|
Natural Acts |
David Quamman |
Collection of beautifully
crafted short pieces on science and nature, especially good on unexpected
animal topics. |
Biology, overview |
|
Natural Computing |
Dennis Shasha & Kathy Lazere |
Remarkable stories from the
individuals working at the edge of what's possible with computers - just
lacks a bit of 'is this realistic?'
|
Technology |
|
Nature via Nurture |
Matt Ridley |
A superbly balanced picture of the ages-old
debate between nature and nurture, and the latest thinking to emerge from
genetic science |
Human science |
|
Nature's Robots: A
History of Proteins |
Charles Tanford & Jacqueline
Reynolds |
Accessible history of science
textbook on proteins and their discovery, but not really popular science
 |
Biology |
|
Neutrino |
Frank Close |
Small but totally fascinating
book on the hunt for this most elusive of quantum particles. Superb insight
into the way real science works.
 |
Physics |
|
The
Never Ending Days of Being Dead |
Marcus Chown |
A clear exploration of some of the big
questions in physics, bringing in a range of weird and wonderful theories
|
Physics, cosmology |
|
The New Killer Germs |
Pete Moore |
Very effective if depressing
account of our battle against bacteria and viruses, and how things are
likely to get worse in the future
|
Human science |
|
New Theories of
Everything |
John D. Barrow |
Hard to read, but insightful
exploration of the nature of theories in science and how they are
constructed, particularly around physics and theories of everything.
|
Physics |
| The Northern Lights |
Lucy Jago |
Kristian Birkeland, the
Norwegian scientist who first uncovered the secret of the Northern Lights
|
Biography, physics |
|
Not a Chimp |
Jeremy Taylor |
Convincing exploration of the
very real differences between humans and chimps, overlooked by simply
comparing genes |
Human science |
|
Not Exactly |
Kees van Deemter |
A study of vagueness in
language, logic, computing, and everyday life. Highly original but often
abstract, and could be more cohesive. |
Overview |
|
Nothing: a very short
introduction |
Frank Close |
Turns out to be more 'basic
ideas in modern physics', often well presented, though very compact - but
not quite what the title promises.
|
Physics |
| The Nothing that Is |
Robert Kaplan |
An enjoyable tour around
that most significant gap in our counting system, zero |
Maths |
|
Not Even Wrong |
Peter Woit |
Stunning but hugely
difficult book describing the failing of string theory and why it perhaps
isn't even science. [UNRATEABLE] |
Physics |
|
No Two Alike |
Judith Rich Harris |
A real page turner as the
author explores how personalities differ, with a style that owes as much to
a murder mystery as a science book |
Human science |
|
Number Freak |
Derrick Niederman |
Goes through every number from
1 to 200 trying to find interesting things to say about it. A bit like
counting sheep.
|
Maths |
|
Number Freaking |
Gary Rimmer |
Entertaining book of strange
statistics. The format (guess the answer from three) gets a little tedious
|
Maths |
|
Numbers: a very short
introduction |
Peter M. Higgins |
Pocket introduction to the
nature of numbers. A mixed bag - some bits interesting, some rather dull..
|
Maths |
|
On Being |
Peter Atkins |
Interesting attempt to apply
scientific thinking to the 'great questions of existence' - specifically the
beginnings and endings of everything. |
Overview |
|
Once Before Time |
Martin Bojowald |
Explanation of loop quantum
gravity, the main competitor to string theory. Knows his stuff, but not how
to write about it.
|
Physics, cosmology |
|
The One True Platonic
Heaven |
John L. Casti |
Cleverly written fictional
encounter between key physicists and mathematicians at the IAS - with some
politics thrown in for fun
|
Overview |
|
The Origins of Meaning |
James R. Hurford |
A detailed and scholarly, but
accessible, survey of the evolution of linguistic meaning.
|
Human science |
| Our Cosmic Habitat |
Martin Rees |
A clear and well-written
guide to the universe from the Astronomer Royal |
Cosmology, astronomy |
|
Our Inner Ape |
Frans de Waal |
The affection the author feels
for chimps and bonobos comes through strongly as he explores the behaviour
of our closest relatives, and what it can tell us about ourselves
|
Biology |
|
The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing |
Richard Dawkins |
Interesting collection of extracts from many great science writers and
scientists. Excellent sampler. |
Overview |
|
The Oxford Dictionary of
Scientific Quotations |
W.
