Book reviews

History and science wrapped into one

Author: Adam Hart-davis Publisher: Modern Books Price: £12.99 (approx. $17) Release date: Out now

Alot of the books we’ve reviewed recently have combined history lessons with science. It’s a perfect match – it would be almost impossible to understand why Eratosthenes tried to work out the size of the Earth using shadows if you didn’t first understand the methods people used to measure distance in 230 BCE, and how the ancient Greeks already knew that the Earth was a globe, not a flat circle. This book takes the same approach, and the historical backdrop serves as the perfect introduction to each new idea.

As a result, it’s an excellent intro for readers wanting to know more about famous scientists. It’s also fantastic as a refresher for those who have perhaps forgotten some of the details of Einstein’s theory of relativity or Archimedes’ bath-time breakthrough.

However, the book’s primary aim is also its downfall at times. By keeping each experiment brief and snappy and explaining theories and studies in just a few pages, some of the details can be lost. Don’t get us wrong, Hart-davis has done an excellent job of packing plenty of interesting information into the sections and does so without waffling, but there are times when you feel that a certain idea or theory needs more explanation than just a paragraph or two.

That said, the pacing of the book also means that if you do come across an experiment or theory that you find a little dull, you won’t be stuck with it for long. The fast-moving topics make it easy to pick up the book and breeze through several decades of research in just a single sitting, and if you only have a few minutes, you can read just a few pages and put it down again, without needing to leave a topic halfway through.

Again, the writing style helps to keep things entertaining throughout and ensures even the most complex ideas are easy to read and understand. Illustrations don’t do much to add to the narrative but do brighten up pages – they might put off serious scientists, but this isn’t really for them in the first place. If you’re just an amateur looking to find out more about the world, this is a good place to start.

“It’s an excellent intro or refresher for readers”