Tag Archives: science

The Inventions, Researches, and Writings of Nikola Tesla by Nikola Tesla

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover inventions, researches and writing of nikola tesla

Title: The Inventions, Researches, and Writings of Nikola Tesla
Author: Nikola Tesla
Series: Barnes & Noble Leatherbound
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, History, Non-fiction, Science
Dates read: 16th October – 15th November 2019
Pace: Slow
Format: Non-fictional text
Publisher: Barnes & Noble Leatherbound
Year: 1995
5th sentence, 74th page: Fig. 61 is a vertical cross-section of the motor.

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Synopsis

The Inventions, Researches and Writings of Nikola Tesla is the definitive record of the pioneering work of one of the modern world’s most groundbreaking inventors. During the early twentieth century, Nikola Tesla blazed the trail that electrical technology would follow for decades afterward. Although he pioneered inventions like alternating current (AC), radio, wireless transmission, and X-rays, and worked with innovators like George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison, the once celebrated Tesla was later largely forgotten by history. With illustrations and diagrams of many of Tesla’s early patents and inventions, as well as dozens of thought-provoking lectures and articles, this volume offers a rare glimpse of a true genius at work.

The Inventions, Researches and Writings of Nikola Tesla is one of Barnes & Noble’s Collectible Editions classics. Each volume features authoritative texts by the world’s greatest authors in an exquisitely designed bonded-leather binding, with distinctive gilt edging and an attractive silk-ribbon bookmark. Decorative, durable, and collectible, these books offer hours of pleasure to readers young and old and are an indispensible cornerstone for every home library.

Thoughts

This was an interesting, fun and open read. I mostly bought it because I needed it to complete a reading challenge, and well, the cover was really, really pretty. What I didn’t expect was that I would enjoy this adventure so much… after all, it’s been quite a while since I picked up anything physics-related.

Physics is an incredibly intense and fun subject – one that I’m kind of realising I miss a bit. This book explains that fact really well – not only is the use of electricity really intricate and intense, but this collection actually manages to explain it in a really fascinating way. And accessible… you don’t need a physics degree to understand what discoveries and creations Tesla came up with. The diagrams also go a long way to helping you understand exactly what engines, power sources and discoveries he made.

I did really enjoy the biographical aspects of Tesla’s life throughout this as well. Although it was very science-heavy, there was just enough of the personal to keep even the least scientifically-minded person engaged. So, not only did I learn a lot about what the actual discoveries, researches and inventions of Tesla were, I also learnt quite a bit about his personal journey and life in his obsession with electricity.

 <- Dracula and Other Horror Stories ReviewBeauty and the Beast and Other Classic Fairy Tales Review ->

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Lab Girl by Hope Jahren

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for book cover lab girl

Title: Lab Girl: A Story of Trees, Science and Love
Author: Hope Jahren
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Memoirs, Nature, Science
Dates read: 21st – 27th October 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: Fleet
Year: 2016
5th sentence, 74th page: I started to leave, but hesitated when Bill looked up at last.

Synopsis

Acclaimed scientist Hope Jahren has built three laboratories in which she’s studied trees, flowers, seeds, and soil. Her first book is a revelatory treatise on plant life—but it is also so much more.

Lab Girl is a book about work, love, and the mountains that can be moved when those two things come together. It is told through Jahren’s stories: about her childhood in rural Minnesota with an uncompromising mother and a father who encouraged hours of play in his classroom’s labs; about how she found a sanctuary in science, and learned to perform lab work done “with both the heart and the hands”; and about the inevitable disappointments, but also the triumphs and exhilarating discoveries, of scientific work.

Yet at the core of this book is the story of a relationship Jahren forged with a brilliant, wounded man named Bill, who becomes her lab partner and best friend. Their sometimes rogue adventures in science take them from the Midwest across the United States and back again, over the Atlantic to the ever-light skies of the North Pole and to tropical Hawaii, where she and her lab currently make their home.

Thoughts

This book is absolutely freaking amazing!!! Not just because it is written so well and about the natural sciences. But also because I connected completely to what Hope Jahren was saying. She recalls her years in her PhD, the weirdness that is her obsession and just life as an academic in general. I might just be starting out in that life… but there was so much that was relatable. And it made me feel better about all of my multiple freak-outs and insecurities…

Lab Girl has most certainly become my all-time favourite memoir. Partly because it is in an area that I am more intimately familiar with than almost any other. But also because it deals with a lot of hidden issues in life. Talks about mental health. Focuses on what it takes to become who you want to be. Yet weaves throughout botanical knowledge and scientific principles that almost feel like coming home.

