Product Description
Up to date edition offers a concise, broadly based survey of the panoramic sweep of the life sciences from the speculations and observations of the ancient Greeks to the latest advances in molecular biology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Author keeps History in mind
I skimmed this book for background information, and was impressed that Magner's did not interpret and judge ancient history on a modern science basis, but rather presented and evaluated each scientist as he dealt with the information he had, answering the questions presented to him by the culture in which he lived.Magner also did very well explaining scientific ideas to me -- a somewhat scientifically educated, but non-science major. ... Read more

Product Description
The odds of being hit by lightning each year are only about 1 in 750,000 in the U.S. And yet this rare phenomenon has inspired both fear and fascination for thousands of years.

Herman Melville called it “God’s burning finger.” The ancient Romans feared it as the wrath of God. Today we have a more scientific understanding, so why our eternal fascination with lightning? Out of the Blue attempts to understand this towering force of nature, exploring the changing perceptions of lightning from the earliest civilizations through Benjamin Franklin’s revolutionary experiments to the hair-raising adventures of storm chasers like David Hoadley, who’s been chronicling extreme weather for half a century.

Combining captivating fact with thrilling personal stories, Out of the Blue tells a remarkable true tale of fate and coincidence, science and superstition. It is a book for sports enthusiasts, outdoor adventurers, science and weather buffs, nature lovers, and anyone who has ever been awed or frightened by the sight of lightning. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

I found this book irritating
I wish I had read some of the reviews here before buying the book, as I agree with some of the other reviewers about the organization and relevance of some of the topics, and also found the technical errors to be problematic.

Most troubling to me, though, is how Mr. Friedman focuses relentlessly on supernatural aspects of being struck by lightning in a book otherwise filled with scientific information.He describes how survivor after survivor "sees God", gets "super strength", has "miraculous cures" of serious ailments, etc etc.But in the book, he doesn't question their claims at all, put their anecdotes into any sort of perspective, or present any sort of evidence to support their outlandish claims. Given that, how can I trust the author's presentation of the actual science in the book?

In addition, many of the chapters were hard to follow without pictures, charts, diagrams, and maps.How can a book on something this visually stunning include only a couple photos of helicopter rescues?

Mr. Friedman is a good writer, but he needed a stronger editor on this book. By the end, I just started skimming because I found it irritating, and I would not recommend it to others.

Thank You!
Out of the Blue is not only jam-packed with fascinating information about lightning, but it also validates the challenges of lightning survivors and allows us share our experiences. Thank you!

Science, Folklore, and Personal Stories of Lightning
There is something pointed about lightning that seems to show purposefulness.We have earthquakes, we have tornadoes, we have many other worrisome planetary characteristics, but lightning seems aimed, it seems to pick off individuals in ways that cry out for a reason such a thing ought to befall them.The pointedness of lightning is one of the themes running through _Out of the Blue - A History of Lightning: Science, Superstition, and Amazing Stories of Survival_ (Delacorte Press) by John S. Friedman.It has a more-or-less historic run of chapters dealing with how we have come to our current understanding of lightning as a natural rather than supernatural phenomenon, intercalated with the story of a dramatic rescue of climbers struck by lighting on a peak of the Teton Range and with many personal stories about what lightning has done to survivors.Don't call them victims.The Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Victims was founded in 1989, but changed those "Victims" to "Survivors", and the organization thrives with 1,500 members each of whom have insights no non-member will ever have.Friedman, a writer who made the Oscar-winning documentary _Hotel Terminus_ twenty years ago, has interviewed many of the survivors whose stories make up the most arresting part of the book.

Lightning not only seems aimed, it is fast, conducting its devastation literally before those it hits knew what hit them.The gods who use lightning in the stories are the ones quick to wrath.When Benjamin Franklin had invented the lightning rod, priests argued against it, saying that they were impious tools to thwart God's will.Though the folklore described here is amusing, the science of lightning is just as well described, although there are still large holes in our understanding.Forked lightning is the most familiar; it happens on Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn, too.On Earth, over a billion such flashes happen every year.An average flash is 25,000 feet long and one to six inches in diameter.It heats up the lightning channel to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, far hotter than the surface of the sun.Plenty live to tell about being hit by such bolts; such strikes are only fatal around 10% of the time.We think of lightning coming down and hitting one target, but it can jump around.In Colorado in 2004, lightning hit the clubs of a golfer who was with a group, but then it jumped from one person to another, resulting in injuries to the group of nineteen, no deaths.Tenacious golfers are at risk for lightning injury, leading to the safety slogan "Don't be lame!End the game!"Boy Scouts also seem to be at risk, and the organization has lost some huge lawsuits because it does not have a good safety record.The most peculiar stories here are of the people who get struck repeatedly; lightning not only does strike in the same place, it seems to prefer particular people.These "human lightning rods" are not always forest rangers or otherwise in locales at risk for lightning strikes, they just get hit more often.There may be a medical reason, something different in their body chemistry, but no one has a clue what it might be.As far as anyone knows, if you survive a lightning strike you are safe from future ones; no one who gets hit repeatedly has ever died from subsequent strikes.

Being struck by lightning has definite, but variable, physiological results.The common ideas that someone who is struck will burst into flames or will be instantaneously reduced to ashes are wrong.There can be burns because of the extreme heat, but there are often few external signs of a strike.Even more serious and puzzling are neurological symptoms like memory or attention problems.There are few doctors who ever get to see a lightning strike survivor, and so there are very few specialists.With the pointedness of lightning, it is not surprising that those who are struck and live take lessons from the experience.Over and over in interviews, they tell Friedman things like "God must have a plan for me", and many have had their personal faith increased.No one mentions why such a plan had to include a lightning strike, and it seems that the greatest inspiration that such victims have gotten is to work devotedly for The Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Survivors.The circularity doesn't seem to register; if lightning strikes were a force for human good, we would not need such organizations, nor would we need National Lightning Safety Awareness Week each June, which is sponsored jointly by organizations such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) , the Little League, and the PGA Golf Tour.Friedman's book is an appealing combination of meteorological and medical science, combined with the personal stories of those whom lightning has hit, and the gruesome stories of those who did not live to tell the stories themselves.

