Book Description

Demystifying physics-and the man who personified it.

Einstein's face is on T-shirts and posters and his name is synonymous with atomic energy and scientific genius. But to understand this individual who not only had great knowledge but great wisdom, we must examine his philosophy of life-and physics.

€ New and updated information about Einstein's life
€ Analysis of recent, ongoing challenges to Einstein's theories
€ Streamlined information on the underpinnings of physics, electricity, magnetism, and other forms of energy
€ High-profile museum exhibitions about Einstein are taking place across the U.S. in 2003, 2004, and 2005
€ First edition has gained a solid reputation for helping students understand physics
€ Einstein was named Time's "Man of the Century" ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Very good read.
If you're looking for an introductory level overview of physics, from the earliest thinkers to modern theories that seem stranger than fiction, look no further.Although I read it cover to cover, I still read chapters and segments from time to time.The author writes in a manner that is easy to follow and very interesting.Highly recommended.

Relativity explained and so much more!
I wish I had read this book earlier. Although I did relatively well in math and science in college, they don't come naturally to me. Mostly because I did not find them relevant to me. This book makes it relevant to me. Starting with the origin of physics, the author spends many chapters to explain how ideas and theories have been developed and evolved to pave the road for quantum mechanics. This book is about understanding Einstein and more, it's about understanding the world we live in. Throughout the book there is a sense of wonder expressed toward our universe that is both mysterious and orderly. It's an inspiring and informative book to anyone who has just started his/her scientific and spiritual pursuit.

Be Careful-- Know What You're Getting!
For years I've struggled with understanding relativity theory, and thought what I needed was something that would explain it to me in the simplest possible terms.What better than this book, I thought.This book does a lot more than explain Einstein's theories, which is a flaw, not a strength.It is about 10% explaining the theories, 50% history of the study of Physics and 40% non-scientific biography of Einstien.And yes, there is a liberal amount of the author's own politically correct editorializing, such as (pg 245) "many of the worst crimes are motivated by repressed sexual tendencies. Society needs to apply a bigger picture here, don't you think?" and (pg 270) "In the free market system, profitability often outweighs damage to human life". Einstien dies on Pg 291, but the book limps on for another 50 pages.If you want a history of physics IN GENERAL, you'll be more satisfied than if you're (like me) just trying to get your arms around Einstein's theories.

"Physics for Poets"
Overall a good read.This book is about so much more than just Einstein and his theories.About the first 100 pages or so is an introduction to physics--everything from the mechanics of light to gravity and uniform acceleration.It's presented an a relatively (no pun intended) easy-to-understand fashion.

A small portion of the book is biographical in nature, dealing with Einstein's personal and professional life.Even more, of course, is devoted to the development of his brilliant theories, especially the Special and General Theories of Relativity.

Beyond that, there's a lot of information on quantum physics.In my opinion, up to that point, most of the book is written such that the average reader could understand most of it.Of course, once you get to quantum physics, one might question whether ANYONE could really understand that topic!

I would have given this book 4 or maybe even 5 stars, if the author hadn't wasted his (and my!) time with overly-lengthy discussions into "modern psychology" (e.g., Freud, Kant, etc.) and "Eastern mysticism " (e.g., Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, etc.).While he tries to make a connection between these topics and his discussion of quantum physics, I didn't think it was useful.

Absolutely Satisfying
This has been the first time in ages that I've read a book for hours on end.The first time I opened it,I read for hours,and forgot to do my homework!I was completely absorbed in it.The authors tells you more than just Einstein's theories and ideas.His book spans people's beliefs and theories which sometimes lead to the questioning of already accepted laws in science, through classical physics and modern.He shows you the ups and downs to theories and laws,the brilliant ideas along with a few mistakes ('Hey,even geniuses make mistakes') and explains why some theories make sense while others would not.
I would reccomend this book to anyone,a lover of physics already or not,because reading this book will certainly make you one,or at least open your mind up as to what you're missing.
A wonderful read and superbly entertaining.Thought provoking and satisfying. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Richard Feynman, brilliant physicist and inspirational teacher, wasn't much for coats and ties. He lived a life that the adjective "bohemian" doesn't begin to cover, scripting percussion scores for avant-garde ballet troupes, musing over life's imponderables, and delighting and annoying his many friends with odd-duck questions--all the while teaching generations of students at CalTech.

Always adventurous, Feynman was also a careful planner, recounts his friend and fellow drummer Ralph Leighton in this affectionate memoir. When a chance remark happened to dislodge a long-dormant memory of a faraway Siberian land called Tannu-Tuva, Feynman and Leighton set about scheming to get there--a program that included learning the little-described Tuvan language, picking up the rudiments of throat singing, and reading the scattered, hard-to-find literature concerning a place that, in Feynman's fond view, was as close to paradise as the earth contained. It also involved corresponding with scholars in what was still the Soviet Union and wrangling with bureaucrats to secure the necessary papers--all for the sake of seeing a country that had to be interesting, Feynman insisted, just because its capital, Kyzyl, had such an odd spelling.

These picaresque armchair adventures make up the bulk of Tuva or Bust, an unconventional mix of travelogue and scientific biography that's a pleasure to read at every turn. The book yields a memorable picture of Richard Feynman--who did not live to see Tuva, but whose memory is honored there today, thanks to Leighton's refusal to abandon their shared dream. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (25)

funny, informative, and even a little inspiring
"Tuva or Bust!" is the story of three friends in the 1980s, who were determined to travel to Tuva, a little known land in Central Asia, which at that time was part of the Soviet Union. Their original motivation? As Richard Feynman says in the first chapter, "A place that's spelled K-Y-Z-Y-L (Tuva's capitol) has just got to be interesting!"

The book chronicles the adventures and misadventures of Ralph Leighton, one of Feynman's longtime friends. Though the book is subtitled "Richard Feynman's Last Journey," it's really Leighton's story; Feynman is more of an inspiration and a supporting character. Over several years, Leighton and his friends wrote letters, researched articles, read books, and became more and more fascinated by Tuva, a tiny country in the middle of nowhere. They learned, among other things, that Tuvans practice three different types of steppe herding lifestyles, within a hundred miles of each other, and that Tuva is the home of throat-singing, a musical technique in which a single person produces two notes at the same time.

Leighton's narration is chatty, reminiscent of Feynman's autobiographical works; one suspects Leighton learned to tell anecdotes from his friend. However, Leighton isn't as inherently fascinating a narrator as Feynman. Also, Feynman's persistent cancer, which kept him from participating in several preliminary trips, and finally killed him shortly before Leighton received permission for a group of Americans to travel to Tuva itself, casts a pall over the book.

Still, this is a fascinating story -- a great example of what people can do if they really care about a cause, and don't realize precisely how little chance they have of succeeding. It is also informative, if somewhat superficial in its description of Tuvan culture; I now want to know more about Central Asian peoples, and Tuvans in particular. But while the chapter "Reflections 2000," included in the new paperback version of "Tuva or Bust!" is interesting, I really don't think it was fair of Leighton to mention a new idea for a Tuvan monument to Feynman, and refuse to give any details. Now I want another reprint!

