This is the worst bio book I have ever read. There are not enough diagrams, and the author focuses too much on the history of discoveries as opposed to the actual discoveries. I wanted to rank this book a 0/5 but that was not an option. The book was so horrible that a majority of the time, I could not read it...I thought it was extremely dull and dry...And I normally love biology!!! My professor wanted us to use the Reece Biology book, but the department would not approve it, so we got stuck with this cr@p. If you're looking for a good biology textbook, this book is not for you. Compared to the Reece book, the Freeman book makes you feel like you are reading each definition on each page in the dictionary and are being forced to memorize it. I had the opportunity to read a chapter or two of the Reece book, and I can tell you that it is 1000X more interesting and readable than this Freeman book.

As mentioned by other reviewers, this book drones endlessly about the details of experiments that first-year undergraduates are unlikely to appreciate to any degree. From my own research experience, I understand very well that every bit of scientific knowledge comes as the result of weeks, months or years of effort, but focusing so much on that in an introductory textbook means that a great many important details are sacrificed in the process- and details are important. It's been a year and a half since I've used the book and the only reason I learned anything about biology during that time was because I read other books, especially Campbell's. Freeman's book might do well enough for non-majors, but it is horrible for use with biology or chemistry majors. There is very little substance here and it does not pose a challenge. If you've used it and think otherwise, I encourage you to examine Campbell's book, as it is the current standard in the field, but almost any other will do. On top of that, I noted over 100 typos/misprints/mislabeled captions in the first half alone, and there is little that annoys me more than $120 books that slipped through the editorial cracks a few dozen times. This text does not live up to expectations.

As mentioned by other reviewers, this book drones endlessly about the details of experiments that first-year undergraduates are unlikely to appreciate to any degree. From my own research experience, I understand very well that every bit of scientific knowledge comes as the result of weeks, months or years of effort, but focusing so much on that in an introductory textbook means that a great many important details are sacrificed in the process- and details are important. It's been a year and a half since I've used the book and the only reason I learned anything about biology during that time was because I read other books, especially Campbell's. Freeman's book might do well enough for non-majors, but it is horrible for use with biology or chemistry majors. There is very little substance here and it does not pose a challenge. If you've used it and think otherwise, I encourage you to examine Campbell's book, as it is the current standard in the field, but almost any other will do. On top of that, I noted over 100 typos/misprints/mislabeled captions in the first half alone, and there is little that annoys me more than $120 books that slipped through the editorial cracks a few dozen times. This text does not live up to expectations.

After acing Introductory Bio the previous year with Campbell & Reece's Biology, I returned this year as an undergrad TA for the same class. The professor had switched to this book, which is by far just a piece of crap next to the Campbell & Reece book.

This textbook seems to put too much emphasis on experiments done in the past that all the material is lost beneath piles and piles of experimental 'abstracts'. I once misunderstood the textbook, specifically on the differences between genes important in developmental biology, and ended up giving wrong information on a Q&A session. I ended up having to spend a lot of time tracking down every single person who had come to the session in order to let them know about the error.

Now I say Campbell & Reece is better because it makes better use of its diagrams and figures in order to clarify points made in the text itself. Freeman does not do as good of a job in this way. I guess it does a mediocre job of enabling you to delve out relationships between experimental results and conclusions that have been deduced from those experiments. But for one who is studying introductory biology I, I do not personally see the purpose of looking at experimental data just yet. With all the definitions and concepts that need to be understood first, the emphasis should not be as much on experiments than on developing concepts and throwing in experiments every once in a while.

I think this text is very well done. The writing is clear and the examples and graphics are very useful. The CD rom, although it does need some massaging to work (requires Netscape 4 or 5, and shockwave I forget which), the necessary programs are included on the CD. Once it's up and running, it's great! The tutorials and activities are very useful in clarifying the information- it even shows a movie of Mitosis and Meiosis happening side by side, to illustrate the similarities and differences- something which otherwise is difficult to envision and comprehend at the intro level. The web resources that also come with this book are very useful. The CD rom is repeated there (so you don't have to "downgrade" your software), plus it has quite a bit of extra material.

I would use this text if I were teaching an college, or even high school, intro bio course.