A Comprehsnsive Study of Lightning, Especially the Human Aspects
Based largely on interviews, this work is a comprehensive study of lightning's human aspects. Friedman, a journalist and documentary film producer, gathers the stories of lightning strike survivors, many of whom are religious and see a divine purpose in their survival. The book also summarizes lightning mythology and folklore, and it recounts the history of lightning science, beginning with Ben Franklin. There are only a few contemporary scientists who study lightning, and they still find some aspects of it puzzling. Much of the book recounts a 2003 helicopter rescue of a mountaineering party struck by lightning atop Wyoming's Grand Teton Mountain, a strike that killed one climber and severely injured several others. Survivors of lightning strikes often have mysterious, long-lasting symptoms that confuse doctors. An organization of lightning strike survivors now exists, and medical science is advancing research on lightning strike victims. Some storm chasers admit they find lightning the most fascinating and feared form of severe weather. Friedman's work is an excellent study of lightning for a popular audience.

Lightning Strikes!
"OUT OF THE BLUE," John S. Friedman's comprehensive study and report on the frightening phenomenon of lightning is, well, enlightening, to say the very least. It is all here - the history, the pre-history, the theories, the facts and the fables surrounding this timeless subject. Friedman has traveled the land and come back with insights and anecdotes you will long remember, including hair-raising, if not hair-scorching, first person accounts of several multiple-strike lightning survivors. The author is a seasoned journalist with an ear for a good story and he knows how to tell it to us. As perfect a summer read as you will find. Just don't nestle with it under a tree in thunderstorm. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

A remarkable book
This is a remarkable book that should receive more attention than it will probably get.It is a very valuable contribution to the growing literature on the history of science as well as women's history.It should be good reading for historians and women professionals in a variety of fields as well as to men in science as they interact with female associates.,The theme of 'genderization of science' inevitably runs through the book but this is NOT a feminist sob story.It is a realistic analysis of the different roles women have played as scientific research in various fields advanced.It was written by an historian with a real talent for in-depth research, analysis, organization and a clear, interesting writing style.I found the book fascinating and very readable.

The author defines three eras during the period from 1880 to the end of the 20th century and chose several women in each era to illustrate her points.While these eras were not distinct and blended with each other, and while there were a few exceptional female scientists along the way who did not fit the mold she describes, the general descriptions of these eras seem well defined to this reviewer (who was a participant in the middle era, from 1941-1962 and beyond.)

What is most fascinating is the way in which she traces woman's roles in domestic life and child bearing and rearing from the time when it was a limiting factor in her participation in scientific research to the point where those very biological and cultural roles contribute valuable new insights, possibly even new paradigms, to many scientific fields.Many of her new insights are challenging and important.I wish she would return, analyze and report on the situation 25 years from now. Times are changing!

Read This!
Every day at the bookstore where I work I have to stare at the cover with a photograph of Francis Crick. I do not enjoy it. If you do not know who Francis Crick is then you should read The Madame Curie Complex. Francis Crick is only a small part (ultimately in the history of science a big part) of one of the many stories of men getting credit for women's work and great women scientists who were undermined or not recognized for their scientific successes. Extremely well written and entertaining The Madame Curie Complex will open your eyes (the book opened mine) to a slew of women in science that I had no idea about. ... Read more

Product Description
A new alternate history of America from the author of The Peshawar Lancers, the bestselling novel the Chicago Sun-Times called "a pleasure to read" and Harry Turtledove hailed as "first-rate adventure all the way."

1945: An ex-marine has discovered a portal that permits him to travel between the America he knows-and a virgin America untouched by European influence. 21st century: The two realities collide... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (82)

too much and not enough
I spent an hour in the bookstore trying to find a book that would help me escape into a new world. After searching high and low, I picked Conquistador. The description on the back was intriguing. It promised tons of action. I snatched it up, ready to go on my journey.

Unfortunately, I was very disappointed. The characters were trite. Tom-- the man we are supposed to root for-- was two-dimensional. Every time a "you betcha" was written, I cringed. He knew everything about everything, but didn't use his common sense. Adrienne was also disappointing. She gained power by acting exactly as a man would. The only thing that made Adrienne a woman was the description of her buxom perfection. The two characters may as well have been interchangeable.

The members of the Thirty Families were racist. The racial slurs from so many different cultures were annoying. Yes, we know that racism exists, but it seems as if this novel was glorifying it. It was something that could have been left out of the novel without reducing its entertainment value. In fact, I became increasingly irritated by the cavalier attitude about the loss of life of the natives. I understand the premise was that the characters that populated the new world were from a tougher time, but come on. Nothing mattered in the Commonwealth of New Virginia except for the lives and desires of the Eurocentric heads of the families.

Now to the "not enough" of my review: there was not enough adventure, not enough interesting action, and not enough character development. The descriptions, while detailed, did not make me WANT to keep reading; in fact, I quickly grew bored because there was little variety. This book was simply not enough to keep my interest.

If you've ever been stuck in a California traffic jam, or a Bay Area crowd
...then "Conquistador" is a great fantasy while you're waiting in line.

In Stirling's version of California, Europe never discovered the new world.The geography is totally free of human influences (no bridges, the Bay was never dredged...) and is populated with only a few natives.

Enter John Rolfe, a former World War II infantry company commander from "our" world.He discovers a gateway to this alternate California in the basement of his house in Oakland.Rolfe keeps his secret from all except a few relatives and fellow servicemen.He then obtains geological maps of where all of the gold veins are, and begins exporting natural resources for capital to begin building an empire.Rolfe's empire is kind of a dynastic oligarchy in which the power is consolidated among 30 ruling families (his service buddies, cousins, and some more recent newcomers with excellent reasons to disappear from the "real" world.)

Of course, when you have all of the material goods you want as well as thousands of acres of California real estate, some people are still not happy.

Stirling's book is a bit less ultra violent than some of his previous works, but the battlefield violence is still there.Also included is Stirling's curious predilection for long expository passages on the character's food and dietary habits (do we really need a couple of paragraphs describing the bread at a French restaurant, or describing the hamburgers served at a burger stand - I'm not kidding about this.)

Still, it's a great story and kind of a shame that this seems to be a one-off novel.Really a nice valentine for Californians from Mr. Stirling.Recommended.

Conquistador
I just finished reading this book and it was an excellent alternate history story line.Kept me involved in the developing plot throughout the entire book.One of S. M. Stirling's best - I recommend it highly!

Recent book purchase
The book was not incorrectly described.I had had another book in this series and it was a much bigger book so I expected the same.My fault.

