Post: #1

What are some good books about different scientific subjects that would appeal to someone who isn't a complete nerd but has nerdy tendencies? In other words, dumb guys who like to pretend they're smart or wish they were.

A favorite of mine is Billy Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything."
http://www.amazon.com/A-Short-History-Ne...076790818X

Quote:One of the world’s most beloved writers and bestselling author of One Summer takes his ultimate journey—into the most intriguing and intractable questions that science seeks to answer.

In A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson trekked the Appalachian Trail—well, most of it. In A Sunburned Country, he confronted some of the most lethal wildlife Australia has to offer. Now, in his biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand—and, if possible, answer—the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory everything from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, Bryson seeks to understand how we got from there being nothing at all to there being us. To that end, he has attached himself to a host of the world’s most advanced (and often obsessed) archaeologists, anthropologists, and mathematicians, travelling to their offices, laboratories, and field camps. He has read (or tried to read) their books, pestered them with questions, apprenticed himself to their powerful minds. A Short History of Nearly Everything is the record of this quest, and it is a sometimes profound, sometimes funny, and always supremely clear and entertaining adventure in the realms of human knowledge, as only Bill Bryson can render it. Science has never been more involving or entertaining.

A seriously entertaining, fascinating book and highly recommended reading for anyone, whether science interests you or not.

Any other suggestions? Topics I'm especially interested in at the moment include anything about outer space or time travel (wait is that "science?" lol). I also like anything that discusses science and philosophy or spirituality together, even if it's just to discuss the differences in perception on a topic.

Okay, screw what I want. Whattayagot?

Post: #2

I've read a few by Brain Greene that I've really enjoyed.

http://www.amazon.com/Brian-Greene/e/B00...580&sr=8-1

He covers things a little more in depth and complex than Biil Bryson however, but still very readable for scientific material I thought.

Also, on space, the book "Five Billion Years of Solitude: The Search for Life Among the Stars" by Lee Billings came out last year. I haven't read it yet, but it has gotten really good reviews on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1617230065/ref=...0MS6FBGDBT

Post: #3

Cool. This is exactly the kind of stuff I'm looking for.

Post: #4

(01-22-2014 11:31 AM)Beyond Borders Wrote:  What are some good books about different scientific subjects that would appeal to someone who isn't a complete nerd but has nerdy tendencies? In other words, dumb guys who like to pretend they're smart or wish they were.

A favorite of mine is Billy Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything."
http://www.amazon.com/A-Short-History-Ne...076790818X

Quote:One of the world’s most beloved writers and bestselling author of One Summer takes his ultimate journey—into the most intriguing and intractable questions that science seeks to answer.

In A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson trekked the Appalachian Trail—well, most of it. In A Sunburned Country, he confronted some of the most lethal wildlife Australia has to offer. Now, in his biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand—and, if possible, answer—the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory everything from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, Bryson seeks to understand how we got from there being nothing at all to there being us. To that end, he has attached himself to a host of the world’s most advanced (and often obsessed) archaeologists, anthropologists, and mathematicians, travelling to their offices, laboratories, and field camps. He has read (or tried to read) their books, pestered them with questions, apprenticed himself to their powerful minds. A Short History of Nearly Everything is the record of this quest, and it is a sometimes profound, sometimes funny, and always supremely clear and entertaining adventure in the realms of human knowledge, as only Bill Bryson can render it. Science has never been more involving or entertaining.

A seriously entertaining, fascinating book and highly recommended reading for anyone, whether science interests you or not.

Any other suggestions? Topics I'm especially interested in at the moment include anything about outer space or time travel (wait is that "science?" lol). I also like anything that discusses science and philosophy or spirituality together, even if it's just to discuss the differences in perception on a topic.

Okay, screw what I want. Whattayagot?

Bryson writes well but is a jumped up self important patronising oaf, so I tend to swerve his stuff.

Post: #5

The Bill Bryson book is a fun introduction to science in general.

But the Brain Greene books are incredible. They are the best popular physics books I have read. My Dad was a physics teacher for 35 years and he was amazed at how good they were as well.

This is the one to get:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Fabric-Cosmos-...0375727205

Here is a fascinating concept I first came across in the Brian Greene book above:

/thread-20880-...#pid374867

The best book on evolution is definitely 'The Blind Watchmaker' by Richard Dawkins. After that you may want to get in a bit deeper by reading 'The Selfish Gene'. And after that you may want to think about the philosophical consequences of evolution and natural selection by checking out 'Darwin's Dangerous Idea' by the philosopher, Daniel Dennett.

