*Kirchman, David L., editor. 2000. Microbial Ecology of the Oceans. John Wiley: NY

Professor Sean thinks this is the best book on the microbial food web you can buy. If you want to fully understand the spectrum of players and processes that participate in the microbial food web, read this book. For a multi-authored volume, its readability is outstanding. Though aimed at advanced students and researchers, anyone who wants to learn more about this topic will find this book useful and engaging. The first chapter by Kirchman and Williams provides an outstanding overview of the field of ocean microbial ecology.

*Breger, Dee. 1995. Journeys in Microspace: The Art of the Scanning Electron Microscope. Columbia University Press: NY

Award-winning micro-artist Dee Breger has compiled a visual feast of images from her work on a scanning electron microscope. The images of diatoms and coccolithophorids are among the best.

Madigan, M. T., Martinko, J. M., and Parker J. 2005. Brock biology of microorganisms, 11th edition: Prentice Hall: NJ.

Reference for: Chapter 12, Figure 12-5 (see also Farmer, 2000)

*Margulis, Lynn, and Dorion Sagan. 1986. Microcosmos: Four Billion Years of Microbial Evolution. Simon and Schuster: NY.

A provocative hypothesis about the interdependency of higher organisms and bacteria.