There is no one in the world that doesn’t have to deal with self-doubt. That doesn’t feel like others are judging them and querying their every move. That make them think they are somehow less. Add to that a mental health issue and being a female in a traditionally male-dominated career… it’s a tough world out there. And Jahren faces up to the realities of this fearlessly. Yet, she does so with a healthy dose of humour and light that doesn’t feel bitter and contrived. That doesn’t make you angry at the system, just understanding of the challenges faced.

Hope’s relationship with Bill is amazing. All throughout, he is her voice of sanity and reason. The person who has her back and supports her no matter what she does. We all need someone like that in our lives. Whether it is a co-worker, a friend or a lover… it doesn’t matter the amazing power of their relationship made me so incredibly jealous. I don’t know that I’ve ever had someone totally appreciate my world in that way, and it is something that I would love to find in my professional life – someone who is obsessed with invertebrates just as much as I am.

This is one of those memoirs that I’m never, ever going to forget. It is intense, wonderful and intriguing. The perfect miss of personal anecdotes, science and the telling of reality merge together fantastically. I can understand why it was on a summer reading list, and I’m so glad I succumbed to the compulsion to buy it!!!

<- A Gift from DarknessWhen Breath Becomes Air ->

Image source: Wikipedia

Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Cross Bones

Title: Cross Bones
Author: Kathy Reichs
Series: Temperance Brennan #8
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves:Anthropology, Science, Crime, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Arrow Books
Year: 2005
5th sentence, 74th page: At the airport bookstore, only a few million copies of the year’s blockbuster bestseller barred my way.

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Synopsis

A full week after death, a barely recognisable body is discovered in a closet. ‘Death by self-inflicted funshot wound to the head’ is the initial assessment, but the victim’s relatives are adamant that this was not suicide.

Extreme heat has accelerated decomposition, and Dr Temperance Brennan’s forensic expertise is required. Even for her, it is virtually impossible to determine the trajectory of the bullet.

But just as Tempe is attempting to make sense of the evidence, she receives a photograph of a skeleton from an unknown source. Could this hold the answer to the victim’s death?

Thoughts

It’s difficult to write and read about Christianity. It is such a sensitive topic, and one that I tend to steer clear of at all times. However, Reichs manages to use discussions surrounding Jesus and Christianity beautifully. She doesn’t talk about the different aspects of faith, but rather touches upon the different groups who are heavily entrenched within this discussion. And I actually loved it.

Entwining a murder mystery with a theological mystery which impacts upon a large proportion of the world’s viewpoint seemed a little risky. Even the beginning of this novel starts with a foreword by Kathy Reichs that outlines some of the theological debates surrounding Masada, Jesus Christ and the many, many, many arguments which surround such a complex issue.

I found that Cross Bones went a little slower than the other Temperance Brennan stories so far. Most of the novels in this series so far, I have to read when I have someone else home with me. I tend to get swept away by it and also get really freaked out by what the main character is going through. However, because there was more of a focus on the social and political terrors of this story, than the physical ones that are normally faced. I liked that fact. Although, it did mean that I took longer to read this novel, because I didn’t need to watch the culprit getting caught to sleep at night.

<- Monday MourningBreak No Bones ->

Image source: Penguin Books Australia

Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Monday Mourning

Title: Monday Mourning
Author: Kathy Reichs
Series: Temperance Brennan #7
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves:Anthropology, Science, Crime, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Arrow Books
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: Grabbing a lab coat from my office, I headed to the morgue.

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Synopsis

Three skeletons are discovered in a Montreal basement.

The building is old, and the homicide detective in charge dismisses the reamins as historic. Not his case. Not his concern.

Forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan is not so sure. Something about the bones of these three young women suggests a different message: murder.

Soon she finds herself drawn ever deeper into a web of evil from which there may be no escape. Three women have disappeared, never to return. Will Tempe be next?

Thoughts

Mondays suck. And I love that this was highlighted not only in Reichs’ title for this novel, but also in the fact that every important moment in this story came on a Monday. Each revelation and spinning of the spider’s web happens on that horrible day, and ultimately, the climax and kind of horrible ending (in the best sense possible) also occurs on a Monday. Like I said, Mondays suck.

