Biology, 7th Edition (Book & CD-ROM) by Neil A. Campbell, Jane B. Reece Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Biology, 7th Edition (Book & CD-ROM)
Book Review: Book Purchase
Summary: 5 Stars
The book was delivered very promptly. The seller did a great job getting it to us before my son's class started.Book Review: Brilliance and Ignorance Together For One Very High Price
Summary: 3 Stars
This is by far the best that Campbell & Co. have produced. The text reads easily and with great clarity. The difference of this 7th edition over previous editions is significant, and nearly worth the price. However, paying nearly $150 for a text is ridiculous. The publishers obviously think they can command such a premium because this text is so closely linked with the current American public high school's Biology Advanced Placement test. In short, they feel they have taxpayers over a barrel on this and can 'get away with it'. Shameful. Also, Campbell and Reece are radical evolutionists. Do not expect balance or 'both sides of the argument' presented on any of the more controversial aspects of Darwin's theory. There is no debate as far as they are concerned. Though 'spontaneous generation' was disproven by Louis Pasteur and Francisco Redi over 150 years ago, Campbell and Reece cling to this notion with strange, obsessive passion that borders on the bizarre. Their arrogance on this important issue strongly detracts from what is an outstanding, and otherwise balanced resourse. Why not address some contrary points of view to Darwinian evolution and even (gasp!) admit many of the more infamous errors by overly enthusiastic biologists in the past (e.g. the "Nebraska Man" of the Scopes Monkey Trial was actually only two teeth; the "Piltdown Man" was a hoax that was taught as fact in American universities for nearly 40 years, etc...). Such arrogance quickly leads to blindness, and has no place in real science. But, in spite of these confusing departures from real science (science being that which is both observable and testable), the text has some outstanding qualities that make it one of the premier sources in the field.Book Review: Chegg.com rents this book for $20!
Summary: 5 Stars
[...] rents textbooks for 65-85% OFF of what you find in the bookstore! You can also use this promo code CC101327 to get an extra 5% OFF!Book Review: Comprehensive, Expensive, Thorough, & Biased
Summary: 3 Stars
This certainly is the definitive word for biology students. The 7th edition reads faster, with more clarity and interest, than the previous edition by far. Does this warrant the outrageous price ? Doubtful, but since public schools (i.e taxpayers) are footing the bill for the most part, the publishers do this with relative impunity. This latest edition has stunning photos and graphics, and these add greatly to the text's readability. The chapters are short and concise, and the review questions and self-test items are excellent. The CD Rom that accompanies the text is also excellent and highly recommended. The optional study guide is not however, as it has a thoroughly mediocre quality and superfluous nature. Of even greater offense is the "pay per view" website that is offered for additional resources. After paying $100 for a text, and then be expected to pay more for Web assistance is unabashedly mercenary. However the objective reader will find Campbell & Reece's greatest flaw in its blatant bias concerning the theory of evolution. The 'theory' is not treated as such, but as an obvious fact, with no contrary points of view to any of the controverisal aspects of the theory included whatsoever. This is no small matter. Campbell and Reece simply assume that the spontaneous generation of life indeed occurred at some time in the Earth's past (though this has never been demonstrated experimentally--ever) and that DNA and RNA rose via the random chance of fortuitous collisions of molecules over time, (again, with no experimental evidence to justify these claims), the serious reader must earnestly question why the theory is presented in each chapter with an almost obsessive fervor.Book Review: DO NOT BUY THIS EDITION (newer edition available)
Summary: 4 Stars
This is great biology textbook with thorough explanations and helpful images. A plurality of high schools and universities will use this book for its core biology classes, making it a great resource even after the class(es) is over.
However, there is a newer 8th edition, so PLEASE either buy that edition new/used or this one used (which is actually very cheap comparatively).