What We Are Reading Today: How Birds Live Together: Colonies and Communities in the Avian World

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Updated 10 May 2022
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What We Are Reading Today: How Birds Live Together: Colonies and Communities in the Avian World

Author: Marianne Taylor 

Featuring dramatic and delightful wild bird colonies and communities, How Birds Live Together offers a broad overview of social living in the avian world. 
From long-established seabird colonies that use the same cliffs for generations to the fast-shifting dynamics of flock formation, leading wildlife writer Marianne Taylor explores the different ways birds choose to dwell together.
Through fascinating text, color photos, maps, and other graphics, Taylor examines the advantages of avian sociality and social breeding. 
Chapters provide detailed information on diverse types of bird colonies, including those species that construct single-family nests close together in trees; those that share large, communal nests housing multiple families; those that nest in tunnels dug into the earth; those that form exposed colonies on open ground and defend them collectively, relying on ferocious aggression; those that live communally on human-made structures in towns and cities; and more.
 


Book Review: ‘Outlive’

Updated 26 May 2024
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Book Review: ‘Outlive’

In “Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity,” Dr. Peter Attia (with Bill Gifford), a renowned physician and longevity expert, flips the script on aging.

He argues for a proactive approach that involves taking control of one’s health to prevent chronic diseases before they happen.

Attia ditches the one-size-fits-all mentality and instead focuses on four key pillars: diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management. He dives into the science behind each, explaining how they impact cellular health and ultimately, lifespan.

“Outlive” does not promise you a fad diet or a magic pill. Attia emphasizes personalized strategies and encourages tracking key health markers like blood sugar and blood pressure to understand the body's unique needs.

But it is not all biohacking. Attia acknowledges the mind-body connection, highlighting the importance of sleep and good relationships for a long, fulfilling life.

Moreover, the book explores the intricate science behind longevity and delves into the various factors that contribute to living a longer, healthier life.

The book provides readers with actionable strategies to optimize their healthspan, allowing them to not only extend their years but also improve their quality of life as they age.

Like an owner’s manual for health, “Outlive” empowers the reader to take charge, optimize their health, and not just live longer, but live a life that feels truly alive.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Career Arts

Updated 26 May 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Career Arts

Author: Ben Wildavasky 

Young people coming out of high school today can expect to hold many jobs over the course of their lives, which is why they need a range of essential skills.

“The Career Arts” provides a corrective to the widespread and misleading notion that there is a direct trade-off between going to college and acquiring practical job skills.


What We Are Reading Today: ‘Color in Nature’

Updated 25 May 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘Color in Nature’

Authors: Justin Marshall, Thomas Cronin, Sonke Johnsen, Ron Douglas, Anya Hurlbert, Jane Boddy and Fabio Cortesi

This beautifully illustrated book unlocks nature’s colorful purpose, revealing how creatures see color as well as shedding light on the important part that it plays in animal behavior, from reproduction and communication to aggression and defense. 


What We Are Reading Today: The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality

Updated 24 May 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: The Great Escape: Health, Wealth, and the Origins of Inequality


What We Are Reading Today: Birds of the Middle East

Updated 23 May 2024
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What We Are Reading Today: Birds of the Middle East

Authors: Richard Porter, Oscar Campbell, & Abdulrahman Al-Sirhan

The Middle East is home to some of the most spectacular birdlife in the world.

It features 180 superb color plates depicting some 900 species and subspecies as well as 646 color distribution maps that show the breeding range for almost every species.