Extremely pleasant and informative book on lost land of Tuva
When I was a kid in the 1950s I collected stamps and had quite a few from a mysterious little land called "Tannu Tuva". It always intrigued me because though I could find it on the old globe we had at home (made before the USSR swallowed the unfortunate Tuvans in 1944)I never heard the slightest news from there, nor did I ever hear of anyone going or coming from that little red country sandwiched between the yellow Soviet Union and green Mongolia. Time passed. A lot of time. Fast forward in fact, forty years. One day I saw a new book advertised--TUVA OR BUST. I could scarcely believe that somebody else in America remembered that hapless little country that once issued diamond and triangle stamps with yaks, camels, archers, and horsemen on them. Yet, they had it at our local bookstore. I bought it and read it as soon as I got home. What a treat ! I had never heard of Richard Feynman, not being a physics aficionado, but he turned out to be a great character. I enjoyed reading about his years-long efforts with Ralph Leighton to get to Tuva. They went through all kinds of trouble and interesting side voyages. I strongly recommend that you read this book. For me, reading the book was only a beginning. I listened to the plastic disc of Tuvan throat singing that came with the book, and subsequently bought tapes and attended Tuvan concerts by the group Huun Huur Tu in Boston. I also became a "Friend of Tuva". You can find their website on the net. I still drive around with my 'Tuva or Bust' bumper sticker. All of this stemmed from reading this delightful book on a faraway, unknown country and two people's adventures trying to get there. A very pleasurable experience.

Something To Do
A peculiar book: Ralph Leighton's TUVA OR BUST isn't really about Richard Feynman, who, the more one reads about him, begins to seem a genius, yes, but more than a little insufferable. He does instigate this whimsical notion of visiting Tannu Tuva (which had become Tuvinskaya of the U.S.S.R. (the book takes place from the late 1970s to Feynman's death in 1989), but the ball is picked up by Leighton, and Feynman is merely a supporting actor in the book.

The quest carries itself through many frustrations, mostly having to do w/ the hermetic paranoia of the Soviet Union, which seems to work like an enormous rural county: If you know someone, then things can be smoothed out; if not, then the official channels will be little help.

I'm not sure why anyone would read this book. There's no reason to if you're interested in Feynman, because, besides his concoctions to fit in at Esalen, amongst the New Age mumbo-jumbo, his mind is absent from the book. His personality & his drumming are there on occasion, but Feynman's thinking, no.

Leighton is not intrinsically interesting, and though a fluent writer, gives little sense of character. All the foreigners are forgettable, so the index is very handy. When a name turns up on page 150, say, then one can look it up to see which person this is.

As one reads, one begins to have the same thoughts about oneself that one has about Leighton's attempts to visit Tuva: Why am I going on?. Moreover, I think that one comes up with the same answer: Just to get through the damn thing. By the time that Leighton reaches Tuva (without Feynman, who died just a smidgen too soon), the appearance is anti-climactic, and the land is colorless: A Nevada trailer-park suburb, but with yurts instead of double-wides.

TUVA OR BUST! becomes a critique of bureaucracy. The slow, spirit-killing, mind-numbing bureaucracy of the Soviet Union ensured that Feynman would die without reaching Tuva. Our world, in which stupid little men can control our lives, is death to the spirit, and is death to the spirit of Feynman, insufferable though he may be, and inexplicably kow-towed to by everyone (you get the feeling that Feynman never opens a door for anyone or shuts one for himself).

TUVA OR BUST!, in its pedestrian prose, preaches, unwittingly, I think, for a freedom for whimsy, for the spirit, for the individual. At the same time, excepting the author and his male friends (his wife is also colorless), the book has no individuals. So, by the end, nothing: No Tuva to speak of, no more Feynman, nothing but an accomplishment to scratch off the list.

Mostly Great, But Slightly Condescending!
Did you know of certain artists who painted scenes on a human hair! Yes, bring your magnifying glass! Or singing in 2 part harmony with only one singer! I surely did not before reading this book! However, as a stamp collector starting at a very young age (about 7) , I also was fascinated by the Tanna Tuva stamps, and still have a nice assortment of diamonds and triangles. This book is an amusing and informative read, not least in its descriptions of meetings between Soviet and western scholars during some of the "Bad Old Days" of the 1980's Cold War, including moments like the shooting of KAL 007 near Korea. At times , though, there does seem to be a slightly condescending attitude towards a small section of Siberia based on what seems "funny" to English speakers. Nonetheless a very worthwhile read, with many amusing anecdotes, not to mention the amazing cancer recovery attitude of Mr. Feynmann himself!

Feynman's inspiration...
If you're reading this review, you've probably read dozens of witicisms from Richard Feynman, one of science's most colorful characters. Though the name suggests otherwise, this is really about a Feynman inspired journey.

Ralph Leighton and Richard Feynman spot a stamp from Tuva, which inspires Leighton's journey around the world. What makes the book an interesting read is that you can easily follow Feyman's curious energy in the actions and writing of the author. This really brings the heart of the book's value - this type of intellectual curiosity is not just the property of Richard Feynman. Anyone can chase a journey because it's fun or because it's there.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and hope that you do too. ... Read more

Book Description

The Beginner Books -- "Their cartoon format and irreverent wit make difficult ideas accessible and entertaining."

-- Newsday

aking us through the upheavals in biological thought which made The Origins of Species possible, Jonathan Miller introduces us to that odd revolutionary, Charles Darwin -- a remarkably timid man who spent most of his life in seclusion; a semi-invalid riddled with doubts, fearing the controversy his theories might unleash; yet also the man who finally undermined belief in God's creation. Along the way we meet a fascinating cast of characters: Darwin's scientific predecessors, his contemporaries (including Alfred Russell Wallace, whose anticipation of natural selection forced Darwin to publish), his opponents, and his successors whose work in modern genetics provided necessary modifications to Darwin's own work.

Splendidly illustrated, this clever, witty, highly informative book is the perfect introduction to Darwin's life and thought. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Fun to read
This is a great lightweight book on Darwin's life and the development of the idea of evolution. Though it would be a shame to stop an exploration of natural selection here, it's a great starting point because it provides the context in which Darwin's thoughts came to be. It also discusses objections and criticisms of natural selection, how it has been misunderstood and abused, and how Darwin himself treated problematic aspects of the theory. I don't know that the illustrations and such are very revealing or useful, but they definitely make the book easy and fun to read, though the last few pages become more text-based. Overall, it's a well executed introduction to a very influential and oft misinterpreted person. But though this book is for beginners, please don't stay one... go and read "Origin of Species."

Accurate, clever, well done
This lively, clever, humorous little book IS accurate -- "scientifically correct," in the words of Dr. Tim M. Berra of Ohio State University (author of "Evolution and the Myth of Creationism," 1990, Stanford University Press). I agree with him that it would be a great gift for students to give to their parents to help them understand evolution. The illustrations, many of which are worth a thousand words, are at once engaging, informative, and great fun. Solid history and science in superlative format.

The best introduction to Darwinism you can buy
An illustrated narrative tells, all too briefly, the story of Darwin the man and his revolutionary discovery of how the living world came to be. Thanks to its amusing, but informative, cartoon style exegesis, this little gem is a uniquely powerful antidote to creationist propaganda in the classroom. The best introduction to Darwin and his ideas you're likely to see.

