Popular science Books

Book SynopsisBarbara Arrowsmith-Young is the Director of Arrowsmith School and Arrowsmith Program. She holds both a B.A.Sc. in Child Studies from the University of Guelph, and a Master's degree in School Psychology from the University of Toronto (Ontario Institute for Studies in Education).Trade ReviewIn this brave, fascinating book, Barbara Arrowsmith-Young describes how she rebuilt her own damaged brain and transcended the doomful prognosis she received in childhood. This is a riveting study of both neuroscience and human determination -- Andrew Solomon, author of THE NOONDAY DEMON and FAR FROM THE TREEGroundbreaking and enthralling * Guardian *A pioneer in the treatment of learning disabilities... An inspiring, instructive life story * Kirkus *Arrowsmith-Young's poignant and uplifting book about her transformation from a child born with severe learning disabilities to a dynamic pioneer in cognitive education offers hope to anyone who has ever struggled with a learning disorder, brain trauma, ADD, or stroke. By her own fierce determination and passionate desire to learn, this remarkable woman changed her own brain and has since helped countless others to change theirs. This is an important book. -- Mira Bartók, New York Times bestselling author of The Memory PalaceThis is a poignant book about two people who connected across continents and generations-a Canadian woman with an unusual cognitive makeup, and the great Russian neuropsychologist Alexander Luria whose writings gave Barbara Arrowsmith the tools to change her own life and the lives of her many students. Moving, insightful and empowering! -- Elkhonon Goldberg, Ph.D., the author of The Wisdom Paradox and The New Executive Brain

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Book SynopsisThe full inside story of the detection of gravitational waves at LIGO, one of the most ambitious feats in scientific history*Selected as a Book of the Year 2016 in the Sunday Times*''This is empirical poetry. A fascinating tale of human curiosity beautifully told, and with black holes and lasers too'' Robin InceIn 1916 Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves: miniscule ripples in the very fabric of spacetime generated by unfathomably powerful events. If such vibrations could somehow be recorded, we could observe our universe for the first time through sound: the hissing of the Big Bang, the low tones of merging galaxies, the drumbeat of two black holes collapsing into one In 2016 a team of hundreds of scientists at work on a billion-dollar experiment made history when they announced the first ever detection of a gravitational wave, confirming Einstein's prediction a century ago. Based on complete access toTrade ReviewGripping ... very, very well written ... I reached the beautiful ending of this book with a little sob of gratitude ... heartbreaking ... brilliant -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *It is hard to imagine that a better narrative will ever be written about the behind-the-scenes heartbreak and hardship that goes with scientific discovery. Black Hole Blues is a spectacular feat – a near-perfect balance of science, storytelling and insight … It is as inevitable as gravity that this book will win a swath of awards -- Michael Brooks * New Statesman *Astonishing … superb … Ms Levin is able to tell the tale so soon, and so well, because she has had privileged access to the experiment. She has also known the experimenters for several years … Ms Levin is herself a scientist, which explains her access, but more than that she is a writer … readers feel as if they are sitting in on her interviews or watching over her shoulder as she describes two black holes colliding … A splendid book that I recommend to anyone with an interest in how science works and in the power of human imagination and ability -- John Gribbin * Wall Street Journal *A superb storyteller. This is the most vivid account I can remember of science policy in action … I’ll be surprised if anyone brings out a more readable book on gravitational waves in the near future -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *The definitive account of how we completed the hundred-year hunt for gravitational waves … Punchy, witty, timely and deeply insightful; I haven’t read a better book on the realities of doing science -- Michael Brooks * New Statesman, Books of the Year *A remarkable achievement that potentially opens up a whole new chapter in our understanding of the cosmos and, with perfect timing, Janna Levin’s elegant and lucid book is here to tell us how it was done … the human drama is compelling … The main protagonists … comprise as fascinating a triumvirate as you will find anywhere in scientific literature. Levin, a distinguished astrophysicist in her own right, writes eloquently, sometimes even poetically, about the search for what she calls gravity’s music -- Simon Griffith * Mail on Sunday *Taking on the simultaneous roles of expert scientist, journalist, historian and storyteller of uncommon enchantment, Levin delivers pure signal from cover to cover … Levin harmonizes science and life with remarkable virtuosity … exposing the invisible, incremental processes that produce the final spark we call genius … As redemptive as the story of the countless trials and unlikely triumph may be, what makes the book most rewarding is Levin’s exquisite prose -- Maria Popova * The New York Times *The most important development in astronomy since the invention of the telescope ... [Levin] excels in conveying the personalities of the scientists and their professional and personal struggles ... With the success of Ligo, we stand at the dawn of a new era in astronomy, Levin says in her excellent book -- Marcus Chown * Times Higher Education *Brilliant and timely -- James GleickExplains in clear terms the scientific heart of this achievement and the deep and personal fascination that pursuing it has held for several generations of scientists. She also captures the cost of getting to this point, both financial – this is big science in its truest sense – and, in many cases, personal … the plot is too compelling … genuinely painful to read in places … illuminating ... interesting * Nature *A beautifully written account of the quest to open the ‘gravitational-wave window’ onto our universe. As a participant in this wonderful quest, I applaud Janna Levin for capturing so well our vision, our struggles, and the ethos and spirit of our torturous route toward success -- Kip Thorne, co-founder of LIGORiveting. Janna Levin immerses us in the heady world of scientists straining to detect gravitational waves, the faintest whispers in the universe. Keenly observed and lyrically written, her account of this quest will move you -- Steven Strogatz, author of The Joy of xIf Hunter Thompson had taken a break to get a PhD in physics and then become obsessed with gravitational waves, he might have written a book like this -- Alan Lightman, author of The Accidental UniverseLevin is a master of storytelling […] this book […]keeps the reader hooked in awe page after page. Black Hole Blues is a captivating study of the process of scientific discovery. -- Brad Davies * Independent *Levin brilliant captures the immense challenges of today’s big science, from the clash of huge egos to the final triumphant proof of a century-old theory -- PD Smith * Guardian *