The hero's only flaw is to love..
This book was slow in most parts, with better flow towards the the last quarter of the book. It is an intriguing premise,and allows the reader to experience an unspoiled North America with a twist. Unfortunately, the protagonist was way too perfect a human. Running back in High School, hardworking farm boy, Ranger/special ops, perfect shape, knowledge of food, drink and art, swing dancer and latent Nordic beserking prowess (and on and on). I couldn't suspend my disbelief after halfway through the novel since the only thing he was deficient in was falling in love with the "wrong, but all so right" woman. I'd give this book a pass if possible and find something that reads a little more smoother. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a book about the life and work of Archimedes, the Greek mathemetician, a book designed particularly for students in home school situations but interesting for any young reader. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Great classroom resources
I plan to use this in my 5th grade classroom.We focus on Ancient Greece and it is accessible and filled with useful information.

Permit me to rave a bit about this book
This book is engaging and funny, smart and clever, profound and simple.It may be the best book I have read this year, because even though written for young readers, it is packed with information.

Ancient Sicily becomes accessible as a culture and lifestyle through this book.And Archimedes' discoveries are made clear through written descriptions and illustrations that are perfect for the text.The information about the way children were instructed in Syracuse, and then about how Archimedes furthered his education, was compelling.The love of learning shines in this book.

The geometry chapters are advanced, but not too difficult.And the section about the war machines he invented was downright fun!

There are immediate applications for learning at home -- creating mobiles to learn about centers of gravity, using levers and screws and pulleys, studying eclipses and the solar system.This is an excellent, excellent book.

First written in 1962, republished by Bethlehem Books, and a must-read.Enjoy it for yourself!

Good Math/Thinking Introduction
This book has a lot of good information about how math concepts were discovered over time by Archmedes. Some of the concepts are involved, but it is written at a level that allows young children (8 yrs and up) to access the ideas. The text could easily be used to branch off to classroom/home study science or math explorations. An excellent introduction to the possible depths of mathematics/science study in a light manner that children will find engaging.

A wonderful read!
This book is about Archimedes' life. He found out how to measure a circle and the principle of buoyancy. He invented the Archimedes' screw. He moved a ship full of cargo with one hand and a machine he built. And he did all this without electricity. I think that you will love this book.

Great little book
My 12 year old and then my wife have read this nifty little book before I got to read the father's day present. I generally like less-than-one-hour biographies with pictures, particularly of inventors.
Great book for readers at 4th grade level and above.
For adults, if you admit to liking cliff notes, I would recommend this book on Archimedes first, before buying something more scholarly. ... Read more

Product Description
There have always been challenges to belief in God as he is revealed in the Bible and each new year seems to add more questions to the doubter's arsenal. In Evidence for God, leading apologists provide compelling arguments that address the most pressing questions of the day about God, science, Jesus, the Bible, and more, including Is Intelligent Design really a credible explanation of the origins of our world? Did Jesus really exist? Is Jesus really the only way to God? What about those who have never heard the gospel? Is the Bible today what was originally written? What about recently publicized gospels that aren't in the Bible? and much more ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A Good Introduction
This is a good book, one that I would encourage others to purchase. It seems to me that is it a book that is an introduction, a very important introduction, to a most important topic. Having read many articles and books on some of the topics within (many of them, actually), I quickly learned that the design of the editors was to be brief. Many unbelievers will not be persuaded, but that is simply because there is no desire to be persuaded.

Well worth the purchase, in my view.

A 10 STAR BOOK...
We received this the beginning of last week and my wife and I have read it cover to cover.
Dr. Bob Marks, Chapter 17 hits it on the head.Evidence for God: 50 Arguments for Faith from the Bible, History, Philosophy, and Science

We have bought additional copies for the Church and our Pastor and waiting for his feedback.

We really didn't need more evidence that God exists, but this book approaches it from a Engineering/Math based proof.

Buy it and read it.You will enjoy...

Evidence is Ammunition
God is under attack constantly in the media, the madrases we call universities, state college and "higher learning." Christians need to be equipped to give everyman an answer for the hope that lies within! Get knowledge, get your answers in order, get this book and get ready to defend your faith!

I wish I could give it ten stars
The good folks at Baker have done a great job with Evidence for God.Edited by William A. Dembski and Michael R. Licona, this is a one volume quick reference guide to apologetics.
Contained within the book are fifty articles (as the subtitle states it "arguments") for faith from the Bible, history, philosophy, and science.
The articles are concise, well-written, and very informative.I cannot imagine finding a better book for those who desire to defend their faith, or strengthen their faith.
Contributors include Craig Blomberg, Andreas Kostenberger, Darrell Bock, Craig Evans, Ben Witherington III, Phillip E. Johnson, and many more.One cannot ask for a better set of writers.
Whether one is dealing with arguments for God (cosmological argument, moral argument) or against God (the problem of evil), this book has a section to address it.There's also a section dealing with science, the impossibility of evolution, and even a chapter that debunks some myths about the "Scopes Monkey Trial".Wondering about skeptics arguments against Jesus?There's a section filled with information.Finally, there is a section on the Bible, the canon, the reliability of the Bible, inerrancy, and the "Gnostic gospels".
I cannot speak too highly of this book.I give it a five star ranking only because there aren't ten stars to give.
Disclaimer:
I received this book free from Baker Publishing.Providing me a free copy in no way guarantees a favorable review. The opinions expresses in this review are my own.I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Insubstantial due to the 50-count .... popcorn apologetics.
The problem is brevity; with each topic treated in 3-5 pages,the subjects don't have enough information to be useful writeups.

Even though written by subject experts who've said it better elsewhere (sometimes in a comparably small space)the little nuggets that made it to this book come across as facile and shallow.

Can the origin of life be covered usefully let alone persuasively in 4 pages? The moral argument for God in 4 pages?A compelling case for near-death experiences in 4 pages?

These things have been said better elsewhere (Josh McDowell's "Evidence That Demands a Verdict", "The Nature and Character of God" (Pratney), etc.).

The book may have been designed around a 50-count (i.e., marketing tip-off) instead of content. The result is not helpful for sound apologetics. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

A must read
The public discourse on food and feeding the world has been hijacked by the New Age false prophets who have mislead the public as to the working of the food chain.

'Hybrid' is a must read by anyone who cares about how we are going to double food production with fewer resources between now and 2050.And no agricultural input is as critical as seed.

Noel Kingsbury writes clearly and knowledgeably.He tells an exciting story.I recommend the book highly.

I'll do more of a review when I'm finished
The glowing endorsements on the back of the dust jacket are justified.Kingsbury's deeply knowledgeable, knows lots more knowledgeable people.I'm pleased that he covers the Lysenko horror in the Soviet Union. Science, including plant breeding, is still being attacked today.Kingsbury is a fine writer, so this is a science history book for leisure reading. It's also a reminder that textbooks need not be deadly dull.

