Prospective students: Part IA 2009-10 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
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 the following which is an introduction to Molecular Biology of the Cell: Alberts, B. et al (2003) Essential Cell Biology, 2nd Edition (Garland) £39.99. Useful texts for the course are discussed in http://www.bio.cam.ac.uk/teaching/cells/general.html
for those wishing to look at a suitable course textbook beforehand we suggest:
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| Alberts, B. et al |
Molecular Biology of the Cell |
Garland (paperback) 2008, 5th Edition |
Computer Science
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| Dewdney, A Kee |
The new Turing omnibus |
Computer Sciences Press 1993 (reprinted 2001, Henry Holt) |
| Singh, Simon |
The Code Book |
Fourth Estate |
See also:
http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/preparation/
Evolution and Behaviour
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| Barton, et al |
Evolution |
Cold Spring Harbour Lab. Press (2007) |
| Dawkins, R. |
The Ancestor's Tale: A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life |
Weidenfeld & Nicholson (2004 |
Chemistry
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| P.W Atkins |
Molecules |
Scientific American |
| *J Keeler & P Wothers |
Why Chemical Reactions Happen |
O.U.P. |
Geology
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| *Ince, M |
Rough guide to the Earth |
Rough Guides/Penguin 2007 |
| Knoll, A.H |
Life on a Young Planet |
Princeton Univ Press 2004 |
Materials and Minerals 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 |
| Hazen, RM |
The Diamond Makers |
C.U.P. |
Physics
We do not recommend any particular books, although you are encouraged to read widely on subjects that interest you. 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. |
| Widmaier, EP |
Why Geese Don't Get Obese (and we do) |
WH Freeman |
Mathematics
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| Bondi, C |
New Applications of Mathematics |
Penguin |
| *Sivia, DS and Rawlings, SG |
Foundations of Science Mathematics |
O.U.P. |
| Maor, E |
To Infinity and Beyond |
Princeton |
| Hofstadter, D |
Gödel, Escher and Bach |
Penguin |
| Hall, N (ed.) |
The New Scientist Guide to Chaos |
Penguin |
Elementary Mathematics
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| Huff, D |
How to Lie with Statistics |
Pelican |
| *Foster, PC |
Easy Mathematics for Biologists |
Harwood |
| Rowntree, D |
Statistics without Tears - a Primer for Non-Mathematicians |
Penguin |
Quantitative Biology
| Author |
Title |
Publisher |
| Rowntree, D |
Statistics without Tears - a Primer for Non-Mathematicians |
Penguin |
The title of this document is:
Natural Sciences Tripos: Preliminary Reading List
URL:
http://www.cam.ac.uk/about/natscitripos/prospectus/reading.html
