Part IA 2013-14 Suggested Reading List
We are often asked to make suggestions for preparatory reading and for introducing new subjects that you might be considering. There is no pre-requisite reading that needs to be done, but you may find the following books interesting and informative at a general level. Please note that the books present an initial view of the subject and may not include material covered by the undergraduate course.
* Indicates books in the lists that are the preferred one to read.
You are NOT expected to purchase any of the books on this suggested reading list.
Biology of Cells
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| Lewis Wolpert |
How we live and why we die: the secret lives of cells |
Faber and Faber (paperback) |
| For those wishing to look at a suitable course textbook beforehand we suggest: |
| Alberts, B. et al |
Molecular Biology of the Cell |
Garland (paperback) 2008, 5th Edition |
| Although A level Biology is not a requirement for the Biology of Cells Course, if you have done little or no biology before, you may find it helpful to begin with a less advanced textbook. We suggest: Alberts, B. et al (2009) Essential Cell Biology, 3rd Edition (Garland). |
Computer Science
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| Dewdney, A Kee |
The new Turing omnibus |
Computer Sciences Press 1993 (reprinted 2003, Palgrave Macmillan) |
| Körner, Tom W |
The Pleasures of Counting |
C.U.P. (1996) |
See also: http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/preparation/
Evolution and Behaviour
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
|
|
|
| Holland, P |
The Animal Kingdom: A very short introduction |
O.U.P (2011) |
| Dawkins, R. |
The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life |
Phoenix (2005) |
|
For those wishing to look at a suitable course textbook beforehand we suggest: |
|
| Barton, et al |
Evolution |
Cold Spring Harbour Lab. Press (2007) |
Chemistry
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| P.W Atkins |
Molecules |
Scientific American |
| *J Keeler & P Wothers |
Why Chemical Reactions Happen |
O.U.P. |
Earth Sciences
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| *Nield, T |
Supercontinent: Ten Billion Years in the Life of Our Planet |
Granta 2007 |
| Benton, M.J |
When Life Nearly Died |
Thames and Hudson 2008 |
Materials Science
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| *Ball, P |
Made to Measure: New Materials for the 21st Century. |
Princeton University Press |
| Cotterill, RMJ |
The Material World |
C.U.P. |
| Gordon, JE |
New Science of Strong Materials |
Penguin |
Physics
We do not recommend any particular books, although you are encouraged to read widely on subjects that interest you. You may find the Richard Feynman lectures available at http://research.microsoft.com/apps/tools/tuva/index.html interesting. The most important thing you can do by way of preparation for the Part IA Physics course is to revise your A-level (or equivalent) courses in physics and mathematics, and to work through the mathematics worksheet that you have been sent by your college.
Physiology of Organisms
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| King, J |
Reaching for the Sun |
C.U.P (2nd edition) |
| Widmaier, EP |
Why Geese Don't Get Obese (and we do) |
WH Freeman |
Mathematics
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| Gowers, T |
Mathematics: a very short introduction |
O.U.P. (2002) |
| Körner, Tom W |
The Pleasures of Counting |
C.U.P. (1996) |
| *Sivia, DS & Rawlings, SG |
Foundations of Science Mathematics |
O.U.P. |
Web links:
Plus magazine: http://plus.maths.org
Stem_nrich for Natural Science Maths: http://nrich.maths.org/6884
Elementary Mathematics for Biologists
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| Huff, D |
How to Lie with Statistics |
Pelican |
| *Foster, PC |
Easy Mathematics for Biologists |
CRC Press |
| Rowntree, D |
Statistics without Tears - an Introduction for Non-Mathematicians |
Penguin |
Mathematical Biology
We do not recommend any particular books, as there are none covering appropriate material at the correct level that would be suitable for self-study. However we do recommend some revision of the following topics from A Level Mathematics (or equivalent) as they will be used heavily in the first term: exponentials, logarithms, differentiation, integration and curve sketching. If you have studied any statistics at school it would also make sense to look over your notes for that, but if not, do not worry, all statistical material will be taught assuming no prior knowledge.