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Book SynopsisAs an acoustic engineer, Trevor Cox has spent his career eradicating unwanted noises echoes in concert halls, clamour in classrooms. Until the day he heard something so astonishing that he had an epiphany: rather than quashing rare or bizarre sounds, we should be celebrating these sonic treasures. This is the story of his investigation into the mysteries of these Sonic Wonders of the World. In the Mojave Desert he finds sand dunes that sing. In France he discovers an echo that tells jokes. In California he drives down a musical road that plays the William Tell Overture. In Cathedrals across the world he learns how acoustics changed the history of the Church. Touching on physics, music, archaeology, neuroscience, biology, and design, Cox explains how sound is made and altered by the environment and how our body reacts to peculiar noises from the exotic sonic wonders he encounters on his journey, or the equally unique and surprising sounds of our everyday environmTrade ReviewA riveting ear-opener, Trevor Cox describes in lyrical detail a range of sonic events and new ways of listening that can only brighten our experience of the acoustic world around us. A must-read for sound-lovers of all stripes -- Bernie Krause, author of The Great Animal OrchestraThis is acoustician Trevor Cox’s fun but thoroughly detailed tour through some of the world’s aural gems. Sounds like music to our ears * New Scientist *A must read for musicians, producers, sound engineers and nerds of all kinds -- Lauren Laverne * BBC 6 Music *A David Attenborough of the acoustic realm, whose knowledge is unimpeachable yet worn lightly, whose language is vivid yet without indulgence -- David Hendy * Observer *Sonic Wonderland by Trevor Cox is one of those books that require a "this book will change your life" sticker -- Simon Barnes * The Times *Sonic Wonderland, a delightfully instructive book, will make you want to listen to the world anew and with beatifically attuned ears -- Ian Thomson * Sunday Telegraph (Book of the Week) *Captivating book... This book does not call for quiet, but for good sound over bad... Reading this revelatory book, it is impossible not to be converted to his cause. He syringes his readers’ ears and the effect is delightful -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *If there's one man who could give you an informed account of one-hand clapping, it's Trevor Cox. Fascinating …. Thought-provoking -- Tibor Fischer * The Times *Cox explores a dazzling variety of fascinating sounds... When we actively listen rather than merely hear, the world becomes a richer and fuller place, and Cox's book is the perfect primer for retraining your ears -- Chris Maume * Independent *It's a joy as a reader to follow [Cox's] captivating forays into this "sonic wonderland" that surrounds us all. His enthusiasm is palpable and I challenge anybody to read this book and not want to experience for themselves at least one of the subjects described. This really is a perfect book for anyone with an interest in sound * BBC Focus *Compellingly original... Fluent and engaging, the book's lapses into scientific jargon are leavened by Cox's boyish enthusiasm and earnest desire that the world's sonic wonders should not fall on deaf ears * Lonely Planet Traveller *Delightful and informative * Sunday Times *An infectiously enthusiastic study -- Caspar Henderson * Guardian *[An] intriguing book -- Orlando Bird * Financial Times *Cox’s strengths are founded in joyful ardour – a love of unusual sound events – and the scientific knowledge and communicative skills to analyse each of these events as he encounters them on his travels -- David Toop * Times Higher Education *

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Book Synopsis** Winner of Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books 2015 **We live in epoch-making times. The changes we humans have made in recent decades have altered our world beyond anything it has experienced in its 4.6 billion-year history. As a result, our planet is said to be crossing into the Anthropocene the Age of Humans. Gaia Vince decided to travel the world at the start of this new age to see what life is really like for the people on the frontline of the planet we've made. From artificial glaciers in the Himalayas to painted mountains in Peru, electrified reefs in the Maldives to garbage islands in the Caribbean, Gaia found people doing the most extraordinary things to solve the problems that we ourselves have created. These stories show what the Anthropocene means for all of us and they illuminate how we might engineer Earth for our future.Trade ReviewA heroic and important work -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *An excellent book... Vince writes with great freshness and vigour, and her stories are hard to stop reading * Daily Telegraph *It holds a mirror up to humanity and says: look what you have done to the world, the only world you will ever have... in every sense a good book, as well as a compelling read * Guardian *A masterpiece... a wondrous, remarkable, but heart-rending story * Ecologist *A masterpiece... a wondrous, remarkable, but heart-rending story * Ecologist *A story of optimism about how 10 billion people can in future live together and prosper... Fresh and unencumbered, Vince glides from ecology to economics, politics to philosophy, seeing it all through the people she meets * New Scientist *

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Book SynopsisProf Yuval Noah Harari has a PhD in History from the University of Oxford and now lectures at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, specialising in World History. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind has become an international phenomenon attracting a legion of fans from Bill Gates and Barack Obama to Chris Evans and Jarvis Cocker, and is published in sixty languages worldwide. It was a Sunday Times Number One bestseller and was in the Top Ten for over nine months in paperback. His follow-up to Sapiens, Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow was also a Top Ten Bestseller and was described by the Guardian as 'even more readable, even more important, than his excellent Sapiens'. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century, was a Number One Bestseller and was described by Bill Gates as 'fascinating' and 'crucial'. Harari worked closely with renowned comics illustrator Daniel Casanave and co-writer David Vandermeulen to create his latest book, an adaptation of his first bestseller, Sapiens Graphic Novel: Volume 1.Trade ReviewI would recommend Sapiens to anyone who’s interested in the history and future of our species * Bill Gates *Interesting and provocative… It gives you a sense of how briefly we’ve been on this Earth * Barack Obama *Jaw-dropping from the first word to the last… It may be the best book I’ve ever read * Chris Evans *Tackles the biggest questions of history and the modern world… Written in unforgettably vivid language * Jared Diamond *Startling... It changes the way you look at the world * Simon Mayo *Sapiens is a starburst of a book, as enjoyable as it is stimulating * Sunday Express *One of the best books I’ve read recently… Gives an excellent overview of how our species has developed * Lily Cole *Sweeps the cobwebs out of your brain… Radiates power and clarity, making the world strange and new * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisScott Stossel is the editor of The Atlantic. Previously, he was the executive editor of The American Prospect. He is also the author of Sarge: The Life and Times of Sargent Shriver. A graduate of Harvard, he lives with his family in Washington DC.Trade ReviewUnflinchingly honest and written in an accessible style…This is a courageous, entertaining and well-researched book about a condition that is thought to currently affect 15 percent if people in the UK. * Independent *[A] vivid, smart exploration of the history of anxiety. Stossel tackles genetics, nature and nurture, drug development, and changing medical and philosophical attitudes with the lightest of touches. * Marie Claire *[A] courageous and hilarious journey to the edge of insanity…Stossel’s patient, conscientious uncertainty contains more wit and sensitivity than a hundred manifestos…an immense achievement. * Sunday Telegraph *Fascinating and hugely entertaining. An intense, incredibly brave narrative tinged with moments of outright hilarity, it’s impossible to put down. -- Ben MezrichCareful and clearly written, his book contains more truth, wit and sensitivity than 100 manifestos. * Daily Telegraph *

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Book SynopsisFrom the Pulitzer Prize winning author of Guns, Germs and SteelMore than 98 % of human genes are shared with two species of chimpanzee. The ''third'' chimpanzee is man. Jared Diamond surveys our life-cycle, culture, sexuality and destructive urges both towards ourselves and the planet to explore the ways in which we are uniquely human yet still influenced by our animal origins.Trade ReviewEloquent and knowledgeable account of the tiny genetic difference between humans and chimps * Independent *Some biologists are just scientists; but some truly are thinkers. Jared Diamond is one of the latter. Whatever he applies himself to, his contribution is original and worthwhile -- Colin TudgeA fascinating portrait with more than enough uncomfortable facts to stop any dinner-party conversation in its tracks - an important book * Financial Times *Confirms Diamond as an impressive scholar and popularizer-an enjoyable, stimulating and audacious book * Nature *

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Book SynopsisAlan Guth, after receiving his doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, held positions at Princeton University, Columbia, Cornell and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. He is now the V. F. Weisskopf Professor of Physics at MIT. He has been elected to the US National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and has been awarded the Eddington Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in London.Trade ReviewMind-blowing stuff * Sunday Times *[Alan Guth's] remarkably lucid account is set to become a seminal text in cosmology...helping us up the learning curve without ever making recourse to unfriendly mathematical equations * Literary Review *[Guth] conveys how science can be an intensely social and interactive activity, and the erratic and fitful way in which new ideas clarify * The Times *One of the most fascinating and fundamental fields of human enquiry...handsomely rewards study * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1966, THE CHEMISTRY OF LIFE has held its own as a clear and authoritative introduction to the world of biochemistry. This fourth edition has been fully updated and revised to include the latest developments in DNA and protein synthesis, cell regulation, and their social and medical implications.

