Book Review #011 - Dune

Rating: 5/5 mind-melting spice trips

Author:
Frank Herbert

Amazon Link:
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Dune is a literary classic and a foundation for modern science fiction. The importance and impact of the novel on the themes of popular science fiction today cannot be understated and deserve to be discussed and appreciated (see the "Jodorowsky's Dune" documentary). Herbert created a vivid, complex world and rich characters that mange to weave together many different layers of story into a cohesive and compelling tale which engages the reader and draws them into the deep universe of the story. Themes of religion, revolution, love, loyalty, morality, politics, and classic action-adventure are all present and ingrained in one another. This creates a varied novel that has some bit of interest for every reader to engage in. Herbert's work still stands as an excellent adventure story in a modern context and is absolutely astounding when evaluated against the popular tropes of science fiction at the time it was published. That being said, it does have a few weak points.

Perhaps the most direct criticism that could be leveled against Herbert's magnum opus is that the character development is somewhat shallow. Paul lacks any human shortcomings and therefore any conflict lacks authentic narrative tension, as the reader is aware of his infallibility early in the story. The cast of women lack any real agency and are treated as tools by their male counterparts, which is likely a reflection of Herbert's own flawed view of gender roles. Much of the dialog is either very flat or extremely pretentious, but that is also a trope of the genre and can be forgiven. If the reader can stomach the one-dimensional characters and appreciate the world building and high level concepts presented, Dune is absolutely worth reading.

There are few tales with such complex and ambitious social analogies woven through them. Dune's central themes are timeless and reflects mankind's recurring struggle to resent oppression and the true value derived from personal hardship. Herbert's Dune is a masterpiece in spite of its tired central narrative of a perfect savior that destroys an oppressive regime. It's deeper explorations of social themes carry the novel to an elevated position among it's peers and permanently fix the novel as a true classic of science fiction.

Book Review #010 - This Fight Is Our Fight

Rating: 5/5 calculated, but charming phrases

Author:
Elizabeth Warren

Amazon Link:
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Elizabeth Warren is the democratic candidate that I most closely align with in terms of political beliefs. I didn’t know much about her background or motivations, so I thought I’d pick up her book and see if I could take a closer look at what separates her from other candidates, what kind of background she has, and what motivates her to run for president. I must say that I am very impressed with Warren. She seems genuine and very sharp in her text and she develops her primary policy goals from initial motivation to actionable strategy on a number of progressive fronts. I would recommend the book to any democrat who wants to be politically informed and any progressive who wants to know how her and Sanders differ in their approach to progressive strategy.

Warren’s effort here should be the gold standard for political manifestos. She expertly weaves her personal story in with her political platform. She provides approachable narrative to support her experiences and pulls back the curtain on the political machine in Washington in her policy sections. What she describes as her primary political motivators are progressive goals with a populist shade that are easy to support. Reasoned arguments for policy to strengthen the middle class provides balance to Warren’s emotional argument for progressive social standards concerning education and healthcare.

Warren already was an easy candidate for me to support because of her progressive stance on financial policy and labor. Adding her touching personal story on top of that makes her the total package as a candidate. She is very intelligent, empathetic, has integrity, and has reasoned political motivations that are aimed at correcting the power imbalance in government. She is also a woman, which is significant on it’s own, but especially so, considering the 2016 election. America is ready for a female president and we should recognize that Hilary’s defeat may have been the only path to this moment for Warren. I feel that most liberal-leaning voters will have no choice but to be enthusiastic and supportive.

Warren describes her political goals and provides a means to achieve them. Her primary draw of resources is from restructured tax plans to increase government income from the richest Americans, corporations included. If you have an income-utility outlook on taxation, this is absolutely the right direction. Warren provides data and numbers to support her policies, enough to convince the reader she knows what she is doing, but not enough to distract from her narrative. Overall, Warren has crafted a fine book and has set the stage for political and popular support toward her bid at the presidency. I absolutely support her and I can’t wait to see how she handles the rest of the election cycle.

