2 comments about Africa in My Blood: An Autobiography in Letters: The Early Years.

1. The letters in this collection date from Ms. Goodall's youth through 1966, when her stature as a scientist was well established based on her pioneering research in Africa.

   Books of letters are normally associated with great female authors of novels, such as Virginia Woolf. In those wonderful volumes, beautiful style and playful use of words adds joy to one's appreciation of the literary works themselves.

   So, I did not know what to expect from a book of Jane Goodall's letters. What I found was a most pleasant surprise. The letters provide a deep perspective into the personality of Ms. Goodall and how that contributed to the development of the research methods she used. I found the letters fascinating and very rewarding, despite the fact that they are the opposite of high literary style.

   If you are like me, you may primarily know Jane Goodall from her National Geographic television specials. Those were very accessible and enjoyable. But I did not know the background concerning how her pioneering research with chimpanzees was initiated and developed. This book wonderfully filled in that background. Also, I did not know how an attractive young Englishwoman came to become a field scientist in Africa in the first place. Also, the shows made it all seem rather natural and easy.

   First, you will come away impressed with what a devoted correspondent she was. Over 16,000 letters were found by the editor to draw from. Now, how many letters have you written in your life? Also, these are mostly long, newsy letters to family, friends, and professional colleagues. If she had been a book reviewer, no one would have believed her production. Remember that she had no computer to help her draft the letters. In fact, she had the balkiest manual typewriters imaginable.

   What was even more remarkable to me was that so many of her early letters had been saved. How many letters have you saved from people under the age of 15? That these letters are available is quite a testimony to her relationships with these people, and the impact of her personality.

   Then, I did not know that she was a secretarial school graduate when she went to Africa. A few jobs quickly convinced her that she was not cut out for indoor work. She was eventually accepted into a Ph.D. program without ever having attended college! In fact, she had done most of her breakthrough field work before her Ph.D. was even granted. So much for formal education as a way to create new scholarly methods.

   Ms. Goodall has a wonderful love of humans and animals that makes no significant distinction between them. I was overwhelmed to read her descriptions of her pets and the chimpanzees and baboons she studied. It is remarkable to read page after page as she gossips with people about the animals by name in more detail and with more sympathy than in much of what she writes about people who were not close to her. This perspective is a fairly unique one, and led to her finding ways to relate to the animals throughout her early years.

   There is great humor throughout the letters. Her many descriptions of men becoming interested in her and how she handled them are echoed in her descriptions of the female chimpanzees eluded the hovering males. Humor and laughter came easily to her. You will laugh too at the descriptions of the chimpanzees tickling each other.

   You will come away with a great respect for what she accomplished. The difficulties she overcame were incredible, and the work that she put into her research is beyond imagining. She mostly wrote these letters around midnight, after working from 6:30 in the morning . . . often in the driving rain. This was a 7 day a week effort for her. Frustrations were everwhere. Great sequences would occur, but where no one could photograph them. Or the exposures were set wrong on the camera, and the whole roll of film produced nothing. And the camera problems were just the least of it . . . although they were the most maddening to Ms. Goodall. Malaria, shingles, and mysterious diseases affected her and the others she worked with. But her commitment remained strong.

   Dale Peterson has done a fine job of selecting the letters and summarizing them at the beginning of each section. My only complaint about the editing was that more footnotes would have been helpful. I was regularly lost in trying to understand who some of the people were whom Ms. Goodall refers to.

   I suggest that you give this book to a young person who loves animals. Perhaps something will "click" that will allow that person to see that she or he can live a life devoted to inquiry and closeness with animals.

   Follow your instincts!




2. For those of us who may think we know Jane Goodall as theheroine of National Geographic specials, the champion of primateintelligence and animal rights, one of the great scientists of thetwentieth century, Africa in My Blood comes as a revelation. Here is the young girl and woman discovering life for the first time, having a crush on the local curate, writing to her best friend Sally and her "Darling Family," traveling by slow boat to Africa, and then launching the career that we have never seen through such fresh eyes. Most astonishing of all, it turns out that Jane Goodall is a splendid writer of letters, which are full of comic anecdotes and finely-observed details, capturing in vivid prose the immediate events of her life and much wonderful material not included in her other books. Dale Peterson has done a superb job of editing, organizing, and introducing this monumental collection, showing Goodall as both private and professional woman, in both intimate portrait and dazzling display of her gifts as a writer. One can only hope that a second volume is on its way soon. END

2 comments about Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World.