Fatuous and grossly inaccurate
It is a great shame the authors ruined such a good idea by doing no historical research. It is quite clear that the authors are ignorant of the wealth of research produced by the Darwin industry and of course the Correspondence of Charles Darwin. I could spend a long time doing a hatchet job on the book but I prefer to spend my time going to Snowdonia and walk over the mountains Darwin did his geology and read his geological notes where he wrote them. In all a silly book on a great scientist.. We desperately need a good simple book on Darwin, which avoids all the hype and inaccuracy

Simple and Informative Primer on Darwin and Evolution
No-nonsense discussion on the Theory of Evolution, including a look at the people, places, and events that shaped its derivation. It provides a concise summary of Charles Darwin, the man and the scientist, including the dispelling of myths concerning his alleged anti-religious bent. The book is an easy read, yet is packed with factoids and information that provides an essential basis for evolutionary thought. While the book cover gives an appearance of child literature, young and old will find it enlightening and helpful. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Where is Mileva?
This is a good biography of Einstein as far as it goes, but it is a bit dated and incomplete as far as his first wife Mileva Maric and their three children are concerned. Clark refers to her only a few times, and he introduces her as the daughter of a Serbian peasant. She was brilliant in her own right, and there is strong evidence that she was instrumental in developing his theories of relativity. Anybody who doubts this should consult the love letters Einstein wrote to her between about 1900-1905. He refers to "our work on relativity," and some of the letters actually contain formulas and equations!
I have never understood why Einstein has the reputation as the greatest genius etc. He had a lot of help with the theory of relativity (e.g., Poincare and many others), and to the end of his life he refused to believe in the reality of quantum theory, what is thought to be the most precise theory in the history of science. Wouldn't a genius see the truth of this theory?

a great analysis
This is an exceptionally well written biography of perhaps the greatest scientific genius in human history.Clark superbly conveys the story of Einstein`s journey through physics,the world wars & Zionism.Be warned,though:the book`s encyclopedic nature & voluminous content ensures that reading it till the end is pie in the sky for people who are not used to heavy reading & deep contemplation on the topics discussed.

Gives you keen insight into a remarkable man
This is probably the most widely read biography on Einstein and with good reason: the author does a fine job of detailing the life of the man who pretty much dominated 20th century physics. It is a cliche now to say that his theories changed the way physicists think about the natural world, and his demeanor and politics continue to be the rage in so-called popular culture. Young students of physics usually get their first taste of advanced mathematical formalism when being introduced to his general theory of relativity, and the author, even though he is not a physics educator, actually does a decent job of explaining the concepts that Einstein was responsible for in his life work. The author does not leave out the politics of the man who continues to be known for his Zionism, and the reader will finish the book with an appreciation of the complexity of his thinking and his personal adherences to this point of view. Some readers may be perplexed on his associaton with the mustard gas researchers Walther Nernst and Fritz Haber, but put in context, as the author does with clarity, readers will see the reasons for this along with Einstein's commitment to the development of atomic weapons.

The author also conveys the excitement surrounding the experimental confirmation of some of Einstein's theories, particularly the photoelectric effect and the bending of the light around the Sun. In addition, the reader can appreciate more the concern among many physicists at the time of Einstein's use of "high-brow" mathematics in general theory of relativity. Now of course, such concern has definitely subsided, for today's theories of gravitation are laden with highly estoric constructions from mathematics. Einstein, as the author notes, was very young when he developed his theories. Modern theories of gravitation, such as superstring and M-theories require such a high level of mathematics that physicists who make contributions in these theories generally spend many years obtaining this background. It is interesting to reflect on how Einstein would have reacted to these theories and elementary particles physics. It is also interesting to ask whether Einstein's politics would be the same if he were alive today, given the current situation in the Middle East. In addition, computers were not available to Einstein in the way there are now to all physicists. Would Einstein have taken to computers? To computational physics? His general theory of relativity is now one of the main applications of high performance computing and symbolic programming.

A great book about a great man.....
This gem is not only well-researched and clearly written; it is a deeply moving overview of the life of the world's greatest scientist, not just as a theoretical physicist, but as a human being struggling to be true to himself in trying times.

Although Clark does explain a bit about special and general relativity, he does so only to aid one's understanding of why Einstein's contributions were so crucial. You will see Einstein as a curious boy, as a troubled student, as a young man making his way in the world, and then as a post office clerk who worked on physics when his bosses weren't looking.

You will see the tide slowly turn as physicists of his day began to take this uncredentialled but highly original thinker seriously. And then the day dawns when an experiment proves that gravity indeed bends light....and Einstein wakes up famous.

The book is also full of those charming anecdotes one loves to hear about Einstein, ever the absent-minded professor and "dropper of conversational bricks," such as the performance in which, armed with a violin but off rhythm, the greatest living physicist is chided by the director: "Einstein, can't you count?"

What comes through best is Einstein as a great-hearted and humble man who wanted "to know God's thoughts"; a man of conscience troubled by the wars and other injustices of his time and (unlike most of us) actively trying to do something productive about them; and most of all, a profound man whose central mood, known to every child but never to be outgrown in the inwardly alive adult, was his loving awe of the unknown.

A Great Biography
It took me nearly 14 years to find this book and in the end it was entirely worth it. It is a large book which is is also a good read. There is so much on Einstein that you feel in the end you really know the man and the era in which he lived. Clark's other biographies are just as good and worth collecting if you can find them. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Born in Austria and something of a bumpkin by nature, the 19th-century physicist Ludwig Boltzmann did not fit in easily in the highly cultured German universities at which he taught for many years. To add to his difficulties, Boltzmann stirred up controversy by proposing that scientists could make intelligent guesses about the behavior of atoms, which, though they moved randomly, could be described by certain probabilistic generalizations. His suggestion, hinging on novel interpretations of statistical theory, was not immediately acclaimed. "To an audience of physicists raised in the belief that scientific laws ought to encapsulate absolute certainties and unerring rules," writes scientist and journalist David Lindley, "these were profound and disturbing changes."

Opposed by the then-influential physicist and philosopher Ernst Mach, who urged that scientists stick to classical thermodynamics, Boltzmann was hard-pressed to convince his colleagues that the behavior of atoms could be explained by laws thought to apply only to the gaming table. Mach objected, and with some cause, that "the fact that the theory worked was not enough to prove that the assumptions on which the theory rested were true." It would take the next generation of scientists, among them Albert Einstein, to provide more solid proof for Boltzmann's hunches. And, while Mach's contributions to physics have largely been superseded, Boltzmann's endure in quantum mechanics and the Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution for the velocities of atoms in a gas. In this lively account, David Lindley tells the story of Boltzmann's many failures, and of his eventual success. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Still Reverberating Conflict
Ludwig Boltzmann (1844-1906) was an Austrian theoretical physicist and made important contributions to the kinetic theory of gases and thermodynamics. His work was based on the hypothesis of the existence of atoms, and was not accepted by the majority of scientists in those days. In the undergraduate physics course, our teacher told us that Boltzmann committed suicide. I wanted to know why he ended his life so sadly, but did not have a chance to learn about it for many years. David Lindley's book gave me a clear answer to my question and much more. I was intrigued by the story about the romance between Boltzmann, a youth "whose energies and thoughts were rarely distracted from physics," and Henriette von Aigentler, a young student at a teacher training college.