From the first discovery, it was obvious that this story was going to be kind of horrible. Three skeletons of young girls found in a basement – it doesn’t take much to realise that this is going to go places that you don’t necessarily want to go. The fact that it then leads to the villain of the story eventually escaping (and being an unexpected one at that)… well, when I finished this tale, I had goosebumps. I actually made sure that I didn’t read this story unless I knew my partner was going to be home for dark. The young women being the victims just hit a little too close to home.

As always, I love the level of science and detail that Reichs manages to bring to her work. By using expose to explain the science behind each discovery, you not only get swept away by the story, but you learn a lot. Good science is hard to come by in literature (at least in my experience), so having a series that not only manages to get my blood pumping, but also brings to life an area of my life that I love is the perfect way to spend a few spine-chilling nights curled up under a blanket.

<- Bare BonesCross Bones ->

Image source: Penguin Books Australia

First Bones by Kathy Reichs

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview
The Bone Collection

Title: First Bones
Author: Kathy Reichs
Series: Temperance Brennan #0.5
In: The Bone Collection (Kathy Reichs)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves:Anthropology, Science, Crime, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Arrow Books
Year: 2016
5th sentence, 74th page: A rattling gurney or cart.

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Synopsis

First Bones gets under Tempe’s skin with the untold story of her first case and her decision to become a forensic anthropologist.

Thoughts

One of the things that I love about the Temperance Brennan series is that the science and emotions are spot on. In this origin story, it’s the emotions that really come to the fore and provide a strong storyline. Actually, this novella made me shed a tear when I finished it.

Brennan’s past is often alluded to throughout the novels that I have read thus far. Not only her past marriage, but her past academic life and the journey that she made into forensics. It was interesting to find out what the driver of this decision was. I imagine that it was a similar experience to the author – a moment or a case that makes you give up the archaeological and delve into the criminal.

I haven’t read a Temperance Brennan story for a while (I can only read them when I’m not spending the night alone). And I kind of forgot how much I love the realism and vividness of the world to which you are introduced. Tempe’s daily life and relationship with Pete is struck into my head with the flickering fire by which they find themselves. Actually, finally reading this origin and being reminded of the beauty of her words has made me pick up the next book in my shelf…

<- More Kathy ReichsDeja Dead ->

Image source: Penguin Books Australia

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterley

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Hidden Figures

Title: Hidden Figures: The Untold Story of the African Women Who Helped Win the Space Race
Author: Margot Lee Shetterley
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Biographies, Feminism, History, Memoirs, Science
Pace: Medium
Format: Novel
Publisher: William Collins
Year: 2016
5th sentence, 74th page: If Dorothy Vaughn had been able to accept Howard University’s offer of graduate admission, she likely would have been Claytor’s only female classmate, with virtually no postgraduate career options outside of teaching, even with a master’s degree in hand.

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Synopsis

GENIUS HAS NO RACE. STRENGTH HAS NO GENDER. COURAGE HAS NO LIMIT.

The phenomenal true story of the black female mathematicians at NASA whose calculations helped fuel some of America’s greatest achievements in space.

Before John Glenn orbited the earth or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, some of the brightest minds of their generation, known as ‘human computers’, used pencils and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.

Starting in World War II and moving through to the Cold War and the Space Race, Hidden Figures is a powerful, revelatory tale of race, discrimination and achievement in the modern world. Now a major motion picture starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst and Kevin Costner.

Thoughts

I bought this book because I’ve seen the ads for the movie. I, as always, wanted to read the book before I watched the movie – there’s just something far more satisfying about reading the words before watching the adaptation. And I was not disappointed in the slightest. Although this is a pretty heavy going book. At least for someone like me, who has almost no knowledge of American history and, more specifically, the challenges faced by African-Americans throughout the past.

I love the world of science and maths, you don’t agree to do an undergrad and postgrad degree in the area if you don’t! NASA, however, has always been a bit of an abstract interest – I’m more into the environmental aspects of science than the physics. But, after reading this, I want to find out more about the contributions that NASA has provided the rest of the world. The fact that it was a great way to break down social and racial stigmas kind of made it all the more appealing. And this is including the role of Langley and its conception in WWII.

One of the things that I loved about this book was that it didn’t just focus on one or two women. Rather, there was a whole slew of women who contributed to the space race, and this is reflected by the telling of their stories. Although three main women continued to appear again and again, there were a number of other individuals who were mentioned and illuminated throughout this story.

