5 comments about The Man Who Changed Everything: The Life of James Clerk Maxwell.

1. A great book written by obvious fan.
   
   Very easy to just pick up and read from start to end.
   
   I've always wanted to know more about this remarkable man, and after reading this book - well, he was even more remarkable than I realized.
   
   A modern scientist decades before the era of modern science. The author argues, reasonably persuasively, that Maxwell is the prototypical modern scientist in that his approach combined hard core maths with rigorous experiments (Hmmm. come to think of it, we seem to have lost that !)
   
   I also didn't realize the Maxwell's famous Equations were treated with disdain his peers and for a couple of decades later; right up to the point when Hertz actually discovered the traveling electromagnetic waves that the equations forecast.
   
   Can't recommend it highly enough.



2. This book is biography at its best! The title of this book is perfect. Maxwell was a giant - true genius. Maxwell unified all the previous knowledge of electrical and magnetic phenomema in his famous equations. And if that weren't enough, he noticed something interesting - a velocity that looked familiar - and predicted the electromagnetic nature of light and electromagnetic waves in general!!! What an achievement - a triumph!
   
   The author does a magnifcent job of showing the chronology of his life, his character, the current state of knowledge and the environment he inherited, gives us some insight into his thoughts, his insatible curiosity, his gift to apply mathematics to natural phenomema, and the significance of his work.
   
   I read one review that was unhappy that it didn't have enough mathematics in it. If you want differential equations, look elsewhere - like a physics book or Maxwell's treatises which are readily available.
   
   I was surprised to learn of his extensive researches into color theory and that he made the very first color photograph. It seems that Maxwell was the first person to apply statistical methods to natural phenomena - specifically thermodynamics and the kinetic theory of heat. Read this book - there's lots more.
   
   When I finished this book I was both in awe and inspired. And I say "Thanks!" to James Clerk Maxwell when I listen to the radio, watch TV, talk on a cell phone or look at my computer.



3. It is amazing that such a pivotal figure in physics remains relatively unknown to the public at large. I even asked a British friend of mine -- who actually went to Cambridge -- if he knew who James Clerk Maxwell was. He hadn't the foggiest.
   
   So it's a shame that this narrow biography (barely 190 pages of actual content -- excluding end-notes, etc.) does not deliver a more compelling picture of both the man and the scientist.
   
   A good biographer must do more than collect a series of chronological facts and array them in a sensible order; he must know how to tell a story. A science biographer has an even more daunting task -- he must tell the story of his subject while at the same time unraveling the wonder of scientific discovery. Mahon fails at both of these.
   
   Mahon's style is factual and competent, but he fails to convey any essence of the man himself. Who was James Clerk Maxwell? I know where he lived, where he taught, and what he did, but I have no greater insight whatsoever into what drove the man. What were his hopes, fears, ambitions?
   
   While it is possible that there was not enough historical source material to paint this picture, I highly doubt it. A prolific letter writer (by Mahon's own account), I would have appreciated far more quotes from Maxwell's own writings (both private and published). Anything -- realy -- to give greater insight into the man.
   
   Pehraps equally disappointing is the limited play that Mahon gives Maxwell's science. While he does provide a cursory view of some of Maxwell's greatest achievements, I believe he does not go deep enough. I admit that the topic of electromagentic field theory is complex, but a greater effort shoud have been made to explain how important this development was to the development of modern field theory. Oddly, Mahon spends time explaining Maxwell's equations (i.e., the meaning of the terms), but is not able to truly convey their beauty or importance to the layman. More importantly, Mahon fails to demonstrate exactly why the subject of his biography lives up to the book's title "The Man Who Changed Everything."
   
   In many ways, James Clerk Maxwell's fame seems inversely proportional to his influence on the historical development of modern physics. So it's regrettable that it has been left to Mahon to write the modern biography of such a great man.



4. If your a science enthusiast and enjoy reading about the history and the people behind some of the great scientific achievements then you will enjoy this book. I certainly never realized the scope of Maxwell's achievements. He was simply brilliant.



5. In the history of science there are only a few true human beings who used their genius in a humble and open fashion to uncover some of natures best kept secrets, while remaining true to their principles, friends and family. James Clerk Maxwell was one of these largely unsung heros.[ As was Paul Dirac who started his studies in Electrical Engineering some decades later]
   
   I recommend this book to all those engineering and science students interested in how a fundamental pillar of modern science and engineering, electromagnetics, actually came into being.
   
   One hopes that some of todays students will be able to follow in the footsteps of such a true scientist and well rounded human being as James Clerk Maxwell.

5 comments about The Last Man on the Moon: Astronaut Eugene Cernan and America's Race in Space.

1. When I started to read The Last Man on the Moon I wondered: What did it feel like to walk in space and on the moon? I got more than I bargained for. I enjoyed one of the greatest true adventures of all times when Cernan removed the shackles of the earth and took me to places where few have gone.
   
   Cernan's book is exceptional at describing what it felt like to be an astronaut in the 1960s and what it was like to walk in space and on the moon.
   
   One of the parts I could relate to best was his descriptions of a space walk during a Gemini mission and his moon walks. His descriptions of a pressurized suit that was tough to move and navigate in were amazing. As a diver who has been to places such as the Galapagos islands (with cold waters) I know what its like to have a life support system and bulky suit. Cernan's descriptions helped me understand (just a little) what it is like to walk in space and on the moon.
   