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Book Synopsis''A passionate defence of the enduring power of human nature ... both life-affirming and deeply satisfying'' Daily TelegraphRecently many people have assumed that we are blank slates shaped by our environment. But this denies the heart of our being: human nature. Violence is not just a product of society; male and female minds are different; the genes we give our children shape them more than our parenting practices. To acknowledge our innate abilities, Pinker shows, is not to condone inequality, but to understand the very foundations of humanity.''Brilliant ... enjoyable, informative, clear, humane'' New Scientist''If you think the nature-nurture debate has been resolved, you are wrong ... this book is required reading'' Literary Review''An original and vital contribution to science and also a rattling good read'' Matt Ridley, Sunday Telegraph ''Startling ... This is a breath of air for a topic that has been politicized for too long'' EconomistTrade ReviewA passionate defence of the enduring power of human nature ... both life-affirming and deeply satisfying -- Tim Lott * Daily Telegraph, Books of the Year *Brilliant ... enjoyable, informative, clear, humane * New Scientist *If you think the nature-nurture debate has been resolved, you are wrong ... this book is required reading * Literary Review *An original and vital contribution to science and also a rattling good read -- Matt Ridley * Sunday Telegraph *Table of ContentsThe blank slate, the noble savage and the ghost in the machine: the official theory; silly putty; the last wall to fall; culture vultures; the slate's last stand. Fear and loathing: political scientists; the Holy Trinity. Human nature with a human face: the fear of inequality; the fear of imperfectability; the fear of determinism; the fear of nihilism. Know thyself: in touch with reality; out of our depths; the many roots of our suffering; the sanctimonious animal. Hot buttons: politics; violence; gender; children; the arts. The voice of the species. Appendix: Donald E. Brown's list of human universals.

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Book SynopsisSusan Greenfield is a leading neuroscientist based at the Laboratory of Pharmacology, Oxford. In 1994 she was the first woman to give the annual Royal Institution Christmas Lectures. She is the presenter for BBC2's Brain Story.

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Book SynopsisMankind''s battle to stay alive is the greatest of all subjects. This brief, witty and unusual book by Britain''s greatest medical historian compresses into a tiny span a lifetime spent thinking about millennia of human ingenuity in the quest to cheat death. Each chapter sums up one of these battlefields (surgery, doctors, disease, hospitals, laboratories and the human body) in a way that is both frightening and elating. Startlingly illustrated, A SHORT HISTORY OF MEDICINE is the ideal presentfor anyone who is keenly aware of their own mortality and wants to do something about it. It is also a wonderful memorial to one of Penguin''s greatest historians.Trade Review'Nobody will be able to put down this short history of medicine... without counting their blessings. Never have I read a book which made me so glad not to have been born before the mid-20th century.' Daily MailTable of ContentsDisease; doctors; the body; the laboratory; therapies; surgery; the hospital; medicine in modern society.

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Book SynopsisPaul Davies'' The Goldilocks Enigma: Why is the Universe Just Right for Life? gets to the heart of what makes the universe tick - and what makes our place in it so special. It''s not too hot, it''s not too cold, and its forces act together in a way that''s just right: why does the universe seem so perfectly tailor-made for life to exist? Paul Davies, one of the world''s most acclaimed science writers, shows how everything from the humble carbon atom to the speed of light and the laws of physics themselves interact. He asks: is there a theory of everything within our grasp? If there was a big bang, what happened before it? Is there on universe or many? Could we exist within an endless time loop? ''This is popular science as home to the really big questions''  Independent Books of the Year ''Beautifully judged''  Guardian ''Britain''s most eminent cosmologist ... Davies is effortle

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Book Synopsis***30th Anniversary Edition***Acclaimed as the most influential work on evolution written in the last hundred years, The Blind Watchmaker offers an inspiring and accessible introduction to one of the most important scientific discoveries of all time. A brilliant and controversial book which demonstrates that evolution by natural selection - the unconscious, automatic, blind yet essentially non-random process discovered by Darwin - is the only answer to the biggest question of all: why do we exist?Trade ReviewRichard Dawkins has updated evolution ... His subject is nothing less than the meaning of life, and he attacks it with the evangelical fervour of a clergyman and the mind of a scientist * The Times *Beautiful ... he seizes happy analogies, bright metaphors and shining images to light up his passion and our darkness * Guardian *Good writing, tight argument and unpulled punches ... a satisfying book * Economist *One of the best science books - one of the best of any books - I have ever read * Los Angeles Times *

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Book Synopsis***20th Anniversary Edition - With a New Introduction***Cover note: Each copy of the anniversary edition of Climbing Mount Improbable features a unique shell. No two covers are exactly alike.How could such an intricate object as the human eye - so complex and so precise - have come about by chance? In this masterful piece of popular science, Richard Dawkins builds a powerful and carefully reasoned argument for evolutionary adaptation as the force behind all life on earth. The metaphor of ''Mount Improbable'' represents the combination of perfection and improbability that we find in the seemingly ''designed'' complexity of living things. And through it all runs the thread of DNA, the molecule of life, responsible for its own destiny on an unending pilgrimage through time. Evocative illustrations accompany Dawkins'' eloquent descriptions of astonishing adaptations in the living world.Trade ReviewA beautiful, barnstorming thunderclap of a book -- Michael White * Mail on Sunday *Mount Improbable is Dawkins's metaphor for natural selection: its peaks standing for evolution's most complex achievements ... a perfect, elegant riposte to a great deal of fuzzy thinking * Observer *One of the most gifted storytellers of our generation ... he writes like an angel * Scotland on Sunday *A cracking good book -- John Gribbin