F. Bynum and Roy Porter |
Absolutely brilliant
collection of quotations from scientists and about science. An absolutely
must-have reference.
|
Overview |
|
Oxygen |
Nick Lane |
Not, as it may seem a book on
the element, but on its complex relationship with life. Great content but
very hard work for the reader.
|
Biology, human sciences |
|
Packing for Mars |
Mary Roach |
Not a lot of science and
technology but a fascinating and often hilarious at what the experience of
space travel is like for real astronauts.
|
Technology |
|
Pandora's Breeches |
Patricia Fara |
Interesting exploration of
women's early role in science
|
Biography |
|
Parallel Worlds |
Michio Kaku |
Fascinating ideas on parallel
universes, cosmology and string theory only slightly let down by
oversimplification and mixed writing. |
Cosmology, physics |
|
Pathfinders |
Jim Al-Khalili |
Fascinating stories of the
amazing figures of Arabic science who built the foundations of the
renaissance. The analysis is less effective, but that's not important.
|
Overview |
|
Pavlov's dogs and
Schrödinger's cat |
Rom Harré |
Rather strained and low key
book on the use of animals and plants as scientific instruments and
experimental equipment.
|
Overview |
|
Perfect Copy |
Nicholas Agar |
Good introduction to the
working of cloning and exploration of the ethical implications and uses
|
Human science |
|
Perfect Rigour |
Masha Gessen |
The remarkable story of how
Russian mathematician Gregory Perelman solved one of the biggest problems in
maths, then withdrew from everything, ignoring his accolades.
|
Mathematics |
|
Perfectly Reasonable
Deviations from the Beaten Track |
Richard Feynman |
Absolutely fascinating
collection of letters from one of the greatest scientists ever
|
Biography |
|
The Periodic Table |
Eric R. Scerri |
An in-depth exploration of the
birth and development of the periodic table. Too technical and not enough
context for the general reader.
|
Chemistry |
|
Periodic Tales |
Hugh Aldersey-Williams |
Entertaining exploration of
the elements with lots of stories about their use and discovery, plus the
author's personal experience of accumulating elements.
|
Chemistry |
|
Personality |
Daniel Nettle |
Using a series of
quasi-Jungian personality type measures, psychologist Daniel Nettle looks at
how our personalities differ and why we may have evolved this way.
|
Human science |
|
Phantoms in the Brain |
Sandra Blakeslee & V. S. Ramachandran |
The workings of the brain
cleverly explored through mental problems and the effects of brain damage
|
Human science |
|
Physics and Technology for Future Presidents |
Richard A. Muller |
Excellent as a textbook for a
physics course for arts majors, but if you want great popular science, turn
to its sister, Physics for Future Presidents.. |
Physics |
|
Physics for Future Presidents |
Richard A. Muller |
One of the cleverest concepts we've ever come
across - the physics you ought to know if you are going to be US president -
and wonderfully delivered too. |
Physics |
| The Physics of Star Trek |
Lawrence M. Krauss |
How much can real science
make the wonders of Star Trek possible? |
TV, physics |
|
The Physics of Superheroes |
James Kakalios |
One of the better 'science of'/'physics of'
books, using the exploits of superheroes to explore everything from
mechanics to electromagnetism.. |
Physics |
|
Physics of the Impossible |
Michio Kaku |
Remarkable span of ideas,
pulling together everything from robots and phasers to time travel and
teleportation. Looks at why they are currently impossible and how they make
become possible in the future. |
Physics |
|
The Piltdown Forgery |
Joseph Weiner |
Fifty years after it was
discredited, OUP publish an updated version of Weiner's still very readable
account
|
Human science |
|
Plan B 2.0 |
Lester R. Brown |
Disappointingly dull and
uninspiring plan to save the world from eco-disaster, though does have a
good survey of the problems.
 |
Earth science |
|
The Planets |
Dava Sobel |
Highly poetic and personal
exploration of the solar system - enjoyable reading but a little weak on
science |
Astronomy |
|
Planets - a very short
introduction |
David A. Rothery |
Despite the limitations of the
compact pocket format, this proves a surprisingly readable and informative
summary of the planets and their moons.
|
Astronomy |
|
The Planet in a Pebble |
Jan Zalasiewicz |
Absolutely brilliant concept of exploring the history of the planet
geologically from a single pebble, and very well told - but a shame that
some of the geology is a touch dull.
|
Earth science |
|
Plastic Fantastic |
Eugenie Samuel Reich |
The gripping story of the
biggest known fraud in physics, but could have been told better.
|
Physics |
|
Pleasurable Kingdom |
Jonathan Balcombe |
Can animals feel pleasure? Pet
owners will say "yes" - this book shows they're probably right, and explains
why it happens and why we should consider it in animal welfare.