   There were many close calls in the space programs that were truly nail biters. For example, during the Apollo 10 mission Gene Cernan discusses Tom Stafford and himself spinning out of control while just above the moon. The countless hours of training and razor sharp skills of the astronauts saved them. Stafford pulled them out at the last couple of seconds just before they would have crashed into the moon.
   
   There were also stories of tragedies such as the loss of the three men in the fire of Apollo 1. Everyone on the space program was deeply saddened. Afterwards everyone's resolve to go to the moon safely reached a new level of commitment.
   
   The book is definitely a page turner with many amusing antidotes. One story that sticks out in my mind is when Cernan explains that the early astronauts were like rock stars (they could do almost anything they wanted to). For example, they would let there wives know they were coming home in the evening by flying right over their homes with their jets before landing at a local base (a true flyby). Then they would jump into their Corvettes and drive like a bats out of h**l to their homes screeching into the driveways. This is stuff that legends are made of.
   
   Cernan writing style is engaging and fascinating. He is both a strong Critical Thinker and philosopher rolled into one.
   
   For example, in one telling excerpt he discusses the importance of going to the moon as a commander, not just walking on it. His thoughts are summed up when he says: "I have always believed that destiny is a matter of personal choice, where you carefully think out your decision, consider the downside, accept the risk of being wrong, and press on."
   
   Cernan eloquently writes about his passion for space travel when he says: "Our legacy is that humans are no longer shackled to the Earth. We opened the door to tomorrow, and our trips to another celestial body will rank as the ultimate triumph in the Age of Achievement. And for the price, it was the biggest bargain in history."
   
   He goes on to say: "Sometimes it seems that Apollo came before its time. President Kennedy reached far into the twenty-first century, grabbed a decade of time and slipped it neatly into the 1960's and 1970s."
   
   I have been fortunate to meet Gene Cernan on a few occasions at Astronaut gatherings in the past couple of years. He is one of the greatest advocates for the space program and is a gentleman and a scholar. He still has a bounce in his step and a twinkle in his eye...and I wouldn't be surprised if he has a little mischief in him as well.
   
   Once at a dinner I was sitting at Cernan's table and someone asked him whether seeing the moon was different from earth orbit or from the moon.
   
   Gene Cernan got very quiet and thoughtful and said that it was entirely different. He went on to say that from orbit the earth is beautiful with its blue oceans, majestic large land masses and more. Then he paused and got very serious. He said from the moon the view of the earth was unbelievable. He went on to say that seeing this little blue ball that hung in black space by an invisible string (axis) that it turned on was unbelievable. You could see in his eyes that he had a life changing experience when he saw it from the front porch of the moon many years ago.
   
   There are several excellent books on the early space program. The Last Man on the Moon is one of the best of the best.
   
   The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking



2. It's no surprise that it's well-written considering how many journalists Gene Cernan knows, and he couldn't have picked a better co-author than Don Davis. It is accessible to all because they kept it non-technical.
   
   The author keeps his family in the forefront and puts his wife and daughter on a pedestal. He lets us in on how an Apollo astronaut's career could be a real marriage-tester due to his time away from home, and the wife being on stage. I liked the way they chronicled the story not only with dates, but with what songs were playing on the radio and what the non-NASA headlines were.
   
   Personal judgments abound. He pulls no punches on Buzz Aldrin and a few other astronauts, resurrects the Apollo 15 "scandal," and then runs a one-man campaign to redeem and lionize Alan Shepard, burying the screw-ups of Apollo 14. (For those who consider Shepard a hero, as I once did, may I suggest Andrew Chaikin's authoritative and well-researched tome "A Man on the Moon.") Another thing I found really different about Cernan's memoir: Wally Schirra is finally vindicated as an unsung hero of the space race. The author recaps Schirra's brash manner during the Apollo 7 flight as others have, but also points out that Wally had been that way during the previous 21 months (since The Fire), getting in everyone's face with his demands at North American and other contractors. It made me realize how much Wally Schirra had to do with us (people) getting to the moon by the time we did.
   
   Any Apollo aficionado would be remiss without reading this. (Ditto for Chaikin, and Jim Lovell's "Apollo 13.") This is an inspiring American success story.



3. I liked this book for its coverage of all the space flights from the beginning with Gemini to the end with Apollo. Gene was in fact the "last man on the moon" as we stopped going to the moon after his flight! He did more in his lifetime than most anyone. He started as a Navy pilot, about to go into Vietnam, when he got pulled for astronaut duty. I liked reading his descriptions of the celebrity lifestyle the original astronauts lived, with lots of parties at the Cape in Florida (while the wives were banished to their homes outside Houston!). I thought he touched on what it was like for the wives to live with a larger-than-life "space hero" in their midst, but he pulled back in some places. He does give his opinion on all the famous astronauts like Al Shephard and Neil Armstrong, and what he thought of their personalities and also their ranking as far as the best of the astronauts. The only downside to the book was, because Gene was involved in so many space flights, both as a backup crew and regular crew, that by the time you get to his last moon flight it's a bit routine hearing once again about getting the rocket ready for launch, stuffing themselves into their bulky spacesuits, etc. Overall, the book is very thorough and good but maybe could have used more humorous stories. I also liked the very beginning of the book where he talks about his grandparents old-time farm in Antigo, WI, without any running water or electricity.



