Meditation 194
The Remainder Bin
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I like to rummage through the remainder bin in bookstores, looking for bargains. Quite often I succeed, sometimes finding a slightly dated hardcover available for less than the price of the recently issued paperback. It's a good way to build a budget priced personal library. Generally the books are available for less than 25% of original list price. And if the book isn't all that good, I don't feel I've wasted a lot of money.
Following are some discount books reasonably relevant to some of the issues on this site which I have purchased recently and can personally recommend. You should be able to find some of them at a good price in your local bookstore. I paid between $4.99 to $6.99 (Canadian) for these.
Get a Grip on Evolution by David Burne. 1999 Ivy Press / Time-Life Publishing
ISBN 0-7370-0036-8 - 192 pages, paperback
This book is a nice little introductory text on evolution. It won't make you an expert, but it covers the basics in a light and breezy style with a number of brief articles. The average high school student should have no problem reading and understanding this book.
Ivy Press published a series of "Get a Grip on" books. You might also find "Get a Grip on Genetics" discounted.
Breaking Faith by John Cornwell. 2001 Viking Compass.
ISBN 0-670-03002-2 - 310 pages, hardcover
In his earlier book, "Hitler's Pope," John Cornwell critically examined Pope Pius XII. In this later book, subtitled "the Pope, the People, and the Fate of Catholicism" he looks at issues facing the church today and the effects of the extended reign of Pope John Paul II. There is a deep divide between the conservative elements at the head of the Church and its membership. While this book is of interest to concerned Catholics, the lessons can be extended to any autocratic religious organization.
The Wisdom of Bones by Alan Walker & Pat Shipman. 1996 Weidenfield & Nicholson
ISBN 0 297 81670 5 - 270 pages, paperback
This book is a little dated and advances have been made in paleoanthropology in the last eight years. But still, it still provides a good and informative read. The book, by a husband and wife team, tells firsthand the story of the excavation of "Nariokotome Boy" in Kenya in 1984, and what we have learned about the origins of humans.
Urban Legends by Richard Roeper. 1999 The Career Press
ISBN 1-56414-418-6 - 286 pages, hardcover
The subtitle of this book tells it all: "The TRUTH Behind All Those Deliciously Entertaining MYTHS That Are Absolutely, Positively, 100% NOT TRUE." It's a great concept for a book, and it actually works. And the message is that you cannot believe everything you hear, or read.
If you want to pay about double the price of the remaindered hardcover version, you can get an updated paperback version with even more urban legends debunked.