Book Review #009 - Shortest Way Home

Rating: 4/5 glowing river lights

Author:
Pete Buttigieg

Amazon Link:
referral program on hold :(

Mayor Pete Buttigieg lays out his background and describes his journey through life as a student, soldier, son, husband, and public servant in his first text; Shortest Way Home. The personal stories are varied and integrated with small descriptions of his political philosophy, making that narrative flow naturally as he steps through each stage of his life and arrives at his present position as a candidate for the American presidency. The book was emotional, reasoned, and as down-to-earth as a candidate can be when setting their public record as they see fit. I’d recommend the book to anyone who is interested in Pete Buttigieg as a candidate and wants to know more about his background. His story is authentic and creates enough personal interest to stand on it’s own as an inspection of American culture from the prospective of a young politician at the launch of his national career.

The most refreshing characteristic to see in a modern presidential candidate is some kind of personal modesty regarding their arrival at such an illustrious position. The ability to admit that not all answers are immediately clear, but that the path to a solution is a rational result of transparent consideration of the challenges and options available is something that I appreciated at a time when political ideals are so emotionally charged. Mayor Pete describes his approach to solving problems more than he discusses specific policy solutions. This can perhaps be considered a weakness of his exposition, as a candidate is typically expected to bare his arms and armor regarding policy objectives in his candidate biography. Pete takes a different approach by establishing his identity as a primary objective, adding policy only as needed. I would agree that I was looking for clear policy actions and found myself wondering how valuable character development is to his candidacy, as there is so much of that material to be found. Much like other politicians in the past, Pete Buttigieg aims to set his history to public record with this text, rather than cement his positions on policy. I think the material is thin as it stands, but if he releases future material which is more precise in describing his plans, he could easily fill that void. As it stands, I think this text will be viewed as the character development for Pete and will serve as a part of a wider body of material meant to sway voters and establish his political aims.

I felt the book was interesting but not enough of a declaration of principle to build confidence in Mayor Pete as a candidate. I finished the text with a deep emotional connection to Pete, but without the confidence I need as a voter to be sure that he will drive the change I believe we need to see in our government. I think his candidacy is a statement with respect to American political culture, but he needs more steel in his foundation before he can really build anything more significant. A good start, hopefully Mayor Pete follows this book up with more material that will demonstrate his intentions beyond a simple explanation of his personal character. Although that wouldn’t be bad, it isn’t what I feel we need in a post-Trump candidate.

Book Review #008 - Of Mice and Men

Rating: 3/5 vaseline-filled gloves

Author: John Steinbeck

Amazon Link:
referral program on hold :(

Steinbeck's classic short story follows (or maybe helps to refine) all the rules for a well rounded narrative, but is ultimately too concerned with being adaptable to both theater and the written page to make for a great book or play, and ends up being a mediocre experience for each of these formats.

The characters, dialogue, and scenery sculpts an image of American culture that is warm and detailed but somewhat encumbered by the social norms of the time and place it was conceived. Images of early America are thin and visual, but end up lacking that narrative third dimension when scrutinized as a reader. The characters are instantly familiar but almost too shallow to support the kind of depth that is required of a great american novel.

Of Mice and Men was written as a sort of play in book form and the restrictions which allow the story to transfer to the stage also constrain the story in it's written form. The arcs and sweeping movements of the characters and their actions would surely be appreciated by a theater audience, but as a reader, I want to hear the inner thoughts of the characters as they consider the abstract, non-physical components which drive their motivations. Perhaps this is why Steinbeck chose the simple characters that he did for the story, but I feel that this cheapens the characters in a way that takes satisfaction away from the book audience in favor of the hybrid experiment.

Overall a great read and a critical component of American narrative culture, but not the classic novel that I wanted to dive into and take apart.

