Tag Archives: genre

The Universe and the Teacup – K. C. Cole

by Myrna Posted on April 6, 2018

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The Universe and the Teacup

The Mathematics of Truth and Beauty

K. C. Cole

Genre: Mathematics

Price: $2.99

Publish Date: January 15, 1998

Publisher: Mariner Books

Seller: OpenRoad Integrated Media, LLC


From the acclaimed Los Angeles Times  science writer, a wise, witty, and elegant study of how math provides practical solutions to everyday problems.   Are the secrets of the universe written in words—or is it all about the digits? K.C. Cole follows up her paean to the power of physics, Sympathetic Vibrations , with this engaging and accessible guide to the might and majesty of mathematics. The Universe and the Teacup uses relatable examples, humorous prose, and whimsical line drawings to demonstrate math’s ability to “translate the complexity of the world into manageable patterns.”   Cole shows how mathematical concepts illuminate everything from human risk-taking behavior to astronomical investigation, game theory to logic problems—not to mention the very structure of the universe itself. Brimming with trivia stressing the importance of math throughout history, this is a book both math nerds and the “innumerate” everyday person can enjoy in equal measure.   “Cole writes clearly, simply and vividly,” noted The New York Times . “She so obviously likes mathematics, the reader can't help liking it too.” Filled with “a thousand fascinating facts and shrewd observations (Martin Gardner, Los Angeles Times ), this book demonstrates how the truth and beauty of everything, from relativity to rainbows, is all in the numbers.  A popular science columnist for the Los Angeles Times and teacher at UCLA, K. C. Cole is a recipient of the 1995 American Institute of Physics Award for Best Science Writing.  She is also the author of the internationally bestselling The Universe and the Teacup , First You Build a Cloud , and The Hole in the Universe . Cole lives in Santa Monica, California. “Even the most confirmed mathophobe should find it an easy read, and possibly even a fascinating one. . . . Science journalism can be a frustrating craft. . . . K. C. Cole of the Los Angeles Times is one of the best.” — The Boston Globe   “A most unusual book, one with no math in it at all . . . Cole’s beguiling and lucid book provides fresh insights into the crucial role that mathematics plays in science. . . . With lighthearted wit, she makes clear how numbers alone can explain so much but never all.” — San Francisco Chronicle   “Cole helps to teach us that math is more than just a tool to balance our checkbooks. It’s the key to understanding the beauty of a rainbow and to discovering our true place in the universe.” — Astronomy

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The Universe and the Teacup – K. C. Cole

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How It Began: A Time-Traveler’s Guide to the Universe – Chris Impey

by Myrna Posted on April 2, 2018

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How It Began: A Time-Traveler’s Guide to the Universe

Chris Impey

Genre: Astronomy

Price: $1.99

Publish Date: March 26, 2012

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Seller: W. W. Norton


“Impey combines the vision of a practicing scientist with the voice of a gifted storyteller.”—Dava Sobel In this vibrant, eye-opening tour of milestones in the history of our universe, Chris Impey guides us through space and time, leading us from the familiar sights of the night sky to the dazzlingly strange aftermath of the Big Bang. What if we could look into space and see not only our place in the universe but also how we came to be here? As it happens, we can. Because it takes time for light to travel, we see more and more distant regions of the universe as they were in the successively greater past. Impey uses this concept—"look-back time"—to take us on an intergalactic tour that is simultaneously out in space and back in time. Performing a type of cosmic archaeology, Impey brilliantly describes the astronomical clues that scientists have used to solve fascinating mysteries about the origins and development of our universe. The milestones on this journey range from the nearby to the remote: we travel from the Moon, Jupiter, and the black hole at the heart of our galaxy all the way to the first star, the first ray of light, and even the strange, roiling conditions of the infant universe, an intense and volatile environment in which matter was created from pure energy. Impey gives us breathtaking visual descriptions and also explains what each landmark can reveal about the universe and its history. His lucid, wonderfully engaging scientific discussions bring us to the brink of modern cosmology and physics, illuminating such mind-bending concepts as invisible dimensions, timelessness, and multiple universes. A dynamic and unforgettable portrait of the cosmos, How It Began will reward its readers with a deeper understanding of the universe we inhabit as well as a renewed sense of wonder at its beauty and mystery.

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How It Began: A Time-Traveler’s Guide to the Universe – Chris Impey

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Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine – Alan Lightman

by Myrna Posted on April 2, 2018

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Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine

Alan Lightman

Genre: Science & Nature

Price: $12.99

Publish Date: March 27, 2018

Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

Seller: Penguin Random House LLC


From the acclaimed author of Einstein's Dreams, here is an inspires, lyrical meditation on religion and science that explores the tension between our yearning for permanence and certainty, and the modern scientific discoveries that demonstrate the impermanent and uncertain nature of the world. As a physicist, Alan Lightman has always held a scientific view of the world. As a teenager experimenting in his own laboratory, he was impressed by the logic and materiality of a universe governed by a small number of disembodied forces and laws that decree all things in the world are material and impermanent. But one summer evening, while looking at the stars from a small boat at sea, Lightman was overcome by the overwhelming sensation that he was merging with something larger than himself—a grand and eternal unity, a hint of something absolute and immaterial. Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine is Lightman's exploration of these seemingly contradictory impulses. He draws on sources ranging from Saint Augustine's conception of absolute truth to Einstein's theory of relativity, from the unity of the once-indivisible atom to the multiplicity of subatomic particles and the recent notion of multiple universes. What he gives us is a profound inquiry into the human desire for truth and meaning, and a journey along the different paths of religion and science that become part of that quest.