The University of Chicago Press deserves particular praise for nourishing this book.The university's great geneticist-president, George Beadle, would have been pleased.

Politics of Plant Breeding
As mentioned by other reviewers, the author is very thorough and knowledgeable about the subject matter.My major problem with this book however is that the author seemed to forget about halfway through that the subtitle is the History and Science of Plant Breeding and not the History and Politics of Plant Breeding.When he sticks to the subject matter, it is an interesting read about a subject not often covered, too often however he becomes very political in his coverage of the material.The problem with this is that the author does not seem nearly as knowledgeable or prepared on this subject but often comes across as too emotional.I am very open to reading other opinions about difficult subjects if presented as such, but the author of this book attempts many times to claim that he is being objective and presenting both sides of the subjects but instead clearly lets his own opinions color the discussion.This allows him to use arguments that are not well thought out or fully accurate as well as using attacks on those views he does not agree with.Overall, these types of arguments left a sour taste in my mouth.

A few examples:
He uses the fact that the organic movement is not cohesive and that everyone does not agree on what organic should be as an argument that the entire movement is just a weakly disguised political ploy without merit.When discussing genetically modified foods, he states that genes only determine a limited number of simple reactions and modifying these genes should be of no concern.Anyone who knows much about genetics can attest that yes genes do only typically code for basic proteins but that these proteins control every aspect of life from enzymes, cancers, growth, disease, etc.Very powerful stuff actually.Along with this he states as fact that there are no known health problems caused by GM foods so that they are completely safe.While it may be true that no direct link is known, this seems like a fairly dangerous comment to state as fact when since GM foods have been a part of at least American diets, we have seen many increases of things such as cancers, asthma, obesity, etc.While these can of course be caused by many things, it seems shortsighted to state that we know for an absolute fact that there is no relationship.Another example that I found disturbing is that the author time and again makes comments that anyone concerned with GM products is at the least a naive person with limited knowledge of the subject and at worst a crazy anti-Western science hating liberal.I have to believe that most people at least in the United States that have concerns about these products probably are genuine and have a basic understanding of the topic.In general, these types of arguments really turned me off to the book as a whole since they made me question the authors objectivity and motive.

It is hard for me to recommend this book.The first half however does contain some very interesting information on a topic not covered well in many other places.Unfortunately, the author strays too many times into politics and uses weak arguments.When he sticks to the history and science part, it is a worthwhile book.

The Missing Link
This book is well-written, amazingly thorough and addresses the overarching progression of plant breeding to get where we are now from the first hunter-gatherers picking fruit off last year's trash pile. Plant breeding as an industry that shares the same tools, goals and methods but is segregated by crop. This book does an excellent job of including everyone from strawberries to grains to azaleas. He also does a good job of including ALL of the major centers of plant breeding, including newer additions to the modern field like India and the Philipines.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I originally bought it as a Christmas gift for my advisor and ended up buying a copy for myself. As I am a fledgling plant breeder, this book has been invaluable in getting me up to speed on such an expansive and historical profession. Thanks Dr. Kingsbury!

many facts, not linked together
The author has gathered many facts andsure knows a lot about the subject. He does not know well however how to link all these facts together, or maybe some time to forget some in order to make the history more clear. We read in details about the life of every single farmer who has contributed a little to some hybrids, be it corn, wheat, rice or tomatoe. Some chapters are really good, but on the whole, the book lacks coherence. ... Read more

Product Description
From the ancient conquest of fire and the first turn of a wheel to the latest in scientific leaps toward the stars, this easy-access history offers a panoramic perspective on humankind’s restless quest for the laws, theories, and tools by which we can grasp and master our universe.

This concise, concentrated, consistently organized look at our species’ key scientific and innovative achievements spans all human history, presenting ten distinct eras from the first glimmers of intelligence to the cutting-edge technologies of the modern world. Within these intuitive divisions, all human scientific endeavors and achievement are divided into four general fields of inquiry and arrayed into four basic geocultural regions for easy comparison in a logical, systematic grid format highlighted by 350 photographs, maps, illustrations, and diagrams that add graphic emphasis to key information. Special two-page feature spreads explore the most revolutionary developments in greater depth; compelling, expertly composed essays and memorable quotations add sparkle; and informative sidebars provide specifically focused items of information about particular inventions, ideas, or themes. Completing this comprehensive approach, an extensive glossary explains unfamiliar terms, and a detailed index makes it a simple matter to follow a particular field or process from its origin through its complete cross-cultural evolution. This is a reference as usefully accessible as it is inherently fascinating. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fascinating Book, Even For Non-Science People
This wonderfully illustrated, well-organized book may win over even the least scientifically minded.For people interested in science and invention, it provides hours of fascination.The drawings, photographs and timelines are interesting and beautiful.The writing style is lively and interesting, much more accessible than any standard science textbook.If I were teaching science to kids, I would use this book.It captivated both my 9-year-old daughter and me.

The short vignettes on each page that described a famous scientist or inventor were especially interesting.Their stories come to life as we learn personal details about them and their lives.The photography is excellent, up to the National Geographic standard of excellence.The way they put the advances in science in a timeline perspective was enlightening.Some inventions we think of as new actually pre-dated other inventions by centuries.It is fascinating and mind-bending to think about how people saw the world before much of modern science existed.More fascinating still is the inability of humans to foresee what amazing inventions and discoveries are yet to occur.

Amazing coffee table book
Let me get this out of the way first, this IS NOT a book that you will just "pick up" and read...it's meant to be a coffee table book...if you're hoping to start at page 1, read through and know everything about science and invention, look for another title!!!

I haven't, obviously, read the book from cover to cover, but have poked and prodded around aimlessly and have enjoyed it thoroughly...some of the stuff is superfluous and has no bearing on our lives (does it matter when Voltaire wrote Candide?Not really, the important part is that he did), but if you're a fun fact and *useless* information kinda fan, this is for you

as i was reading, i couldn't help but think that this book would come in handy for anybody studyinng to be on jeopardy or some trivia show...i suggest doing like i am, and making a point to pick it up for 5min a day and read a passage to learn something new each day

great buy so far, would definitely recommend to any avid science or technology readers ... Read more

Product Description
One of the world's natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef stretches more than 2000 kilometers in a maze of coral reefs along Australia's northeastern coastline. Until now, no biographer has brought the fascinating story behind its mystique into public view. This book provides a comprehensive cultural and ecological history of European impact on the reef, from early voyages of discovery to the most recent developments in reef science and management. ... Read more

Product Description
In Cathedrals of Science, Patrick Coffey describes how chemistry got its modern footing-how thirteen brilliant men and one woman struggled with the laws of the universe and with each other.They wanted to discover how the world worked, but they also wanted credit for making those discoveries, and their personalities often affected how that credit was assigned. Gilbert Lewis, for example, could be reclusive and resentful, and his enmity with Walther Nernst may have cost him the Nobel Prize; Irving Langmuir, gregarious and charming, "rediscovered" Lewis's theory of the chemical bond and received much of the credit for it. Langmuir's personality smoothed his path to the Nobel Prize over Lewis.

