Prairie Fox Reads

      Book Review:   American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land Rating:   ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars) Bibliographic Details: Title:   American Fire: Love, Arson, and Life in a Vanishing Land Author:   Monica Hesse Edition:   First Edition, Hardcover Publication Date:   July 11, 2017 Publisher:   Liveright (W. W. Norton & Company) Page Count:   255 pages ISBN:   978-1631490514 (ISBN10: 1631490516) Disclaimer:   I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher for review; however, this has in no way affected the content, objectivity, or critical stance of this review. I. Publication Context and Thesis Publication and Context Situated at the intersection of narrative true crime, rural sociology, and psychological portraiture,   American Fire   examines a five-month arson spree that devastated the Eastern Shore of Virginia in 2012 and 2013. Monica Hesse, an acclaimed   Washington Post   ...

      Title:   A Crack in Creation: Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution Authors:   Jennifer A. Doudna and Samuel H. Sternberg Publisher:   Houghton Mifflin Harcourt / Mariner Books Publication Date:   June 13, 2017 Format Read:   Hardcover Page Count:   281 pages ISBN:   9780544716940 (ISBN-10: 0544716949) Genre:   Science / Nonfiction / Biology / Genetics / Health / Technology Target Audience:   Academic researchers, policymakers, bioethicists, and scientifically curious general readers. Rating:   ★★★★½ (4.5 out of 5 stars) Disclaimer:   I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. This arrangement has in no way affected the content, objectivity, or critical stance of this review. Introduction: The Tsunami of the Anthropocene Between managing a large directorate of government personnel, navigating the labyrinthine complexities of public health policy...

Book Review:   The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable By Nassim Nicholas Taleb Rating:   ★★★★☆ (3.96 out of 5 stars) Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, critiques, and analyses presented below are entirely my own. Publication and Context Title:   The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable Author:   Nassim Nicholas Taleb Series:   Incerto (#2) First Published:   April 17, 2007 (Random House edition: May 11, 2010) Page Count:   444 pages Format:   Kindle Edition (ASIN: B00139XTG4) Genres:   Nonfiction / Economics / Philosophy / Business / Psychology / Science Awards:   Financial Times Business Book of the Year Nominee for Shortlist (2007) Contextual Backdrop: Published in early 2007 as the second installment in Taleb’s   Incerto   series,   The Black Swan   arrived mere months before the 2008 global financial crisis. Its devastating critiq...