麻豆传媒

June鈥檚 paperbacks are still pouring in. Worth a read are: Nicholas Courtney鈥檚 lovely biography of Francis Beaufort (measurer of fierce wind) in Gale Force 10 (Headline, 拢7.99). Patricia Fara鈥檚 Newton (Picador, 拢8.99) is excellent, and Olivia Judson鈥檚 Dr Tatiana鈥檚 Sex Advice to All Creation (Vintage, 拢7.99) is a quirky glance at evolutionary biology, both entertaining and shocking. Dan Greenberg鈥檚 sharp insights into the fabric of science itself, who funds what, why and how, and the changes coming are in Science, Money and Politics (University of Chicago Press, 拢14/$20). For explanations as clear as glass, go to Mark Buchanan鈥檚 Small World (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 拢7.99) for network theory and power laws. Then head for Mars. The planet is at its closest to Earth for 73,000 years, and until late August it will be gettng a bit brighter every night until it outshines the stars. Charles Sheffield describes Oliver Morton鈥檚 Mapping Mars (Fourth Estate, 拢8.99) as: 鈥淭he best book on Mars that money can buy.鈥� So go buy.