[docdocgoose]

Principles of Neural Science by Kandel et al

Molecular Biology of The Cell by Alberts et al

Janeway’s Immunobiology

Robbin’s Pathologic Basis of Disease

All of these books are extraordinary in their sheer ability to organize thousands of small details into thematic narratives of how life operates.

They also reveal how hard we humans try to narrate life into tidy, comprehensible themes.

These books are all of an era (2005-2015), and there are probably newer ones. That said, they are a great guide for non biologists into how experts think things work.

[dkural]

This is a great list. I'll add the following covering related areas:

Cancer - by Weinberg

Introduction to Proteins - Kessel, Ben-Tal (an older classic is Proteins by Creighton)

Developmental Biology - Gilbert

Organic Chemistry - Clayden et al

[janeway]

We just called Janeway “the bible” for short.

Edit: I just realised what my username is here.

[idrios]

My neuroscience professors referred to Principles of Neuroscience as "the Bible" as well. I think that's testament to how good these recommendations are.

[_qua]

West's Respiratory Physiology if a beautiful example of stripping everything down to it's simplest possible level but no simpler.

[cannaceo]

Robbin's was great. Read it cover to cover many times in medical school.

[atemerev]

The Immune System by Peter Parham. A masterpiece.

[type0]

Williams Textbook of Endocrinology is a real gem as well