After that - if you want an offbeat choice of book. I would investigate the following book which is a fascinating discussion of the nature of physics, information theory, entropy, complexity and how it all links into a famous early computer game called 'The Game of Life'.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Recursive-Un...poundstone

It is written by William Poundstone. He is possibly my favourite writer in the world - and always picks fascinating and unusual topics for each of his books. A really interesting, creative and smart guy.

Post: #6

The Moral Animal by Robert Wright. Covers the hot controversial topics of evolutionary psychology such as : cheating strategies for males and females, social determinism VS biological determinism, etc. It teaches the mechanisms behind them and begins from the start. The author goes through Darwin's life but also use alot of contemporary examples. Btw, in the studies he cites they say there is a high number of bastard child in England.

Post: #7

This might be a bit off topic, but these books are about basic economics, law, and foreign policy.
http://www.amazon.com/Uncle-Series-11-Bo...B006YKEN4E

Post: #8

Firstly, will check out the Brian Greene books. Definitely need to brush up on Physics.

On to the original question:

If I could only choose one book I'd say Richard Dawkins (yes) "The Selfish Gene".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Selfish_Gene

It was his first book I think, which he wrote in the 70's. For me this book genuinely added more to my understanding of, I don't know, life itself, than any other I have read. There are two absolutely critical concepts he identifies and explains. Firstly he explains the gene centric view of evolution and why he believes it is at the level of genes that evolution actually happens. Not at the level of organisms, despite how things look. The full implications of this are profound when you follow the logic this sets up. The second concept, which he only brings up at the end of the book, and disappointingly hasn't really gone into in much greater depth since the publication of the book, is of course the coining of the term "meme" and his explanation of what he means by it. There's a lot of debate whether Dawkins was the first person to bring up the concept of memes, but it is another absolutely critical way of looking at the world. Also, the "meme eyed view" has been key to many of the Internet Billionaires fortunes. The only IT guy I have known who has acknowledged Dawkins and the meme concept is Bill Gates (in one of his biographies), but many of others owe their fortunes to understanding this concept.

Dawkins has a very accessible writing style, despite him being a very smart guy, so don't worry about understanding the book despite not being a biologist. But..... IMO, and despite being an atheist myself, Dawkins has messed up his reputation by driving atheism too hard. It has crowded out his earlier works, like "The Selfish Gene", which really does explain life in a very profound way, and most people, whatever their religion, or lack thereof, would benefit by reading.

So there you have it:

The Selfish Gene: Dawkins, Richard.

Post: #9

(01-22-2014 12:08 PM)amity Wrote:  Bryson writes well but is a jumped up self important patronising oaf, so I tend to swerve his stuff.

I can see where you'd feel that way, but I'd say this particular book is an exception. It''s been quite some time since I read it, so there's a possibility I'm misrembering - and I invite anyone else to correct me if I am - but as I recall, it was far less inside his own head than his other books.

Post: #10

The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman, is about what materials, manmade or not, would remain if the human race were to hypothetically vanish today. Most people have some guesses as to what will remain if you ask them, so it's been a good conversational topic for me. Definitely good material for intellectual girls.

Can't believe no one has mentioned this, but Mean Genes by Terry Burnham should be pretty much required reading. It explains why some habits, such as eating tasty/sugary/fatty food, handling money, and even the social anxiety we feel when approaching women, aka approach anxiety, are so difficult to break… it's because our genes have simply not had the time to evolve an appropriate response to these powerful new temptations. It changed my way of thinking about these temptations, and made me a lot better at avoiding them.

Post: #11

Ben Goldacre's books describe the science behind healthcare and pharmaceuticals really nicely (he doesn't talk much about medicine, but rather the scientific processes of proving that something works in healthcare, and the inherent biases that all people bring to the table that can distort even well-intentioned results). Even your average doctor would learn a lot from it (I did), but it's written for the layman.

Post: #12

Shit, I was going to recommend Bill Bryson.

But since you mentioned him, and you're looking for approachable science, you'd definitely be into the "Radiolab" podcasts. Not a book obviously, but they're some of the best produced stuff out there right now when it comes to layman's science and general curiosity. Start with this one on Color: http://www.radiolab.org/story/211119-colors/

You can download on your smartphone and listen on the go.

If you're into space and time travel type stuff, check out the "MinutePhysics" youtube channel. Great intro and jumping off point for those kinds of topics:

Post: #13

I second the recommendations of "A short history of nearly everything" and "The moral animal" but one I another one I enjoyed that hasn't been mentioned is "bad ideas" by Robert Winston.