The author gives a readable account not only of Boltzmann's life and work but also of work and philosophy of those scientists who opposed his theory, developed a similar theory, or confirmed his hypothesis, James Clerk Maxwell, Wilhelm Ostwald, Ernst Mach, Josiah Willard Gibbs, Max Planck and Albert Einstein among them. Thus readers can get good understanding about Boltzmann's depressive mood and the significance and greatness of his work. The conflict between Boltzmann's atomic hypothesis and Mach's philosophy that science should be based only on observable facts is discussed especially in detail in this book.

Lindley teaches us that a similar conflict also exists nowadays. Namely, he writes in Chapter 7, ". . . now some physicists argue for the existence of superstrings and other curious entities that will never be seen directly. It remains, even now, a profound question whether the cost of proposing such very hypothetical objects as superstrings is sufficiently compensated by the benefit in understanding that the hypothesis brings." Here he insists the merit of Mach's critical attitude. In Postscript, however, the author stresses the legacy of Boltzmann's difficult victory over Mach in the modern idea of theoretical physics. Readers are thus made think by themselves about the merit and demerit of Mach's philosophy and physical hypotheses. The book would be interesting to both laypersons and working physicists.

Absolutely delightfull
The name "Boltzmann" is well known to students of the physical sciences. There are constants and equations that bear Boltzmann's name and Boltzmann's H-theorem relates the thermodynamic quantity, entropy, to statistics and mechanics. Boltzmann, not a particularly sympathetic figure, comes to life in this book through Lindley's effective device of comparing Boltzmann and his work with contemporary scientific personalities and thought. Lindley (Cambridge Univ.) shows how the contributions of Boltzmann placed the then-new science of thermodynamics on firm theoretical ground and also laid the foundations for the disciplines of statistical mechanics and, to a great extent, quantum mechanics. Lindley is a theoretical physicist with editorial experience on scientific journals and also the author of two other popular books on science. He brings to his subject a deep understanding of the scientific significance of Boltzmann's contributions and knowledge of the social, political, and scientific issues of Boltzmann's era. Too often the sciences are taught formally with little appreciation for the personalities and the evolution of the thought of those responsible for the results. Lindley's book corrects this for the crucial period when the atom was born and theoretical physics became a subject of its own. General readers; undergraduates through professionals.

An absolute delight
Just over 250 pages this is a good book that I would recommend for the average American who in my opinion is "dumbed down" when it comes to the basics of math and physics. The author, begins by reminding the reader that as even in the early 1900's a respected physicist and philosopher could make the comment "I don't believe that atoms exist" before an audience of ones colleagues and not meet with derision, ridicule or disdain, but instead receive nods of approval and thoughtful reflection and a hearing. And the book is a great study in how science is a tug of war at times. And how a great man like Boltzmann sought facts or what was real and that he really did stand alone. Yet he marched to his own drummer and didnt take to authority well.

Yet today atoms are not at all controversial, since scientist have not only proved they exist but that they are complex and made of sill smaller elements. But why was this Dr Boltzmann? Having seen his picture he was a handsome man. Tall dark and handsome to be exact. Wore glasses and was a quite man. He was born Feb. 20, 1844, in Vienna, Austria and died Sept. 5, 1906, in Duino, Italy. His achievement was in the development of statistical mechanics, which explains and predicts how the properties of atoms (such as mass, charge, and structure) determine the visible properties of matter (such as viscosity, thermal conductivity, and diffusion). As an avid atomist, Boltzmann's fervent belief in his work led him into many heated debates with his colleagues. While he had interests in philosophy were far reaching, even delving into the function of language; ultimately he was a theoretician and physicist. He did not consider himself a philosopher and was critical of philosophy as a science.

Around 1881, Boltzmann efforts were associated with J.C. Maxwell. Maxwell worked to try to explain the thermodynamics of gases. Boltzmann introduced the Ehrenfest urn Model, an example is the probability formulation in Markov chain terms. A discreet parameter stochastic process is a collection of random variable {X(t), t=0,1,2,3,..}. The values of X(t) are called the states of process. The collection of states is call the state space. The values of t usually represent points in time. The number of statis either finite or countable infinite. A discrete parameter stochastic process is called a Markov Chain if for any set of n time points t1tn, the conditional distribution of X(tn) given values for X(t1), X(t2),... X(tn) depends only on X(t(n-1)). It is expressed by

P[X(tn)<=xn\ X(t1)=x1,...X(t(n-1))=x(n-1)]

=P[X(tn) <=xn\ X(n-1)=x(n-1)].

A Marko Chain is said to be stationary if the value of the conditional probability P[X(t(n+1))= x(n+1)\X(tn)=xn] is independant on. This is for stationary Markov Chains. He was the first one to recognize the importance of Maxwell's electromagnetic theory. Trivia: The Boltzmann constant has a value of 1.380662 * 10^-23 joules per kel vin.

And this is what the book is basically all about. The man. The genius and how he changed the world of math and physics. In Vienna Dr Boltzmann taught not only physics but in 1903 he also committed himself to teach a university course "Methods and General Theory of the Natural Sciences." Boltzmann constant was named after Lugwig Boltzmann, because he substantially contributed to the foundation and development of statistical mechanics, a branch of theoretical physics.

The author has been a theoretical physicist at Cambridge University and Fermi National Accelerator Labs and is also an editor at Nature, Science and Science New magazines.

Much Person and a Little Science
Lindley has produced a very affecting and compelling account of the life and ideas of one of the most important figures of 19th century physics. The scientifically minded reader will thirst for equations and more technicalia, but such a reader probably already knows all of the relevant quantitative information. The brilliant Boltzmann paved the way for the revolutions of 20th century science, and did so as a deeply wounded human being. Lindley captures these duelling sides of Boltzmann in a masterful fashion. Highlighting Boltzmann's ongoing feud with the philosophy of Ernst Mach, Lindley shows a keen awareness of the shortcomings of the positivistic philosophy espoused by the renowned Austrian philosopher while not ceding the entire battle to the philosophically naive Boltzmann. Lindley's treatment is balanced and readable. Though he capably dismisses the superficial assumptions of the Mach school, he is not quite as successful in refuting the Kantian style of idealism that co-opted so much German thought of the 19th century. This shortcoming is to be expected in a book for general readers, but another 10 pages could have better unveiled the true weaknesses in Boltzmann's common sense realism, even for the uninitiated. No one who wishes to understand the shape of 20th century physics can afford to miss Boltzmann. And Lindley provides a superb introduction to the great man for the nonspecialist.