Coffey deals with moral and societal issues as well.These same scientists were the first to be seen by their countries as military assets.Fritz Haber, dubbed the "father of chemical warfare," pioneered the use of poison gas in World War I-vividly described-and Glenn Seaborg and Harold Urey were leaders in World War II's Manhattan Project; Urey and Linus Pauling worked for nuclear disarmament after the war. Science was not always fair, and many were excluded.The Nazis pushed Jewish scientists like Haber from their posts in the 1930s.Anti-Semitism was also a force in American chemistry, and few women were allowed in; Pauling, for example, used his influence to cut off the funding and block the publications of his rival, Dorothy Wrinch.

Cathedrals of Science paints a colorful portrait of the building of modern chemistry from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Persosnalities in Science
I enjoyed the book, and relished the little nuggets of knowledge such as :
G.N. Lewis invented "activity","fugacity", "ionic strength" and "photon" as terminology. "Lewisite" was named for a different Lewis.
I had not realized how involved he was in heavy water and isotopic labeling.
The material on Haber was interesting, but much of it was available elsewhere.
I had never read much about Langmuir before- his life was fascinating:
the mountain climbing, the connection with Kurt Vonnegut etc., and of course his work on chemical bonding and surface chemistry. I was impressed that he spoke fluent French and German.
Nernst I want to read more about, and Ostwald.
A theme throughout the book was the extreme sensitivity of many of these scientists to personal slights, quarrels over priority and the like.
Academic advancement depends on reputation-makes people crazy over things
many of the rest of us would let pass.
Dorothy Wrinch was new to me. Feminists may find her story pathetic, but possibly less so than that of Rosalind Franklin.
The assertion (p.209) that the first transmutation of an isotope of one element into that of another was done at Berkeley is most likely incorrect. I also found confusing the statement that an isotope had been
formed by bombarding something with neutrons in a cyclotron. I suspect some technicalities were left out in respect of general readers.

The story of Lewis and Langmuir
I am a physical chemistry faculty member at Berkeley, in the chemistry department that G. N. Lewis built, and I am also the recipient of the 2005 Irving Langmuir Prize in Chemical Physics.So understandably, I am interested in learning about these two towering and competing figures.Coffey's book is about these two men and a few others who contributed to creating the field of physical chemistry during the first half of the 20th century. His descriptions of scientific principles are vivid and accurate, and his stories about Lewis and Langmuir are fascinating.In view of the former, I trust the accuracy of the latter.I recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of science in general, and the history of physical chemistry in particular.

Captivating Narative / Detailed Research
I really enjoyed Cathedrals of Science.The narrative was every bit as captivating as a historical fiction, yet the detailed research gives one a rewarding insight into an extremely interesting subject and historical time period. As with many, I have read extensively on the popularly know quantum physics pioneers. Coffey's work more broadly illuminates the "age defining" discoveries and key personalities of the period.I found the author's discussions of the Pathological Science of Langmuir especially relevant to today's political - scientific discourse.

great book for any engineer
A great read! I liked the way the author describes the different work cultures and habits of both Lewis and Langmuir...academia vs. industry.
The author's plain talk about "the battles over priority of invention" and the scientific discovery methods gave me much insight into my own career in software engineering.
One other thing that I _really_ liked was the feeling that I had just taken a refresher chemistry class (except this was way more fun :-)

Food for thought
When I finished reading this fascinating book, I found myself wondering: why have physics and physicists been the subjects of so many biographies, other nonfiction, novels, plays, and even opera - and chemistry and chemists so few? Not for lack of significance: Chemistry is Us. And not for lack of dramatic potential: as Patrick Coffey shows very skillfully, the history of modern chemistry is replete with profound moral quandaries, contentious outsize personalities, and epic quarrels. I recommend Cathedrals of Science to everyone, even if you've forgotten your chemistry (the author stirs it in gently). This is a compelling story, with much food for thought. ... Read more

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A definitive history of research in the field of human sexuality ranges from an 1830 study with French prostitutes, to a turn-of-the-century probe of German homosexuals, to the controversial work of present-day researchers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Thinly spread history of sexuality
A vague history of sexuality, this book offers a broad scope of sex research without delving into enough specifics to make the reader feel moderately comfortable with the topic. The novel breezes through history,stressing the persecution faced by sex researchers without actuallycommenting on the actual theories. Too much attention is paid to thedilemmas of modern sex research, which are painfully unarticulated. You dogain a sense of the history, however; so this is a good introductory book,but for a more in depth approach search elsewhere.

Thinly spread history of sexuality
A vague history of sexuality, this book offers a broad scope of sex research without delving into enough specifics to make the reader feel moderately comfortable with the topic. The novel breezes through history,stressing the persecution faced by sex researchers without actuallycommenting on the actual theories. Too much attention is paid to thedilemmas of modern sex research, which are painfully unarticulated. You dogain a sense of the history, however; so this is a good introductory book,but for a more in depth approach search elsewhere. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (12)

Who Decides what to Believe About the Past?
Who is to say what is real history and what is false, faked, or otherwise bogus? The historian Carl Becker once famously wrote of "everyman [as] his own historian," suggesting that we all individually choose what to assign value to in the episodic past and we construct a usable history to satisfy ourselves. Mostly that is fine, but sometimes it takes strange turns. This book, by one of my graduate student colleagues of many years ago, explores how bizarre some of this construction of the past may become. It is an outstanding analysis of the strange and weird in history.

"Invented Knowledge" is mostly about conspiracy theories and concepts of supposedly "repressed" truths in human history. Fritze begins with a lengthy discussion of the possibility of a lost continent of Atlantis. It is certainly one of the most persistent of beliefs held by people of all times and places despite the lack of hard evidence supporting its existence. Fritze appropriately calls it the "mother of pseudohistory." Chapters follow on myths surrounding the discovery and settlement of ancient America. My personal favorite is the so-called Welsh Indians, a group supposedly led to America by Prince Madoc in the twelfth century which formed its own tribe. Many expeditions sought to find this group, and Lewis and Clark and others believed that Mandan tribe in the upper Midwest were the descendents of these pioneers. Of course, different populations reached America in different ways and there is much speculation and only modest hard evidence. Accordingly, it is easy for pseudohistory to emerge when evidence is minimal and conflicting.