Book Review #007 - The Lord of the Flies

Rating: 5/5 talking pig heads

Author: William Golding

Amazon Link:
referral program on hold :(

Lord of the Flies was a book that I never read while I was in school, but I've always heard was a great story. I decided to pick it up and see if the high praise was founded. Indeed; I found it is an excellent book and a very entertaining read. Although it is aimed at a younger audience, I still found so much to enjoy and consider from an adult perspective.

The novel is timeless in the way that all great novels are, it explores a part of the human condition that is is constant and steady as we move forward through the years. Distilling interpersonal group dynamics that are on display in everyday society down to their raw essence. Unhindered by learned cultural norms imposed by civilization and adulthood, Golding creates a tale that lays bare the motivations that drive us. We are given the opportunity to observe the effects of these motivations as they play out in the daily struggle of the boys to survive and work toward a common goal while they manage clashes between abstract social conflicts and real physical threats. We are challenged to evaluate the validity of our social constructs and why we feel the need to adhere or challenge them. The characters are human; flawed and deeply vulnerable at times. Personal, sometimes petty, motivators overtake the fundamental drive to survive and we are forced to recognize our dependency on social order, trust among each other, and the thin film of civilized behavior that separates us from nature. These themes work well to create a story that has impressive depth, achieving both an entertaining surface narrative and an intriguing probe into our societal foundations.

Lord of the Flies is a classic novel for so many reasons. It is a masterful example of minimalist world building and deep character development. It starts from a clean, basic premise and allows the complexity of human social interactions to build a nuanced and intriguing world that I couldn't help but be drawn into. I would recommend this book to anyone willing to give it a read, as every age and perspective is sure to gain something in the adventure that Golding has created.

Lasers, Molten Tin, and Ultraviolet Light

About a year ago, The Oregonian published an article that really does a great job of describing what kind of technology I get the opportunity to work with at ASML. Follow the link to check it out!

https://www.oregonlive.com/silicon-forest/index.ssf/2017/11/asml_euv_lithography_intel_hil.html

The future of the semiconductor industry relies on a $120 million machine the size of a school bus.

It's a far-out tool that projects narrow waves of light onto silicon wafers, sketching patterns for the circuitry inside future computers, smartphones and the self-driving cars just now beginning to appear on our roadways.

Known in the semiconductor industry as extreme ultraviolet lithography, or EUV, it could extend by years the pace of innovation in computer chip technology. A Dutch company called ASML invented the technology, backed by Intel and other large chipmakers that invested billions of dollars to enable it.

Long delayed by technical challenges that confounded the entire industry, EUV is finally ready for prime time. As ASML prepares to begin installing its new tools at factories around the world, the staff at its Hillsboro outpost has grown to 500, more than double the number who worked there in the summer of 2016.

ASML uses four or five 747s to ship the EUV tool from the Netherlands to factories in Oregon and around the world. It takes a fleet of 20 trucks to transport it from airports to factories. But the enormous dimensions belie the tiny scale on which EUV operates.

ASML's machine drops thousands of evenly spaced, microscopic droplets of tin, then hits them twice each with a powerful laser. The collision produces an ultraviolet light with a wavelength thousands of times narrower than a human hair.

"The technology that's there in Oregon makes the Mars rover seem trivial," said Dan Hutcheson, chief executive of VLSI Research, a semiconductor industry market research firm.

Scientists and engineers conceived of EUV back in the 1980s, dreaming of a way to enable even smaller features on computer chips to squeeze out more performance while continuing to make them more efficient.

This is Moore's Law, the maxim coined by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore that predicts exponential advances in computing power. But the pace of advancement has slowed in recent years, due in part because EUV's arrival comes more than a decade behind schedule.

Lithography is an essential step in the semiconductor manufacturing process. Chipmakers project ultraviolet light onto photosensitive material on silicon wafers to create a pattern, then etch away the material that isn't exposed to the light. The result is a pathway for a computer chip's electronic circuitry.