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Book SynopsisA dazzling, passionate polemic against anti-science movements of all kindsCover note: Each copy of the new edition of Unweaving the Rainbow features a unique wavelength pattern. No two covers are exactly alike.Keats accused Newton of destroying the poetry of the rainbow by explaining the origin of its colours. In this illuminating and provocative book, Richard Dawkins argues that Keats could not have been more mistaken, and shows how an understanding of science enhances our wonder of the world. He argues that mysteries do not lose their poetry because they are solved: the solution is often more beautiful than the puzzle, uncovering even deeper mysteries. Dawkins takes up the most important and compelling topics in modern science, from astronomy and genetics to language and virtual reality, combining them in a landmark statement on the human appetite for wonder.Cover note: Each copy of the new edition of Unweaving the Rainbow feaTrade ReviewA brilliant assertion of the wonder and excitement of real, tough, grown-up science -- A. S. Byatt, 'Books of the Year' * Daily Telegraph *The way Dawkins writes about science is not just a brain-tonic. It is more like an extended stay on a brain health-farm ... You come out feeling lean, tuned and enormously more intelligent -- John Carey * Sunday Times *Beautifully written and full of interesting, original ideas. Essential reading * The Times *For Dawkins there is more poetry, not less, in the rainbow because of Newton ... he weaves rainbows of wonder from other provinces of science and then unleashes his fury on those who accuse scientists like him of being unimaginative * Sunday Times *Brilliantly entertaining and stimulating * Observer *

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Book SynopsisFrom cyborgs, starships, UFOs, aliens and antimatter to telepathy, invisibility, psychokinesis and precognition, Michio Kaku''s Physics of the Impossible is an exciting look at how science fiction could soon become science fact. Albert Einstein said, ''If at first an idea does not sound absurd, there is no hope for it.'' Physics of the Impossible shows how our most far-fetched ideas today - from Star Trek''s phasers and teleportation to time travel as envisioned by Back to the Future - are destined to become tomorrow''s reality. Michio Kaku, bestselling science author and one of the world''s most acclaimed physicists, looks at the technologies of the future and explains what''s just around the corner, what we might have to wait a few millennia to get our hands on and how surprisingly little of it is truly impossible. ''A brilliant, provocative, freewheeling tour around the exotic shores of physics''  Independent ''A rich compendium of jaw-dropping reality checks''   The Times ''One of the world''s most distinguished physicists ... takes the reader on a journey to the frontiers of science and beyond''   Guardian ''After reading Kaku''s boundless enthusiasm for the future, what you wouldn''t give for a real-life time machine to travel forwards and see just how accurate his predictions are''   Sunday Telegraph Michio Kaku is a leading theoretical physicist and one of the founders of string theory, widely regarded as the strongest candidate for the ''theory of everything''. He is also one of the most gifted popularizers of science of his generation. His books published by Penguin include Parallel Worlds, The Physics of the Future and The Physics of the Impossible. He holds the Henry Semat Professorship in Theoretical Physics at the City University of New York, where he has taught for over twenty-five years.Trade Review'A brilliant, provocative, freewheeling tour around the exotic shores of physics' Independent

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Book Synopsis''Be prepared to be amazed'' GuardianCan anyone get a perfect memory?Joshua Foer used to be like most of us, forgetting phone numbers and mislaying keys. Then he learnt the art of memory training, and a year later found himself in the finals of the US Memory Championship. He also discovered a truth we often forget: that, even in an age of technology, memory is the key to everything we are.In Moonwalking with Einstein he takes us on an astonishing journey through the mind, from ancient ''memory palace'' techniques to neuroscience, from the man who can recall nine thousand books to another who constantly forgets who he is. In doing so, Foer shows how we can all improve our memories.''Captivating ... engaging ... smart and funny'' The New York Times''Delightful ... uplifting ... it shows that our minds can do extraordinary things'' Wall Street Journal''Great fun ... a book worth remembering'' Trade ReviewI'd never thought much about whether I could improve my memory, but I now think I could after reading Joshua Foer's book ... It's absolutely phenomenal, one of the most interesting books I've read this summer -- Bill GatesA marvelous overview of one of the most essential aspects of what makes us human - our memory ... Witty and engaging -- Dan ArielyMemory...makes us who we are...passionate and deeply engrossing ...The more we challenge ourselves, the greater our capacity. It's a fact that every teacher, parent and student would do well to learn. The lesson is unforgettable. * Washington Post *Captivating ... Engaging ... Mr. Foer writes in these pages with fresh enthusiasm. His narrative is smart and funny -- Michiko Kakutani * New York Times *[D]elightful...empathetic, thought-provoking and...memorable. -- Elizabeth Pisani * Prospect *Riotous -- Alexandra Horowitz * New York Times *[An] endearingly geeky world...witty and revelatory...[The] journey certainly demonstrates how much memory matters...Apart from anything else, filling up our mental storehouses in the right way can make life feel longer. -- Oliver Burkeman * Guardian *In this marvelous book, Joshua Foer invents a new genre of non-fiction. This is a work of science journalism wrapped around an adventure story, a bildungsroman fused to a vivid investigation of human memory. If you want to understand how we remember, and how we can all learn to remember better, then read this book -- Jonah LehrerOne year, Joshua Foer is covering the US Memory Championships as a freelance journalist, the next he returns as a competitor - and wins it...How he pulled off this extraordinary feat forms the spine of this crisply entertaining book. -- Matt Rudd * Sunday Times *Combines erudite analysis, historical context, a mind-bending adventure and extremely suggestive sex - some of it involving Foer's grandmother. -- Tony Allen-Mills * Sunday Times *A labyrinthine personal journey that explains how our author ended up in the finals of the US Memory Championship - a compelling story arc from sceptical journalist to dedicated participant. I can't remember when I last found a science book so intriguing. -- David Profumo * Literary Review *[A] charming book...interwoven with informed exposition about the psychological science of memory. -- Professor Larry R Squire * Nature *A fascinating, engaging and very well-written book. -- Dallas Campbell * Science Focus *Addictive and fascinating...extraordinary. [Foer] attended the US Memory Championship as a journalist and returned the next year as a competitor and won...It is Foer's gifts as a teacher and a storyteller that make this book essential reading. -- Leo Robson * Scottish Sunday Express *Take, for example, the emergence of Downing Street as a salon for intellectuals from around the world, and not only economists and political scientists. Under David Cameron-or, more accurately, Steve Hilton, the prime minister's most influential adviser-the thinkers invited to hold court there often have little to say about policy per se. Joshua Foer, a young American who has written an acclaimed book about how memory works, was a recent guest. Mr Hilton's rationale is that governments have more to learn from fields of research that investigate how humans behave, such as neuroscience and social psychology, than from conventional technocrats. There is now a policy team devoted to "behaviourial insight" in the Cabinet Office. * Bagehot, The Economist *Foer's book is great fun and hugely readable, not least because the author is a likeable sort of Everyman-science nerd whom we want to become a memory champion. Always fascinating and frequently mind-boggling, Moonwalking with Einstein is a book worth remembering. -- Mark Turner * The Independent *