Review of Boltzmann's Atom
David Lindley's book entitled "Boltzmann's Atom" is a disappointment. The book "dumbs-down" what should have been a fascinating and informative subject into a broad-brushed narrative providing little physical insight into Boltzmann's contributions to statistical mechanics and thermodynamics. The problem can be summarized by two statistics: only one equation, (S= k log W) and no drawings. Apparently afraid of scaring away the "general reader" with technical ideas (that could have easily been incorporated into an appendix or two) the excitement of Boltzmann's discoveries are reduced to bland descriptions that belong in the New York Times Science section. What is surprising is that Mr. Lindley acknowledges he "leaned particularly" on Thomas Kuhn's fine book "Black-Body Theory and the Quantum Discontinuity". Yet whereas Kuhn relies on the use of equations to show the evolution of the idea of discreet energy levels, there's not anything even remotely like this in "Boltzmann's Atom". In addition, three pages discussing Lucretius and additional space devoted to a windy description of the Habsburg Empire hints at an author in search of filler for his book. This book is suitable, in my opinion, if you want a quick overview of Boltzmann's life but compared to other biographies such as those by Abraham Pais it is lacking. ... Read more

Book Description

It was a lucky twist of fate when in the early1980s David Levy, a writer and amateur astronomer, joined up with the famous scientist Eugene Shoemaker and his wife, Carolyn, to search for comets from an observation post on Palomar Mountain in Southern California. Their collaboration would lead to the 1993 discovery of the most remarkable comet ever recorded, Shoemaker-Levy 9, with its several nuclei, five tails, and two sheets of debris spread out in its orbit plane. A year later, Levy would be by the Shoemakers' side again when their comet ended its four-billion-year-long journey through the solar system and collided with Jupiter in the most stunning astronomical display of the century. Not only did this collision revolutionize our understanding of the history of the solar system, but it also offered a spectacular confirmation of one scientist's life work. As a close friend and colleague of Shoemaker (who died in 1997 at the age of 69), Levy offers a uniquely insightful account of his life and the way it has shaped our thinking about the universe.

Early in his training as a geologist, Shoemaker suspected that it wasn't volcanic activity but rather collisions with comets and asteroids that created most of the craters on the moon and most other bodies in the solar system. Convincing the scientific community of the plausibility of "impact theory," and revealing its power for penetrating mysteries such as the extinction of the dinosaurs and the timing of the Earth's eventual demise, became Shoemaker's mission. Through conversations with Shoemaker and his family, Levy reconstructs the journey that began with a young geologist's serious desire to go to the moon in the late1940s. Sent by the government to find a way to harvest plutonium, Shoemaker instead found evidence in desert craters for what became his impact theory. While he never became an astronaut, he did become the first geologist hired by NASA and subsequently set the research agenda for the first manned lunar landing.

After a series of victories and setbacks for Shoemaker, the collision of Shoemaker-Levy 9 with Jupiter provided the most convincing proof to date of the role of impacts in our solar system. Levy's explanation of the scientific reasoning that guided Shoemaker in his career up to this dramatic point--as well as his personal portrait of a man who found white-water rafting to be an easy way to relax--sets these fascinating events in a human scale. This biography shows what Shoemaker's legacy will be for our understanding of the story of the Earth well into the twenty-first century. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A Giant of Science
Gene Shoemaker was truly a giant of 20th Century Science. Involved in the development of (and frustrated by) the vestigal scientific programs attached to the oh-so-political US moon program, Gene Shoemaker was a frequently-acknoledged genius. Perhaps most famous, along with his wife Carolyn and (this book's author) David Levy, for his work discovering the comet chain (Shoemaker-Levy 9) which impacted Jupiter in July 1994, Shoemaker's true legacy lay in his role as a key proponent of the theory, now widely-accepted, that most of the craters we observe in the solar system were caused by meteor or comet impacts instead of being cause by volcanism, and that this process has been at work on the Earth for millenia as well, as can be seen at places like Meteor Crater in Arizona.

Levy is always a treat to read, with an enthusiastic and easygoing style which keeps the subject accessible and the language casual. He moves the narrative effectively, and frequently refers back to earlier portions of the book to jog the reader's memory regarding various details. The book follows a more-or-less chronological course in relating Shoemaker's life, although it does follow concurrent threads in seperate chapters, so it may confuse less-attentive readers from time to time as Levy covers Shoemaker's gological work during a particular decade in one chapter, and in the next might jump back to the end of the previous decade while describing his astronomical work.

The book's only real flaw is in it's extreme reverence for Shoemaker and the resultant unwillingness to dig for "dirt" in the process of profiling this colorful and contentious man, understandable considering how close Levy was to Shoemaker, and how close he remains to Shoemaker's wife Carolyn. While the general impression is that there was little actual dirt to be found, Levy glosses over some conflicts in Shoemaker's life, especially the significant personal break with his one-time student and co-collaborator Eleanor Helin, whose near-Earth object research has been truly influential as well. Additonally, passing but tantalizing mention is made in places of his (apparently) less-than-perfect relationship with his children when they were young.

All in all, these lapses are insignificant (worth a point off a pefect score, though), especially since it will most likely be many years before we are treated to any more thorough and (perhaps) less-biased biography by any other writer. Heartily recommended to anyone who likes a good biography or who has an interest in geology or the search for near-earth objects.

Should Be A Big Hit


This is an excellent (and probably the only) bio of Eugene Shoemaker, who nearly singlehandedly pioneered impact geology, and by doing so helped make modern, secular catastrophism palatable to scientists. On page 55 Levy quotes Stephen Gould (from "The Panda's Thumb") regarding the origin of gradualism as "a common cultural bias"; discusses Cuvier's near miss regarding the source of catastrophes attested throughout the fossil record (pp 51-52); and most nobly and notably, recounted with pretty good accuracy the central thesis of Velikovsky's Worlds in Collision without resorting to the childish distortions and namecalling found in most books which mention Velikovsky at all. This factual, non-inflammatory mention of Velikovsky and what may be the most controversial non-political work of the 20th century reveals Levy as a man of reason, courage, and character.

This biography is highly recommended.

Also recommended:

-:- "Dark Matter" by Thomas Van Flandern
-:- "The Deep Hot Biosphere" by Thomas Gold
-:- "Voices of the Rocks" by Robert Schoch et al
-:- "Night Comes to the Cretaceous" by James Lawrence Powell
-:- "Rain of Iron and Ice" by John S. Lewis
-:- "T Rex and the Crater of Doom" by Walter Alvarez
-:- "Noah's Flood" by Walter C. Pitman and William B. F. Ryan
-:- "Catastrophe: A Quest for the Origins of the Modern World" by David Keys
-:- "Worlds In Collision" by Immanuel Velikovsky
-:- "Earth in Upheaval" by Immanuel Velikovsky

Shoemaker by Levy
A truly delightful book about the premiere scientist. The book takes you from the early days when Gene was a kid collecting rocks in a jar, to his prominent role with the Apollo project to the seach for asteroids. Levy writes in such a way that you almost feel that you were friends with the man. Looking over his shoulder as he takes college kids on field trips to Meteor Crater and in the control room for the Voyager missions. I never knew Gene was involved in so many aspects of astronomy. Anyone who relishes science biographies should not miss this one.

A mark on the Earth and ashes on the moon.
Soon after pieces of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 began impacting Jupiter, I checked Jupiter with my 3.5" telescope and was delighted to see impact spots. Just a day before astronomers were fearful that there would be no visible trace of the impact and of the reaction of the media to the "non-event".

Somehow I didn't take time to reflect on the "rightness" that the comet was discovered by the scientist most responsible for our current understanding of past and future impacts on the Earth. I guess it just seemed obvious that Shoemaker was the one to find the comet. (Actually, his wife Carolyn was the first to see it on film Gene and David Levy exposed.)