4. Some people may be disappointed by this book. There's very little about Commander Cernan's time on the surface of the moon. If that's all you want to know about, I'd still recommend the book but you'll only want to read a couple of chapters. But to buy the book for that reason would be to miss the point. This is the story of the man that was last to stand on the moon. The moon was his home for 3 days. For a guy over 70 years old, that's not a large period of his life, even if it is what history will remember him for. This is what it was like to be an astronaut for NASA at that time and that's all you need to know, and it's personal, heart warming, fun, exciting, distressing, stressful and sad, just like real life.
   In 2007 I got the opportunity to meet Gene Cernan and had the pleasure of sharing dinner with him. He told me this book was the best way to know what it was like to be on the moon.
   And he's right, in every way. It describes many years of hard work, dedication, hardship and sacrifice, for a short period of time in which he was kept so busy he had to treasure the moments where he could take it all in.
   It is a testament to the quality of writing that my opinions of Commander Cernan are the same now, after reading the book as they were when I bade him farewell. He's a genuine, pull no punches guy. I don't think his heart is on his sleeve but he'll say what he thinks.
   I was honoured to spend a time in company with Commander Gene Cernan and get to know him. Reading this book, you will get to know him too.
   Read this book. It describes the pinnacle of human achievement and how it was done. The men, the women, the engineers, the scientists, the emotion, the humanity. It's all here and it makes you proud to be part of humanity because we may not be perfect, but neither were they.
   
   It's magnificent!



5. What a great read. Parts of this book was a bit hokey, but I really enjoyed the book. Based on what I've read in other material about NASA, Gene was one of the most liked astronauts. What a great guy. A must read. I've read a lot of material and books on the Mecury thru Apollo missions, and I think the best I've read was Micheal Collins "Carrying the Fire" this lends itself to great detail and leaves you with a good education.
   
   KLD

No comments about Einstein and Oppenheimer: The Meaning of Genius.

5 comments about The Science of Leonardo: Inside the Mind of the Great Genius of the Renaissance.

1. Amazon shipped this book in a timely manner. Customer service was great but I did have to call back and confirm. We give this book as gifts with a commemorative card inside the cover. Interesting book for young scientist.



2. This book is simply excellent and should be read by anyone with an interest in personal or organizational innovation.



3. I heard of this book during an interview of the author on NPR. The interview was fascinating and motivated me to get the book.
   
   The book is wonderful for its balance and grace. It is a concise telling of da Vinci's life and his thinking gleaned from his manuscripts and from contemporary writers. It is interesting to discover that little is known about da Vinci's personal or inner life. However, we discover that da Vinci was truly one of the first scientists in the modern sense, predating Galileo. His gifts for observation, illustration, and painting combined with his energy and enthusiasm for experimentation led him to discoveries and conclusions that would not be widely recognized for centuries.
   
   It was a good inspiring read! I'm looking forward to reading Capra's book on systemic thinking.



4. My neck hurts from all the time I spent reading this book, but it was completely worth it! Science and art go hand in hand, and this book demonstrates the genius of how Leonardo da Vinci put it all together. This is a great book. I can see the author's enthusiasm for both physics and art. It's an easy read, sometimes boring, but it illustrates how Leonardo da Vinci observed the mechanics of movement and combined it with other elements, i.e., the flow of water to the flow of hair. I'll read any book on this man, and even sometimes combine earlier readings, such as Plato, into how I understand where he was going artistically. I was illuminated by his portrayed intelligence throughout this book. He was solitary and focused on his craft. He kept meticulous record of his work, and because of that, we have books about him, such as this particular great read. He was completely ahead of his time. I like how he used a trap door to hide his art when guests would stop by, according to the book, Clever- No one really looks at him through the scientific eye, though, as they should. Most people think of him as just a fabulous artist. Although he created great (understatement) masterpieces, there is a scientific art underlying it all. Now that I'm growing artistically, I am starting to see the detail and how detail compiles. I am beginning to notice how the tetrahedral shape I studied way back in organic chemistry, for example, propagates into art. I don't have his genius, but admire it! This is an impressive read that everyone should step back into and enjoy.



5. Well written, showing how ahead of his time Leonardo was. A great perspective on a true genius.

5 comments about Prodigal Genius: The Life of Nikola Tesla.

1. Prodigal Genius: The Life of Nikola Tesla is the amazing true-life biography of inventor extraordinaire Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), a friend of Mark Twain and George Westinghouse, and a rival of Thomas Edison. Tesla invented the AC electrical current; his talent for inventions and scientific advancement was enhanced by his ability to visualize three-dimensional images of his inventions, saving money and effort on prototype constructions. Though his prodigal talents brought him great wealth and recognition - he made his first million before he turned forty - he refused to accept the Nobel Prize, chose to give away his royalties as a token of friendship, and died nearly penniless. His dream was to provide the world with sources of energy and wonders of technology that were free to enrich the lives of all, rather than fuel the profit margin of corporate sponsors. Yet for his selfless ideals, he received derision and disdain. Written by John J. O'Neill, a personal friend of Tesla's, and originally published in 1944, Prodigal Genius remains the seminal biography of a staunchly ethical man of science, who deserves far more honor than history has given him.



2. Tesla was not prodigal by any definition of the term. He was a genius-fool with severe neurological problems. Omitting the real Tesla makes any biography of less worth than it could be.



3. Once I got by the romantic flair of the first pages, I really enjoyed O'Neill's biography of Tesla. The subject of Tesla's life is certainly fascinating. He was a true visionary and a man well before his time.
   
   Minus one star for the romance (Is this typical of biographies of the era? I don't know.), for some circular logic (punishing Marconi for not seeing the potential of wireless transmission but lauding Tesla generating the first X-rays even though he did not grasp their potential).
   
   Over all, an informative and enjoyable read.
   