Ron Fritze also expends considerable effort, two full chapters, discussing the construction of racist cosmogonies. His explanation of the rise of racist perspectives among both white and black separatists is illuminating and frightening. Those chapters make up the heart of the book and offer a fascinating analysis of radical subcultures in modern American society. Additional sections of the book explore the catastrophism of Immanuel Velikovsky, the ancient astronauts theories of Erich von Dänikan, the vanished of ancient ice age civilizations, and the "Black Athena" debate launched by Martin Bernal in 1987. That last chapter has the scintillating main title, "Professors Gone Wild."

The takeaway from "Invented Knowledge" is that while there is credible historical analysis on all of these subjects and respectable theories have been offered, that there is still are those who prefer pseudohistory predicated on poor sources, outrageous assumptions, unrealistic theories, and in some cases insane connections. There is not lack for promoters of these wild explanations, some of whom are clearly unhinged and some of whom are charlatans. In every case Fritze debunks the outrageous and offers legitimate explanations.

But does evidence and argumentation really make a difference to what one believes about the past? For many people it does. For believers in conspiracy and many of the weird ideas discussed here it probably doesn't. This leads to the question, who has the authority to decide what the history says? An old baseball joke is apropos here. Three umpires were discussing how they call balls and strikes behind the plate. The first said, "I call them as they are," a pre-modern, absolutist position. The second said, "I call them as I see them," a position reflecting rationality and modernity. The third opined in a fit of post-modern existential angst, "They ain't nothin' til I call them." It seems that this last perspective is the critical element in considering the stories told in "Invented Knowledge." Perhaps the reality of what happened does not matter all that much; the only thing that is truly important is the decision about its meaning. That may well be an intensely personal decision predicated on many idiosyncrasies and perspectives. I find that a fascinating issue to ponder. My thanks to Ron Fritze for raising these issues and exploring their meaning in modern America.

A wonderful read, and not the same discussions that often grace these titles
Many titles exist that deal with topics of pseudo science, depending on the genre (of science) they fall into they have their stock of topics that are always discussed. If you read about health there is homeopathy, if you read about physics there is cold fusion, if you read about diet its Atkins / Carbs (though that one might not necessarily be pseudo science so much as generally not sufficiently researched, it certainly doesn't help that Atkins wasn't skinny, but i digress).

When you read about history (which is the area this book primarily comes under) you have Atlantis, and this book has that. Unlike most books that go into their own fallacy of attacking the character and how ridiculous they are, thus how ridiculous their (in fairness "out there") notions are. The problem being, although the proponents may be wrong about many things (even very clearly), that doesn't mean that they must be wrong about everything. This is somewhat sad for books on science that ignore evidence for the sake of attacking the person. Fritze doesn't do this, he is very fair and gives ample of surrounding evidence which explain how these strange believes were instituted, and although he deals with the bizarre situation, for instance of land bridges that were going left, right and center from everywhere to everywhere raising the question of why they didn't just fill in the ocean, but doesn't ridicule so much as deconstruct and make you see.

The other treatment for instance was the settlement of America, and although Gavin Menzies (author of 1421) makes an entry and repeat appearance on the topic you find out about the story behind the story, not just derogatory comments. In fact in this particular instance i kept waiting for a final death blow that would do just that, and it never came. Fritze moves through the talking points and explains their background and why they came about and what's wrong with them, and as such you have to certainly respect the man.

The other things i really loved about the book is that the topics (with the exception of Atlantis) had not been done to death in other books, and where there was the issue of it being a typical contender, it was treated with such depth and respect that it was a new experience. THIS may however not apply to you - I have not read so much on pseudo history as i have on pseudo science so, your mileage may vary.

Check out the index page and decide from there if these are topics you have seen being done to death, and go from there.

This is a fantastic book, which showed and explained a great deal of topics i was not fully aware off, and Fritze did it in a respectful and scholarly way that is second to none. If there is a criticism to level (and i am wavering between 4 and 5 stars at this stage) it is that the book is short, at under 300 pages even in hard cover it seems like it is a slightly expensive book (~US$20), but then it isn't a fast read, because you will want to think about what you've read, though I did get through it fairly quickly... That said, i feel it was money well spent (final decision is 5 stars after all).

