I am interested in popular science books as a genre and spotted a book called The Canon: The Beautiful Basics of Science
Firstly the bad bits:- The book is riddled with American cultural references that, for readers from the UK or any other country, could become slightly irritating. There are also many puns or plays on words that are, at times, clever but other times appear a little desperate. It is as if the author feels that we need a smile on our faces to deal with challenging concepts. Perhaps she is right!
With the exception of these slight reservations, I found the book a delightful refresher that put many major scientific concepts in perspective and in context.
The layout and order of the book is thoughtful. For example, the main area discussed in the chapter on physics is that of atomic structure. This then leads seamlessly into the chemistry chapter, where the importance of the bonds between atoms were the key themes; one concept built on another.
As a phsysist I thought I would enjoy the chapters on physics and astronomy most. However it was the section on DNA and the miraculous division of cells that captivated me.
This is not a overly large book and it is very readable for everyone from high school kids to oldies wanting to revisit those science lessons at school that they didn’t “get”. The author has been selective and has had to miss out or skim over many important areas. She has done a good job doing this, but you are bound to feel cheated if your taste buds have been tickled but not satisfied. You could think of this book as a taster lesson from which you could drill down deeper into subjects that interest you.
Buy this book if you have a spark of curiosity about how science “fits together”. It is a one stop shop that takes you one a whistle-stop tour of the key scientific concepts that you need to know.
Filed under: Books, Physics, Science, Uncategorized , Atomic Structure, Chemistry, DNA, Natalie Angier, Physics, popular science, Science, Science Books
