An interesting post from John Dupuis discusses several lists of the best and worst science books. Some of the best books from the lists, based on importance, what strikes my mood right now, what I enjoyed… (those I list could easily change on another day):

• The Origin of Species and the Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin
• Principia (Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy) by Isaac Newton
• Physica (Physics) by Aristotle
• The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
• The Meaning of Relativity by Albert Einstein
• The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas Kuhn
• The Feynman Lectures on Physics by Richard P. Feynman and Robert B. Leighton and Matthew Sands
• The Double Helix by James Watson
• Chaos by James Gleick
• The Phenomenon of Man by Pierre Teihard de Chardin
• A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
• The Mismeasure of Man by Stephen Jay Gould

Please share your favorite science books.

Related: our science and engineering book page - 2005 Science book gift suggestions (from the list above The Selfish Gene, Chaos, A Brief History of Time and The Mismeasure of Man are likely the best gifts for the widest audiences).