The day after his death I heard of the idea to include some of his ashes on the Lunar Prospector satellite that was soon to launch, orbit, and eventually crash on the moon. While I instantly recognized what a wonderful idea that was, my memory was fuzzy on his long contribution to lunar exploration.

Levy's biography is a wonderful summary of the Shoemakers' life and contributions to astrogeology. Shoemaker will be remembered as one of the most important scientists of the 20th century. Shoemaker's enthusiasm for geology was a key to his success and Levy concentrates on that, leaving the technical aspects to the bibliography. The result is a book anyone can read and all can learn from.

Five stars, several asteroids, and dozens of comets! ... Read more

Book Description

George Pólya was one of the giants of classical analysis in the 20th century, and the influence of his work can be seen far beyond analysis, into number theory, geometry, probability and combinatorics. This book serves both as a biography of Pólya's life, and a review of his many mathematical achievements by experts from a wide range of different fields. Last but not least the book finishes with two essays by Pólya himself which focus on how to learn to solve problems, a subject with which he was fascinated throughout his life. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

George Polya and his times.
Even if you aren't in math, I think you are likely to be caught up in the drama of George Polya and the various lives, the times, and the events that he touched. The writing is fast paced and engaging, much like that of Constance Reid's books: "Hilbert", or "Courant"... Through its appendices [by K.L. Chung, R. P. Boas, M. M. Schiffer...], this lovely book further gives you some insight into the math that underlies the stories. Other characters in the book: G. Szego, L. Fejer, J von Neumann, G. H. Hardy, H. Weyl, E. Landau, ...Through the book, the reader gets to experience the tumultous historical period that spans the long career of G. Polya: His life includes the main centers of science and math in Europe in the Golden period between the two World Wars. The second part is Polya's life of teaching and research in the US, at Stanford University. I was a guest at Polya's ninetieths birthday. It has been said that mathematicians have been more likely than others to have been uprooted in the upheavals of history, perhaps because they are concerned with theories and ideas that are more universal.

A prolific, versatile man who was also a mathematician
While George Polya is credited with coining the phrase "random walk", his journey through life was anything but random. Extremely influential in many areas of mathematics, his book, "How to Solve It" alone would have made a career. Like so many mathematical heavyweights of this century, his nationality was Hungarian. Given the number of mathematicians and their collective prolific output, Hungary must lead the world in per capita production of mathematical papers. Polya's first papers were published in 1912 and his last in 1987.
The range of the work is just as impressive. Many concepts now considered standard mathematical fare were products of his genius. When reading this biography, you are struck by the features of human nature that he projects. Who else would talk about the list of the three nicest mathematicians that they ever met? Would anyone else dare to also talk about the three most unpleasant mathematicians that they ever encountered? His honesty when admitting that he was intimidated by John von Neumann show a level of humility that few people of his stature would ever acknowledge.
In an era when being a lackluster to pathetic teacher is considered a prerequisite for a position as a research mathematician it is extremely refreshing to read about his qualities as a teacher and his concern for the profession. He was an existence proof of the reality that it is possible to be both. His contributions to the field of teaching are as strong as those in any other area of his expertise.
Biographies of mathematicians sometimes degenerate into lists of life accomplishments emphasizing the major formulas and proofs of their lives. In others, the person comes across as a solid professional, but there seems to be little else to their life. In writing about Polya, the author is describing a person that you would no doubt find to be pleasant company.
One of those amazing Hungarian mathematical exports that graced the United States with their presence, George Polya was truly a credit to the professions of being a mathematician and a human. This is one of the most enjoyable biographies of a mathematician that I have ever read. ... Read more

Book Description

From the end of the 19th century until his death, one of history's most brilliant mathematicians languished in an asylum. The Mystery of the Aleph tells the story of Georg Cantor (1845-1918), a Russian-born German who created set theory, the concept of infinite numbers, and the "continuum hypothesis," which challenged the very foundations of mathematics. His ideas brought expected denunciation from established corners - he was called a "corruptor of youth" not only for his work in mathematics, but for his larger attempts to meld spirituality and science. ... Read more

Reviews (49)

An excellent combination of math, psychology, and Cabalah
This is easily the best book on mathematics this year. Amir Aczel has done it again, after Fermat's Last Theorem and God's Equation. Here he tackles one of the most difficult areas in mathematics--set theory--and weaves a very readable narrative including elements of Jewish mysticism and psychology. This book deals with the tormented life of Georg Cantor, the first person in history to understand the nature of infinity. Read it! I will say no more, so I don't spoil your enjoyment.

A delightful guide to the foothills of a huge subject
This delightful little book is a Cook's Tour of some very important personalities in mathematics and their work on the concept of Infinity (actually various magnitudes of infinities, I guess), the Continuum Hypothesis, and the Axiom of Choice. While the author takes us back to the ancient Pythagoreans and their determination to keep irrational numbers secret knowledge, the story really centers around Georg Cantor and his struggles in founding the study of mathematics in this field. Cantor was a mystic as well and there is also more than one appearance of the Kabbalah.

Certainly, you can't learn the subject from this book. However, like visiting some vast architectural wonder that you can only take in as a big view, this book places lots of Post It notes on important points if you want to begin reading more deeply about these profound ideas. And if you don't, it is certainly a fund way to spend a few hours.

The author provides four pages of references for further reading, but if, like me, you don't know the field you will likely have to do preliminary studies to just get to the foothills of really taking on the subjects studied in this book. If you already understand the math then this book is likely too light for you unless you somehow missed out on the history of your field.

I enjoyed the book and if you are interested in how serious thinkers learned to think about Infinity and what it actually means, then this book is a fine initial guide.

Interesting book, but not necessary
Aczel wrote this book in layman terms and he did a good job explaining the concept of transfinite numbers.
However, the association of the concept of infinity with another concept, God, is totally nonsense. (Same with the application of the Incompleteness Theorem to god.)

Complete Nonsense
Although the book's content about mathematics is informative, its association of abstract mathematics with Judaism is completely ridiculous. The author tries hard to establish a link between the ponderings of some ancient Rabbis and Cantor's astonishing accomplishments and between some religious concepts and mathematical infinity. Please do not read this book if you are in any way serious about mathematics or science. Over and over again, the author promotes god and the Jewish religion whereas I was just interested in the exciting mathematics of the period. I consider this book propaganda for Judaism and mysticism. It is one of those instances where a religious zealot tries to cast his absurd views into science.

On the inifinity that comes next...
I would never have imagined that a quest this abstract could entail a story so human. Yet, that is exactly what Amir Aczel provides in this smooth tale of the many humbling encounters with the realm of infinity.