|
Biology |
|
Pleasure [The Compass of
Pleasure] |
David J. Linden |
Good, readable exploration of
the nature of pleasure in its impact on the brain, plus vice and addiction,
but is just occasionally a bit slow when dealing with the detailed workings.
|
Human science |
|
The Pluto Files |
Neil deGrasse
Tyson |
Glossy book on Pluto that
falls down by not being sure what it is, and having a bit of a dull subject.
|
Astronomy |
|
The Poison Paradox |
John Timbrell |
Comprehensive but rather repetitive and weakly
edited guide to the nature of poisons, both natural and synthetic
|
Biology,
chemistry |
|
Polio: An American Story |
David M. Oshinsky |
A masterful job of bringing to
life the struggles to develop a vaccine against polio. Not as US-centric as
the title suggests. |
Human Science |
|
Possessing Genius: The
Bizarre Odyssey of Einstein's Brain |
Carolyn Abraham |
Occasionally gory but
fascinating account of what happened to Einstein's brain after his death
|
Biography, human science |
|
Postcards from Mars |
Jim
Bell |
Great photographs of the
Martian surface taken by the rovers, with good explanatory text, but after a
while the pictures are very similar to each other.
|
Astronomy |
|
Power, Sex, Suicide |
Nick Lane |
It sounds like a
political thriller, but it's a fascinating if fat exploration of the role of
mitochondria, the invader power packs of complex life.
|
Biology |
|
Powering Up |
Rebecca Mileham |
Thought-provoking exploration of the effects
computer games have on us. Sometimes over-enthusiastic, but mostly good.
|
Technology |
|
Predictably Irrational |
Dan Ariely |
Great demonstration of how
flawed the conventional economics assumption that humans make rations
decisions is, with a string of experiments.
|
Human science |
|
The Presence of the Past |
Rupert Sheldrake |
Interesting idea of 'morphic resonance' shaping everything from crystals to
human beings, but rather dull reading and in the end not convincing.
|
Overview |
|
The Prism and the
Pendulum |
Robert P. Crease |
The ten most beautiful
experiments in science (well, physics), with good insights into the people
behind them.
|
Physics |
|
Prisoner's Dilemma |
William Poundstone |
Interesting biography of John
von Neumann plus introduction to game theory and its cold war significance
|
Maths |
|
Programming the Universe |
Seth Lloyd |
An attempt to make quantum
theory and quantum computers more approachable by using information theory
just makes things harder
|
Physics |
|
Proust and the Squid |
Maryanne Wolf |
Wonderful concept - looking at
how the brain copes with reading - not very well executed as a popular
science book. |
Human science |
|
Pythagoras |
Kitty Ferguson |
A difficult task in writing a
book on a person we know almost nothing about (and not much more on his
theories) - but instead we follow his influence through the centuries in a
fascinating fashion. |
Biography |
|
Pythagoras' Revenge |
Arturo Sangalli |
Popular maths, mostly from ancient Greece,
presented in a novel. Brilliant idea, execution not so good.(*) |
Maths |
|
Q&A: Cosmic Conundrums
and Everyday Mysteries of Science |
Robert Matthews |
Lots of fun and some
significant surprises in this selection of answers to the scientific
questions we'd all like to ask, but haven't
|
Overview |
|
Quantify! |
Göran Grimvall |
Subtitled 'a crash course in
smart thinking' this book takes a look at how numbers should best be used.
|
Mathematics |
|
Quantum |
Manjit Kumar |
Long, rather dull and too
technical history of the development of quantum theory.
|
Physics |
|
Quantum Enigma |
Bruce Rosenblum & Fred Kuttner |
Not so much physics as
metaphysics in this exploration of the interpretations of quantum theory and
their implications (if any) for consciousness. Good if you're interested in
quantum interpretations.
|
Physics |
|
Quantum Man |
Lawrence M. Krauss |
On the surface a biography of
Richard Feynman, the book is much more an explanation of his science. Some
intriguing stuff, but could have been better explained. |
Physics |
|
Quantum Physics: A
Beginner's Guide |
Alistair I. M. Rae |
Worthy if dull introduction
that is reminiscent of a university lecture. Strangely omits some key
aspects of quantum physics. |
Physics |
|
Quantum Physics for Poets |
Leon Lederman & Christopher Hill |
A workmanlike introduction to
quantum physics but not great at explaining to the general reader. Better
for physics students than poets.
