Study Preparation

Suggested Reading List for Prospective Students

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.

You are NOT expected to purchase any of the books on this suggested reading list.

* Indicates which books are considered best to read.

Biodiversity, Evolution and Ecology

  • Coyne, J. Why Evolution is True. Oxford University Press (2011).
  • Dawkins, R. & Wong, Y. The Ancestor’s Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life. (2nd Edition) Weidenfield & Nicholson (2016).
  • Carroll, S. Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of Evo Devo and the Making of the Animal Kingdom. Quercus (2011).
  • Roberts, A. The Incredible Unlikeliness of Being. Heron (2011).
  • Davies, N. Cuckoo, Cheating by Nature. Bloomsbury (2015).
  • Futuyma, D.J. & Kirkpatrick, M. Evolution (4th Edition). Oxford University Press (2017).

Biomedical Sciences

  • Ashcroft, F. (2012) The Spark of Life: Electricity in the Human Body. London: Penguin Books.
  • Clark, W.R. (1997) At War Within: The Double-Edged Sword of Immunity. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Sapolsky, R.M. (2004) Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company.
  • Stroud, M. (2004) Survival of the Fittest, 2nd ed. London: Yellow Jersey Press.
  • Vogel, S. (1992) Vital Circuits: On Pumps, Pipes, and the Workings of Circulatory Systems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
  • Vogel, S. (2001) Prime Mover: a Natural History of Muscle. New York: W.W. Norton & Co. 

Biomolecules and Cells

  • Lewis Wolpert. How we live and why we die: the secret lives of cells. Faber and Faber.
  • B. Alberts et al. (2022) Molecular Biology of the Cell. Garland, 7th Edition.
  • B. Alberts et al. (2014) Essential Cell Biology, Garland, 6th Edition.
  • Jeremy M. Berg, John L. Tymoczko and Lubert Stryer. Biochemistry. 8th edition.

Chemistry

  • *J Keeler & P Wothers Why Chemical Reactions Happen. O.U.P.
  • P.W Atkins. Molecules. Scientific American.

Earth Sciences

  • *Press, F. & Siever, R. Understanding earth. W. H. Freeman; 4th edition, 2004.
  • Langmuir, C. & Broecker, W. How to Build a Habitable Planet: The Story of Earth from the Big Bang to Humankind. Princeton University Press, 2012.

Materials Science

  • *Miodownik, M. Stuff Matters. Penguin.
  • Ball, P. Made to Measure: New Materials for the 21st Century. Princeton University Press.
  • Gordon, J.E. 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. The best preparation for the first year subject is to revise your A-level (or equivalent) courses in physics and mathematics. After results day, colleges notify accepted students about a revision and preparation programme called STEMbridge. We recommend that students who are interested in taking Physics in the first year work through the mathematics and physics problems in this programme.

Practice problems in physics and maths (and chemistry and biology) are always available on the Isaac Physics website. There are problems ranging in stage (e.g. A level, Further A level and University) and difficulty (practice level 1 to 3 and challenge level 1 to 3). Additionally, you may find the Richard Feynman lectures interesting.

Mathematics

Mathematics for Biology

  • Plus magazine
  • Stem_nrich for Natural Science Maths
  • David Spiegelhalter. The Art of Statistics: Learning from Data. Pelican Books.
  • Ian Stewart. Mathematics of the Life: Unlocking the Secrets of Existence. Profile Books.
  • Edward Beltrami. What is Random? Chance and Order in Mathematics and Life. Copernicus Books.