   P.S. I recommend Googling up Tesla's patents while progressing through the book.



4. This book tells the fascinating story of an amazing Serbian boy, Nikola Tesla, who was born in 1856, in the area we now call Bosnia. The author explains how Tesla's accomplishments brought forth our modern electrical power era and provide the foundation for the industrial system on which the entire world is built.
   
   Tesla's mother could repeat, without error or omission, thousands of verses of the national poetry of her country. Tesla shared her retentive memory. He had another ability that he only revealed to his mother. If Tesla thought of an object, it would appear before him exhibiting the appearance of solidity and massiveness. He used this ability to visualize the solution to creating the first alternating current generator.
   
   The first time Tesla's ability to visualize helped him in his quest to develop an alternating current generator, occurred when he suggested to a college professor that alternating current would solve some of the problems with a piece of electrical equipment that could be used either to generate electricity or if supplied energy could operate as a motor. As his professor demonstrated the machine, the solution to the problem came to Tesla in such a vivid, illuminating flash of understanding that he knew his visualization contained the correct and practical answer. He saw both the equipment operating without the problems and doing so efficiently, however, he could not see the essential details of how this could be accomplished.
   
   In Feb of 1882, Tesla took a walk in the city of Budapest with a former classmate. While a glorious sunset overspread the sky, Tesla engaged in one of his favorite hobbies-reciting poetry. The setting sun reminded Tesla of some of Goethe's beautiful lines:
   
   The glow retreats, done is the day of toil;
   It yonder hastes, new fields of life exploring;
   Ah, that no wing can lift me from the soil,
   Upon its track to follow, follow soaring...
   
   Suddenly, Tesla snapped into a rigid pose as if he had fallen into a trance. "Watch me!" he said, "Watch me reverse it!"
   
   Tesla's friend said, "I see nothing, are you ill?"
   
   "You do not understand," said Tesla, "It is my alternating-current motor I am talking about. Can't you see it right here in front of me, running almost silently? It is the rotating magnetic field that does it. See how the magnetic field rotates and drags the armature around with it? Isn't it beautiful? I have solved the problem."
   
   Tesla now had an electrical system utilizing alternating current, which was much more flexible and vastly more efficient than the direct-current system then being used. But now Tesla had another problem, convincing the rest of the world that his alternating-current power system was simpler, flexible and freed electricity to be sent long distances. The direct-current systems being used at that time were not able to send electricity long distances without major problems. The fact that our power system today uses alternating-current shows that Tesla was finally successful. The book, Prodigal Genius, provides all the fascinating details of this story



5. Here is a story of a man born in the glorious womb of science, a man who so completely understood the laws of nature and the scientific method that he commanded total dominion over the physical universe.

   Once you read this book you will find it difficult to name an aspect of modern life that hasn't been affected by the hand of Nikola Tesla.

   Some of Tesla's ideas were so far ahead of his time that to the people of his day, they were considered impossible; his vision of the world of the future was mocked and laughed at even by other scientists. Over time scepticism about the possibilities of science and technology has waned. Unfortunately for us the world was not yet ready for Tesla, this man out of time, and he died with his greatest achievments alive only in his mind.

5 comments about THE MAN WHO LOVED ONLY NUMBERS: THE STORY OF PAUL ERDOS AND THE SEARCH FOR MATHEMATICAL TRUTH.

1. This is a very interesting and enjoyable book about Paul Erdos, an eccentric math genius.
   
   Speaking as a former college "Mathlete" (Kappa Mu Epsilon), I used to (and still do) have an abiding love for mathematical 'truths', and this book gives readers a brief introduction to some of the many ways that a sense of wonder & curiosity, focused on the universe through the prism of mathematics, can fire one's soul on many levels, both intellectual and spiritual.
   
   As for myself - after a promising start, I peaked early back in undergrad school, and eventually left the field after finishing a minor degree, and moved on to other studies. However, my sense of wonder has remained ... and it was this book that helped me to recall some of my old joys, and to relive some of the might-have beens, had I been able to stay with it.
   
   In any case, the book is a fine read. However, I have some nits that I've ranked them from most to least annoying:
   
   1) MISSING PROOFS: The author, during his tale, mentions in passing many interesting mathematical problems and theorems that both Paul Erdos, and other mathematicians, helped to solve ... but in the vast majority of instances, the author anti-climactically fails to include the details of those proofs for the benefit of interested & proficient readers. IMHO, proofs of less than, say, 5 pages, could and should have been included in an appendix, and the author could have referred readers to appropriate AMS publications for those proofs that are longer and more involved. Instead, the author leaves the reader with nadda in all but a few trivial instances. It always irks me off when an author (or editor) dumbs down a book because they think readers can't keep up. Very annoying, and very anti-climactic. I mean come on - what's the point of spending pages and pages telling about the quest for a solution, only to finish lamely that yes, they solved it ... but omit all the details. Feh.
   
   2) FOCUS: The author did a commendable job assembling and integrating a large array of verbal and historical accounts into a fairly coherent whole ... but he also has a mildly irritating tendency to meander around, in his focus, somewhat like a runaway horse cart. First forwards in time, then backwards, then sideways across various topics, then in the middle of nowhere we're talking about Fibonacci, Gödel, Gauss, then back to the present, and then to his childhood again, etc. In other words, the flow of the book is a bit uneven and fractured in places, and IMHO it could have benefited from some additional polishing and a bit of re-organization. I kept wanting to grab the reins and drag the book back on course. It's a fine ride, but it's a bit more rickety and bouncy then it could have been with some better editing.
   
