Christian Moore Anderson
Jun 19, 20232 min
Updated: Oct 14, 2023
There is only one short cut to improving subject knowledge—reading great books. In this post I compile a selection of the books that have really helped me develop as a biology teacher. Lists are never perfect, but these books helped me see things, and/or provided the concrete examples I needed to be a better teacher. I have specifically chosen more accessibly-written books (good narrative & level not too high)—avoiding more academic books or papers. As such, it isn't a complete list of my favourites, and I'm sure there are many great books I'm yet to read.
Song of the Dodo: Island Biogeography in an Age of Extinction
Spillover: the powerful, prescient book that predicted the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic
Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter
Parasite Rex: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature's Most Dangerous Creatures
The Story of N: A Social History of the Nitrogen Cycle and the Challenge of Sustainability
The Vital Question: Energy, Evolution, and the Origins of Complex Life
Transformer: The Deep Chemistry of Life and Death (good if you teach Krebs cycle 16-18)
The Species Seekers: Heroes, Fools, and the Mad Pursuit of Life on Earth
The Invention of Nature: The Adventures of Alexander von Humboldt, the Lost Hero of Science
If you're interested in how I teach, check out my book. Download chapter 1 here—English edition, edición española—or check out my other posts.
@CMooreAnderson (twitter)