For anyone with an interest in politics, equality, science, maths, or just really likes a good story, I would definitely recommend this novel! It certainly opened my eyes (and my mind).

<- The Upside ReviewWild Review ->
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Cork Dork by Bianca Bosker

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Cork Dork

Title: Cork Dork
Author: Bianca Bosker
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Memoirs, Science, Wine
Pace: Slow
Format: Novel
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: Or Napa Valley in California.

Synopsis

Professional journliast and amateur drinker Bianca Bosker didn’t know much about wine, until she discovered the world of elite sommeliers who dedicate their lives to the pursuit if flavour. Fascinated by their fervour and seemingly superhuman sensory powers, she set out to uncover what drove their obsession, and whether she, too, could become a ‘cork dork’.

With boundless curiosity, humour and a healthy dose of scepticism, Bosker takes the reader inside underground tasting groups, exclusive New York City restaurants, mass-market wine factories and even a neuroscientist’s fMRI machine as she attempts to answer the most nagging question of all: what’s the big deal about wine? Funny, counterintuitive and compulsively readable, Cork Dork does for drinking what Kitchen Confidential did for dining out, ensuring you’ll never reach blindly for the second cheapest bottle on the menu again.

Thoughts

I got this book because someone who came into my work place suggested it. I work in a cellar door, and I’m constantly trying to find out more about wine. It sounded interesting, it sounded like something that could expand my knowledge, and I figured, ‘why the hell not?’ And honestly, it was so much more than I expected! This book was fascinating, engaging and enthralling – something that I couldn’t put down and taught me so much more about the world of wine.

Although the premise for this journey is a journalist attempting to become a master sommelier, there is so much more about the world of wine than I expected. I was expecting someone who entered the world of the hoighty toighty wine tasters and sellers, those who work in first class restaurants, and just saw wine as a way in which to show their class. Instead, this was an honest look into the industry of wine, how we experience it and the emotional connection that such a weirdly complex beverage can incite. Bosker doesn’t just talk about the social and economic aspects of fine wine and fine dining, but the science, the beliefs and the very act of creating this beverage.

Cork Dork is brilliantly written and a great insight into the industry. The fact that there is a whole chapter that discusses the company I work for (Treasury Wine Estates), and it helped me to conceptualise where the work I do fits into the wine industry as well. But, even if you are not a lover of wine, this is a great way to find out more about what makes people so obsessed with this drink. After all, it’s just alcoholic grape juice…

 <- Six Legs WalkingThe Beginning of Everything ->

Image source: Bianca Bosker

Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Bare Bones

Title: Bare Bones
Author: Kathy Reichs
Series: Temperance Brennan #6
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves:Anthropology, Science, Crime, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Arrow Books
Year: 2003
5th sentence, 74th page: “Hello?”

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Synopsis

During one of the hottest summers on record, Dr Temperance Brennan is haunted by a string of horrifying events.

First, the bones of a newborn baby are discovered in a wood stove. The mother is nowhere to be found.

Next, a plane flies into a rock face. The dead pilot and passenger are burned beyond recognition, and covered in an unknown substance.

And then a store of bones is found in a remote corner of the county. What has happened, and who will be the next victim? The answers lie hidden deep within the bones – but Tempe must find them in time to avoid further disaster.

Thoughts

This was one of the more complex stories so far in the Temperance Brennan series – a freak discovery of bones in a bag, a plane crash and a baby in an incinerator all combined into one complex tale of mayhem and woe. The complexities of the storyline made it a little difficult to follow the cast at some points. For each of the crimes, there was a different set of players – each crime had its own set of suspects and professionals involved. Their own victims with their own lives. Even new investigators at each point of this story. It builds to create a multifaceted array of characters that can be a little difficult to follow at some points, but also show a very realistic approach to the life of a forensic anthropologist.

At the conclusion of Grave Secrets, Tempe choses one of the men to go on holidays with and it is in Bare Bones that her choice is finally revealed. The burgeoning relationship is sweet and tentative, although it shows how much Brennan relies upon the friendship to get through her days of death. Again, Reichs shows how dealing with death on such a frequent basis can impact someone’s psyche. The necessity of having understanding relationships in handling such a dreary daily reality, and indeed, our daily lives is integral to surviving in a successful manner.