Smaller features on computer chips generally mean better, more efficient performance. But the wavelengths of light produced by existing lithography tools are too wide for the pathways chipmakers want to create.

Chipmakers have anticipated the need for a new class of lithography technology for more than two decades but struggled to produce the power and reliability the tools require. At times, industry watchers began to doubt EUV's viability.

"ASML takes big risks in these technologies and yes, it was never a guarantee," said Ted Paxton, ASML's EUV installation and upgrade manager in the U.S.

Waiting for EUV, a technology that long seemed just out of reach, chipmakers devised workarounds. They created immersion lithography, which used water to refract light to enable narrower wavelengths. And chipmakers would run wafers through the lithography process repeatedly to add tiny features they couldn't get with a single pass.

Those tricks added complexity, cost and time to the manufacturing process, though, and still didn't provide the precision the semiconductor industry had counted on EUV to provide.

Breakthroughs have come over the past few years, as ASML found ways to increase the power running through its EUV tools. That enabled more ultraviolet light, which in turn improved the machines' productivity.

There were 15 EUV systems in chip factories around the world at the end of 2016, on hand for researchers to begin experimenting and planning for full-scale production. Now, with EUV's credentials firmly established, ASML has a backlog of orders worth $2.7 billion.

The company expects to ship 20 tools next year and another 30 in 2019. The value of the company's shares has climbed by more than 60 percent this year.

That's created another challenge for ASML: installation.

The tool consists of 100,000 parts, 3,000 cables, 40,000 bolts and more than a mile of hosing. While the machine that sits inside the factory is the size of a bus, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the floor, it's supported by a huge apparatus that provides power, ventilation and other resources.

ASML said the company and its customers spend a year and a half planning for installation, preparing plumbing and electricity and building a giant crane inside a factory's clean room to lift components that weigh as much as 20,000 pounds.

"You're making something so big to make something that's smaller than a virus," Paxton said.

In two phases, beginning in 2010, Intel spent billions of dollars building a massive Hillsboro factory called D1X specifically to accommodate the larger dimensions EUV requires. It's the company's most advanced facility anywhere and where the chipmaker will pioneer successive generations of chip technology.

Intel won't specify just how or when it plans to employ EUV. After years of publicly lamenting slow development of the technology, though, Intel now hails "great progress."

"We are committed to bringing EUV into production as soon as the technology is ready at an effective cost," the company said in a written statement. "Intel continues to invest in readiness for EUV and is in a position to take full advantage of the technology as it matures."

Light from conventional lithography tools has a wavelength of 193 nanometers. That's inconceivably small - a human red blood cell measures 6,000 nanometers. Yet it's still much larger than the smallest features on cutting edge computer chips.

So EUV, with a wavelength of just 13.5 nanometers, represents a crucial leap for the industry.

"These tools have the ability to manipulate one layer on top of another to an almost molecular degree," said Hutcheson, the VLSI researcher.

Having followed EUV's development since the '80s, Hutcheson said the technology always seemed just out of reach. The semiconductor market underestimated the number of scientific breakthroughs it required.

Now that EUV is at last in reach, Hutcheson said the high-powered industrial lasers at the heart of the technology still feel like something out of science fiction.

"The tech industry, its reputation is it moves really fast and adopts technology really quickly," he said. "When you're in the middle of it, like me, it's like watching grass grow."

By Mike Rogoway
mrogoway@oregonian.com
The Oregonian/OregonLive
Updated Nov 26, 2017; Posted Nov 26, 2017

Book Review #006 - The Future is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia

Rating: 4/5 arrested protesters

Author: Masha Gessen

Amazon Link: 
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The Future is History was an intriguing perspective of Russia from a native Russian who has lived through and participated in many key events in recent Russian history. Masha Gessen provides a narrative that is both deeply personal and massive in scope. She has been on the progressive side of Russian social movements for many years and has met a number of key players in the events that would eventually lead Russia to where we stand today. Her story is woven through the larger narrative in a way that makes the text readable and underlines the personal impact of a nation’s heavy-handed social regulations. Russia is a complicated political environment, but Gessen does an excellent job of taking it apart piece-by-piece and providing the context that each individual moment in history deserves, allowing it to be understood from a human perspective.