   3) ENDMATTER: The author/editor neglected to tie the "Acknowledgements and Source Notes" section in the rear of the book (p. 269- p.278) into the main text with some helpful endnotes or annotations ... thus rendering the section mostly useless to first time readers. Without notations to clue a reader in that that information is present in the back, then readers are left to finish the book unaware of it's existence until they reach the end ... by which time the information is of little or no value.
   
   Highly enjoyable. Subtract a star if you're a math geek who prefers to see actual proofs, rather than simply taking solutions for granted, sans details.



2. Paul Erdos is presented as a sweet math genius. He loved children & Math, but never had life of his own. He lifed only to futher study of Math.



3. I absolutely loved this book. A coworker of mine found this book depressing, but I thought it was a very uplifting story about a truly unique human being. I don't know where the title came from, as it is inappropriate, but everything else about the book was wonderful. Given the petty squabbles between scientists in many disciplines, it was very nice to read a story about collaboration such as that promoted by Erdos.



4. I'm bad in math. Horrible to be correct. But this book is so easy to understand and even entertainning to read. Like some other reviewer said that it has all the things going on besides Erdos's life. This book may not have lots of detail about his accomplishment, which even for some that it has, not really offer a complete or clear explaination about them, but somehow it makes me want to know more and looking for anything deeper and more thorouoghly. Therefore, despite some flaws that it has, I love it. Such an entertaining when you consider it's something about math.



5. Paul Erdös ("Air-dish") really did love numbers, and lived for mathematics. He was well known in maths circles, a legend, but known little outside. The book by Paul Hoffman introduces the work of this prolific numbers man to a new audience. It is at the same time a full of glimpses of the man, and tributes from those working mathematicians that he worked with. For there is no doubt that Erdös was an eccentric of the first magnitude, but Hoffman gives a picture of a well-loved man, who moved and inspired individual and groups of his colleagues worldwide.
   
   Erdös made an enormous contribution in basic number theory, and Hoffman introduces readers to many of the ancient and modern problems of mathematics. Is it possible, for example, to predict the distribution of prime numbers? The relationship of prime numbers with each other is a well-known area of investigation in number theory, and ideas such as perfect numbers (where the sum of the factors equals the number itself - for example the number 6) and friendly numbers are well explored. Friendly numbers are where the sum of the factors of one number equals a second number, and the sum of the factors of that number equal the first number; the lowest friendly numbers are 220 and 284.
   
   What has made Erdös so special is his relationship with so many of the world mathematics community; he co-authored papers with 485 individuals, and in some cases was a joint author with the same individual of 15 or more papers. His output was immense, even though he was working in basic number theory, an area where much work is done by young men. Yet he continued to make significant contributions almost right up until his death in 1996.
   
   Erdös's brain was "always open" for mathematics. He even made group maths possible, or even `invented' it,, often with several different groups in the same room, with the aged Hungarian as the lynch pin, flitting between groups engaged on different subjects. The affectionate guide by Hoffman to his life and achievements is infectious, for those with an interest in mathematics. And so was Erdös, who wanted to prove theorems, and to prove them elegantly, but was very actively engaged in encouraging and nurturing others in his obsession. Erdös had no passions in life, maths was his life.
   
   Individuals who had written a paper with the Hungarian are said to have an Erdös numbers of 1, and to have achieved this distinction is a great accolade. Even Einstein only achieved an Erdös number of 2, having written a paper with a person who had written a paper with Erdös.
   
   Hoffman gives a good view of the man, a glimpse of how he worked, but comparatively little about his achievements, probably because non-mathematicians would not understand it. What he does show is that without Erdös, the world is a poorer place, both mathematically, and because of his unique ways.
   
   Peter Morgan, Bath, UK [...].

5 comments about Isaac Newton.

1. James Gleick has written some excellent books -- Chaos and Genius, but this book fails to clear that bar.
   
   Inside the front flap of the dust cover it reads "In this original, sweeping, and intimate biography, Gleick moves between a comprehensive historical portrait and a dramatic focus on Newton's significant letters and unpublished notebooks to illiminate the real importance of his work in physics, in optics, and in calculus." In my opinion, the book fails to meet this objective. The biography and other information is superficial and far from initimate -- the book is a good introduction to basic facts but no more than that. His biography of Richard Feynman in Genius comes much closer to the goal of an intimate biography.



2. How can you sum up the life of Newton in roughly 190 pages. This is nothing but a pamphlet of one of the greatest lives of discovery the world has ever known. If your IQ is below 130 and you are looking for good reading go for it, but if you need meat and deeper substance about Newton, this is not where you look.



3. This book is comprehensive in addressing the themes of Newton's life, though the introversion of the subject limits the detail which the author could provide. More simply stated, this book is well versed and written, so enjoy!



4. I really wish I had liked this book, but I didn't.
   First thing that I noticed is the small volume, I had just read IKE's bio by Ambrose and in comparison this book seemed more like a brochure than an inclusive biographical work.
   What I hated the most was the style. Too pompous for my taste, the author gets in lengthy descriptions on the period and the landscape that surrounded Newton while only giving Isaac himself a mere sentence here and there. I think the author was trying to appeal to a public that doesn't know who Newton was and did, and therefore finds it appropriate to remind us, on multiple occasions that 'yes, Newton is the one that invented calculus and before him there was darkness'. I gave the book away to somebody that could appreciate it, hopefully. Fortunately now I know not to buy "Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman" by the same author, I would have been much more upset to read it instead of this book since I've been a Feynman fan for years.
   Numerous repetition in the descriptions of the era and in the contributions on Newton, I could not force myself to keep on reading. I do not consider this book a serious read, not on the subject Isaac Newton anyway.