There are two lessons from this compact survey on the effort expended and the toll imposed on those bold enough to go where no person can go. First, the urge to comprehend infinity is an ancient quest and inextricably tied to the effort to ascertain the nature of God. Second, getting to know infinity can be massively bad for one's mental health. Mr. Aczel manages an almost impossible task (infinity tends to do that) in this text. He is (a) attempting to survey an enormous amount of the history mathematics and, to some extent, religion, and (b) providing a glimpse into the lives of those mathematicians that have ventured into this field. At the heart of this book is Georg Cantor, founder of modern set theory. Cantor sought to transcent an intuitive understanding of infinity. He sought an ordered system; specifically he sought to prove what became known as the continuim hypothesis: basically, that the lowest order of infinity (some cardinal numbere) was followed by the cardinal number, c (thus permitting Cantor to give ordere to his transfinite numbers). Against this hypothesis stood the possibility, urged by any number of Cantor's opponents, of infininty somewhere before one reached c. The search to prove what Godel later demonstrated to be an undecidable hypothesis may well have led Cantor (and Godel for that matter) to madness. At minimum it may have activated any underlying predisposition to mental illness in both men. They were not, as Aczels's discussion of the Kabbalists shows, inifinity's first victims. Aczel has provided a balanced and very human exploration into a topic that draws its victims as a moth to the flames. ... Read more

Book Description

The first accessible, handy reference to Einstein’s world

Albert Einstein was the twentieth century’s most celebrated scientist–a man who developed the theory of relativity, revolutionized physics, and became an iconic genius in the popular imagination.Now, in the first book of its kind, Einstein A to Z provides a vibrant overview of Time magazine’s Man of the Century and his remarkable achievements, with over one hundred lively, informative essays that explain and celebrate his life, his work, and his cultural influence.

From absentmindedness to Zionism, each entry features a fascinating account of one aspect of Einstein’s world, from lucid explanations of his work to insights into his personal life, predilections, and interests.Einstein A to Z offers a unique glimpse into the mind of the shabbily dressed man who would become so engrossed in his ideas that he often neglected to sleep or eat; the father who never met his first child and proposed marriage to one of his stepdaughters; the avowed pacifist who was torn between pride in his German heritage and disgust at the country’s militaristic ideology. Both students and devoted fans of this titan of science will find the journey enlightening, engaging, and just plain fun. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The publisher does a disservice to author and readers
I have not yet read this book; the above star rating is arbitrarily placed to make it possible to post this note and should not be taken seriously. I am sorry to note, however, that the publisher's ignorance of their own product is made evident in the following quote from their review, above: "This is the first book to examine the life of this brilliant but difficult man." That is certainly not so. The late eminent scientist and scholar, Sanborn C. Brown, wrote two biographies of Rumford: "Benjamin Thompson, Count Rumford," intended for the serious reader, and "Count Rumford, Physicist Extraordinary," a shorter version intended for the younger reader that, inter alia, omits some of the details of Rumford's extensive sexual adventures. Both are excellent (and the first, at least, is listed by Amazon.) In addition, there are at least half a dozen older biographies of Rumford, ranging from good to boring, and dated beginning about 1845. Rumford's complete works have been published in five volumes. Volume 5 deals with his social innovations, and is fascinating and entertaining reading even for the technically unsophisticated reader. ... Read more

Book Description

When she was 13, Virginia Galilei, eldest daughter of the great scientist Galileo, was placed by her father in a convent near him in Florence and took the name Suor Maria Celeste. Unable to see him except on his occasional visits, she wrote him continually, as her 124 surviving letters (which Galileo kept) attest. Now, for the first time, all of these letters are reproduced in English, translated by Dava Sobel, and in their original Italian, and Ms. Sobel has also written an introduction and annotations placing the letters in historical context.

The 124 letters span only a decade of Maria Celeste's 33 years. In that dramatic period, a pope came to power who battled the Protestant Reformation; the Thirty Years' War embroiled all of Europe; the bubonic plague erupted across Italy; and a new philosophy of science, promulgated most forcefully by Galileo himself, threatened to overturn the order of the universe. Maria Celeste's evocative, beautifully written letters touch on all of these situations, but they dwell in the small details of everyday life: descriptions of the latest confections she regularly sent her father; news of the management of his estate which she took on while he was on trial;an appeal for him to intercede with religious authorities on the convent's behalf; poignantdetails of the plague's progress as she followed it from behind the convent's walls; a request that he fix [change "that he fix" to "for him to fix" and avoid two "that's"] the convent clock that she was unable to repair herself.

Though Galileo's letters to her have not survived, it is clear from hers that he answered every one she wrote. Especially for those who have read [add a space between these words] Ms. Sobel's Galileo's Daughter, but even for those who haven't, Maria Celeste's letters recapture from history an extraordinary woman, highly educated [replace "educated" with "intelligent"] and remarkably open minded and informed despite her cloistered existence. Her words provide an indelible chronicle of convent life in the early 17th century, a memorable portrait of deep affection between a father and his daughter, and fascinating insight into Galileo himself.

Dava Sobel is the author of the international best-sellers Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, which won a Christopher Award and a Los Angeles Times Book Prize. She was awarded the National Science Board's 2001 Public Service Award, and the 2001 Bradford Washburn Award from the Museum of Science in Boston. She lives in East Hampton, New York. ... Read more

Book Description

Imagine being able to ask Newton about falling apples or Euclid about his personal vision of geometry. In Out of their Minds, readers will hear the Newtons and Euclids of the computer age as they talk about their discoveries in information technology that have changed forever the way we live, work, and think about the world.

Based on interviews by freelance writer Cathy Lazere and the expertise of computer scientist Dennis Shasha, Out of their Minds introduces readers to fifteen of the planet's foremost computer scientists, including eight winners of the Turing Award, computing's Nobel Prize. The scientists reveal themselves in fascinating anecdotes about their early inspirations and influences, their contributions to computer science, and their thoughts on its explosive future.

These are the programmers whose work helps architects walk through virtual buldings, engineers manage factories, and cartoonists animate movie monsters. These are the mathematicians who invented many of the problem-solving techniques, languages, and architectures that enable the computer to extend the reaches of human insight.

Some were inventors from their earliest years-designing spitball catapults, contributing satire to Mad Magazine, and rearranging the periodic table of chemical compounds. Others were renegades or musicians. Along the path to adulthood and discovery, these explorers grappled with bureaucracies, political persecution, and academic dogma. Their lives span the 50-year history of computer science.

To help explain the work of these pioneers, Shasha and Lazere fill in the historical background and distill the extraordinary discoveries of these thinkers into everyday concepts that nonscientists can readily understand. Detailed technical points are set off in boxes for perusal by readers wishing deeper explanations.

In the final chapters Shasha and Lazere explore two intriguing questions: Is there a set of shared traits or experiences that characterizes the scientists out of whose minds computers came? How might the content of this book differ if it were to be written twenty-five years from now, in 2020? ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A great intro to computer science for everyone
The authors interviewed 15 computer scientists and summarized their lives and their major technical contributions. There are fascinating details about the researchers' backgrounds (e.g. some were good students, but others flunked out) and very clear descriptions of their work. The people chosen span the field, from theory (Rabin, Cook, Levin) to computer design (Fred Brooks, Burton Smith, Hillis) to AI (McCarthy, Lenat). A great introduction to computer science for general readers, but also a lot of fun for techies. Highly recommended!

A fascinating, readable book.
The authors interviewed 15 computer scientists and summarized their lives and their major technical contributions. There are fascinating details about the researchers' backgrounds (e.g. some were good students, but others flunked out) and very clear descriptions of their work. The people chosen span the field, from theory (Rabin, Cook, Levin) to computer design (Fred Brooks, Burton Smith, Hillis) to AI (McCarthy, Lenat). A great introduction to computer science for general readers, but also a lot of fun for techies. Highly recommended!