From a western viewpoint, Russia can be enigmatic in it’s underlying social framework and motivations. The people of Russia are distinctly different from their western counterparts and are unique in that they have been created from an environment that is deeply entrenched with historical norms surrounding distribution of power, wealth, and a familiarity with authority that is monolithic and unlike anything seen in the west. Russia’s history is, and should be, a source of pride to it’s people, but that history also brings with it a crushing amount of inertia that makes progressive social movements much more difficult and raises the stakes for those involved. This text is as much a story of Putin, his rise to power, and means of control as it is about navigating the political landscape as a young person who finds themselves in a nation of people who seem to be rejecting themselves. Her fellow Russians seem to be taking comfort in a past that offers no future to those who want to move their society forward towards western ideals of individual freedom. The conflict of love for one’s country and love for one’s identity is jarring and difficult to maintain without feeling immediately overwhelmed. Gessen does a spectacular job of describing that conflict in a way that makes the situation recognizable but foreboding. The case she makes for Russia’s slow descent into totalitarianism is clear and troubling, and surely will continue as long as the Russian people continue to accept and enable a society in which the concentration of power is allowed to progress.

Gessen’s book is very good. It is well written, well paced, and packed with historical perspective. It isn’t a definitive hard-edged recounting of Russian history; it is a human story and filled with the sort of softness that the human perspective brings to history. This might not be suited for someone purely interested in concrete historical review, but I would recommend it for anyone who wants human context coupled with historical perspective.

Book Review #005 - Walden; or, Life in the Woods

Rating: 5/5 ant metaphors

Author: Henry D. Thoreau

Amazon Link:
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What can be said about Henry David Thoreau’s classic reflection about the nature of man that hasn’t already been said countless times before, by far more experienced readers than myself? Walden is a spark that ignites a sense of the ancient, independent spirit in every human being, or should be, if the reader is ready to embrace it.

Thoreau’s prose is so precise yet adorned with the most fantastic description of the natural world surrounding him. It makes reading the text both entertaining and acutely painful as a modern member of society who embraces many of the material things Thoreau disassembles. Thoreau has such a talent for distilling his argument for the simplicity of a good life and makes the pursuit of anything more derived seem absurd in comparison. He introduces supporting characters as needed to provide tangible examples to the reader and manages to cover a huge variety of humanity’s many excuses for self-inflected misery. Walden was a joy to read and has had a remarkable effect on my understanding of, and motivation for, a life well lived. The decadent bits of profound philosophical arguments are well anchored and softened by a glorious reflection on the beauty of the Northeastern landscape.

I would recommend this book to any American, or human being, who feels that life is too complicated or feels overwhelmed with the race that we have made for ourselves. Take a few deep breaths and walk the line of a cynic, as it is well justified from Thoreau’s vantage point. You won’t be able to do anything but appreciate his wisdom and sympathize with his justifications while you wade through his gorgeous description of the nature surrounding him and the nature which lies within all of us.

Book Review #004 - The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Rating: 5/5 secret societies

Author: Benjamin Franklin

Amazon Link:
referral program on hold :(

Ben Franklin is perhaps one of the greatest American literary figures that has ever lived.  His knack for conversational language combined with his keen intellect and vast base of knowledge means that his writings are both approachable and entertaining while also being ingenious in many ways.  He strikes me as someone who would have been a great companion for an evening of contemplation.  Accounts of his life demonstrate that his value as a clear-headed partner in conversation was recognized and sought after.  By Mr. Franklin's account, he succeeded simply by striving for constant improvement throughout his life and having an interest in the world and people around him.  This open-mindedness served him well in that he never stopped being curious and welcoming new and challenging ideas throughout his lengthy career as a businessman and a statesman. 