1. The Ben Franklin Exhibit is at our Museum at the moment and this is its companion book. It is a book with various authors/experts presenting their expertise on Ben through various stages in his life. I found it accurate and interesting as well as an "easy read" - without being simplistic. If you are interested in Ben Franklin and don't want to read a long biography, this is a worth while purchase. For those who know more about Ben, it has good biography as well as photos of artifacts associated with his life.
   
   The artifacts in the exhibit (presented in the book) have been gathered from many sources and probably will never be collected together again - so it is a historical reference as well.



2. I'm always amazed at how revisionist historians, like children who can't wait to tattle, manage to expose the foibles of our founding fathers. One by one, each has had his name or reputation besmirched. A few, John Adams, and George Washington seem to survive the exposure and remain adored by millions. Benjamin Franklin is another founding father who has weathered modern day examination and is still beloved by his countrymen.
   
   Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World will not disappoint the reader and it will not take a cheap shot at a man who lived more than 200 years ago. Organized with chapters like The Life of Benjamin Franklin; Benjamin Franklin, Printer; Benjamin Franklin, Civic Improver; Benjamin Franklin, Pragmatic Visionary: Politician, Diplomat, Statesman, etc, the book will shed new light on to a life that was well lived and well enjoyed.
   
   Well reseached with lavish illustrations and photographs, Benjamin Franklin will be a terrific addition to your personal library.

1 comments about Sigmund Freud.

1. I read this book many years ago. Good info about Frued . Read it and bought it because you cant go wrong with Ralph Steadman.Outstanding drawings asif I had to tell you that.

5 comments about Adventures of a Mathematician.

1. this is one of the few books i've read twice. i'm fascinated by brilliant minds like ulam, oppenheimer, feynman, and von neumann. it's one of the best science biographies/autobiographies and is very easy to read. lots of time is spent on the atomic and hydrogen bomb projects and the great minds/peculiar personalities involved. it's been 15 years since i read it, but now that i've found it again, i'll reacquaint myself with these great and interesting minds. it's not a math book by any means, but a book about brilliant men that do math. they definitely listen to a different drummer.



2. Before I start, let me say that, for me at least, this is one of the most fascinating and entertaining books I've ever read. But I'm a special case, as you'll see...

   Stan Ulam was head of the math department at U. of Colo., Boulder, where I was a doctoral candidate circa 1970. I hardly knew him to speak to, but heard about his participation in the Manhattan Project, and that many of those connected with it considered him to be the "father of the H-bomb" rather than Edward Teller. Having already been put off by the dryness and lack of application of a great deal of the math I'd studied, I was intrigued on hearing that a pure mathematician could have played such a central part in that effort. That, and the book's title, convinced me to buy it, even though I was an impoverished grad student.

   There are many reasons why I love this story, but I think foremost is the picture of a gregarious, open, and sometimes mischievous man who was also bright enough to hold his own with the leading scientific minds of the 20th century. The sketches of the many famous people he worked with are priceless -- for example, Enrico Fermi, Richard Feynman, George Gamov. And especially John von Neumann, possibly the most brilliant mathematician of that time, certainly the most diverse and prolific (he practically invented the computer industry that I now work in). Having tried to read his work on game theory, it's especially comforting to me to hear Ulam refer to him as "Johnny".

   My struggles with some of the math mentioned in the book give it special meaning to me, but this is not a technical book at all, and I hope that aspect won't be off-putting to non-mathematicians. Ulam was simply trying to give an honest picture, through the lens of his own experiences and friendships, of how people become mathematicians, of how essential group efforts are to progress in science and math, and of the staggering accomplishments that can result when people push the limits of thought. This book is about history and humankind, by one of the brightest and most thoughtful individuals who ever lived.




3. Monte Carlo simulation was discovered by Stanislaus Ulam and today is used by millions in all walks of life. It is the basis for planning and decision making in for corporations and in all issues of public and private life.

