"An online repository of facsimiles, metadata, and criticism."

Review by Sean Holmes, Drake University Head Men's Soccer Coach, of Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town by Warren St.John.

blueREVIEWS - Outcasts United: A Refugee Team, an American Town from Cowles Library on Vimeo.

In the comments section, you can tell us what you thought of the item reviewed!
Also: if you are a part of the Drake University community and are interested in briefly reviewing a book or media item for blueREVIEWS, please contact Mireille Djenno at mireille.djenno@drake.edu or 515-271-2862.

Review by Bruce Gilbert of The ascent of money by Niall Ferguson.

In the comments section, you can tell us what you thought of the item reviewed!
Also: if you are a part of the Drake University community and are interested in briefly reviewing a book or media item for blueREVIEWS, please contact Mireille Djenno at mireille.djenno@drake.edu or 515-271-2862.

Search for books at Drake

Cowles Library has recently acquired the following titles:

Agitate! educate! organize!: American labor posters /Lincoln Cushing and Timothy W. Drescher.

Encyclopedia of Asian American artists /Hallmark, Kara Kelley.

The Gardner heist: a true story of the world's largest unsolved art theft /Boser, Ulrich.

The Eight and American modernisms /Kennedy, Elizabeth.

Transit Tehran: young Iran and its inspirations /Halasa, Malu. 

What bugged the dinosaurs? : insects, disease, and death in the Cretaceous
    Poinar, George O., QE720 .P65 2008

"[A] detailed study of insects' role in the life and extinction of Cretaceous plants and animals. In scientific but straightforward language, the Poinars advance convincingly the thesis that insects acted as vectors for pathogens, spreading bacteria, fungi and viruses to plants as well as dinosaurs, who then passed it on to others. Using current examples like Dutch elm disease, speculative scenarios of Cretaceous life and plenty of research data, the authors add an intriguing new dimension to the dinosaur apocalypse narrative: periods of temperature change, marine regression, volcanic eruptions, and one or more meteor impacts. . . . A perfect setting for the spread of diseases."--Publishers Weekly

Structure and function in cell signalling
    Nelson, John, QP517 .C45 N45 2008

Richly illustrated with full-color molecular graphics (created by RasMol, a freeware molecular visualization program), Structure and Function in Cell Signaling provides a clear, engaging introduction to signal transduction. Each of the book's 10 chapters includes tables and charts in color to illustrate signal transduction pathways and genetic relationships between signal transduction molecules. Nelson (Queens Univ. Belfast, UK) provides enough background information to make this complex subject accessible even to beginning students. Readers can easily re-create all of the molecular graphics for themselves in an interactive format by following simple instructions included in the appendix. Signal transduction has applications in all of the biological sciences. Thus, students in cell biology, biochemistry, immunology, molecular genetics, and other life sciences will all find much valuable information in this work. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Academic libraries, all levels. -- C. A. Klevickis, James Madison University (Choice, February 2009)

Bird song: biological themes and variations
    Catchpole, Clive, QL698.5 .C38 2008

“Bird Song has long been an inspiration to poets, and a delight to many other people, but why do birds sing? Bird song has been studied extensively in the past few decades, so that there is now hardly an area of animal behaviour on to which studies of song do not shed light. This book explores the study of bird song from the biological viewpoint, reviewing the literature written on the subject and considering its intricate nature. It is written with a wide readership in mind so that, while undergraduate and postgraduate students of biology may gain particularly from it, both professional biologists interested in bird behaviour and amateur ornithologists with some knowledge of biology will also find it a mine of information.”

Malformed frogs: the collapse of aquatic ecosystems
    Lannoo, Michael J., QL668 .E2 L298 2008

“The widespread appearance of frogs with deformed bodies has generated much press coverage over the past decade. Frogs with extra limbs or digits, missing limbs or digits, or misaligned appendages raise an alarming question: "Are deformed humans next?" Taking a fresh look at this disturbing environmental problem, this reference provides a balanced overview of the science behind the malformed frog phenomenon. Bringing together data from ecology, parasitology, and other disciplines, Michael Lannoo considers the possible causes of these deformities, tells which frogs have been affected, and addresses questions about what these malformations might mean to human populations. Featuring high-quality radiographic images, Malformed Frogs suggests that our focus should be on finding practical solutions, a key component of which will be controlling chemical, nutrient, and pesticide runoff into wetlands.”

Superdove: how the pigeon took Manhattan-- and the world
    Humphries, Courtney, QL696 .C63 H86 2008 Browsing collection - Ground floor

“Why do we see pigeons as lowly urban pests and how did they become such common city dwellers? Courtney Humphries traces the natural history of the pigeon, recounting how these shy birds that once made their homes on the sparse cliffs of sea coasts came to dominate our urban public spaces. While detailing this evolution, Humphries introduces us to synanthropy: The concept that animals can become dependent on humans without ceasing to be wild; they can adapt to the cityscape as if it were a field or a forest.

Superdove simultaneously explores the pigeon's cultural transformation, from its life in the dovecotes of ancient Egypt to its service in the trenches of World War I, to its feats within the pigeon-racing societies of today. While the dove is traditionally recognized as a symbol of peace, the pigeon has long inspired a different sort of fetishistic devotion from breeders, eaters, and artists—and from those who recognized and exploited the pigeon's astounding abilities. Because of their fecundity, pigeons were symbols of fertility associated with Aphrodite, while their keen ability to find their way home made them ideal messengers and even pilots.

Their usefulness largely forgotten, today's pigeons have become as ubiquitous and reviled as rats. But Superdove reveals something more surprising: By using pigeons for our own purposes, we humans have changed their evolution. And in doing so, we have helped make pigeons the ideal city dwellers they are today. In the tradition of Rats, the book that made its namesake rodents famous, Superdove is the fascinating story of the pigeon's journey from the wild to the city—the home they'll never leave.”

Urban ants of North America and Europe: identification, biology, and management
    Klotz, John H., QL568 .F7 U725 2008

“Ants that commonly invade homes, damage structures, inflict painful bites, or sting humans or their pets are considered pest ants. This illustrated identification guide highlights forty species of ants that pose difficulties in urban settings. Included are well-known invasive troublemakers such as the red imported fire ant and Argentine ant, as well as native species.

After an introductory chapter on the evolution, biology, and ecology of pest ants, the book follows a taxonomic arrangement by subfamily. Each subfamily chapter includes separate illustrated keys to both the genera and species of that group to enable entomologists and pest control professionals to identify pest ants correctly. The species accounts cover biology, distribution, and methods for excluding and/or removing ants from human structures and landscapes. The authors focus on the ants' biology and nesting behavior, life cycles, and feeding preferences; an intimate understanding of these factors enables the implementation of the least toxic control methods available.

A chapter on control principles and techniques encompasses chemical strategies, habitat and structural modifications, biological control, and integrated pest management methods. Urban Ants of North America and Europe also contains valuable information on the diagnosis and treatment of human reactions to ant stings and bites. This comprehensive reference work on these economically significant ants includes the scientific, English, French, Spanish, and German names for each species and a summary of invasive ant species in the United States and Europe.”