Reading lists
Recommended reading materials and textbooks to support your course
The following are some popular science books and resources that you may find helpful to help keep your interest going over summer and to find new interests within your subjects.
Books
Al-Khalili, J. (2020) The World According to Physics. Princeton University press. Good for: Physics
Arney, K. (2021) Rebel Cell: Cancer, Evolution and the New Science of Life. W&N. Good for: Cancer Sciences and Immunobiology
Brooks, M (2022) The Maths that Made Us. Scribe UK. Good for: Maths
Carson, R. (2002) Silent Spring. Houghton Miffin. Good for: Environment/Conservation/Ecology
Chapman, K. (2021) Superheavy: Making and Breaking the Periodic Table. Bloomsbury Sigma. Good for: Chemistry
Crichton, M. (1993) Jurassic Park. Good for: Molecular Biology/Genetics/Chaos Theory
Czerski, H. (2017) Storm in a Teacup: The Physics of Everyday Life. Black Swan. Good for: Physics and Maths
Dawkins, R. (2005) The Ancestor’s Tale: a pilgrimage to the dawn of life. Phoenix. Good for: Evolutionary Biology/Ecology
Dawkins, R. (1989) The Selfish Gene. Oxford: Oxford University Press Good for: Genetics/Biology
Dawkins, R. (1982) The Extended Phenotype: the gene as a unit of selection. Oxford University Press. Good for: Genetics/Biology
Dunbar, R.I. (2022) Friends: understanding the power of our most important relationships. Abacus. Good for: Psychology/Evolutionary Biology
Fagan, B.M. (2009) The Complete Ice Age: how climate changed the world. Thames & Hudson. Good for: Archaeology/Environmental Science/Earth Science
Fagan, B.M. (2019) The Little Ice Age: how climate made history 1300-1850. Basic Books. Good for: Archaeology/Environmental Science
Gamble, C., Gowlett, J., & Dunbar, R.I.M. (2014) Thinking Big: how the evolution of social life shaped the human mind. Thames & Hudson. Good for: Human Evolution/Psychology/Archaeology
Goldacre, B. (2009) Bad Science. HarperPerennial. Good for: Anyone with an interest in science communication, medical science
Harkup, K. (2021) The Secret Lives of the Elements. Greenfinch. Good for: Chemistry
Hartford, T. (2021) How to make the world add up. The Bridge Street Press: Good for: any subject that uses statistics – Biology, Cancer Science, Earth Science, Ecosystems, Psychology
Hossenfelder S. (2023) Existential Physics: A Scientist’s Guide to Life’s Biggest Questions. Atlantic Books. Good for: Physics
Lavers, C. (2001) Why Elephants have Big Ears: understanding patterns of life on Earth. Phoenix. Good for: Biogeography/Ecosystems/Biology
Parker, M. (2020) Humble Pi. Penguin. Good for: Maths
Pinker, S (2015) The Language Instinct: how the mind creates language. Penguin. Good for: Psychology/Evolutionary Biology
Roberts, A. (2015) The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being: evolution and the making of us. London: Heron Books. Good for: Evolution/Biology
Roberts, N. (2014) The Holocene: an environmental history. Wiley Blackwell. Good for: Earth Science/Ecosystems/Environment/Archaeology
Rutherford, A. (2017) A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived. W&N. Good for: Genetics
Sacks, O. (1999( The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. Picador: Good for: Psychology/Neuroscience
Saini, A. (2020) Superior: the return of race science. Fourth Estate. Good for: Genetics
Sapolsky, R.M. (2018) Behave. Vintage. Good for: Psychology
Skloot, R. (2010) . Crown Publishers. Good for: Genetics/Molecular Biology
Stringer, C. (2007) Homo Britannicus: the incredible story of human life in Britain. Penguin. Good for: Archaeology
Toghill, P. (2000) The Geology of Britain: an introduction. Airlife. Good for: Earth Science/Environment
Wrangham, R.W. (2010) Catching Fire: how cooking made us human. Basic Books. Good for: Human Evolution
Zalasiewicz, J. (2012) The Planet in a Pebble. Oxford Landmark Science. Good for: Earth Science/Chemistry/Environment
Magazines and Periodicals
Radio, Podcasts and Video