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Mar 7, 2010 Philosophy & Thinking, Politics and Society, Science and Technology
A journey through the history of the universe, our own human perspective on it and a look into the possible futures of mankind amongst the stars – Cosmos is a beautiful book that conveys Carl Sagan’s constant awe and wonder at the sheer size and strangeness of the cosmic ocean in which we are merely a floating speck.
The thirteen chapters in the book correspond to the 13 episodes of the original TV series, and the content ranges from philosophy and cultural history to hard physics and astronomy, and the book as a whole is both a celebration of the wonders of the universe, and a plea for us to come together as a species to explore it before we tear ourselves apart.
Amazon link
Recent Entries
Mar 3, 2010 General
Thanks to Spinballer for this link – the article tells the story of a teenage fan who became penpals with J D Salinger. It’s quite genuinely touching.
Post Gazette
Mar 3, 2010 Politics and Society
1984 may seem like an awfully old chestnut for a review, but I’ve come across a shocking number of people who have never read it, despite having enough of a concept of “Big Brother” to not question the name of the reality TV show/wreck, and have a tendency to repeat the phrase “Orwellian Nightmare” whenever the government does something. That being the case, I suppose we all need to persuade more people to read it.
1984’s sheer realism makes it terrifying – whereas in Brave New World we don’t really have the dystopian technology described, there’s really not much in 1984 that couldn’t theoretically be carried out right now, and the use of language to control society has interesting implications.
Get your tinfoil hat on, break out the Victory Gin and pick a hidden corner of your room to read this in, and learn to love Big Brother.
Amazon Link
Feb 25, 2010 Learning and Knowledge, Science and Technology, Self Help & Personal Training, Specialist Subjects
If, like me, you’re tired of hearing complete rubbish about how someone touching an ear, scratching their leg, making eye contact or not making eye contact are apparently sure-fire ways to tell that they are lying, this book will come as a welcome relief.
In Telling Lies, Paul Ekman discusses what possible indicators you can look out for to spot emotional states that can suggest lying, as well as explaining some of the different types of deception that we all practice, and why we do it. He also introduces the idea of microexpressions, those little tics that give away how we’re really feeling – if this sounds familiar to those of you who watch “Lie To Me,” that’s because Cal Lightman was pretty much based on Paul Ekman.
Amazon UK link – used only
Amazon.com link
Paul Ekman’s official site
Feb 22, 2010 Learning and Knowledge, Science and Technology
Before Richard Dawkins was famous for his open atheism, he was primarily known as a brilliant science writer (and still is – see our review on The Greatest Show On Earth for our take on his most recent work).
When most people picture a book on evolutionary biology, they don’t imagine an epic pilgrimage that spans the entire world and billions of years. Nor do they imagine an ever-growing cast of storytelling co-travellers, each with its own dramatic tale of a journey from the beginning of life itself into the modern world. This is what Richard Dawkins has created, and while it’s based purely on hard science, it is every bit as magical, as moving and as full of wonder as Lord of the Rings.
After reading this book, it’s hard to look at any living thing in the same way ever again, from blue whales to bacteria.
Amazon link
Feb 19, 2010 Comedy, Learning and Knowledge, Science and Technology, Self Help & Personal Training, Skeptical books
If I were to ask you whether you would rather wear a sweater covered in dog feces, or a nice, clean one previously worn by a horrific mass murderer, what would you answer (other than “is there something wrong with you”)?
How about if I were to offer evidence that your starsign CAN reflect your personality in some way – but not because the constellations themselves have made any difference whatsoever?
Quirkology uses psychology, scientific studies and a liberal splash of humour to reveal some of the strangest, most unlikely things that effect us in ways that seem completely counter-intuitive and breathtakingly unlikely, as well as the methodology for what might be some of the oddest studies of all time.
Quirkology remains the most outstanding, most hilarious psychology book I have ever read. I suggest you read it, too.
Amazon link
Official Website
Feb 16, 2010 Learning and Knowledge, Philosophy & Thinking, Self Help & Personal Training
This is one of the many books I’ve reviewed that focusses on irrational behaviour and its causes. Two things in particular stand out about this one:
1. It focusses on the economic repercussions of irrational choices, both for the individual, companies and the entirely of society
2. It advocates, and outlines, ways to structure options to gently steer people towards choices that clearly give more net benefits, while ensuring that all other choices are still open to them – having organ donations opt-out instead of opt-in, for example.
Some may find this idea a little bit controlling for their taste, but as the authors point out, “choice architecture” already exists – private companies in particular can, and do, nudge us towards choices that may not be the best for us. The authors argue that their own ideas of choice architecture simply work to redress the balance. Check it out, and tell me if you agree with them in the comments.
Link
Jan 29, 2010 Art, Image based
Newsweek has an overview of Catcher In The Rye cover styles over the last several decades. Check it out here.
Jan 29, 2010 History, Unusual Releases
I, for one, plan to go and see this ASAP:
“It takes six people to lift it and has been recorded as the largest book in the world, yet the splendid Klencke Atlas, presented to Charles II on his restoration and now 350 years old, has never been publicly displayed with its pages open. That glaring omission is to be rectified, it was announced by the British Library today, when it will be displayed as one of the stars of its big summer exhibition about maps.
The summer show will feature about 100 maps, considered some of the greatest in the world, with three-quarters of them going on display for the first time.”
Guardian
Jan 26, 2010 Uncategorized
This is quite unlike most of the books I’ve reviewed here before. It has no clear narrative, it contains science but doesn’t focus on it and it’s hard to even describe what it’s about.
The book is a written tribute to and celebration of trees, and what we get from them – wood that is put to both utilitarian and artistic uses, walnut harvests in distant mountain ranges, firewood, hedges. Written as a journey that is sometimes continuous and sometimes resumes after an apparent gap of many years (or millions of miles), the naturalist author rambles all over the world and in doing so shares his knowledge about the natural world, art and social history. Reading this book is like a strange, somehow very moving, experience. Recommended.
Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees, by Roger Deakin