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Book SynopsisOVER ONE MILLION COPIES SOLD ''A remarkable and hopeful portrait of the endless adaptability of the human brain'' Oliver Sacks''Utterly wonderful . . . without question one of the most important books about the brain you will ever read; yet it is beautifully written, immensely approachable, and full of humanity'' Iain McGilchrist MA, author of The Master and His EmissaryMeet the ninety-year-old doctor who is still practicing medicine, the stroke victim who learned to move and talk again and the woman with half a brain that rewired itself to work as a whole. All these people had their lives transformed by the remarkable discovery that our brains can repair themselves through the power of positive thinking. Here bestselling author, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Norman Doidge reveals the secrets of the cutting-edge science of ''neuroplasticity''. He introduces incredible case histories - blind people helped to see, IQs raised and memories sharpened - and tells the stories of the maverick scientists who are overturning centuries of assumptions about the brain. This inspiring book will leave you with a sense of wonder at the capabilities of the mind, and the self-healing power that lies within all of us.Trade ReviewAn utterly wonderful book - without question one of the most important books about the brain you will ever read; yet it is beautifully written, immensely approachable, and full of humanity. Its message is one of hope: it is not just our brains that shape our thinking, but our thinking that, very definitely, shapes our brains.Doidge has identified a tidal shift in basic science and a potential one in medicine. The implications are monumental -- Penny Wark * The Times *A remarkable and hopeful portrait of the endless adaptability of the human brain -- Oliver Sacks * author of The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat *A wonderful and engaging way of re-imagining what kind of creatures we are -- Jeanette Winterson * The Guardian *The power of positive thinking finally gains scientific credibility. Miracle-making stuff -- Abigail Zuger * The New York Times *

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Book SynopsisMichio Kaku''s Physics of the Future: The Inventions that will Transform our Lives is a hypothetical journey through the next 100 years of scientific innovation, as told by the scientists who are making it happen. We all wish we could predict the future, but most of us don''t know enough about the science that makes it possible. That''s why Michio Kaku decided to talk to the people who really know - the visionaries who are already inventing the future in their labs. Based on interviews with over three hundred of the world''s top scientists, Kaku gives us an insider''s perspective on the revolutionary advances that mean we''ll soon be able to take an elevator into space, access the internet via our contact lenses, scan our DNA for signs of disease and even change the shape of objects - and all still within the laws of known physics. This isn''t just the shape of things to come - as Kaku shows, it''s already happening. ''Summons up theTrade ReviewSummons up the sheer wonder of science * Daily Telegraph *A wide-ranging tour of what to expect from technological progress over the next century or so ... fascinating * Walll Street Journal *Mind-bending ... fascinating ... engrossing * San Francisco Chronicle *

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Book SynopsisWhat would dogs ask for, if they knew how? In the Sunday Times bestseller In Defence of Dogs John Bradshaw, an anthropologist at Bristol University who has been at the centre of the latest research into what makes dogs tick, gives us the answers.Overturning the most common myths about dogs'' emotions and behaviour, this book shows how we should really treat our pets, and stands up for dogdom: not the wolf in canine clothes, not the small furry child, not the trophy-winner, but the real dog, who wants to be part of the family and enjoy life - mankind''s closest friend. This is the real science that every dog lover needs to know.Trade ReviewA revelation - a major rethink about the way we understand our dogs ... there is no doubt about it - Professor John Bradshaw is a dog's best friend -- Kate Kellaway * Observer *Every dog lover, dog owner or prospective dog buyer should read this book. It will change how you feel about dogs and, likely enough, how you treat them, too -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *A must-read for dog lovers everywhere * Independent *Essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the complicated psychology behind the growl, the rising hackles and the wagging tail -- Roy Hattersley * Daily Telegraph *Scholarly yet passionate ... nothing less than a manifesto for a new understanding of our canine friends ... fascinating -- Chris Cox * Guardian *A lovely and clear-headed book on all things dog-emotion, mind, and breed. John Bradshaw's authority and experience are matched by the thoughtfulness and humanity of his writing. Read this before you bring a dog into your life. -- Alexandra Horowitz * author of 'Inside of a Dog' *[A] wonderful, reassuring, and encouraging book ... distinguishes canine science from canine folklore -- Jonathan Mirsky * Literary Review *Truly fascinating ... rich in ideas and counter-ideas, and will reward anyone who respects animals ... enlightening ... Bradshaw's years of knowledge and his clear passion for dogs both shine through * The Sunday Business Post *Authoritative, wise and, in its sharp appreciation of the cost of dogs of living with us, rather moving -- Robert Hanks * Independent *The most fantastic book ... required reading for dog lovers everywhere * Observer *A well-grounded overview of the Canis family's evolutionary journey...this is what makes the book so appealing. He does more than simply lay out interesting theories; he uses science to advocate for a better life for companion dogs. * The Bark *A wonderfully informative, quietly passionate book that will benefit every dog whose owner reads it * Economist *Wonderfully humane, calmly-written and curiously moving ... [a] lovely book, illuminating for everyone who has or is thinking of having a dog -- Michael Bywater * The First Post *By giving the reader an overview of mankind's relationship with both dogs and wolves, [Bradshaw] also shows us ourselves -- Bella Bathurst * Observer *One may feel fully confident when reading [this] ... Bradshaw makes deft work of summarising important and novel insights on dog evolution * Times Higher Education *An alternative to conventional, dominance-based approaches to understanding dogs (Cesar Millan's methods, for example) in an informative...guide to how canine biology and psychology determine behavior.... Bradshaw's book is useful to those looking to further their understanding of dog behavior and clarify common misconceptions * Publisher's Weekly *Both an interesting armchair read and an important primer for any dog owner * Science Focus *In Defence of Dogs provides an extensive insight into the minds of man's best friend - a must for all owners. John Bradshaw [is] a pioneer * Big Issue *

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Book SynopsisNathan Wolfe is the Lorry I. Lokey Visiting Professor in Human Biology at Stanford University and Director of Global Viral Forecasting, a pandemic early warning system which monitors the spillover of novel infectious agents from animals into humans. Wolfe has been published in or profiled by Nature, Science, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Economist, Forbes and many others. Wolfe was the recipient of a Fulbright fellowship in 1997 and was awarded the National Institutes of Health (NIH) International Research Scientist Development Award in 1999 and the prestigious NIH Director's Pioneer Award in 2005.Trade ReviewNathan Wolfe is saving the world from near-inevitable pandemic ... a kick-ass book -- Mary Roach, author of StiffAn excellent piece of scientific gothic, rich in descriptions of the threat we face from emerging viruses ... thought-provoking * Nature *Part autobiography, part warning ... enthralling * BBC Focus *Quietly terrifying ... It's hard not to feel a bit feverish at times while reading * Boston Globe *Wolfe has an important story to tell and as a virologist at the forefront of pandemic forecasting, he is the perfect person to tell it. He explains the science clearly and never stoops to sensationalism - the evidence of our increasing vulnerability to pandemics speaks for itself * Guardian *The world's most prominent virus hunter * New Yorker *The plague-ridden future imagined by this authoritative, measured, yet gripping book is extremely alarming * Sunday Times *A good place to start preparing for what might come * New Humanist *