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Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine – Alan Lightman

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Tales from Both Sides of the Brain – Michael S. Gazzaniga

by Myrna Posted on March 24, 2018

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Tales from Both Sides of the Brain

A Life in Neuroscience

Michael S. Gazzaniga

Genre: Life Sciences

Price: $1.99

Publish Date: February 3, 2015

Publisher: Ecco

Seller: HarperCollins


Michael S. Gazzaniga, one of the most important neuroscientists of the twentieth century, gives us an exciting behind-the-scenes look at his seminal work on that unlikely couple, the right and left brain. Foreword by Steven Pinker. In the mid-twentieth century, Michael S. Gazzaniga, “the father of cognitive neuroscience,” was part of a team of pioneering neuroscientists who developed the now foundational split-brain brain theory: the notion that the right and left hemispheres of the brain can act independently from one another and have different strengths. In Tales from Both Sides of the Brain, Gazzaniga tells the impassioned story of his life in science and his decades-long journey to understand how the separate spheres of our brains communicate and miscommunicate with their separate agendas. By turns humorous and moving, Tales from Both Sides of the Brain interweaves Gazzaniga’s scientific achievements with his reflections on the challenges and thrills of working as a scientist. In his engaging and accessible style, he paints a vivid portrait not only of his discovery of split-brain theory, but also of his comrades in arms—the many patients, friends, and family who have accompanied him on this wild ride of intellectual discovery.

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Tales from Both Sides of the Brain – Michael S. Gazzaniga

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What Is Real? – Adam Becker

by Myrna Posted on March 21, 2018

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What Is Real?

The Unfinished Quest for the Meaning of Quantum Physics

Adam Becker

Genre: Physics

Price: $19.99

Publish Date: March 20, 2018

Publisher: Basic Books

Seller: Hachette Digital, Inc.


The untold story of the heretical thinkers who dared to question the nature of our quantum universe Every physicist agrees quantum mechanics is among humanity's finest scientific achievements. But ask what it means, and the result will be a brawl. For a century, most physicists have followed Niels Bohr's Copenhagen interpretation and dismissed questions about the reality underlying quantum physics as meaningless. A mishmash of solipsism and poor reasoning, Copenhagen endured, as Bohr's students vigorously protected his legacy, and the physics community favored practical experiments over philosophical arguments. As a result, questioning the status quo long meant professional ruin. And yet, from the 1920s to today, physicists like John Bell, David Bohm, and Hugh Everett persisted in seeking the true meaning of quantum mechanics. What Is Real? is the gripping story of this battle of ideas and the courageous scientists who dared to stand up for truth.

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What Is Real? – Adam Becker

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Rocket Billionaires – Tim Fernholz

by Myrna Posted on March 20, 2018

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Rocket Billionaires

Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the New Space Race

Tim Fernholz

Genre: Science & Nature

Price: $14.99

Publish Date: March 20, 2018

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Seller: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company


The inside story of the new race to conquer space, as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos spend billions of their own money to explore the final frontier For the larger‑than‑life personalities now staking their fortunes on the development of rocket ships, the new race to explore space could be a dead end, a lucrative opportunity — or the key to humanity’s salvation.   Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos take center stage in this fast‑paced narrative as they attempt to disrupt the space economy, feed their own egos, and maybe even save the world. We also meet a supporting cast of equally fascinating entrepreneurs, from the irrepressible British mogul Richard Branson to satellite Internet visionary Greg Wyler. All are united in the profound conviction that commercial space transportation will transform our world for the better.   Tim Fernholz’s fly‑on‑the‑wall reporting captures an industry in the midst of disruption, as NASA seeks to preserve its ambitious space exploration program, traditional aerospace firms like Boeing and Lockheed Martin scramble to adapt to new competitors, lobbyists tussle over public funds and lawmakers try to prevent this new space race from sparking global conflict.                With privileged access to top executives at SpaceX, including Musk himself, as well as at Blue Origin, NASA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK, Virgin Galactic, Fernholz spins this high‑stakes marathon into a riveting tale of rivalry and survival.   

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Rocket Billionaires – Tim Fernholz

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The Illustrated Theory of Everything – Stephen Hawking

by Myrna Posted on March 15, 2018

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The Illustrated Theory of Everything

The Origin and Fate of the Universe

Stephen Hawking

Genre: Physics

Price: $9.99

Publish Date: October 1, 2009

Publisher: Phoenix Books, Inc,

Seller: Phoenix Books, Inc.


