Date: Thu, 7 Aug 1997 13:09:47 -0700 (PDT)
Message-Id: <199708072009.NAA06609@isaac.exploratorium.edu>
To: pinhole@exploratorium.edu
From: Richard Brooks <richardb@exploratorium.edu>
Subject: Re: Earth Science Texts
Dearest Geoff,
It occurred to me after we last spoke that a good resource to review
books side-by-side [really the only way to even begin to properly evaluate
any one text] might be the Education library at Stanford ("Cubberly,"
perhaps?). I have a faint memory that they have a good collection of school
textbooks; at a minimum, I believe they have copies of all state-approved
[for use in public schools] textbooks for California. Of course,
state-approval doesn't mean state-recommendation--books frequently are
judged for their lack of wrong-ness, rather than their degree of
right-ness--so be very careful that you read them with a critical eye. And
while there is little worse than a textbook with bad graphics, don't get
intoxicated by good pictures and clean type--there are far too many pretty,
empty-headed books out there that say nothing, and say it well....
Good luck with your search. And, by all means, share your findings
with us once you've found something.
'umbly yours,
El Troll
Richard Brooks, Library Troll
The Exploratorium
3601 Lyon Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 353-0493
(415) 561-0370 fax
<richardb@exploratorium.edu>