Inside Their Minds
Entering into dialogue with the leading scientists of our time is one of the best ways to understand and appreciate science. Yet the educated public is rarely presented with such opportunities. Dennis Shasha and Cathy Lazere's ^Out of Their Minds^ vicariously invites the reader into such a conversation with the leading scientists of the leading science of our time: Computer Science. The result is an engaging and informative book about the high-tech cognoscenti. Tutorial break-out boxes on related technical points make this an unusually useful book.

Great subject, pitiful writing
This book is about some great people: McCarthy, Djikstra, Knuth, Brooks... The biography of any one of them could be a 500+ pages story that would read like a novel. If you recognized the names above, you're expecting a compendium of epic proportions. If you didn't, well... you should; these are the Newtons, the Einsteins of the computer age.

The basic problem is that the authors are completely unable to convey any of this excitement. Reading the book, you feel as if they spent an afternoon talking to some boring old academic. Maybe they were bored; they definitely managed to convey THAT feeling.

If you want an account of the history of computer science, you could try "The Dream Machine", which is about so much more than Licklider. At least it's readable.

Not only weak but not representative
To somebody outside of computer science this book may look outstanding. But anyone in the field will quickly recognize that scientists like Turin and von Neumann were left out while quite a few mediocre but popular ones were included. It seems that the authors were searching for the most popular and currently alive. Even if this was their criteria, they missed their target, since the choice could have been a lot better. The science itself is written in a pleasant way but lacks brilliance and deeper understanding. The human side of the scientists is also practically absent. The only goal that this book may claim to have reached is to impress and confuse naive readers. Hardly rewarding. ... Read more

Book Description

Galileo's trial by the Inquisition is one of the most dramatic incidents in the history of science and religion. Today, we tend to see this event in black and white--Galileo all white, the Church all black. Galileo in Rome presents a much more nuanced account of Galileo's relationship with Rome.The book offers a fascinating account of the six trips Galileo made to Rome, from his first visit at age 23, as an unemployed mathematician, to his final fateful journey to face the Inquisition. The authors reveal why the theory that the Earth revolves around the Sun, set forth in Galileo's Dialogue, stirred a hornet's nest of theological issues, and they argue that, despite these issues, the Church might have accepted Copernicus if there had been solid proof. More interesting, they show how Galileo dug his own grave. To get the imprimatur, he brought political pressure to bear on the Roman Censor. He disobeyed a Church order not to teach the heliocentric theory. And he had a character named Simplicio (which in Italian sounds like simpleton) raise the same objections to heliocentrism that the Pope had raised with Galileo. The authors show that throughout the trial, until the final sentence and abjuration, the Church treated Galileo with great deference, and once he was declared guilty commuted his sentence to house arrest. Here then is a unique look at the life of Galileo as well as a strikingly different view of an event that has come to epitomize the Church's supposed antagonism toward science. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

HELIOCENTRICITY v. THE CHURCH
Early 17th Century Rome.Any book that is published must first be reviewed and revised by the Catholic Church.The Church still stings from Martin Luther's 95 Theses, and King Henry VIII's secession.A Papal Conclave is disrupted by three Cardinals dying whilst Rome is in the grip of a malaria outbreak.Bubonic Plague rears its ugly head after close to 300 years.The Pope peppers his Cardinal enclave with relatives.The Pope is not only a spiritual leader, but also the mayor of Rome, trying to administrate a bustling city while also nurturing the world's flock.And not all the Cardinals support the Pope, either (and he knows it).

Enter Galileo, who argues that the Earth is NOT the center of the universe; the sun is.The establishment likes his telescope, but not what he sees through it.Galileo will not abide superstition; he believes heliocentricity is a fact, and he's damned and determined to make sure everyone else believes it too.This idea crashes head-on with long-held beliefs, and the Catholic Church is not about to tolerate another compromise.After five journeys to Rome to argue his case, spread out over decades, Galileo is at last subpoenaed by the Tribunal of the Inquisition, where confession is mandatory. The only question is--should the defendant be put to death . . . or merely imprisoned?

Enter this world where free thinking might put you in irons, where paranoia is the rule, where whispers can kill.These learned men, the authors, have left no stone unturned in exploring the role and effect of Galileo's scientific endeavors.At the time, he was an extremely likable man--full of anecdotes, well-read, he could make the ladies laugh--but no one dreamed he would become the father of modern science, as he is regarded today.But he was also a tragic man, beset with lifelong illness, the loss of friends and relatives to disease, and the misery of isolation for his beliefs.And he agonized over the fact that the Church questioned his faith in God.

This book can be dry; it can overload you with Italian names--it can fill you with righteous anger--but it can never bore you.For all ye lovers of truth, of justice, of history, even of Catholicism, I unreservedly recommend this book.

Fine Scholarship that Reads like a Novel
I have been interested in the Galileo affair for some years and I have read some fine and difficult scholarly works about the case, such as 'Galileo, Bellarmine and the Bible' by Richard Blackwell and 'Galileo: For Copernicanism and for the Church' by Annibale Fantoli and also the more readable, but well-researched, fascinating and well-written 'Galileo's Daughter' by Dava Sobel . All these readings have deepened my understanding of the issues involved in the affair, but have increased my hunger to know more. This lead me to read (with a great deal of skepticism, I may say) 'Galileo in Rome: The Rise and Fall of a Troublesome Genius.'
After reading this work, I must agree with Stephen M. Barr, theoretical particle physicist at the Bartol Research Institute of the University of Delaware and author of 'Modern Physics and Ancient Faith', that 'Galileo in Rome'"represents the finest in modern Galileo scholarship." What I like most about this work is the combination of high quality scholarship with an excellent narrative strategy. The book tells the story of the founder of modern science from the perspective of his six visits to Rome. At the beginning he is a twenty- three- years old job seeker, at the end he is an old man sentenced to house arrest by the Inquisition. This book is powerful drama. It truly reads like a novel, but the tone is `dispassionate and objective' as a previous reviewer has noticed. Most importantly, it offers a balanced account that portraits the affair in all its complexity. This will certainly contradict the simplistic idea that everything was just a matter of `a papist obscurantism as the sworn enemy of all modernity.'Nevertheless, the trial was a tragic mistake and could have been avoided. It caused great damage to the Church and Galileo suffered a lot because of it.

The Galileo of History
I would recommend this book for anyone interested in understanding the Galileo affair as an historical event and not simply as the stereotype of obscurantist religion fearing the truths of science. Built around Galileo's six trips to Rome, the authors give a lucid explanation of Galileo's life and work. Galileo's is ever more successful as a scientist and ever more eager to vanquish those who disagreed with him.

While clearly a scientific genius, he claimed theories to be true without ever having physical proof.He insisted, falsely, that the tides were caused by the earth's rotation and then used the fact of the tides to argue for the Copernican thesis that the earth and not the heavens was in motion. When certain theologians objected that his theory seemed contrary to scripture, he entered, with no expertise, into a theological discussion on the proper mode of interpreting scripture. Unfortunately this intemperance in debate led finally to Galileo's "trial" and