|
Physics |
|
Quantum Theory Cannot Hurt You [The Quantum Zoo] |
Marcus Chown |
The best introduction to
quantum physics and relativity we've seen with some superb examples and
great explanation |
Physics |
|
Quantum Reality |
Nick Herbert |
Stodgy and impenetrable trip
around the metaphysics underlying quantum theory
|
Physics |
|
The Quantum Universe:
everything that can happen does happen |
Brian Cox & Jeff
Forshaw |
A superb primer on
quantum physics for anyone about to start a physics degree, but incredibly
hard work for a general reader.
|
Physics |
|
QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter |
Richard Feynman |
Great insight into Feynman's
genius in these transcribed lectures, in not popular science
|
Physics |
| The Queen's Conjuror |
Benjamin Woolley |
The remarkable John Dee and
his fascinating mix of science and magic
|
Biography |
|
The Quest for the Quantum
Computer |
Julian Brown |
Very good exploration of the
weird world of quantum computing. Five star for techies, but actual rating
reflects over-technical approach.
|
Physics, technology |
|
Radiation and Reason |
Wade Allison |
Powerful arguments for a
better assessment of the risk of nuclear power, but could do to be more
approachable.
|
Physics, human science |
|
Rain |
Brian Cathcart |
Some lovely insights into rain
and its effects, but too short
|
Earth science |
|
The Rainhill Trials |
Christopher McGowan |
Pure technology, but a
fascinating insight into the men and machines that brought railways into
being
|
Technology |
|
The Rational Optimist |
Matt Ridley |
Not really science, more
a political polemic, but a wonderful exploration of why things are better
than they used to be thanks to trade and the interaction of ideas - a great
counter to doom mongers. |
Human science |
|
Rats |
Robert Sullivan |
A study of the wild rat in New
York, in Robert Sullivan's unique style that brings in many fascinating
tangential stories |
Biology |
|
Real Mosquitoes Don't Eat
Meat |
Brad Wetzler |
A collection of delightful and
fun answers to those questions that always puzzle us, in this case about the
natural world
|
Overview |
|
Relativity: a very short introduction |
Russell Stannard |
A concise and effective summary of both
special and general relativity, but more suited to a physics student than
the general reader. |
Physics |
|
Relativity for the
Questioning Mind |
Daniel Styler |
Introduction to relativity
that takes the form of a workbook plus FAQs - works surprisingly well if you
like the approach (probably not best as a first book to read on relativity
though) |
Physics |
|
Richard Dawkins: How a
Scientist Changed the Way We Think |
Alan Grafen & Mark Ridley |
Collection of essays inspired
by Richard Dawkins, sadly lacking his style and readability, and not
addressing the man himself |
Biology |
|
Richard Feynman: A Life in Science |
John Gribbin & Mary Gribbin |
Plodding style and under-done explanation of
the science make this biog of super-scientist Feynman disappointing
|
Biography, physics |
|
Rising Force |
James D. Livingston |
The history and science of
levitation. Not just maglev trains (though they feature large), but the
characters, inventions and patent wars, making an enjoyable read.
|
Physics |
|
The Rising Sea |
Orrin H. Pilkey & Rob Young |
Impressive and telling
description of how sea level can be expected to rise and what it's impact
will be on humans, wildlife and land masses.
|
Earth science |
|
Risk: a very short
introduction |
Baruch Fischhoff & John Kadvany |
Good background on decision
making with risk as a factor, but doesn't really explore risk and its
positive aspects.
|
Maths |
|
Risk: The science and
politics of fear |
Dan Gardner |
Good insights into how human
responses divide into 'head' and 'gut' and how our gut leads us to be
frightened more than we should. |
Human science |
|
The Road to Reality |
Roger Penrose |
Remarkable tour-de-force
exploration of physics and its mathematical basis, but almost totally
incomprehensible!
|
Physics,
maths |
|
Rock & Gem |
Ronald Louis Bonewitz |
Not really popular science,
but a beautifully illustrated reference on all kinds of rocks, minerals &
gems
|
Earth science |
|
The Rocketbelt Caper |
Paul Brown |
Stranger than fiction true story of the
development of the rocketbelt and the plunge into kidnapping and murder that
one rocketbelt caused |
Technology |
|
The Rough Guide to Climate Change |
Robert Henson |
An excellent introduction to the whys and
wherefores of global warming: mix of politics and science, hence relatively
low score
|
Earth science |
|
The Rough Guide to the
Future |
Jon Turney |
Interesting idea of exploring
the future, well written, but let down by the lack of science and often
rather dull topics that have to be covered but don't inspire.
|
Overview |
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