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Book SynopsisNothing seems more real than time passing. We experience life as a succession of moments. But just as some of us see God as eternal, so physicists understand the truths of mathematics and the laws of nature as constant, transcending time. These laws dictate how the future will evolve: there is no freedom, no uncertainty about the future at all. Yet, argues Lee Smolin, this denial of time is holding back both physics, and our understanding of the universe. We need a major revolution in scientific thought: one that embraces the reality of time and places it at the centre of our thinking. Time, he concludes, is not an illusion: indeed, it is the best clue that we have to fundamental reality. Time Reborn explains how the true nature of time impacts on us, our world, and our universe.Trade ReviewOne of the most original living theorists ... He challenges not only Einstein's relativity, but also the very notion of natural laws as immutable truths * Economist *Brilliant and persuasive -- Ray Monk * Guardian *Provocative and stimulating ... Smolin reconceives the universe -- Christopher Potter * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisThe International Bestseller by ''The Galileo of number crunchers'' (Independent)Every time we choose a route to work, decide whether to go on a second date, or set aside money for a rainy day, we are making a prediction about the future. Yet from the financial crisis to ecological disasters, we routinely fail to foresee hugely significant events, often at great cost to society. The rise of ''big data'' has the potential to help us predict the future, yet much of it is misleading, useless or distracting.In The Signal and the Noise, the New York Times political forecaster Nate Silver, who accurately predicted the results of every state in the 2012 US election, reveals how we can all develop better foresight in an uncertain world. From the stock market to the poker table, from earthquakes to the economy, he takes us on an enthralling insider''s tour of the high-stakes world of forecasting, showing how we can all learn to detect the true signals amid a noise of data. ''Remarkable and rewarding'' Matthew D''Ancona, Sunday Telegraph''A lucid explanation of how to think probabilistically'' GuardianTrade ReviewOutstanding... I was hooked -- Tim Harford * Financial Times *One of the more momentous books of the decade * The New York Times Book Review *A lucid explanation of how to think probabilistically * Guardian *The inhabitants of Westminster are speed-reading The Signal and the Noise... They will find the book remarkable and rewarding * Sunday Telegraph *Is there anything now that Nate Silver could tell us that we wouldn't believe? * Jonathan Freedland *Fascinating... our age's Brunel -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *A surprisingly accessible peek into the world of mathematical probability -- Daily TelegraphThe Galileo of number crunchers * Independent *A 34-year old Delphic Oracle * Daily Beast *

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Book SynopsisMany scientific and philosophical ideas are so powerful that they can be applied to our lives to help us think smarter and more effectively about our behaviour and the world around us. Surprisingly, many of these ideas remain unknown to most of us. Drawing on his own groundbreaking research, Richard Nisbett presents these ideas in clear and accessible detail to offer a tool kit for better thinking and wiser decisions. Mindware shows how to reframe common problems - whether professional, business, or personal - in such a way that these powerful scientific and statistical concepts can be applied to them.Trade ReviewThe most influential thinker, in my life, has been Richard Nisbett. -- Malcolm Gladwell * New York Times Book Review *

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Book SynopsisA Sunday Times and Financial Times Book of the YearWhat happens in our brains when we wake up, savour a meal or a glass of wine, walk the dog, stare at a screen, daydream or sleep? World-renowned neuroscientist Susan Greenfield draws on her own pioneering research to illuminate the mystery of consciousness, and how our brains make us who we are. ''Offers tantalising clues to the universe inside our heads'' Rob Kingston, Sunday Times, Science Books of the Year''One of the few brain researchers making a serious effort to investigate the rich continuum of conscious thoughts and feelings that underlie every moment of our waking lives'' Clive Cookson, Financial Times''An illuminating, engrossing journey'' Nature''Her writing is clear, sharp, devoid of difficult jargon and chatty. The brain''s complexity comes across vividly'' Anil Ananthaswamy, New ScientistTrade Review[Greenfield is] often described as the foremost female scientist in Britain, but is one of the best of any gender, anywhere, at getting complicated ideas across * Independent on Sunday *

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Book Synopsis''Required reading for anyone remotely curious about how they came to be remotely curious'' Observer''Enthralling'' Spectator What is human consciousness and how is it possible? These questions fascinate thinking people from poets and painters to physicists, psychologists, and philosophers. This is Daniel C. Dennett''s brilliant answer, extending perspectives from his earlier work in surprising directions, exploring the deep interactions of evolution, brains and human culture. Part philosophical whodunnit, part bold scientific conjecture, this landmark work enlarges themes that have sustained Dennett''s career at the forefront of philosophical thought. In his inimitable style, laced with wit and thought experiments, Dennett shows how culture enables reflection by installing a profusion of thinking tools, or memes, in our brains, and how language turbocharges this process. The result: a mind that can comprehend the questions itTrade ReviewIntelligence, insight and flair ... They don't come much bigger than Daniel Dennett -- Julian Baggini * Guardian *Lucid ... A brave and bracing book ... There should be more like it * The Times *Required reading for anyone remotely curious about how they came to be remotely curious * Observer *A lively and cogent account of how human beings, uniquely among species, have evolved to possess a conscious mind ... An excellent exploration of the concept of cultural evolution, and the origins and consequences of human creativity * Sunday Times *Beguiling and enthralling * Spectator *

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Book Synopsis''Quantum mechanics is perhaps the most successful theory ever formulated. The only problem with it, argues Lee Smolin, is that it is wrong ... a fount of provocative ideas ... lucid, upbeat and, finally, optimistic'' Graham Farmelo, Nature Human beings, says Lee Smolin, author of The Trouble With Physics, have always had a problem with the boundary between reality and fantasy, confusing our representations of the world with the world itself. Nowhere is this more evident than in quantum physics, which forms the basis for our understanding of everything from elementary particles to the behaviour of materials.While quantum mechanics is currently our best theory of nature at an atomic scale, it has many puzzling qualities - qualities that preclude realism and therefore give an incomplete description of nature. Rather than question this version of quantum mechanics, however, whole groups of physicists have embraced it as correctTrade ReviewA masterful exposition on the state of quantum physics ... spellbinding * Financial Times *Quantum mechanics is perhaps the most successful theory ever formulated. The only problem with it, argues Lee Smolin, is that it is wrong. He attempts to examine other options for a theory of the atomic world ... a fount of provocative ideas ... lucid, upbeat and, finally, optimistic * Nature *An inventive and provocative thinker, as well as an engaging writer ... lucid, searingly honest, impassioned, inspiring * Physics World *Full of extraordinary ideas ... a new theory of everything ... Smolin's promised solution, when it comes, is just comprehensible enough for us to see that it's beautiful * The Times *A superb and sweeping book ... masterfulAs the latest entry into the conversation, Smolin's book feels the most immediate and personal. Here is no detached narrator, but an active participant in the fray who perceives the debate over the nature of reality in personal terms. . . While the way forward remains elusive, Smolin and others who seek to illuminate how physics got to where it is today are at least making the quest for answers a bit less costly * Globe and Mail *Smolin is an extremely creative thinker who has been a leader in theoretical physics for many years. He is also a gifted writer who manages to translate his own insights about how science works into engaging language and compelling stories . . . Smolin's description of how quantum mechanics works is both elegant and accessible * NPR *The best explanation yet of what has yet to be explained. -- George Dyson, author of Turing’s Cathedral

