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In Pursuit Of The Unknown: 17 Equations That Changed The World (1996)

by Ian Stewart(Favorite Author)

3.92 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0465029736 (ISBN13: 9780465029730)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Basic Books

review 1: This book is one of those attempts to liven up a dull list of sciencesque things by providing some of the story surrounding the things. (The Disappearing Spoon being the canonical example of this genre.) It's not bad, but nor is it all that good.Part of the problem is the limited audience. Unless you already know some of this stuff already, the book will be rough going. It's not pitched at someone new to science and math. Luckily, I'm new to neither science nor math, so it wasn't a problem for me. Alas, the blurb for the book claims it's approachable, a claim I suspect is shaky for many folks.Given that I'm in the audience for it, I enjoyed it, despite some drawbacks. He does a nice job showing the history leading to the entitled equations, sometimes making my jaw drop. (W... moreow! Lorentz contraction equations derived from Pythagoras? Hell yeah!) He also does a decent job showing the ramifications of these equations. So, what's the drawback?The author jumps on his soapbox too often. He rails against current theories regarding quantum mechanics and dark matter, based on little more than a personal discomfort with them. He ends the book with a rant against the financial folks who crashed the economy recently. While I agree with him, it's really jarring to find personal rants in the middle of talk of equations. It doesn't ruin the book, but it sure detracts from the larger points.
review 2: Now I know some people will insist they hate/can't do Maths/Physics but this is a book that everyone should at least try to read. Where did the technology for your mobile phone, your computer, your Satnav come from? Ian Stewart makes complicated stuff very accessible. If you read the last chapter, you'll have a much better idea of what happened to cause the Global Financial Crisis-and you should know that. It's all about people with not quite enough understanding using the wrong Maths for the circumstances.I could go on, but just give it a whirl. You might even enjoy it! less

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