A wonderfully entertaining read which brings the physics that most of us can't understand into the vernacular. Most of all, it concerns itself with siA wonderfully entertaining read which brings the physics that most of us can't understand into the vernacular. Most of all, it concerns itself with simple explanations and clever experiments which the reader can do at home and experience the wonder of physics. The writing style is clear and simple, but it does not stay shy of some good humor, which can make you feel as if you're just having a proper ol' banter with the author. Would totally recommend to any science geeks who come from an angle of not that much knowledge on the subjects touched, but rather suffer from an incurable case of curiosity and wonder. ...more
Keeping in mind that this book was written 20 years ago -which of course if a short life-span for literature, but a very long one for science - this iKeeping in mind that this book was written 20 years ago -which of course if a short life-span for literature, but a very long one for science - this is very well written, ingeniously presented and fun to engage with. I would definitely still recommend it, even if some of the scientific discussions inside are a little bit dated, because it offers a sound review of how we came to know what we do about genes and what exactly they are. ...more
I first encountered Caitlin Doughty on her YouTube channel, Ask a Mortician. She really is a mortician and has a passion for all things death related.I first encountered Caitlin Doughty on her YouTube channel, Ask a Mortician. She really is a mortician and has a passion for all things death related. She seems compassionate and dedicated to her job, but does not let it shadow or dim down the fact that death does not have to be a grim, horrible experience. This book is about her beginnings in the death industry, as a crematorium operator in the US. Her writing style is subliminally (and sometimes outright) funny, which I'm guessing is necessary in order for her to cope with her job, but she offers plenty of information about the practices of cremation, embalming, funeral displaying and so on. More than anything, she points out that a result of the modern era is that the Western society is completely detached from death, both the process of dying and what happens after it. This she considers detrimental, and I tend to agree with her - the sanitization of our lives means we are severely uncomfortable at the notion of a dead body. All in all, I totally recommend this read for those interested in the subject....more
An interesting foray into the habit of human beings to swear, including the analysis of the grammatical elements of "taboo" language. Too short for myAn interesting foray into the habit of human beings to swear, including the analysis of the grammatical elements of "taboo" language. Too short for my liking, as I could spend days reading just about this stuff, it provides enough information to feel satiated - and amused - at how the "offensive" part of our language works. ...more
An interesting read coming from an author who believes that the modern day "positive" attitude which is being forced down people's throats is more, raAn interesting read coming from an author who believes that the modern day "positive" attitude which is being forced down people's throats is more, rather than less, bullshit. I do agree, and have been happily hating on the self-help industry for years. Coming from the perspective of someone who has had her fair share of diabetes-inducing positive thinking thrown to her face as if it's the Lord's blessing, it was refreshing to read a book where such ideas were rejected. When I say rejected, don't imagine they were scoffed at or laughed at - but rather dissected and laid out with a full explanation of why they would hurt us, rather than help us. Brown writes with wit and ease, which gives the read another layer of enjoyment. All in all, for those who feel like vomiting when they hear "it'll get better", "just think happy thoughts" and "all you need is to believe in yourself", this is the book for you. ...more
The "A Forger" in the title refers to the author. Greenhalgh wrote his autobiography whilst in prison, serving his 4+ years for art forgery. The sheerThe "A Forger" in the title refers to the author. Greenhalgh wrote his autobiography whilst in prison, serving his 4+ years for art forgery. The sheer volume of his output is insane: he forged everything from Assyrian reliefs, to Egyptian statues, to 20th Century watercolours. His talent - as he specifies multiple times - lays in copying, not in producing original work. And by Odin, is he talented. Not only did he study the historical background of all of his pieces in order to situate them in their time, but he produced most of the forgeries using original methods, and then concocted strange ways of making them "look the part" - in some cases, 4000 years old.
Most fascinatingly, he claims he is the creator of the famous drawing that has sparked a lot of controversy - La Bella Principessa. The drawing has been attributed to Leonardo da Vinci by some top experts in the field, whilst others say it is definitely a fake. Whatever they believe, the piece is now privately owned and the last offer to the owner was 80 million dollars. In case you don't know what it looks like, you probably do - I myself have seen the piece multiple times online when the "discovery" was made that it was da Vinci's work. Greenhalgh, in his own words, drew it in 1978 - when he was 18 years old. Given that I'm not an expert, I couldn't tell. But after reading his book and understanding the ease with which he was able to create pieces that passed for originals, I do think he is capable of it.
His story is a truly fascinating one. He served more time in prison than some do for murder, so I think he did his time. I myself, while believing that punishment for forgeries is well deserved, also think it's not that much of a serious crime. As he says, stop looking at the labels and just look at the god damn piece of art - judge for yourself if it's beautiful or not. He does draw a limit, though, in his respect for the true giants of the arts. And, to be honest, he never signed any forgery with another artist's name - he simply created copies as close to reality as he could, then sold them for often minimal prices. In any case, it is worth the read. ...more
There is but one word which can describe this work, and it is as British as it gets: superb. I don’t know where to start, but I guess a little backgroThere is but one word which can describe this work, and it is as British as it gets: superb. I don’t know where to start, but I guess a little background information on Manning is necessary. Olivia Manning was a British writer who married an English teacher posted with the British Council at the University of Bucharest in 1939, a few weeks after Germany invaded Poland. Due to the movement of Germany’s army and the escalation of conflict in Romania, they escaped to Athens, and from there on to Egypt and Palestine. She has written two different trilogies in the Fortunes of War series, this one, The Balkan Trilogy, and The Levant Trilogy, mirroring the experiences she had. By all accounts and purposes, what she wrote is historical fiction; the characters and happenings at a personal level are fictional, but the overarching context is the factual one in which Europe was in 1939, 1940.