It's an easy read, and just takes a look at the unplanned consequences of major advances in technology like agriculture, weaponry, medicine etc.

Post: #14

Completely forgot about Steven Pinkers books. Many here will already have read The Blank Slate" It's definitely worth a read, but it was another of his books "how the mind works" that I found most useful.

Since everything we experience is through the lens of our own mind, understanding how it does what it does can revolutionise how you see the world, or at least help you make sense of it.

Post: #15

The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan, discussion man's relationship with four plants expressing four different desires - the apple (sweetness), tulips (beauty), marijuana (intoxication/pleasure), and the potato (sustenance).

Post: #16

Brian Greene is great at making you feel like you understand physics but it's mostly a smoke show.

If you want a real understanding Richard Feynman does a great job. His lectures on physics series are classics. I also really liked "The Character of Physical Law".








For math I think Ivars Peterson's books, "Mathematical Tourist: New and Updated Snapshots of Modern Mathematics" and "Mathematical Treks: From Surreal Numbers to Magic Circles (Spectrum)" are both very good.

Post: #17

'The Naked Ape' by Desmond Morris is a classic that I'm sure many of you will have read. His observations of the human race from a strictly zoological view were cutting edge back in the 60s. It's interesting to see how he links evolutionary advances from past millennia to how we behave today (in essence we have not evolved anywhere near as fast as our technological/societal gains). It's even more interesting to pick up where he left off, and ponder how the modern technology that he could not have dreamed of when he wrote this book is impacting upon us as race.

@Cincinattus- I've a keen albeit amateur interest in botany, so I will most definitely grab a copy of that.

Post: #18

All Bryson's books are good reads.
I'd also recommend anything by Oliver Sacks. "The Last Hippie" is one of the strangest things i've read. (I didn't know they made an indie film of it.)
http://www.oliversacks.com/film-stage/th...r-stopped/

"A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking is good -- only about 200 pages and written for the lay person.

Post: #19

I agree with Ensam -- Feynman's lectures are superb if you want to gain some actual insight rather than the illusion of one. And "The Character of Physical Law" is a great place to start for a layman. Not to mention that it's always a pleasure to see and hear Feynman speak.

Post: #20

These may not be hard science books, but for anthropology/history presented in an enjoyable and easily digestible way, Thomas Cahill's 'Hinges of History' series has 6 books, with one more on the way.
Each book covers a specific group or period: The Irish, Jews, Christians, Greeks, Middle Ages, Renaissance. The Renaissance one just came out last year, I still need to read it.
They are fairly short and do a good job of connecting each group/period to those around it, and how they ended up affecting us today.

Post: #21

(01-22-2014 11:37 AM)Doctor Wrote:  I've read a few by Brain Greene that I've really enjoyed.

http://www.amazon.com/Brian-Greene/e/B00...580&sr=8-1

He covers things a little more in depth and complex than Biil Bryson however, but still very readable for scientific material I thought.

Also, on space, the book "Five Billion Years of Solitude: The Search for Life Among the Stars" by Lee Billings came out last year. I haven't read it yet, but it has gotten really good reviews on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1617230065/ref=...0MS6FBGDBT

I read the Five Billion Years of Solitude book linked above. Ok. Not great by any means. It seemed sort of scattered to me. There is a chapter basically entirely on CO2 and global warming on earth and most of a chapter that gives a short biography of a (female) scientist and her husband and how they met and how he died of cancer. The CO2 thing is mildly relevant as it has to do with the formation of our current atmosphere, but he covered that later and that chapter seemed to tie in to the whole story very little.
The book is roughly 260 pages to a quick read. Not as much science as I would have thought, but definitely some interesting stuff. The field of searching for earth like planets in it's current state is still relatively new so maybe that's why there is a lack of concrete info. There is a solid list of suggested reading in the back though so if I decide to look into the topic further I have potential ideas.

Post: #22

All this and no mention of Carl Sagan? His books and show are legendary in this regard.

Post: #23

James Burke's "Connections" documentary TV series is interesting -- how discoveries, events and scientific achievements through history are connected to modern technology.

YouTube has a lot of old episodes:

http://www.youtube.com/user/JamesBurkeWeb?feature=watch

Post: #24

(01-31-2014 11:14 AM)blkgatsby Wrote:  All this and no mention of Carl Sagan? His books and show are legendary in this regard.

Carl Sagan´s Cosmos blew my mind 30 years ago and it still does now.

Post: #25

I like Michio Kaku's work. http://www.amazon.com/Michio-Kaku/e/B000ARDFYQ