2009 Royal Society Prizes for Science Books

The contenders for the 2009 Royal Society Prizes for Science Books (General Prize) have now been announced and are listed below. I intend to write 200 word reviews for each of these with longer reviews for some, including all of those which appear on the shortlist.

The Royal Society Prize for Science Books is an Annual prize awarded to the author of the best science book, as considered by a panel of five judges. This year's prize is supported by the Beecroft Trust (the Royal Society are currently looking for a new sponsor) Further information can be found on the Royal Society website.

Shortlisted books
TitleAuthorPublisherMore information
Bad ScienceBen GoldacreFourth Estate Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca
Decoding the heavensJo MarchantHeinemann Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca
The age of wonderRichard HolmesHarper Press Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca
The drunkard's walk: How randomness rules our livesLeonard MlodinowAllen Lane Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca
What the nose knows: The science of scent in everyday lifeAvery GilbertCrown Publishers Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca
Your inner fish: The amazing discovery of our 375-million-year-old ancestorNeil ShubinAllen Lane Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca


Other Longlisted books
TitleAuthorPublisherMore information
Ice, mud and bloodChris Turney Palgrave Macmillan Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca
Living with EnzaMark HonigsbaumPalgrave Macmillan Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca
Microcosm: E. coli and the new science of lifeCarl ZimmerWilliam Heinemann Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca
Physics for future presidentsRichard A MullerWW Norton Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca
Quantum: Einstein. Bohr and the great debate about the nature of realityManjit KumarIcon Books Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca
Strange fruit: Why both sides are wrong in the race debateKenan MalikOneworld Publications Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca
The universe in a mirror Robert ZimmermanPrinceton University Press Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Amazon.ca


2008 prize contenders
2007 prize contenders
2006 prize contenders
2005 prize shortlist