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New science books to read this weekend

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Many people in the United States are looking forward to the first long weekend of the summer, filled with parades and remembrances of those who died in military service, time with family at a backyard cookout or lazing on a beach, and an extra 24 hours free from work to fill. Here are some science-related books that debuted over the past month to plump up your weekend reading list.


Skincare is a huge obsession in modern society. Ever wonder what a dermatologist has to say about all those creams, washes, and elixirs? In Beyond Soap dermatologist Sandy Skotnicki lays out what she thinks you should be doing to keep your largest organ healthy.


Chernobyl: The History of a Nuclear Catastrophe by Serhii Plokhy is a history of the 1986 nuclear disaster, putting the events around the crisis in context and exploring what can be done to ensure that an occurrence like Chernobyl doesn’t happen again.


Christie Watson spent 20 years as a nurse, embodying one of the most intimate sides of medicine. The Language of Kindness: A Nurse’s Story is a vivid look into the hard, vital work done by nurses—and the patients who rely on them—from mental health nursing to pediatric intensive care units.


If you’d rather spend your time off dreaming of the day when you can vacation off-planet, Life On Mars by David Weintraub might be the book for you. Explore not only our potential futures (and a reality check on Mars hype) but also how our fascination with our neighboring planet got us to where we are today.


If there’s one thing mammals have in common it's the stuff that comes out of our mammary glands. In Milk! author Mark Kurlansky dives deep into the history and use of milk in just about all forms, from cheese to breastfeeding, and the push for milk safety. Something to enjoy with a cold class of (what else) milk and a warm cookie.


In Ruthless Tide: The heroes and villains of the Johnstown Flood Al Roker (yes, that Al Roker) takes readers back to Pennsylvania in 1889, and the deadliest flood in American History. Massive amounts of rainfall brought down a dam, sending a wall of water 60 feet high through the town of Johnstown, destroying it, and killing over 2,200 people. It’s a tale that involves engineering, history, manufacturing giants, and of course, the weather.


Nope, not the electric car company. Learn more about the original Tesla in Tesla: Inventor of the modern by Richard Munson, a new biography of the famed inventor, from his work with alternating current technology at the dawn of the electric age, to his feud with Thomas Edison, and his deep-seated germaphobia.


Ever want to know more about how water lapping against the sands at your feet moves with the tides? Or how to spot a whirlpool forming? Or even how to escape quicksand? The lovely and stylized Tides and The Ocean is great for people who love water, and want to be closer to it.




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Written By Mary Beth Griggs

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