Uncanny Men Figure Double Weapons

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1. Annals of a Former World, by John McPhee

In patient, lyrical prose, McPhee takes the reader on a geologic journeying through the United States. This volume was in the first place published as 4 books; each is centered on a road trip the author took with a geologist, observing the world next to Eisenhower’s great US highways for clues into it is geologic past. Annals has this–no borders, idealistic, On the Road for geologists kind of feel (though a bit more grown-up.) I pick up Annals each once in a while when im in a relaxed mood, when im looking for a good example of literary science writing. Highly commended as a associate for camping trips, if you may fit it into your pack.

2. Surely You’re Joking, Mr, Feynman, by Richard Feynman

A string of excerpts from Feynman’s life/career, Surely You’re Joking is in all likelihood the standard science book I have read through the most times, not because it is short, but because it is at once compelling, understated, and full of crucial scientific concepts. Richard Feynman has an uncanny capacity to make physics without apparent effort digestible, his lectures are a testament to that and Surely You’re Joking is no exception. Feynman’s easy prose makes the reader feel like physics is understandable, as if he has laid out a diagram of the universe on his living room floor–no one is an outsider. It’s delightful. Feynman’s in my ‘top 5 humans I would give my right pinky finger to meet’ category.

3. A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson

The second heavy volume on the list, A Short History is packed with almost everything. It takes a look at the science behind a lot of things–beauty, cells, evolution, the universe. Bryson rejects the established notion of a ‘textbook’ with this book, making science seem applicable in our every day lives AND putting this psychological result of perception learning and reasoning in the context of the universe–in space and time. Capturing the elaborate nooks where science is oftentimes concentrated AND eliciting the wonder of the wider perspective is an accomplishment–savor it wherever you may find it. Great in audio book format.

4. The Richness of Life, collection of essays by Stephen Jay Gould

The idiosyncratic Gould has written articles in Natural History and a lot of other science magazines for decades and is one of the most widely read progressed science writers. In this collection of articles, Gould’s highly intellectual, witty, and pin-accurate prose explains evolutionary theory, racism or baseball with a scientist’s eye, but in a way that engages the layman. Gould’s dedication to science shows in each piece. Delightful.

5. The Canon, by Natalie Angier

Someone at the New York Times science desk once told me–”Natalie Angier is the queen of metaphor.” I have to agree. The Canon is the best example of her witty prose winding the reader through simple scientific questions with difficult answers. In this book, Angier tackles what she has deemed the basic scientific conceptions every one must know: thinking scientifically, probabilities, calibration, physics, evolutionary biology, chemistry, molecular biology, astronomy and geology. Phew. I have to say–this could have been very text-book, but because of her writing style, is masterful. I genuinely have had numerous non-scientist friend commend this to me, which is always a good sign.

6. Universe in a Teacup, by K.C. Cole

Where may you find a book that with great success intertwines the discipline of mathematics, with the conceptions of truth and beauty? Universe is just such a book; K.C.’s most popular and in galore ways seminal volume. Metaphors she uses pack a punch. Her prose style is more or less poetic, and in Universe, she proves adept at explain things like chaos or phase transitions are illuminating–not just because you in the long run grasp galore science conception that always seem so obscure, but because Cole has likewise given the you a new way to think in regards to mathematics and the world alongside your new understanding. (Full disclosure–Cole was my academic mentor)

7. The Code Book, by Simon Singh

Packed with data with regards to the history of codes, how to break them, and who figured it all out, this book has a kind-of James Bond appeal. Various scientists and politicians have acted as code-makers and code-breakers from antiquity until modern day, and codes are progressively important in computer technology and national security. The stories behind the codes are so arousing and attention holding i scarcely even realized that i was learning with regards to the mathematics of code theory in the process.

8. Enduring Love, by Ian McEwan

Ok, so not every one would categorize this as a popular science book, but Ill include it anyway. Enduring Love is a fiction book, partially written from the perspective of a former scientist, but more importantly, it is a suspenseful story that lets the author’s complex mental states towards life bleed through each and each page. Ian McEwan is a well-know rationalist who believes that science is just as much a part of culture as anything else–a position with which I very much empathize. This is a literary tale, sure, but McEwan manages to mention scientific ideas all over the place, integrating science and it is ways of thinking into the lives of his complex characters and tardily revealing situations. It’s a page-turner.

9. The Double Helix, by James Watson

Though scientist James Watson doesn’t have a Stephen Jay Gould command of language and metaphor, The Double Helix still stands as an utterly riveting account of the series of events that lead up to the invention of DNA’s structure. In the book, scientists Watson, Crick, Maurice Wilkens, and Rosalind Franklin become arousing and attention holding characters in a race to figure out what DNA looks like at a molecular level. Each has their own motivations. Each has their own complications. All but Franklin ultimately received a Nobel Prize for this work (she passed away before the award could include her.) A quick, easy read.

10. In the Shadow of Man, by Jane Goodall

A classic book–easy read, no jargon. Goodall’s observations of chimpanzee’s in the wild basi brought to light one of man’s most recent ancestors–the chimpanzee. This book chronicles a heap of of Goodall’s groundbreaking exploration through her own observations regarding chimp behavior. Once immersed in the book, I couldn’t support but think–we are all just apes, evolved from or related to one another. Puts things in perspective.