   Ulam says "The idea...occurred to me when I was playing solitaire during my illness. I noticed that it may be much more practical to get an idea of the probability of the successful outcome of a solitary game...by laying down the cards, or experimenting with the process merely noticing what proportion comes out successfully..."

   The advent of computers removed the need for "hiring several hundred Chinese from Taiwan" and made the progress of rational thought ubiquitous.

   It is the most striking example of the triumph of mathematics in real life.

   Andrew Vazsonyi, Real-life mathematician




4. For its greatest part, the book is about Ulam's encounter with other scientists. It's thus a must-have for all historian of science, with great details about the three important Ulam's acquaintances: Banach, Von Neumann and Fermi. However, it's not what is making this book an invaluable document.

   Ulam was a pure mathematician, like Banach or ErdÆs, not like Dirac or Einstein. Yet he had the ability to escape from formal abstract considerations to think about how other sciences could show him a path to new mathematical considerations. In this regard, the Monte Carlo method and all his proposals to non-linear systems and usage of computers for exploring them may be are his greatest achievements (his H-bomb papers are classified, and I like to think Monte Carlo is still more useful).

   For that matter, this book is of the greatest interest for he who wish to deepen his understanding of links between mathematics and physics, that are usually discussed by physicists often having very poor idea of what mathematics really are about. The chapter "random reflections" is a jewel which by itself makes worth buying the book, explaining for instance how practical problems can lead to new mathematical concepts, how mathematic theories link altogether, or advocating the use of computers to help mathematicians view new spaces of new objects. Many aside jokes or peculiar reflections--like how mathematics change according to what language one is exploring them with (English, Russian, French, German...)--make the book very entertaining, seldom boring. This "mathematician's mathematician"'s overview of this century's science (he also had some contributions to biology) is thus highly recommended.

   (caution to purists: the book has been edited by Ulam's wife from recorded tapes, he didn't write it.)




5. The very first time I heared from Stanislaw Ulam was reading a book by Otto Robert Frisch (What little I remember). In this book he said that a polish mathematician called Ulam was doing mathematics for the Hydrogen Bomb but his maths were deviating so much from abstract that he even used numbers with decimals in his formulas. This funny comment opened my curiosity to know more about this guy doing maths. Well, years later I bought this book and surprisingly he mentioned the comment by O.R Frisch. What a coincidence! I liked the book. He details his life and other genius lives: John von Neuman, Paul Erdos, Fermi, etc. No necessity to know maths. No formula within the book. Easy to read. Stan Ulam was co-father of the Hydrogen Bomb but everybody knows Edward Teller but not him. He makes especial emphasis in Alamos times (Ulamos times). Enjoyable book.

No comments about My Heavens!: The Adventures of a Lonely Stargazer Building an Over-the-Top Observatory (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series).

5 comments about Out of their Minds: The Lives and Discoveries of 15 Great Computer Scientists.

1. This is a fast paced fun read. The book covers 15 scientists of the early to middle ages of computers. No list will satisfy everyone (note some of the reviews who were unhappy with this book). There is no section on Alan Turning, John von Neumann or Woz from Apple (sorry Apple PR machine), although the first two are mentioned at various times.
   
   The chapters cover the scientists within four sections: linguists, algorithmists, architects, and sculptors of machine intelligence. Within each chapter is a brief and generally entertaining biography and provide a concise discussion and explanation of some basic concepts that reveal the work that made the individual scientist famous within the field.
   
   The reference section is excellent for further research and enlightenment. It is broken down by chapter and is easy to reference.
   
   It is a fun read which I have allowed myself twice already.



2. Very enjoyable and entertaining book. But I've been working in the computer business for 30 years, a novice would have other opinions.
   
   The subtitle is very descriptive -- "The Lives and Discoveries of 15 Greaat Computer Scientists".
   
   Each is covered in a chapter, mixing together an account of how their life's journey ended up in important work.
   
   I knew some of the stories, but this book filled in lots of others. For example, I just know of Leslie Lamport's LaTeX system, not his other work!
   
   If you have an interest in computer science, this is a good survey of the
   individuals behind some of the fundamental discoveries.



3. from an insiders point of view, I've been in this environment all working life, this book puts everything in perspective.



