Expert: Walter Hintz - 7/3/2007

Question
I'm wondering if you can name some great books on biology for non-biologists.

There are two types of resources I'm looking for. The first is an overview of the field, kind of like what "Physics for Future Presidents" (http://tinyurl.com/2s9sjk) by Richard Muller does for Physics. Muller talks about matter, waves, electricity, quantum mechanics, energy, etc. but with very few equations; instead he explains the importance of understanding physics concepts to make everyday decisions and national policy.

The second is a more specific, but extremely accessible look into a particular field for the layman, for example what "Freakonomics" is to economics, or "The Tipping Point" is to sociology.

Can you recommend any such resources for biology?

Many, many thanks! I really appreciate your generous volunteering.

Answer
Hi luke
I teach a course in biology for non-majors and use one of the best books that I have found so far.
It is called "A Brief Guide To Biology"  By David Krogh
ISBN 0-13-185965-x
 Is published by Pearson/Prentice Hall
Unfortunately this is a text book and expensive.
Amazon (amazon.com) has used copies fo around $45.00