In is autobiography, Mr. Franklin recounts a number of personal maxims that he resolved to guide his life.  The value of these lessons is apparent in that they have a timeless quality and still apply to modern life; they apply to the human condition as well as to his specific human experience.  His ideas regarding the proper way to go about getting the most out of life are inspiring and practical, if not downright profound.  Ben Franklin is perhaps the only person who could write such an inspiring and entertaining account of a life so well lived, and his autobiography is one of the best books I've had the pleasure to read.  I would recommend this text to any American who has even the slightest interest in Mr. Franklin or his strategies for living a good, rewarding, and meaningful life.  An excellent book and an excellent account of a true hero of American history.

Book Review #003 - A Devil's Chaplain: Reflections on Hope, Lies, Science, and Love

Rating: 3/5 cunning retorts

Author: Richard Dawkins

Amazon Link:
referral program on hold :(

A Devil's Chaplain is an excellent collection of Dawkin's writings and provides a well-rounded illustration of his personal and professional interactions. Ranging from a eulogy for the late Douglas Adams to forwards for books and personal correspondence with his colleagues, the text provides an intriguing glimpse into some of the more interesting corners of a storied academic's body of work.

Dawkins is first and foremost a great scientific mind, but it is in his circle of colleagues and friends that I find a great deal of his personality laid bare. His interactions illustrate the reasoning behind Dawkin's rise to the forefront of personalities which define the small number of people who are trusted with leading a post-religious movement in the western world. Perhaps not to the degree of Hitchens, but certainly apparent, is Dawkin's knack for capturing and summarizing complex and nuanced ideas and presenting them in a way that is both approachable and comprehensive. I have always admired Dawkin's work, but this text creates an appreciation for the man behind that work as well.

It could be said that the collection of writings in this text are somewhat unfocused. They meander from topic to topic, so varied that they seem almost random. I think this is a reflection of the breadth of personality that defines a modern renaissance man, as Dawkins could be considered. I appreciated the book because I was already a fan, but I fear that others who are less familiar may struggle to find the interest. The book is very good, and a must read for any Dawkins fan, but I think it falls somewhat short for the average reader. A great book for the right reader, but simply an interesting read for others.

Book Review #002 - Billions and Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium

Rating: 4/5 billion stars

Author: Carl Sagan

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2LX8x6J

Note:
The link above is an associates link.  I'll get a portion of the purchase price if you buy the book with that link.

Sagan's final book reflects on the things that many of us consider when we know our lives are near their end. The text is both a heartwarming reminder of the eloquent prose that Sagan is capable of, as well as his capacity for addressing some of the most profound questions that humanity must ask itself as we continue to move into the future. Billions and Billions ended up taking a longer period of time for me to read, due to a number of life events getting in the way, but I was able to pick it up after a break and easily climb back into the narrative. I was very happy with the book overall and would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Sagan or wishes to explore his viewpoints on the topics covered in the book.

The book covers a number of topics, and approaches fundamental questions about mortality, morality, and the human experience. Sagan reflects on the awesome scale and possibilities of the universe around us in the first part of the book, probes the reasoning and justification behind a number of social questions in the second part of the book, and digs into some very sensitive subjects and provides profound advice for living a good life in the final part of the book. The text covers an amazing amount of ground, from investigating the justification and practice of abortion, to the question of whether intelligent life exists outside our own planet. Sagan is perhaps the only author that can handle such a variety and differing scale of questions without missing a beat. Sagan's classic conversational style is present, and is refined at this point in his career. The book is an excellent demonstration of work that is approachable without sacrificing academic depth. His dictation is as calm and reasoned as it always has been; I like to imagine him reading the text in an armchair in front of a flickering fireplace, calmly explaining the universe to those of us who are prepared to listen.