4. I was looking for a good source on the masterminds who shaped the Computer Science field and I found in this book. I think this book delivers a good mixture of personal stories plus technical details about the main contributions of the 15 computer scientists who shaped the field.



5. If you're a computer scientist, programmer or what have you, then this book is a must read. The book presents key contributions of 15 computer scientists. While the book does contain some level of computer science speak, those who don't have computer science backgrounds will still find the book easy to read and follow. I first read this book when it was first published, and I occasionally refer back to it so I don't forget about all the great contributions made to computing.

5 comments about Homage to Gaia: The Life of an Independent Scientist.

1. "Homage to Gaia" provided interesting autobiographical background on Lovelock's life and times as he criss-crosses the atlantic and around the world pursuing a life of science. I found the book reminiscent of Richard Feynman's autobiographical stories about bouncing around doing science, which I also recommend.
   
   "Homage to Gaia" is big on the stories, and lighter on the science, which is only touched on. But the stories are a humorous, personal accounting of a 70 year span and were fun and interesting to read.



2. ______________________________________________
   This is his autobiography, written at age 80. Lovelock is best-known for formulating the Gaia hypothesis, that the Earth is, metaphorically, a global superorganism: life regulates its environment to be more favorable for life, by the familiar and everyday process of natural selection. For example, a higher CO2 level in the atmosphere will result in more luxuriant plant growth, which will lower the CO2 content [1].
   
   Lovelock, who has a Ph.D in medicine, had a long career as a working scientist and inventor. He invented the exquisitely-sensitive electron-capture detector, and used it to pioneer measuurements of fluorocarbons in the atmosphere, work which led to the banning of Freon as a hazard to the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere.
   Lovelock is appropriately skeptical about the rhetorical excesses in the "Ozone Wars", and deplores the continued misuse of science in environmemtalism-as-religion. He's well-aware of the misuse of his Gaia "earth-mother" metaphor by muddle-headed New Agers, but gave numerous lectures to religious groups at the time the Gaia hypothesis was struggling for scientific respectability, which couldn't have helped his case. Lovelock himself is an agnostic, a fiercely-independent iconoclast, and an old-fashioned, very British eccentric scholar.
   
   Lovelock spent most of his career as an independent scientist and consultant, a difficult path for a research scientist but one which suited his personality -- and his desire to live and work in a rural setting. He's an interesting man and an influential scientist. His memoir is somewhat repetitive and overlong, and he sometimes sounds like a querulous old fart -- but if you have admired Lovelock's scientific work, you will enjoy reading about his life.
   
   Lovelock himself is a science-fiction fan -- as was William Golding, a neighbor who named the Gaia hypothesis. Lovelock co-wrote one science-fiction (sort-of) novel, _The Greening of Mars_ -- and his critics gleefully (and unfairly) labelled his Gaia work as science-fantasy. His work has held up pretty well, and his ideas are becoming mainstream in the earth and life-sciences -- though many of his successors avoid the "tainted" Gaia label.
   
   Lovelock's memoir has an interesting account of his progress from an unquestioning young Socialist in the 1930's to an admirer of Lady Thatcher. His uncritical admiration for the British National Health Service continues, even after a disastrous operation that permanently damaged his urethra, apparently due to a 'labour action' by the union at his hospital. Oddly enough.
   
   Lovelock is currently campaigning for nuclear power, as a way out of global-warming. His book has kind words for the industries he's worked in, especially Shell Oil. My kind of Green.
   
   Lovelock's official website: http://www.ecolo.org/lovelock/lovebioen.htm
   _____________________
   [1] --eventually. This feedback mechanism clearly doesn't operate quickly enough to control fossil-fuel CO2 emissions.
   
   Review copyright 2006 by Peter D. Tillman



3. At once an autobiography and the biography of Gaia Theory. The concept that has defined the life of the author is that the world is a complex living organism, this means that the life story of this very interesting and brilliant man shares also the development of his controversial theory. Written in a very human and honest style, with only general scientific information which makes the book perfect for all readers.



4. This book is a brilliant illustration of George Bernard Shaw's philosophy: "Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." As a professional scientist struggling to reconcile the freedom of thought required to produce truly innovative research and the constraints of institutional science, I found this book very stimulating. Lovelock's depiction of a bright, adventurous, and independent scientific path will be a wonderful inspiration to all vocational scientists.