excellent critique of pseudo-historical material
Ronald Fritze, who has already published on such matters to acclaim, has now produced in this book a classic work in the field of skeptical critique of pseudo-history.Although it will naturally not replace existing treatises altogether, it will become an indispensable general source and one of the first `ports of call' for researchers and students in this area.
As has become the trend, Fritze surveys not only current fringe ideas and skeptical commentary on them but the entire post-Enlightenment period.He deals with almost all the major fringe trends of the last two centuries (and with ideas which once were mainstream but have now been debunked or forgotten) and with the critiques offered by predecessors of contemporary sceptics.But he is also very much up to date; for instance, he rehearses the entire vexed and complex story of `Kennewick Man' (mysterious ancient human remains found in Washington State in 1996), including the latest available legal decisions and provisional academic conclusions.(To summarise: with support from postmodernist/anti-scientific thinkers and at times from the relevant governments and legal systems, Native American activists such as Vine Deloria - like their equivalents in Australia - have persuaded many `indigenous' people a) that their ancestors were indeed `created' where they now live, as their traditional myths relate, rather than forming part of any general diaspora from East Africa such as has been revealed by scientific archaeology; and b) that all ancient human remains found in their lands, even anomalous and hence potentially very important remains such as those ofKM, must be those of their own forebears and therefore need to be protected from study as sacred, and indeed ceremonially re-buried.Opponents of these irrational ideas, including leading critics of postmodernist excesses such as Alan Sokal as well as mainstream scientific archaeologists, have won the latest round of legal exchanges over KM; but given the current political climate it is unlikely that this matter is finally settled.)
A large proportion of the non-standard material surveyed by Fritze is in fact nonsense (whether or not that was apparent when it was produced), and he critiques the fringe without compunction.On the other hand, he is conspicuously fair-minded.Indeed, in some cases, e.g. in commenting on mainstream critics of the Velikovskyan major-planet-catastrophist & chronological-revisionist movement, he arguably goes beyond this (though some of these critics, notably Carl Sagan, clearly were themselves unfair at times).He examines the socio-cultural and quasi-academic background tendencies involved in the development of each tradition of non-standard work, and acknowledges such strengths as may be found in non-standard amateur material.Fritze does not mock gratuitously, recognising that most fringe writers are sincere (if not adequately informed or trained).But he is far from humourless, and his writing is engaging and perspicuous as well as scholarly.
Fritze's chapters deal with: Atlantis and other `lost continents'; the diffusionist pseudo-history of the Americas; `racist cosmogonies and pseudo-history' (two chapters); catastrophism (and chronological revisionism); and Afrocentrist pseudo-history.There is, almost inevitably, a stronger focus on American issues than on those arising elsewhere in the world; for instance, little is said about fringe views of European (pre-)history.But, allowing for this, there are few outright omissions, and these largely involve individual thinkers rather than entire strains of non-standard historical thought.Obvious examples include William McGlone and his colleagues (perhaps the most rational members of the `American epigraphist' tradition offering diffusionist accounts of the history of the Americas) and Anatoly Fomenko (the best-known proponent of major chronological revisions involving the last two millennia).Some of these authors are very important; but, as noted below, only so much ground can be covered in any one book of reasonable size as determined by the publishers.
As a skeptical historical linguist, this reviewer might have liked to find in this book a somewhat greater focus on linguistic matters.I include here non-standard amateur philologising or etymologising (ideas on the origins of languages and individual words), speculative epigraphics (the identification and decipherment of texts or alleged texts, e.g. the specifically linguistic work of the diffusionist pseudo-historian Barry Fell), `out-of-place' spoken or written languages, theories concerning the conspiratorial concoction of languages or language data, etc.Linguistic `evidence' is often adduced by pseudo-historians in support of their wider theses, and more generally the details of language data often furnish key evidence in the discussion of historical and archaeological theories, fringe or mainstream.Fritze does refer in places to such matters (Helena Blavatsky's concocted language `Senzar', speculations on linguistic relationships in early North America, the purported use of Welsh in the Americas as a result of Prince Madoc's supposed voyage, the allegedly Phoenician Paraiba Inscription, Zecharia Sitchin on Sumerian, the outrageous philological-cum-etymological proposals of the British Israelites, etc); but perhaps not as much as might be hoped, and with very few actual linguistic details.
On the other hand, specialists in other disciplines might make similar points about gaps in the treatment of their own favoured subjects; and one cannot expect one scholar's grasp to extend equally to all relevant disciplines.And, in an admittedly general book such as this, only so much detail can be given and only so much ground covered.(Sheer errors of fact and cases of awkward wording are very few indeed.)
Overall, the work cannot be recommended too highly to all with an interest in these matters: active researchers/writers, skeptics generally, or those who might otherwise be tempted to accept fringe ideas.It is, as Thucydides famously said, a possession for ever.

Extremely Well-Researched, Detailed and Lively
Rather than actively debunking issues in pseudoscience, pseudohistory, etc., the author has taken a somewhat different approach in this appropriately-entitled book. He has selected six main topics that are beyond the fringes of conventional wisdom/orthodoxy, and has provided, in each case, a fascinating, detailed overview including: how the concept came about, mini-biographies of its principal inventors/proponents, the evolution of their ideas/movements, how and by whom they were opposed, what the issues/arguments were and where the matter currently stands. The topics selected - mainly pertaining to history, science and religion - are: the lost continent of Atlantis, the discovery and settlement of Ancient America, the Christian Identity movement, the Nation of Islam movement, the pseudohistorical writings of a few well-known individuals, and finally the Black Athena controversy. The writing style is very clear, friendly, authoritative, widely accessible and quite captivating. This well-researched and engaging book can be enjoyed by anyone. Those who are particularly fascinated by how pseudo-knowledge comes about, how it is defended and how it is dealt with by traditional scholarship will not be disappointed.

exposing the debunker
this book is garbage and a waste of money.the auther doesnt live in reality and is in denial of the evedence.furthermore this book is a total discrace to science and like darwin the auther of this book is both a quack and an idiot.this book is not even worthy. ... Read more

Product Description
The history of the sciences and the history of the book are complementary, and there has been much recent innovative research in the intersection of these lively fields. This accessibly-written, well-illustrated volume is the first systematic general work to do justice to the fruits of recent scholarship. The twenty specially-commissioned chapters cover the period from the Carolingian renaissance of learning to the mid-nineteenth-century consolidation of science, and examine all aspects of the authorship, production, distribution, and reception of manuscripts, books and journals in the various sciences. ... Read more

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Social and cultural factors, as well as medical ones, help to shape the way we understand and react to diseases.In the case of a disease associated with sex, social and cultural factors figure especially large in its history. For example, moral and religious views influence almost everything connected with sex, and that includes sexually transmitted diseases.Syphilis thus provides an excellent case study to help understand the history of disease in a broader human context.This book covers the history of syphilis in America, from Colonial times to the present, as well as laying bare the origins and spread of the disease in Europe.

Several themes explored in the book illustrate ways in which non-medical factors influence our views of a disease and our reaction to it.One of these themes is the tendency to focus blame for the spread of a disease on a particular group (e.g., women, blacks, sinners). The balance between protecting the rights of individuals and protecting the public health, in issues such as whether to quarantine the infected and whether to require mandatory testing for the disease, is another theme. A third theme is the persistent reluctance of many Americans to discuss venereal disease openly because it involves sex, a subject that we are often not comfortable talking about.

Customer Reviews (1)

An Excellent Account of Medical Science and American Values
John Parascandola, former historian of the Public Health Service, and a veteran of several other public historian positions in the federal government, received the George Pendleton Prize for 2009 for this book, and the award was well deserved. "Sex, Sin, and Science: A History of Syphilis in America," published by Praeger of the Greenwood Publishing Group, is a seminal work. In it the author presents a fascinating account of how social and cultural factors, in addition to medical ones, helped to shape the way we understand and react to diseases, especially one so publicly charged as syphilis.

In this example--because of its association with sexual promiscuity--social, cultural, moral, and religious factors loom large in its history. As Parascandola shows, syphilis as a disease illustrates the ways in which non-medical factors influence our views of a disease and our reaction to it. He offers a fascinating perspective on the tendency to focus blame for the spread of a disease on particular marginalized groups in America. He discusses the delicate balance between protecting the rights of individuals and furthering the health of the public. These are manifest in numerous ways; right to privacy versus public awareness are central to this concern but are complicated by the hesitancy of Americans to discuss venereal disease openly because it also involves a discussion of sex.

