With this book, Penguin Publishers play with us the usual trick in publishing – of producing a bunch of papers out of thin air and calling it a book. With a majority of the books on my shelf having had their origin at Penguin, I could safely vouch for it. A bunch of essays / stories / poems shuffled and printed under different names in different combinations, articles that appeared in the web/newspaper bunched together and sold as a book are just two of the samples of such money-minting techniques in publishing industry. This book is the product of one such trickery.
The seven ‘lessons’ in this book were all a series of articles originally published in the supplement of an Italian newspaper. By increasing the font size and using a little thicker paper, Penguin has tried to publish a ‘book’, which, sadly doesn’t even reach the count of hundred pages to become ‘book’ enough for a voracious reader. At best, this is just a booklet.
More than the size or the manner of publishing, it is the content that adds to the disappointment. If you are looking to cut your teeth into Physics, in a more academic manner, then this book is not for you. This booklet is more like a cursory peek at the world of Advanced Physics, with some of the major theories and techniques, like the Theory of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics, being talked about in a poetic language. Yes, the book feels more like it was a literary work than a scientific one, which makes it a bit tiring to read.
Also, the book deals with the two extremes of Physics – that of a Cosmic scale and then of the Quantum state. So, if you are new to science, with no basic idea about Astronomy or Atoms, simply here to learn about the basics of Physics, you might even end up disappointed.
This book is a casual read for those who already have a fair introduction into atomic physics and astrophysics. As for the rest, I am not sure that everyone would enjoy it.
2.5/5 stars!
The seven ‘lessons’ in this book were all a series of articles originally published in the supplement of an Italian newspaper. By increasing the font size and using a little thicker paper, Penguin has tried to publish a ‘book’, which, sadly doesn’t even reach the count of hundred pages to become ‘book’ enough for a voracious reader. At best, this is just a booklet.
More than the size or the manner of publishing, it is the content that adds to the disappointment. If you are looking to cut your teeth into Physics, in a more academic manner, then this book is not for you. This booklet is more like a cursory peek at the world of Advanced Physics, with some of the major theories and techniques, like the Theory of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics, being talked about in a poetic language. Yes, the book feels more like it was a literary work than a scientific one, which makes it a bit tiring to read.
Also, the book deals with the two extremes of Physics – that of a Cosmic scale and then of the Quantum state. So, if you are new to science, with no basic idea about Astronomy or Atoms, simply here to learn about the basics of Physics, you might even end up disappointed.
This book is a casual read for those who already have a fair introduction into atomic physics and astrophysics. As for the rest, I am not sure that everyone would enjoy it.
2.5/5 stars!
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