronauts—this book explores the role of the astronaut as photographer and highlights each mission in turn. HC. 132pp. 2009.

Archaeology for Dummies®

by Nancy Marie White

This smart, user-friendly guide surveys an array of archaeological topics, including how to choose and excavate a site, how to process and analyze the materials from the dig and what we’ve learned about humanity’s past. SC. 384pp. 2008.

Archimedes to Hawking

by Clifford A. Pickover

More than 40 physical laws, from Archimedes’ Principle of Buoyancy to Ohm’s Law of Electricity. HC. 524pp. 2008.

Astronomy, Seventh Edition

by Dinah Moche

This text is a remarkable tool for learning about the cosmos, with lessons on the Moon and planets, Sun, stars and stellar evolution, galaxies and more, along with an array of self-tests and other special features. SC. 384pp. 2009.