Reseñas proporcionadas por Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Two useful additions to school library collections. Both books offer up-to-date articles from various publications that examine and elucidate numerous aspects of these current, controversial issues. As with other titles in the series, reprinted articles are arranged back-to-back, presenting opposing viewpoints of specific aspects of the issues. The books are well indexed and offer critical-thinking activities and bibliographies of books and recent periodicals for further research. Each book does a thorough job of presenting both sides of complex, topical issues for students researching for papers, speeches, and debates, and both would be assets to teachers preparing to examine these issues in class. Texts are not sparkling, but they are complete, careful, and enlivened by clear charts, informative illustrations, and provocative editorial cartoons. --Doris A. Fong, Benson Polytechnic High School, Portland, OR (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Can we, should we, redesign human beings? The debate that pits the Brave New World nightmare against the dream of the perfect human is given in-depth treatment in a collection of ar~ticles by a wide range of scientists, policy makers, environmentalists, and business people. Part of the excellent Opposing Viewpoints series, this provides the kind of original material that YA nonfiction draws on for general overviews of bioethics (like Hyde and Forsyth's Medical Dilemmas [BKL Mr 15 90]) and for more focused treatments (like the Stwertkas' Genetic Engineering [BKL Ja 15 90]). Here are activist Rifkin's warning about the dangers of eugenics, science writer Merritt's excitement about the potential for curing inherited diseases, and a variety of controversial opinions on other important issues. Design, organization, and unobtrusive editorial commentary help to focus the arguments (though, unfortunately for libraries, there are some study activities). Detailed periodical and book bibliographies and a list of organizations to contact will stimulate further research; glossary, index. Gr. 9-12. --Hazel Rochman