Biology: Life on Earth

The book helped me a lot. I never had general biology before taking the exam. For best use, I read "Biology: Life on Earth" to give an overview of the topic and the major mechanisms behind it. Then, I used other textbooks which had much more details on the subject. This method worked well, for example, for DNA replication and Protein Synthesis on which "Biology: Life on Earth" seems to have left out some information. So this is a great biology "starter" and if you decide/need to know more, other in-depth textbooks will be helpful.

This textbook is a little easier to read than say Raven's Biology. Evolution, the cell and origin of life was explained with a lot of clarity. Although Raven's Biology is a very good book also, I found this book easier to comprehend. However, if you really want excellent test preparation questions get--- The Ultimate Study Guide for Biology: Key Review Questions and Answers with Explanations by Patrick Leonardi. It comes in three volumes. Each volume is great because it had great review questions that helped me to focus on what was important for my college biology tests.

As a student, I think authors did a good job on explaining the subject. It doesn't go too details about every topics it covers but it seems that authors give more emphasis on some topics(should say more interesting ones). Every chapter opens up with a discussion or phenomenon that is addressed in the chapter or at the end of chapter. My university uses this book as a text for NON-MAJOR biology class. I read every single line(no joke) in the book and find the chapters to be stimulating, interesting and cover what students ought to know. The book comes with a CD that helped me out in the learning process (things like simulation of an event, figures, tips and techniques) . Very satisfied with this book.

This book is great for the classroom and also for pleasure reading. It explains many topics in great detail and leaves the reader with a great understanding and enthusiasm for the topic. Even if you're not a student taking a class, this book is a great buy! The CD-ROM is useful, but not necessary. The content of the book is more than worth the cost! I HIGHLY recomend buying a used copy of this book and reading it!

This book is very comprehensive in explaining all aspects of Biology. It has wonderful charts and pictures and is a very good investment. Whether you are in school, high school, college, or University, it will offer a very detailed view of our life on earth. It even includes a CD-Rom, and activities and "tests" at the end of each chapter.