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Book SynopsisTHE PHENOMENAL BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF WHITE HOLESOne of the Best Books of the 21st Century according to The Guardian''The perfect antidote to the fluff and nonsense around right now. Learn how the world is and how you might just fit in'' Simon MayoThese seven short lessons guide us, with simplicity and clarity, through the scientific revolution that shook physics in the twentieth century and still continues to shake us today. In this mind-bending overview of modern physics, Carlo Rovelli explains Einstein''s theory of general relativity, quantum mechanics, black holes, the complex architecture of the universe, elementary particles, gravity, and the nature of the mind. Not since Richard Feynman''s celebrated Six Easy Pieces has physics been so vividly, intelligently and entertainingly revealed.Translated by Simon Carnell and Erica SegreTrade ReviewA sensation... The new cult book -- Katie Law * Evening Standard *There's a book I've been carrying around like a small Bible, Seven Brief Lessons on Physics -- Benedict CumberbatchAbsolutely fascinating... explains the entire universe in 79 pages -- Steve Wright * BBC Radio 2 *The man who makes physics sexy... The new Hawking... His writing is luminous. By the time I had finished reading I was in serious awe of the author -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *Honestly I cannot recommend it too strongly... One of the fastest selling science titles of all time because it is so clear -- Jeremy Vine * BBC Radio 2 *The perfect antidote to the fluff and nonsense around right now. Learn how the world is and how you might just fit in -- Simon Mayo * Daily Mirror *The essays in Seven Brief Lessons on Physics arrive like shots of espresso, which you can consume the way the Italians do, quickly and while standing up -- Dwight Garner * New York Times *The most fun physicist to be with -- as well as the greatest explainer of physics -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *With the publication of his million-selling Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, Carlo Rovelli took his place with Stephen Hawking and Richard Feynman as one of the great popularisers of modern theoretical physics -- Sam Leith * Spectator *A global superstar... Professor Rovelli is making the grammar of the universe accessible to a new generation * Channel 4 News *The physicist transforming how we see the universe * Financial Times *Surely Rovelli deserves the title 'world's most inspiring physics teacher' * Daily Telegraph *An amuse bouche for some of the ideas that are wrapped up in 20th-century astrophysics where it borders on philosophy. Millions have digested this little treat -- Adam Rutherford * Guardian *If you've ever wanted to understand physics better, read Carlo Rovelli's masterful book, Seven Brief Lessons on Physics. One of the world's leading scientists, he explains concepts like relativity, quantum mechanics and black holes with an elegance and clarity that reminded me of Richard Feynman... You will probably find yourself coming back to it again and again -- Fareed ZakariaWonderfully clear and vivid. Carlo Rovelli manages to convey the mystery of very large things and very small things with brilliant effect -- Philip Pullman, author of His Dark MaterialsA sublime read... The triumph of this book is that it educates you, guides you, and brings you bang up to date with the central issues in theoretical physics today... Intriguing, captivating and magical -- Ivor Mason * I Newspaper *If you want to understand what gets physicists out of bed in the morning, there is no better guide than Rovelli... Seven Brief Lessons on Physics is an absorbing, lovely book... This is physics as romantic poetry and, by God, it's beguiling -- Michael Brooks * New Statesman *A startling and illustrative distillation of centuries of science... The book's triumph lies not only in presenting some of the headiest stuff science has produced in so few pages, but also in giving real insight into how science treats those ideas * Economist *There have been plenty of attempts in recent years to explain the basic concepts of physics to us, but few as elegant and concise as Carlo Rovelli's... there's enough food for thought here to last a lifetime -- Nick Rennison * Daily Mail *Sparse, elegant and most of all readable... at the end of it you feel more clever. Rovelli has achieved something unheard of in books about theoretical physics: most of the people who have started his book have also probably finished it -- Tom Whipple * The Times *A surprise bestseller... the most interesting of the year's science books * Daily Telegraph *It is amazing that such a short book can dig to such satisfying depths -- Stephen Curry * Guardian *The slim volume is stereotypically the province of poetry, but this beautifully designed little book shows that science, with its curiosity, its intense engagement with what there really is, its readiness to jettison received ways of seeing, is a kind of poetry too * Financial Times *Rovelli has a rare knack for conveying the top line of scientific theories in clear and compelling terms without succumbing to the lure of elaborate footnotes... a breath of fresh air -- Nicola Davis * Observer *A slim poetic meditation... Rovelli belongs to a great Italian tradition of one-culture science writing that encompasses the Roman poet Lucretius, Galileo, Primo Levi and Italo Calvino. The physics here is comprehensible and limpid, and Rovelli gives it an edge through his clear-eyed humanistic interpretations -- Best science books * Independent *The book to read if you know very little about modern physics but want to begin to grasp its wonder, and the potential it has to enrich our understanding of the universe and our place in it -- Nicholas Lezard * Guardian *Totally gripping. . . full of thought-provoking ideas. . . very beautiful -- Harriet Gilbert * A Good Read Radio 4 *If you only ever read one book on physics, read this. Beautifully written and engaging -- Rowan Coleman, author of We Are All Made of StarsThe rare book about physics that can be ingested in a single sitting -- Alexandra Alter * New York Times *Utterly blown away by the concise beauty of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli. Science as poetry. Awe inspiring -- Michael Bhaskar, author of The Content MachineNo one should hold office unless they have read Carlo Rovelli's Seven Brief Lessons on Physics -- Nick Harkaway, author of The Gone-Away World and AngelmakerBrilliant... Rovelli writes with clarity and verve, vividly bringing to life concepts that can often appear incomprehensible, and inviting readers to see the world anew. Few writers, let alone physicists, capture the beauty of nature and the excitement of its discovery in such clear, rich prose... It's hard to imagine a more coherent, inspiring introduction to modern physics. It really is an enchanting little volume * New Scientist *Carlo Rovelli has never been afraid to challenge the status quo -- Morgan Freeman * Science Channel *A love letter to physics. You can't believe everyone isn't reading this, and you want to tell everyone about it... thrilling -- Felicity WardI loved this book. The final chapter is filled with breathless amazement and humble awe... it's almost trippy -- Harriet Gilbert