"Sex, Sin, and Science: A History of Syphilis in America" is a valuable and even-handed work by a veteran scholar of medicine that should help inform public policy. ... Read more

Product Description
The Jasons are a well-guarded group of world-class scientists, briefly outed in the Pentagon Papers during the Vietnam War, who have been meeting every summer since 1960 to tackle classified problems that the Defense Department cannot solve. Among many stunning innovations, they helped invent our electronic battlefield and Star Wars missile defense technology, and are now looking into ways to improve our intelligence gathering. Recounting the unknown story of these brilliant, stubbornly independent thinkers,Ann Finkbeiner takes advantage of her unprecedented access to this elite group to explore the uncertain bargains between science and politics. It is a story older than Faust and as timely as tomorrow’s headlines. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Ho hum.
I have no major complaints about this book.I've known some Jasons, read many of their reports etc. From what I can tell the book has an accurate description of the culture group.There is alot about the history that I had not known, and some interesting anecdotes.In those rare cases the author attempts some technical discussion it seems reasonably accurate for this level of book.I didn't give it more stars because I just didn't find it that interesting.When you get down to it, the Jasons are just a group that gets together and writes reports for the government.It's hard to get too much mileage out of that.Sure, many of the members are really smart, but reading multiple statements to the effect that "so and so is really really smart" doesn't do much for me.Show me don't tell me.Not enough meat, I guess is what I'm saying.

Quirky science advisors
This is story of the Jasons, a few dozen top scientists who were brought in to review secret projects and brainstorm when it was hard to review progress in more conventional ways.

The book is very sensibly laid out and progressed linearly from their original formation.I found this book of great interest, mainly because it is very close to some of my work.

There are three flaws from my point of view.

First, the author is a Jason enthusiast, so much so that any reporting of criticism of Jason is usually followed in the same sentence by why the criticism is wrong, making a mountain out of a molehill, or just an alternate point of view.

Second, in writing a detailed history, the evolving org chart, individual managers, and projects are presented in too much detail, so the narrative offers tedious reading at times.

Third, the classified material is probably incomplete at times, unavoidable but leaving large gaps in understanding and evaluating Jason and its impact.Only the discussion of the Viet Nam war tactics provide a plausible perspective of a few entire issues.Projects like missile defense, sub detection and nuclear test detection appear as anecdotes.Although the facts seem right it's clear the author is not a scientist.

Still, this book should be required reading for scientists struggling to understand how science turns into classified applications.It is also provides rare insights into why scientists wade into the realm of influencing public policy.

science writing as literature
A book about science and scientists that is real literature. Finkbeiner writes with grace, skill, and humor about her subjects, a group of post-WWII scientist who were the best and knew it. You might not think a story of the links between academic science and the military could be an engrossing page-turner, but it is.

Jasons
Fascinatingbook, entry into the world of high tech consulting of top scientists to government.It reports achievements, and problems,usually arising from the clash between scientists, seeking complete and correct results, and politicians, needing support to advance a cause.There are many stimulating opinions quoted from very smart people.

James rollins
I have decided that some modern authors like to stretch us beyond our comfort zone.Such an author is James Rollins auther of the Last Oracle who lists in this book, books used to flesh out his knowledge for his novel.The Jasons is one of the recommended books to read and I was not diappointed ,there will always exist clandestine and hidden workers whos reasons for being are not open to public debate.Such is the world we live in and such was the world of the past.What made me smile is the fact that many of the people involved in the work of the Jasons and other like minded organisations are often those who suffer from mental problems that cause their giftings to be highlighted in ways the rest of us could never live with.It makes you realise if not for the mad we would never have become the civilization we are today ... Read more

Product Description
Archimedes to Hawking takes the reader on a journey across the centuries as it explores the eponymous physical laws--from Archimedes' Law of Buoyancy and Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle and Hubble's Law of Cosmic Expansion--whose ramifications have profoundly altered our everyday lives and our understanding of the universe.
Throughout this fascinating book, Clifford Pickover invites us to share in the amazing adventures of brilliant, quirky, and passionate people after whom these laws are named. These lawgivers turn out to be a fascinating, diverse, and sometimes eccentric group of people. Many were extremely versatile polymaths--human dynamos with a seemingly infinite supply of curiosity and energy and who worked in many different areas in science. Others had non-conventional educations and displayed their unusual talents from an early age. Some experienced resistance to their ideas, causing significant personal anguish. Pickover examines more than 40 great laws, providing brief and cogent introductions to the science behind the laws as well as engaging biographies of such scientists as Newton, Faraday, Ohm, Curie, and Planck. Throughout, he includes fascinating, little-known tidbits relating to the law or lawgiver, and he provides cross-references to other laws or equations mentioned in the book. For several entries, he includes simple numerical examples and solved problems so that readers can have a hands-on understanding of the application of the law.
A sweeping survey of scientific discovery as well as an intriguing portrait gallery of some of the greatest minds in history, this superb volume will engage everyone interested in science and the physical world or in the dazzling creativity of these brilliant thinkers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Perfect condition!
I was really excited about receiving this book! I wanted a greater knowledge of the physical laws around me, and this book fit the bill! I received it in a timely manner and it was just as described! Thanks!

A must for every home library
This is exactly what I wanted as a reference book for my personal library.I would recommend this book to every parent whose child wishes to go to college and pursue a career in science. Thank you for trying to make this as interesting a read as possible for the subject matter involved.

Not coherent
I bought this book hoping for a historical analysis of great minds in science.Instead, this is mainly a series of technical science lectures (complete with instruction in calculus-based equations) and mini-biographies.The only overarching themes developed by the author are that his "great minds" were commonly Christian, polymaths, and lived in the 1800s.This was completely insufficient to hold my interest for over 500 pages of small type.As the final blow, while the book does start with Archimedes (per the title), Hawking is not discussed.

If you want good explanations of forty arbitrarily chosen laws of science, this would be a good book.If you want forty mini-biographies of arbitrarily chosen scientists (interspersed with small amounts of other historical events and liberal amounts of unrelated science quotations), this would be a good book.Each of the forty sections stands alone.If you want a historical analysis that develops themes progressively from the beginning of the book to the end, this book would be a bad choice.

HammerOSU
This is a great book.As a mechanical engineering student i have seen about 95% of the equations or laws in this book.while learning these laws and using them in courses we never learn about the people who came up with the laws and i have always been curious about them.i really enjoyed learning about these people behind the greatest scientific discoveries we have thus far discovered.

Punctual and pristine...
Archimedes to Hawking... I found to be an excellent little book on scientific genius. As for the shipment and delivery, the book arrived punctually, and in pristine condition within a few days after I placed the order. Thank you.
-- B. Atalay ... Read more