Stephen Hawking is widely believed to be one of the world’s greatest minds, a brilliant theoretical physicist whose work helped reconfigure models of the universe and define what’s in it. Imagine sitting in a room listening to Hawking discuss these achievements and place them in historical context; it would be like hearing Christopher Columbus on the New World. Hawking presents a series of seven lectures—covering everything from big bang to black holes to string theory—that capture not only the brilliance of Hawking’s mind but his characteristic wit as well. Of his research on black holes, which absorbed him for more than a decade, he says, “It might seem a bit like looking for a black cat in a coal cellar.”  Hawking begins with a history of ideas about the universe, from Aristotle’s determination that the Earth is round to Hubble’s discovery, more than 2,000 years later, that the universe is expanding. Using that as a launching pad, he explores the reaches of modern physics, including theories on the origin of the universe (e.g., the Big Bang), the nature of black holes, and space-time. Finally, he poses the questions left unanswered by modern physics, especially how to combine all the partial theories into a “unified theory of everything.” “If we find the answer to that,” he claims, “it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason.” Hawking believes that advances in theoretical science should be “understandable in broad principle by everyone, not just a few scientists.” In this book, he offers a fascinating voyage of discovery about the cosmos and our place in it. It is a book for anyone who has ever gazed at the night sky and wondered what was up there and how it came to be.

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The Illustrated Theory of Everything – Stephen Hawking

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My Brief History – Stephen Hawking

by Myrna Posted on March 15, 2018

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My Brief History

Stephen Hawking

Genre: Science & Nature

Price: $10.99

Publish Date: September 10, 2013

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group

Seller: Penguin Random House LLC


NATIONAL BESTSELLER Stephen Hawking has dazzled readers worldwide with a string of bestsellers exploring the mysteries of the universe. Now, for the first time, perhaps the most brilliant cosmologist of our age turns his gaze inward for a revealing look at his own life and intellectual evolution.   My Brief History recounts Stephen Hawking’s improbable journey, from his postwar London boyhood to his years of international acclaim and celebrity. Lavishly illustrated with rarely seen photographs, this concise, witty, and candid account introduces readers to a Hawking rarely glimpsed in previous books: the inquisitive schoolboy whose classmates nicknamed him Einstein; the jokester who once placed a bet with a colleague over the existence of a particular black hole; and the young husband and father struggling to gain a foothold in the world of physics and cosmology.   Writing with characteristic humility and humor, Hawking opens up about the challenges that confronted him following his diagnosis of ALS at age twenty-one. Tracing his development as a thinker, he explains how the prospect of an early death urged him onward through numerous intellectual breakthroughs, and talks about the genesis of his masterpiece A Brief History of Time —one of the iconic books of the twentieth century.   Clear-eyed, intimate, and wise, My Brief History opens a window for the rest of us into Hawking’s personal cosmos.

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My Brief History – Stephen Hawking

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Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why – Laurence Gonzales

by Myrna Posted on March 8, 2018

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Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why

Laurence Gonzales

Genre: Science & Nature

Price: $9.99

Publish Date: January 10, 2017

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Seller: W. W. Norton


“Unique among survival books . . . stunning . . . enthralling. Deep Survival makes compelling, and chilling, reading.”—Denver Post Over a decade since its original publication, Laurence Gonzales’s bestselling Deep Survival has helped save lives from the deepest wildernesses, just as it has improved readers’ everyday lives. Its mix of adventure narrative, survival science, and practical advice has inspired everyone from business leaders to military officers, educators, and psychiatric professionals on how to take control of stress, learn to assess risk, and make better decisions under pressure. Now with a new introduction on how this book can help readers overcome any of life’s obstacles, Gonzales’s gripping narrative is set to motivate and enlighten a new generation of readers.

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Deep Survival: Who Lives, Who Dies, and Why – Laurence Gonzales

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The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar – Matt Simon

by Myrna Posted on March 7, 2018

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The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar

Evolution’s Most Unbelievable Solutions to Life’s Biggest Problems

Matt Simon

Genre: Life Sciences

Price: $1.99

Publish Date: October 25, 2016

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group

Seller: Penguin Group (USA) Inc.


“A bizarre collection of evolution tales . . . the weirder, the better.” — Entertainment Weekly A fascinating exploration of the awe-inspiring, unsettling ingenuity of evolution On a barren seafloor, the pearlfish swims into the safety of a sea cucumber’s anus. To find a meal, the female bolas spider releases pheromones that mimic a female moth, luring male moths into her sticky lasso web. The Glyptapanteles wasp injects a caterpillar with her young, which feed on the victim, erupt out of it, then mind-control the poor (and somehow still living) schmuck into protecting them from predators. These are among the curious critters of The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar , a jaunt through evolution’s most unbelievable, most ingenious solutions to the problems of everyday life, from trying to get laid to finding food. Join Wired science writer Matt Simon as he introduces you to the creatures that have it figured out, the ones that joust with their mustaches or choke sharks to death with snot, all in a wild struggle to survive and, of course, find true love. Winner of the American Library Association’s Alex Award

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The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar – Matt Simon

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