Manning’s writing is some of the best I’ve ever seen. Her character building skills are insane. Often times, between two lines of dialogue, you discover who an unimportant character is with the same depth you would an important one, and she seems to do this just to add colour to the story. At other times, the simple description of someone’s physical features, focusing on one particular element, gives you more insight into that character than their dialogue ever would. I mentioned dialogue – Manning has an uncanny ability to imitate the rhythm and cadence of actual, natural dialogue. I personally am very sensitive to that, because one of my biggest complaints when it comes to any work is that the dialogue sounds either forced or bland. When I write I also have a very hard time writing dialogue, so I consider it one of the hallmarks of great writing. Manning hits the nail on the head spot on. Not only does the entire book creak under the weight of pages upon pages of dialogue, but she manages to make it sound like prose. The entire reading experience is very pleasant, but these two things – character building and dialogue – deserve to be mentioned on their own.
And now let’s talk about what actually impressed me about this book. I myself am Romanian. I was raised in Bucharest. Manning managed to teach me a lesson about my own city – and that I am ever grateful for. She uses actual Romanian words to paint the picture authentically; she describes the beggars and poverty I am so accustomed to, but in a way only a foreigner could; she talks about the Romanian women and men and character in a way which I can instantly recognize; most importantly, she grounds the entire story in a place that she describes in its reality, not in a fictional way in which a foreign author who’s never been there would. I was more than impressed. I could look at my own city through someone else’s eyes, and it was a beautiful experience.
This is a long read, and you do need some patience to go through it, but it is absolutely worth it if you enjoy historical fiction. ...more
This is an immensely interesting book about human cadavers. Everything from autopsies, organ donation, burial, cremation and the future of human cadavThis is an immensely interesting book about human cadavers. Everything from autopsies, organ donation, burial, cremation and the future of human cadavers becoming compost is discussed here. I loved every minute of it. I wouldn't recommend it for the faint of heart (it is written in a very delicate and considerate hand, but it doesn't shy away from the nasty and grimy stuff), but if you want to give it a go, you will be rewarded (and entertained). ...more
The dialogue is the backbone of this book. This is where Hemingway shines most, in my opinion. His ability to create a character based on his/her deliThe dialogue is the backbone of this book. This is where Hemingway shines most, in my opinion. His ability to create a character based on his/her delivered lines is what makes this story special. Do not read this if you are looking for a fast-paced book. The setting is very static, this is not a typical war novel. Nonetheless, highly enjoyable....more
I studied the Holocaust a lot. And when I say a lot, I mean it. Finding out about the Holocaust when I was around fourteen is what got me fascinated wI studied the Holocaust a lot. And when I say a lot, I mean it. Finding out about the Holocaust when I was around fourteen is what got me fascinated with the concept of genocide. Even today I presented an assignment for my MSc that was about genocide. I studied the concept from psychological, criminological and legal points of view. I visited Auschwitz last summer. I have read countless book and papers about the Holocaust, as about genocide in general.
But never has anything about it been presented to me in this form. And I appreciate it immensely. It is a completely different way of tackling an evil subject. It brings with it nothing of the pompousness of an academic paper, nothing of the heftiness of a history book, nothing of legal theory, but rather a forray into the memories of a man expressed through the very unique way that only a comic book can deliver. It is really, really good. Memoirs about Auschwitz exist everywhere - and they are worthy of reading, and they are important. But this... this really blurs the line between word and image in a way that even a child can understand. That's why this is a read that I think everyone who is interested in the subject should go through, even if you're not into comic books....more
The caustic tone of Hitchens still reaches the reader, 28 years after this particular work was published. In here, the author critiques the affinity oThe caustic tone of Hitchens still reaches the reader, 28 years after this particular work was published. In here, the author critiques the affinity of Brits for their Royal overlords, and questions the motives behind and the necessity of it....more
A very interesting read on genetics and the common mistakes that people make when thinking about DNA and its role in human life. Filled with fun triviA very interesting read on genetics and the common mistakes that people make when thinking about DNA and its role in human life. Filled with fun trivia information about the subject and weaved together with historical backgrounds on big personalities in the sciences or areas of research that we should all be familiar with. Worth the read. ...more
The book is not just about this, but the first thing that comes to mind after finishing it is: holy shit, the stuff Facebook and Google must know abouThe book is not just about this, but the first thing that comes to mind after finishing it is: holy shit, the stuff Facebook and Google must know about me. Well, no way to erase that data now. I guess I'll just keep on being me.
On a more serious note, Homo Deus is a pretty solid attempt at envisioning the future of humanity as we know it to be today. The "deus" part of it is not a reference to an all-knowing all-powerful Bible God that the human being aspires to become, but rather, as Harari himself explains in the first part of the book, a Greek God like Zeus, Aphrodite or Hades, each a powerful being in their own right, but not all-powerful by themselves. Harari's ideas bring into questions things such as bio-technologies, data processing and how the birthing of a new human society might look nothing like what we see in our wildest dreams nowadays.
A highly enjoyable read, especially if you've read his Homo Sapiens beforehand. ...more
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