5. This is a remarkable book by and about a remarkable man. Big science is now the norm so that few working scientists manage to survive on their own. But Jim Lovelock not only survived but was responsible for a number of outstanding scientific achievements.
   I met Jim when he was a consultant to Caltech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in the 1970's. I was a physicist with an intense interest in all things biological, and in charge of the scientists and engineers devising instruments to try to detect life on Mars. Jim immediately impressed me with his quiet manner and understanding of the problems. A year later, I visited his laboratory in his cottage at Bowerchalke, near Salisbury, England and met his first wife, Helen.
   This book is autobiographical, discussing in depth his early life and how he gradually became so well regarded in the scientific community that he was sought after as a consultant around the world. I can hear Jim's voice in this book. Peter Simmonds, who worked with Jim in Britain and at JPL once said, "Jim carries a little bird on his shoulder who tells him exactly what to say." It seemed like that when he was able to make a pungent comment clearing up a difficulty that had plagued us for days.
   This is a remarkable book as it tells with great clarity what Jim thought of many of the people he worked with. The names include many of the great scientists working on the environment and other problems of the age. He's kind in his assessment of some of them, I think.
   Read this book if you want to understand what makes a great scientist: ability, knowledge, study, intuition and imagination. Read it as a gripping story of one man's life as an independent scientist. Read it, also, to learn how much Jim contributed to our understanding of the world's environment as we know it today.

   Dennis Le Croissette, Ph.D.

5 comments about Marie Curie: A Life (Radcliffe Biography Series).

1. I've admired Marie Curie (born Maria Sklowdowska in Russian-occupied Poland) longer than I can remember, quite literally. I first read her biography in a "written for children" edition while I was in grade school - Grade 5, perhaps? When I sat in my first day of Laboratory Chemistry class, as a high school junior, I bit my tongue half off as the teacher included this gem of wisdom in his opening remarks: "I know you girls are only taking this class because you need it to get into college. I'll go easy on you. After all, there are very few Marie Curies in the world!" I still wish I'd had the guts to be sent to the office for saying the words that rose up without my bidding them: "And just as few Pierre Curies, Mr. ****."
   
   Anyway, perhaps that anecdote offers a clue as to how much Madame Curie's biographies have meant to me as I've read them over the years. This most recently published one draws on materials not available to previous biographers, letters and journals that were sealed until 1990. While it's hard to beat Eve Curie's 1937 biography of her mother (after all, who knew the woman better?), Susan Quinn's scholarly work adds illumination in plenty because of those additional resources.
   
   This biography tries to be all things to all readers, and that may be cited as a flaw although it's also clearly a virtue. Readers who are primarily or entirely interested in Marie Curie, the individual human being, are likely to slog through the lengthy and detailed descriptions of scientific work while yawning. Readers who want to know about Marie Curie, the scientist, are apt to be bored or even annoyed by the passages that concern her relationships with parents, siblings, husband, children, and (once, during her widowhood) lover. For me, though, it all fit together beautifully. Madame Curie was all of those things, after all. Scientist, daughter, sister, wife, mother, and friend. I'm interested now, just as I was at age 10, in all those aspects of her life.



2. I had mixed emotions on this book and so did many of the numerous reviews I read. While trying to celebrate Marie Curie in light of our feminist times - a motivating factor in the book's writing, I'm sure - the author spends far too little time on the actual physics of Curie's accomplishments and instead dwells on her love affair with a married collegue, on household matters, trivial matters of her everyday life that may make her seem more approachable to the book's readers, but do nothing to clarify her position in historical physics or her winning, jointly, the Nobel Prize, admittedly then in its infancy. I felt Curie to be an extremely passionate woman, both in her work and in her bed. But I wanted much more detail of the physics than was given.



3. This book has excellent historical information about Poland and Marie Curie's family before she was born and after. It gives a very good description of her life growing up and her family, as well as personal experiences gleaned from unpublished letters. It brings information hitherto unpublished about her personal life, and it presents her career in a fascinating way. I cannot rate the book highly enough.