5. The shape of the world we live in has been mostly determined by a few hundred people. Newton is one of those. This is a concise, readable, entertaining bio of one of history's really great thinkers. Anyone who uses gravity should read it.

5 comments about Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War.

1. Neufeld inadvertently provides evidence that the Apollo moon landings were a hoax. Chapter 15 describes an absurdly misorganized, disorganized and impossible schedule that reduces the actual time to build and test hardware to a mere five years. Piled atop the emerging anomalies of impossible moon footprints absent moisture binder, suicidal moon rover wheelbase for 1/6th gravity, persistent lack of information regarding the workings of nickel porous plate water sublimators, ridiculously small fuel tank for the 10,000 lb. LM ascent vehicle required to climb 60 miles to 4000mph, silence and absence of ESA SMART-1 lunar survey photos that don't reveal Apollo landing sites, etc., Neufeld's book would be better if it honestly explored Von Braun's masterful ability to lie both to Hitler and the American people while ironically serving them thus to fulfill their eager delusions.



2. Sadly this is the same old BS against the German people, written I would guess, by a Jew or a self-hating German. Don't take my word for it, look for yourself. Here we have a book that purports to be a definitive work but is just full of unsubstantiated speculation from the author. Just look at page 145 for example: "Recent research has demonstrated that the mass shootings of Jews in the East were widely known among the German populace." Now, I'm no Holocaust denier, but to say this kind of thing is just irresponsible. What "research" is he talking about? He doesn't say. Does the author really believe that the average citizen had access to this kind of information? He admits that listening to foreign radio was "dangerous" but what he should have said that if you were caught you could be killed. And who have believed BBC radio anyway? Did any of our guys believe Tokyo Rose? How many average citizens went to check up on their local Japanese concentration camp during WW2? No one who wanted stay out of a camp themselves, that's who! Do I know what is going on right now in Cuba? Or in CIA camps in Poland? No I don't, and neither do you. The same was true with the German people, and I'm tired shabby "research" from people like this guy. I want my money back!



3. For a period ranging from about 1950 until 1970, Werhner von Braun was the face of space exploration, an articulate spokesman who also brilliantly orchestrated the huge Saturn rocket program.
   
   Yet the Von Braun who occupies the pages of Michael Neufeld's book is an often passive figure. A space dreamer who grasped the opportunity to work for the nascent Nazi war machine as a way to advance his hopes for rocket research. The man who managed to bring the V-2 rocket from nothing to full production, yet acquiesced in the use of concentration camp workers to bring that production about. Even as a driving force in the U.S. space program, von Braun rarely issued commands, preferring to arrive at a consensus among his Huntsville colleagues.
   
   Neufeld does not shy from tying von Braun to the attrocities at the Dora Mittleworks yet leaves you convinced he was not actively involved in them. Instead, he turned a blind eye to the practices while he focused on his overarching goal -- to produce a rocket and fly to the stars.
   
   Though hardly soft of von Braun, Neufeld stops short of labelling von Braun a war criminal. "He only wanted to go into space," he writes, quoting the common refrains. And Neufeld wisely notes that the United States entered its own Faustian bargain by embracing the Peenemunde team to advance its own "amoral concepts of the national good". So for that matter, did the Soviets. As the old saying goes: Our Germans were better than their Germans.
   
   This is Neufeld's second book on the V-2 and the Peenemunde team, following his earlier "The Rocket and The Reich," which focused more on German motivations for staring and pursuing the V-2 program and the internal politics that surrounded that program. This shows in the writing. The parts dealing with Germany and the V-2 program are very strong but Neufeld slips at times on some aspects of the U.S. space program. He has von Braun bidding on the Hubble Space Telescope in 1963. At best, that was only a paper study, the central thesis of which evolved into Hubble 20 years later. Ironically, the Hubble contract was eventually won by the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, the very center von Braun was competing with in 1963.
   
   There are still questions worth exploring on this period of space history.Were the Paperclip scientists purged in 1973 due to emerging reports about their Nazi involvement? Neufeld doesn't think so; Huntsville had developed an aging workforce as von Braun attempted to preserve his team. NASA eventually remedied this through massive retrenchments. Yet the timing still seems suspicious.
   
   And study is needed of ongoing American space work prior to the arrival of von Braun's rocket team and how these diverse concepts eventually coalesced. The U.S. began studying the concept of reconnaissance satellites in the lates 1940s and U.S. rocket designers in California often derided the Huntsville team's products as "bridge construction." The Californian' light, cutting edge design have primacy in today's space arena yet the Germans' sturdy designs got us to the Moon and rarely failed. Von Braun, it turns out, was not a fan of the space shuttle.



4. Mr Neufeld has written a voluminous account of Dr. von Braun's life. However, it is less a biography than an exercise in supporting the author's poetic conception that "Dr. Space" gave away his soul in a Faustian bargain. The title makes it clear that Mr. Neufeld thinks that, when all is said, his subject was just an "Engineer of War." Rather than giving a balanced portrayal of WvB's decisions in difficult times, he consistently (and often snidely) gives the reader his considered political opinion and conjecture as to what WvB's innermost thoughts were. While there is much welcome factual information in this book, the reader (if he doesn't already agree politically and culturally with the author) will have to overlook the author's attempts at calumny. In sum, if you agree with the author's contention that 'the discovery of global warming' ranks with the invention of the computer, the nuclear bomb, and the landing on the moon, you will be in good company. If you don't buy into the politically-correct environmental alarmism common today, you may have a bit of a slog ahead of you. (Also, if the reader was looking for any insight into WvB's religious beliefs and life, he will be disappointed.)



