These volumes are an excellent complement to the 2013 series Science in the Real World, with upbeat, career-oriented surveys of the history, scope, recent trends, and types of work in selected STEM fields. The texts are surprisingly accessible, and. . . they don’t shy away from controversial topics. . . . Along with generous quantities of back matter, each volume is pedagogically jet-propelled—with bulleted summary lists at the end and meaty primary-source passages. . .followed by comprehension-testing questions and project suggestions. Recommended for budding experimenters and for career-minded younger readers.