<- Grave SecretsMonday Mourning ->

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Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs

Book Review, , , , , , ,

Overview

Grave Secrets

Title: Grave Secrets
Author: Kathy Reichs
Series: Temperance Brennan #5
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Anthropology, Science, Crime, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Arrow Books
Year: 2002
5th sentence, 74th page: He pushed a blue pin into the map.

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Synopsis

In the searing heat of Guatemala, Dr Temperance Brennan must harden herself against the horrors she excavates.

And then four young girls go missing from Guatemala City.

When a skeleton is found at the back of a rundown hotel, only someone with Tempe’s expertise can deduce the identity and cause of death.

But as she searches for answers, her path is blocked at every turn. It is clear that some people will stop at nothing to keep Guatemala’s secrets buried.

Thoughts

Every time I think that I have a handle on the legal system outlined in the Temperance Brennan books, Reichs seems to throw a spanner in the works. I finally get my head around the system de Montreal, then we move to America, then we investigate a plane crash, and finally we move onto the jurisdictional system of Guatemala. It’s always great when you learn while reading!

Discovering more about a third-world, corrupt government and its jurisdictional system was incredibly fascinating (and also made me grateful to live in Australia). Reichs’ adeptness at describing the criminal workings of different countries is a great way to further the storyline – but it is also an awesome reminder of this woman’s intelligence and work in the field of forensics. Actually, it was Kathy Reichs’ work that first interested me in Anthropology and Forensics…using Guatemala as a backdrop in the fifth book is an amazing contrast with the preceding four books. So, not only did I learn something new, I was also transported into a world that is totally foreign to me.

Most good stories have a romantic subplot, even though I like to scoff at them, sexual and emotional tension between characters really helps to progress the storyline. It also helps to pull you in. The Temperance Brennan series is no different, there is constant tension between Tempe and Detective Andy Ryan throughout the stories and every time you think that something is about to happen, something prevents it (can you say frustrating?). This makes the introduction of Sergeant-detective Bartolome “Bat” Galiano a welcome one. More steaming sexual tension and I lapped it all up. Reintroducing Andy Ryan into the storyline helps to build this tension, and at the end, finally, finally, Tempe makes her decision. But, as a masterful writer, Kathy Reichs doesn’t let you know who it is. You have to read the next book in the series first. And even then, it takes a while to discover just who Brennan chose.

<- Fatal VoyageBare Bones ->

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Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs

Book Review, , , , , , ,

Overview

Fatal Voyage

Title: Fatal Voyage
Author: Kathy Reichs
Series: Temperance Brennan #4
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Anthropology, Science, Crime, Strong women
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Arrow Books
Year: 2001
5th sentence, 74th page: The construction was as solid as London’s Newgate prison.

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Synopsis

A plane crashes high in the mountains of North Carolina. But then a severed foot is discovered a good distance from the crash site…

Forensic anthropologist Dr Temperance Brennan is first on the scene. The task that confronts her is a sad and sickening one, and her investigation seems to be throwing up more questions than answers.

But when Tempe makes a discovery that raises dangerous questions, her professional standing is threatened. Convinced that another corpse lies in the woods, Tempe pits herself against a conspiracy of silence, and uncovers a shocking tale of deceit and depravity…

Thoughts

Fatal Voyage helped to ease some of the frustrations of Deadly Decisions; it bought Andy Ryan back to the forefront of the story. I was really enjoying the courting dance of the two main characters throughout the series, and this addition to the series extended on it. Aside from the character connections, I also really enjoyed discovering what happens when there is a plane crash. Logically I knew that there are a lot of people who have to be involved in the retrieval process, but actually learning the intricacies of this, at least for America was really cool.

To keep the plot line interesting (because a massive plane crash and the return of a potential flame isn’t all on its own…) Reichs added in a nice, healthy dose of conspiracies and people in power. Which, of course Brennan finds herself in the middle of. Yes, it was a little predictable, but it was interesting nevertheless. Sometimes predictability in books can still be harnessed to create a fascinating storyline that you can’t help but be enthralled by. And since Reichs is such a phenomenal writer, she managed to maintain the feeling of anticipation right throughout.

For me, Fatal Voyage was special because of Temperance Brennan’s insecurities. Yes, she is interested in Andy Ryan (you’d have to be blind to not get that), but the aspects of her personality that prevented her from taking advantage of her feelings were all too real. We all have hangups, and reading about someone else’s inability to deal with them at times made me feel all the better about my own. It made Brennan ten times more relatable and loveable. At least in my mind.

<- Deadly DecisionsGrave Secrets ->

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