Editorials.- Overviews and Timelines.- Tributes.- Excitation Energy Transfer.- Reaction Centers.- Oxygen Evolution.- Light-Harvesting and Pigment-Protein Complexes.- Electron Transport and ATP Synthesis.- Techniques and Applications.- Biogenesis and Membrane Architecture.- Reductive and Assimilatory Processes.- Transport, Regulation and Adaptation.- Genetics.- Evolution.- Laboratories and National Perspectives.- Retrospectives.
From the reviews: "This book is a unique example of the tale of the
historic development of a fascinating branch of contemporary
science as told by the protagonists themselves. Professor Govindjee
and his co-editors have done a magnificent work by producing an
impressive lively picture of how the knowledge on Photosynthesis
progressed during the twentieth century. The book will be of great
value not only for the specialists of the subject but also for
students and scholars interested in understanding the essence of
the trial and error process governing modern science."
(Giovanni Giacometti, Professor Emeritus of Physical Chemistry,
Dept. of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, Italy)
"The book ‘Discoveries in Photosynthesis’, edited by Govindjee, J.
Thomas Beatty, Howard Gest and John F. Allen, is a remarkable
Encyclopedia of Research in Photosynthesis, its discoveries, and
its difficulties during the last century. Biologists, biochemists,
physicists and molecular biologists were involved with their
successes, as well as their failures, in putting together today's
overall picture of this uniquely important physiological process,
on which life on this planet depends. This book should not be
missed by anyone interested in photosynthesis: It is a must for all
libraries around the World."
(Giorgio Forti, Professor of Biology, University of Milano,
Italy)
"A wonderful collection of the most interesting articles on all
aspects of photosynthesis. The personal perspectives are
delightful, it is truly a "must own" book for its focus on the
personal historical context surrounding most of the important
breakthroughs in photosynthesis research."
(Douglas Bruce, Professor of Biological Sciences, Brock University,
St. Catharines, ON, Canada)
"Discoveries in Photosynthesis, edited by Govindjee, J.T. Beatty,
H. Gest and J.F. Allen, is a splendid compendium of the great leaps
forward in the research on photosynthesis,paralleling the advances
in technology for the study of the life sciences in general. From
the early use of isotopes to the electron microscope, the
mechanisms of solar energy conversion are defined by over 100
authors—A must reading for scholars in the field of plant sciences
& of microbiology, as well as those interested in the history of
science."
(R. Clinton Fuller, Professor Emeritus, Department of Biochemistry,
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA)
"Congratulations on another volume in the Advances in
Photosynthesis and Respiration (AIPH) series. Govindjee’s mentor
Eugene Rabinowitch wrote the story of photosynthesis in the 1940s
and 1950s. No one could ever hope to do that again; the amount of
information is just too vast for any one person to ever hope to do
a proper job of giving the real state of knowledge. However,
Govindjee has really duplicated Rabinowitch’s accomplishment in the
only way it could be done nowadays, by enlisting editors who are
expert in areas of the field and having them in turn enlist expert
authors. When I look at the AIPH books on my shelf I am struck with
how effectively they collectively summarize the field. I am
continually impressed with how Govindjee has added new books to the
series that make sense and really provide the level of detail that
is needed."
(Robert Blankenship, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Arizona State University, Tempe, USA) "Discoveries in
Photosynthesis is easily among the most outstanding and valuable
books published in the biological sciences in the last 100 years. …
The book is richly illustrated with nearly 800 photographs. In
addition, there are many diagrams, tables and other supplementary
material. I do not know of any comparable effort in the plant
sciences or even the broader area of biology. … Govindjee and his
colleagues are to be congratulated for preparing this extraordinary
book, indeed without a parallel." (S. C. Maheshwari,Current
Science, Vol. 92 (2), January, 2007) "… It is an outstanding
assembly of more than 100 articles: of personal reflections, of
methods and approaches, of dedications and obituaries of those
involved in the unravelling of photosynthesis, …. The amount of
information in these recollections is impressive in this book, and
almost a complete source for references for a decisive time in a
scientific field. … It is with nostalgic pleasure that I read and
recall those years. This book is a mine for everybody who wants to
know more than just pure facts and what is condensed into a few
pages in the textbooks." (Professor Emeritus Achim Trebst, Bochum
University, Bochum, Germany, February 2007) "Discoveries in
Photosynthesis is a new edited volume out of the ‘Advances in
Photosynthesis and Respiration’ series … . It is the first
comprehensive scholarly attempt to gather original materials in
order to understand the long and complex history of photosynthesis
research. … the volume is every inch as impressive as its important
subject demands. … Its coverage and perspectives are equally vast …
. It is, in short, a monumental effort." (Vassiliki Betty
Smocovitis, Plant Science Bulletin, Vol. 53 (1), 2007) "History of
research is very important and much time of young researchers would
be spared if they would know what had been done, in some cases many
years ago. … 112 review articles were published once more in one,
very thick book. … scientists interested in photosynthesis this
volume is certainly an important material to have on the book
shelf." (Z. Šesták, Photosynthetica, Vol. 45 (2), 2007) "111
papers, written by 132 authors from 19 countries, have been
compiled to a real encyclopedia of photosynthesis research with a
clear arrangement. … A remarkable feature of the book is its rich
illustration. All chapters include informal and formal photographs
of the scientists. … The book is meant not only for researchersand
graduate students, but also for advanced undergraduates in plant
biology, microbiology, cell biology, biochemistry, biophysics and,
not to forget, history of science." (Ekkehard Höxtermann, History
and Philosophy of the Life, Issue 28, 2006)
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