4. Marie Curie A Life by Susan Quinn takes you on a journey as you discover the life of Marie Curie. From her difficult days under the Russian repression in Poland, to the sexism she faced in Paris, her two Nobel Peace Prizes, and the scandal that almost lost her everything. I especially liked this biography because it was to the point and it did not over glorify Marie's life. The fact of the matter is that Marie's life was full of hardships and this book depicts all of them. I think the author wanted to write this story because she wanted to depict the life of Marie Curie who was an inspiration to several women, and who contributed a great deal to the scientific community. I believe that the author however, wanted to portray her in a real light, so while other biographies might be a little bit more glamorous this one is more realistic. This is an extremely fascinating biography and you should read it because it shows how Marie's life was filled with obstacles, and how she overcame them all.



5. Susan Quinn does a wonderful job of describing the hurdles that Curie's family had to overcome during the occupation of Poland by Russia, Austria, and Prussia. The interesting fact is that all of her siblings were bright and well educated despite the denial of public education. Reading this book has been a delightful experience.

1 comments about English Syntax: A Grammar for English Language Professionals.

1. I think one only needs to notice the 4+ spelling errors in the Editorial Review to assess the quality of this book.

5 comments about Infinite Potential: The Life And Times Of David Bohm.

1. 
   "Infinite Potential" is excellent. David Bohm's thoughts - which are sometimes difficult to understand for non-physicists - become clear the way David Peat is explaining Bohm's physics/philosophy.
   I highly recommend this book to everybody interested in reaching to a kind of solution as to how our mysterious world may function.
   
   Karen



2. A neat overview of an inspiring life. Unfortunately, although the book read well, it felt somewhat unsubstantial in relation to the man himself. I could not pin-point exactly what left me with this impression as the author seems to touch on all bases. Perhaps it was a result of the extent of my own admiration for Bohm, but I think it also has to do with the depth and breath of his life and work. As a man and a thinker Bohm seemed to give so much- what a huge task it is to attempt to give some back! A previous interest in Bohm places this particular view within a greater whole, in which case I would recommend this book.



3. I can say, without question, that Peat's biography is a disappointment. The book's only redeeming characteristic is that Peat makes ample use of interviews that would otherwise be unavailable or nonexistent. In other areas, however, Bohm is not well represented. Peat uses information obtained from Russell Olwell concerning Bohm's case before HUAC. Unfortunately, Peat corrupted much of Olwell's work and presented an inaccurate picture of Bohm's case. Further, Peat fails to fully explore the impact of Bohm's work in the foundation of quantum physics and his alternative interpretation. In his review of the book Dr. James Cushing wrote that Bohm deserved better. Sadly, Dr. Cushing is correct.



4. This book illuminates the life of David Bohm as both man and scientist--who was nothing at all like I imagined. I knew of Bohm chiefly through the reputation of "Wholeness & the Implicate Order" among New-Age/Fringe Science circles, and through his collaboration with J. Krishnamurti (the darling Theosophical saint, of lately tarnished reputation.) Here, we see Bohm *exactly* as depicted on the cover, wrinkles in high relief and all. Betrayed by squealing Oppenheimer, mentor to famous Feynmann, dumped by Jiddhu Krishnamurti, he was stripped of his citizenship and lived a sorrowful life, despondent & frequently bitter that he had not been given a fair chance to realize his true potential, his scientific contributions not properly acknowledged. He clung to his materialist Marxist philosophy throughout his life; indeed, his Communist connections partially explain (along with Oppenheimer's "tissue of lies") his citizenship problems. Most importantly for would-be devotees, Bohm's life-long devotion to Marxist dogma strongly influenced his materialist interpretation of quantum mechanics and should give pause to those attracted to the "Implicate Order" as somehow acknowledging consciousness in science and the universe. All in all, a good biography of a strangely moving man



5. This is an excellent account of David Bohm, his work and his philosophy. It details his encounters with some of the leading thinkers of his day, including Albert Einstein, Jiddu Krishnamurti and Richard Feynman. Bohm's treatment of his theory of the explicate order and implicate order is described in a very eloquent way by the author. It also addresses how David Bohm was one of those super intellectuals whom the United States had difficulty in accepting and how he "lost" his citizenship over his beliefs. It is a book that is worthwhile reading!