5. The career of Wernher von Braun has been a subject of investigation, and not a little controversy, almost from the time that the German rocketeer came to the United States after World War II. There is no question in my mind that "Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War" will be recognized as a seminal addition to the literature of space history and biography. In this book Michael J. Neufeld, the chair of the Division of Space History at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum and a longtime friend and colleague of mine (so I confess that I am not totally unbiased in my assessment), traces the career of one of the most important rocket developers and champions of space exploration during the period between the 1930s and the 1970s. He went on to a stellar career (pun intended) in rocketry and spaceflight. Neufeld argues that von Braun should be remembered for four major accomplishments:
   (1) Developing the world's first ballistic missile, the V-2, for Germany during World War II.
   (2) Popularizing space exploration in the U.S. in the 1950s through a succession of articles, speeches, public appearances, and television broadcasts. The most important of these were the famed "Collier's" series of articles and the three Disney TV programs.
   (3) Launching the first U.S. satellite to orbit the Earth, Explorer 1, in January 1958, a significant rejoinder to the Sputnik launches of the fall of 1957.
   (4) Leading the technical development of the largest successful rocket ever built, the Saturn V launcher that took the Apollo astronauts to the Moon in the 1960s and 1970s.
   
   Neufeld's core thesis revolves around what he refers to as a "Faustian bargain" for von Braun; he was consumed with exploring space but to enable that goal he spent the majority of his career building sophisticated weapons of destruction. Not until 1960 did he work for NASA, an organization dedicated to the peaceful exploration of space. Previously, military organizations had employed von Braun to build missiles.
   
   This thesis gets to the heart of a longstanding controversy over von Braun's motivations and a belief in his basic opportunism. Because he was willing to build a ballistic missile for Hitler's Germany, with all of connotations that implied in the devastation and terror of World War II, many of his ideals have been questioned and criticized. For some he was a visionary who foresaw the potential of human spaceflight, but for others he was little more than an arms merchant who developed brutal weapons of mass destruction. As Neufeld shows, in what will be viewed as a major benchmark in this historiographical debate, von Braun seems to have been something of both. The subtleties of this analysis are path breaking and will be significant for all interested in exploring seriously the history of spaceflight. This biography will be the starting point for all future investigation of the life and career of this fascinating, perplexing, and complex individual.

4 comments about A Force of Nature: The Frontier Genius of Ernest Rutherford (Great Discoveries).

1. Although this biography is aimed at a general audience, it does an effective job of presenting Rutherford's contributions to our early understanding of the atom and of the subatomic world. Using laboratory apparatus quaintly primitive by today's standards, Rutherford in the early decades of the 20th century found elegant, indirect methods to "see" into the structure of the atom. Guided by intuition as much as by previous knowledge and experience, he drew startling and startlingly accurate conclusions from data generated by his own experiments and by those of other scientists around the world. He is remembered not only as one of the greatest experimental physicists of the 20th century but also as one who fostered an international approach to science based on cooperation and sharing of results.



2. I ordered this little biography because it was on sale. It was not a good deal. It lacks depth or insight. Although the author has a technical background, most of Rutherford's experiments are poorly described and their importance virtually ignored. Interactions between Rutherford and his many collaborators and students are trivialized. Because it is short and cheap, it will find it's way into libraries around the world. That's a good thing because Rutherford was one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century and certainly New Zealand's most famous son. Hopefully, interested readers will have access to "Rutherford: Scientist Supreme"
   by John Campbell, a much more complete and authoritative biography. If not, then check out the following website for better information: [...]. For the technically inclined, get a copy of the recently reprinted "Radioactive Transformations" by Rutherford himself - absolutely fascinating!



3. There are probably only a handful of scientists the average educated person could name, among them Galileo, Newton, Einstein. And, of course, even a typical educated person might have trouble saying something about why these scientists are so important. This is too bad. Not just because of what it says about science education in the world today but because there are so many scientists whose work deserves better recognition. Ernest Rutherford is one of those who deserves better.
   
   Many students comes across Rutherford in middle or high school during the study of the atom. Rutherford's "gold foil experiment" through which he identified the atomic nucleus and developed the "solar system" model of the atom is a standard part of the curriculum. However, this only touches on Rutherford's body of work and says nothing about the type of man, and scientist, he was. In A Force of Nature, Richard Reeves does an excellent job of bringing both to the fore.
   
   Mr. Reeve's describes many of Rutherford's achievements in a very accessible way. Rutherford's work ranged from investigations of radio and radioactivity to basic sonar concepts during the war. His work on the atom included more than just his well-know discovery of the nucleus. He also was the first to split the atom, though he never realized (or admitted he realized) the awesome power potential of this process. His work earned him a Nobel Prize (in chemistry, Rutherford would sneer) as well as a number of other awards and honors, including the prestigious directorship of the Cavendish Laboratories.
   
   But Mr. Reeve is also able to give a real sense of Rutherford as a human being. As a "colonial" (a New Zealander), Rutherford found it difficult to fit in with the Cambridge set when he earned a scholarship to attend. It wasn't until he became one of the most famous experimenters in the world that he was generally accepted and, even then, his loud voice and rough manners were a matter of note among his contemporaries. Still, few scientists in history have been as successful as both a researcher and a teacher--he pointed many of his students in the direction of earn their own Nobel Prizes.
   
