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velvetspectre's review against another edition
3.0
The blanket contempt the author shows for students in this book is distracting, and the way she attempts to normalize living (figuratively or literally) in the lab is inaccurate and frankly damaging to the geosciences community. Of course she can write whatever she wishes in her own memoir, but hazing new students and repeatedly emphasizing how lazy and incompetent most are does not inspire confidence that she is building a positive lab environment. I liked some of the stories in this book and found it exciting to see the workings of scientific instruments get a spotlight, but the overall tone of this book and my growing dislike of the author really took away from my enjoyment of reading it.
tenthousandactualbees's review against another edition
need to restart, got to reading other books
erintowner's review against another edition
5.0
If labs are homes to Hope Jahren, minds and stories like hers are homes to me. The first book book I've read in a long while that I genuinely couldn't put dowm
book_concierge's review against another edition
5.0
Hope Jahren was always most comfortable in a lab; as a child she played in her father’s lab. She chose to research botany, and this is her memoir.
Jahren structures the book with alternating chapters; in one she will give a botany lesson, detailing, for example, the functioning of a leaf; in the next chapter she’ll relate a personal story of her journey from childhood to her position as a research scientist. And I was frequently able to draw a comparison between the science and the memory. I was fascinated by the science lessons but was completely taken in by her personal story.
Jahren writes with humor and strength as she reveals her personal struggles with bi-polar disorder, with learning to show love having grown up in a reserved Scandinavian culture, and with being a woman in a decidedly male-dominated field. I particularly loved the stories she told of her adventures with her student and eventual lab partner, Bill. This is the kind of guy who will drive you to distraction, but whom you want along on a deserted island. Resourceful is his middle name!
I highly recommend this to all readers – male or female, science geek or amateur gardener. I think just about everyone will find something delightful and relatable in this memoir.
Jahren structures the book with alternating chapters; in one she will give a botany lesson, detailing, for example, the functioning of a leaf; in the next chapter she’ll relate a personal story of her journey from childhood to her position as a research scientist. And I was frequently able to draw a comparison between the science and the memory. I was fascinated by the science lessons but was completely taken in by her personal story.
Jahren writes with humor and strength as she reveals her personal struggles with bi-polar disorder, with learning to show love having grown up in a reserved Scandinavian culture, and with being a woman in a decidedly male-dominated field. I particularly loved the stories she told of her adventures with her student and eventual lab partner, Bill. This is the kind of guy who will drive you to distraction, but whom you want along on a deserted island. Resourceful is his middle name!
I highly recommend this to all readers – male or female, science geek or amateur gardener. I think just about everyone will find something delightful and relatable in this memoir.
edriessen's review against another edition
4.0
It made me realise I have a new favorite genre: scientist (auto)biographies. Truly a good read.
timna_wyckoff's review against another edition
2.0
I like the idea of this book and some of the stories were quite compelling; I really wanted to like it, but.....I think we as scientists have a responsibility to write about science for the public in a way that is both engaging AND ACCURATE. The looseness with which this author treated evolutionary concepts troubled me throughout the book, and there were also some outright errors (DNA is not protein!!) that made me question everything else.
marieintheraw's review against another edition
3.0
Picked this up as a part of my Popsugar reading challenge since I'm not a big science person so might as well pick a science nonfiction book for one of the challenges. Not much to say otherwise, but an enjoyable read.
malolauren's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed the parts about botany, but as someone who has been lab staff, I wasn't a fan of her codependent relationship with her lab manager and couldn't find those stories endearing at all.