Sagan's personal story is entwined into the narrative, which both grounds the text in real experience and provides an emotional thread that left me with a lump in my throat and a sense of respect for his enduring perspective and the strength of his family as his life came to an end, near the end of the text. The final chapter is written by his wife, as she reflects on his impact and life of work spent answering questions that have proved to be difficult to approach, even today. It speaks to the gravity of the topics discussed, that we still struggle with many of these in our modern society. Perhaps if we still had Sagan with us, he would be able to help us to further deconstruct these complex questions, but I suspect that him being forced to consider his mortality somehow allowed him to see some of these topics more clearly.

The discussion is notably apolitical, something which is both refreshing and discouraging considering how our current politically charged social climate has only gotten more extreme with time. Sagan was interested in finding the truth of the matter, even with questions that many would gladly accept some more comforting narrative as opposed to a more sober, realistic understanding.

Considering that Sagan's legacy can be measured by the effect on our modern culture, it is clear that he lives on through his thoughtful words and positions. His cutting observations will shape our dialog for years to come, as a man of his intellect and social statue deserves. 

We miss you Carl, thank you for all you have done for us.

Book Review #001 - The Cat in the Box: A History of science in 100 experiments

Rating: 4/5 neutron stars

Authors: John and Mary Gribbin

Amazon Link: https://amzn.to/2GtW7N3

Note: The link above is an associates link.  I'll get a portion of the purchase price if you buy the book with that link.

The Cat in the Box is an excellent review of many of the most monumental scientific experiments, in a language that the average person can understand, but with a technical depth that still manages to bring insight to knowledgeable, science-minded readers.  The book features excellent images and illustrations for each experiment, as well as a very nice cover.  The materials and print quality of the hard-cover version makes it a really nice addition to the book shelf as well.

The selected experiments are taken from a wide range of scientific disciplines and are ordered by date, which naturally allows the principles explored to build on each other as you progress through the text. Each experiment is allotted two or three pages, keeping the description brief and not dragging through the more technical aspects. The importance of each experiment and it's impact are summarized as well, giving the reader a sense of the meaning behind great scientific breakthroughs, even if they don't completely understand the underlying technical details. I think the author does an excellent job in drawing the reader into the importance of experimental verification of scientific theories and manages to create an entertaining and upbeat tour of the history of mankind's greatest scientific achievements. 

Due to the chronological organization of the experiments, the author also comments on the evolution of the practice of scientific research as well, which I found very interesting.  The methods and motivations for scientific research provide great context for the technical discussion presented.  It was neat to see the scale of human investment in scientific research reflect the sophistication of the experiments as time went on.  I felt that the author also made a point to identify moments when science was hampered by cultural influences and I appreciated the care the author took to give credit to a number of female scientists that have been overlooked in the past.  The author makes it clear that experimental scientific research is a human endeavor and ultimately is subject to exist in the context of human social history, which is almost as interesting to explore as the experiments themselves.

The book was a joy to read cover to cover and left me wanting to go out and find more information about the topics that I didn't completely understand. Fields that I typically have a difficult time finding interest in, such as chemistry and biology, are presented in a way that made them approachable and intriguing. I applaud the author's ability to take such a wide array of information and create a cohesive, entertaining, and elegantly brief summary. I'd recommend this book to anyone with an interest in science writing or experience with experimental methods.

Book Review #000 - Introduction!

I've been writing reviews for the books I read on a website called GoodReads for quite a while now.  I really enjoy the site as a way to consolidate my reviews and get recommendations for new books to check out in the future.  In the spirit of consolidating all the material I publish online in a single place, I'll also be publishing the reviews here on my website.  Look forward to blog posts every few weeks.  If you enjoy the reviews, leave a comment and let me know your thoughts.

If you want to see my GoodReads profile, click on the image above!