   As a science teacher, I have struggled to educate my students not only in the key ideas of the field but also on the people who brought these great ideas and discoveries into the world. As one of the true experimental geniuses in history, Rutherford still often doesn't get his due. (Theorists get all the glory.) Yet, in his time, only Einstein was revered more. It is nice that Mr. Reeve has put together a book that can bring Rutherford to the public's attention again.



4. There have been many biographies of Ernest Rutherford; what does Richard Reeves 'A Force of Nature' contribute to what has already been done? In a few words: popular accessibility. This is a book of scientific biography for a popular audience, and it works.
   
   Like other entrants in the Norton 'Great Discoveries' series, the point is the explication of a great scientific discovery and the life of the person most responsible for bringing it about. Reeves has already proven himself an accomplished biographer, especially of Presidents Reagan, Nixon, and Kennedy. This is apparently his first biography of a scientist.
   
   Reeves traces Rutherford's trajectory from New Zealand to the Cavendish in Cambridge to McGill (in Montreal) to Manchester and beyond. But the real story is Rutherford's discovery of the structure of the atom. Although the topic may sound boring to those not interested in such things, Reeves effectively relays the excitement and drama of this particular scientific discovery (the ability to do so of which is the real strength of many of the books in the 'Great Discoveries' series). Here's but one example: Reeves describing Rutherford's reaction after his team first split the atom:
   
   "Rutherford's first reaction was to swear Cockcroft, Walton, and Chadwick to secrecy...until the results could be published in 'Nature'. Only God could know what the Americans would come up with if they knew in advance of publication. ... Of course the secret did not really hold...Rutherford [soon] told members [of the Royal Society] what happened...then he swept his arm toward Cockcroft and Walton and boomed out, 'Stand up, boys! Let everyone have a look at you!' " (p. 147-48)
   
   Because politics and history appear to be Reeves' own biographical strengths, we learn perhaps as much or more about Rutherford's impact on politics and history (e.g. helping 'rescue' European scientists during WWII) as we do his impact on science. This is not to say that Reeves does not adequately discuss or understand Rutherford's scientific accomplishments (he does--he was an engineer early on in his career), but rather that Reeve's does not do any original analysis of Rutherford's scientific work. The author admits there are better (e.g. longer) sources available for this (see his bibliography at the back of 'A Force of Nature').
   
   Overall, this is a highly readable biography of one of the 20th century's greatest scientists, and is a good starting point for those interested in learning more about Rutherford.
   
   Final note (for full disclosure): As a reviewer for a major newspaper, I often receive books that I am not able review in print. I was pleased however to receive this one and was impressed enough to review it online.

5 comments about The Emperor of Scent: A True Story of Perfume and Obsession.

1. Well written - hard to put down.
   This book reveal the politics at the heart of the "scientific process" in a fascinating, entertaining, and completely personal way. Even the chemistry is made accessible and inspires a desire to learn more.
   Burr's characterization of Turin is honest, funny and completely human. An excellent adventure! I can't wait to read more of his work!



2. I read everything Chandler Burr writes. This is his most magnificent offering - easy to follow and wonderful to know. He switches back and forth from NY to France over and over until you are entirely entranced.



3. This book is simply awesome. Before reading it, I was already somewhat familiar with its subject matter (it's the story of the distinctly unorthodox biophysicist, Luca Turin, and his efforts to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms underlying the sense of smell). I'd seen a BBC documentary about Turin's work, which was interesting and accessible. I'd also read Turin's own account, "The Secret of Scent", which was oddly less interesting than one would expect, given the flamboyance of Turin's personality, and which left key aspects of the research maddeningly opaque, though not deliberately so - I look forward to reading it again, now that I've read Burr's account.
   
   Chandler Burr and Luca Turin met by chance, when both were waiting for the (delayed) Eurostar train from Paris to London. During the trip, Turin explained his work, and the revolutionary theory of smell which it supported; by the time they arrived at Waterloo Station, Burr knew that he had to write about it. Their meeting was a stroke of luck for Turin, and for all of us. Burr's account of Turin's work approaches perfection: it's articulate, fascinating, funny, and extraordinarily well-written. His ability to explain the details of Turin's somewhat abstruse theory in an accessible fashion leaves me slackjawed in admiration. The ability to communicate scientific ideas effectively to non-specialists is an important skill in my job, so I know how hard it can be, and have a healthy respect for anyone who can manage it. Only a handful of science writers can do it well; Chandler Burr makes it look effortless.
   
   This ability alone, to make scientifically complex subjects accessible to the general reader, would make the book worth reading. But the book is much more than a clear exposition of a difficult scientific exploration. It's a fascinating story, with larger-than-life characters, backstabbing, intrigue, bad behavior among scientists, written in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat.
   
   One of the best books I've read in the last five years.



4. Burr is simply amazing. One of the top five books I've ever read. The story of Luca Turin's "Theory of Smell." Who would have known in this day and age the world had no idea how the nose worked? Turin's road to discovery and the obstacles set before him by the closed-minded academia. Burr does an amazing job of setting the stage honing in on Turin's eccentricities. A great insight into perfume, perfume makers, and a brief history of perfume. I have given over fifty copies to friends and customers. Even today most ENT doctors have not read the [..]the nose.



5. This is an interesting book until it occurs to you that his claim has not been proved. This is annoying because there is indeed no presentation of the opposing side and so without any semblance of balance we cannot really know if this is valid or not.