Engineering Animals: how life works

by Mark Denny and Alan McFadzean

Trying to jog my memory, I just found summary of this book citing "wit and a richly informed sense of wonder." I maybe get the wonder, but I don't recall the wit. The book is chock full of super interesting geeky things, but it's also kind of dry and academic. (I know, I know. I'm the Goldilocks of nonfiction.) A very worthwhile book, but not one that's going to keep you up reading past your bedtime. I remember being quite fascinated by the section on animal sonar; it's the most thorough explanation I've ever read. And the more I think about it, the more I realize this is a very special book — possibly the only book about animal ecophysiology that a non-scientist would ever get her hands on.