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BIG SHORT AND FLASH BOYS''A gripping account of how two psychologists reshaped the way we think ... What a story it is'' Sunday Times ''You''ll love it ... full of surprises and no small degree of tragedy'' Tim HarfordIn 1969 two men met on a university campus. Their names were Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky. They were different in every way. But they were both obsessed with the human mind - and both happened to be geniuses. Together, they would change the way we see the world.''An enchanted collaboration ... During the final pages, I was blinking back tears'' The New York Times ''My favourite writer full stop. Engages both heart and brain like no other'' Daily Telegraph''Brilliant, a wonderful book, a masterclass'' Spectator ''Psychology''s Lennon and McCartney ... Lewis is exactly the storyteller they deserve'' ObserverTrade ReviewMichael Lewis is a brilliant writer... The Undoing Project is a masterclass in narrative non-fiction -- Steven Poole * Spectator *A new book by Michael Lewis promises an absorbing story, dazzling ideas, journalistic flair and originality. He achieves this with extraordinary consistency. In The Undoing Project he has achieved it again. -- Danny Finkelstein * The Times *Kahneman and Tversky's deep friendship and intellectual collaboration has arguably done as much to define our world as, say, the intertwining between Francis Crick and James Watson... Michael Lewis, with his great gift for humanising complex and abstract ideas, is exactly the storyteller Tversky and Kahneman deserve. -- Tim Adams * Observer *I normally write two or three pages of notes when reviewing a book. On this occasion I scribbled six, often in high excitement. Lewis has a strong journalist's sense of a good story and the book is dotted with hundreds. He also has a feeling for pace and intensity. Although this is an easy read, nothing is wasted and everything seems to be in the right place. And what a story it is! -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *Michael Lewis is perhaps my favourite writer full stop. At his best, Lewis engages both heart and brain like no author, and he tells the story of Tversky and Kahneman beautifully... the final sections will have you weeping -- Robert Colvile * Daily Telegraph *Leaves you feeling cleverer -- Katie Law * Evening Standard *Part biography of a friendship and part account of psychology's impact, while also taking in much of modern Israel's history, this is a fine showcase of Mr Lewis's range ... it is a story of remarkable individuals succeeding through innovative ideas ... Lewis has managed the unusual feat of interweaving psychology and the friendship between two men * Economist *Michael Lewis is perhaps my favourite writer full stop ... he engages both heart and brain like no other author, and he tells the story of Tversky and Kahneman beautifully -- Robert Colville * Telegraph *Gripping ... There is war, heroism, genius, love, loss, discovery, enduring loyalty and friendship. It is epic stuff ... Michael Lewis is one of the best non-fiction writers of our time. The writing has wit, passion and scientific credibility -- Pete Lunn * Irish Times *Michael Lewis could spin gold out of any topic he chose ... his best work ... vivid, original and hard to forget -- Tim Harford * Financial Times *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA global superstar... Professor Rovelli is making the grammar of the universe accessible to a new generation * Channel 4 News *The most fun physicist to be with -- as well as the greatest explainer of physics -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *Surely Rovelli deserves the title 'world's most inspiring physics teacher' * Daily Telegraph *The physicist transforming how we see the universe * Financial Times *The new Hawking... His writing is luminous. By the time I had finished reading I was in serious awe of the author -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *This is a really, really good book about science. It's like a tonic for the mind. Carlo Rovelli is a physicist so of course this book is about physics. But it's much more than that. It's about thinking clearly... He gives beautifully clear explanations of the ideas of the cleverest people in history, from Democritus, via Newton, to Einstein and beyond. * Evening Standard *Rather brilliant... for fans of cutting-edge physics made accessible -- Mark HaddonThe latest thinking in physics is distilled in this primer... Why do you need yet another popularisation of theoretical physics? Because Rovelli writes with crystalline simplicity. And because he turns quantum physics into a coherent story, shaping it as a quest for a single, underlying "substratum" of reality - from Democritus's finite, indivisible atoms to Einstein -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *A comprehensive guide to the bewitching adventure of physics * Daily Telegraph *Rovelli writes with elegance, clarity and charm... A joy to read, as well as being an intellectual feast -- Michael Brooks * New Statesman *Be prepared for your intellectual foundations to be vaporised... Carlo Rovelli will melt your synapses with this exploration of physical reality and what the universe is formed of at the very deepest level... Quantum gravity is so new that there aren't many popular books about it. You couldn't be in better hands than Rovelli, a world expert -- Tara Shears * The Times Higher Education *Like all great thinkers, Rovelli has a talent for simplicity. His prose is lucid and poetic... It's not a scientific treatise. It's a paean to the wonder of the natural world... I scraped a C in my Physics O-level and haven't been near a physics textbook since. If I can understand - and even enjoy - Rovelli's book, then anyone can -- William Cook * Spectator *A marvel... In exquisitely written pages Rovelli seeks to bridge the divide between what CP Snow called the "Two Cultures" of science and the arts -- Ian Thomson * Guardian *May genuinely alter how you see the world -- Tom Whipple * The Times *If your desire to be awestruck by the universe we inhabit needs refreshing, theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli is up to the task * Elle *

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Book SynopsisThe bestselling French graphic novel about the mind-bending world of quantum physicsTake an incredible journey through the quantum universe with explorer Bob and his dog Rick, as they travel through a world of wonders, talk to Einstein about atoms, hang out with Heisenberg on Heligoland and eat crepes with Max Planck. Along the way, we find out that a dog - much like a cat - can be both dead and alive, the gaze of a mouse can change the universe, and a comic book can actually make quantum physics fun, easy to understand and downright enchanting.''Billed as Tintin meets Brian Cox, the book was created by theoretical physicist Thibault Damour and illustrator Mathieu Burniat so it''s as scientifically accurate as it is beautiful'' BBC Focus

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Book Synopsis''Endlessly fascinating and full of surprises. Easily one of my books of the year'' BILL BRYSONThe myth-busting science behind our modern attitudes to exercise: what our bodies really need, why it matters, and its effects on health and wellbeing. In industrialized nations, our sedentary lifestyles have contributed to skyrocketing rates of obesity and diseases like diabetes. A key remedy, we are told, is exercise - voluntary physical activity for the sake of health. However, most of us struggle to stay fit, and our attitudes to exercise are plagued by misconceptions, finger-pointing and anxiety.But, as Daniel Lieberman shows in Exercised, the first book of its kind by a leading scientific expert, we never evolved to exercise. We are hardwired for moderate exertion throughout each day, not triathlons or treadmills. Drawing on over a decade of high-level scientific research and eye-opening insights from evolutionary biology and anthropology, Lieberman explains precisely how exercise can promote health; debunks persistent myths about sitting, speed, strength and endurance; and points the way towards more enjoyable and physically active living in the modern world.''Myth-busting, illuminating, brilliant - Lieberman will completely change the way you think about your body'' Professor ALICE ROBERTS, presenter of Our Incredible Human JourneyTrade ReviewEndlessly fascinating and full of surprises. Lieberman strikes a perfect balance of scholarship, wit and enthusiasm for his subject. This is easily one of my books of the year -- Bill Bryson * bestselling author of The Body *Myth-busting, illuminating, brilliant - Lieberman will completely change the way you think about your body -- Professor Alice Roberts * presenter of Our Incredible Human Journey *Entertaining and informative... The book is full of helpful tips - you'll build muscle faster by extending muscles under load rather than contracting them; the kind of chair you sit on doesn't matter as long as you strengthen your back muscles and move regularly - conveyed in a humorous and sympathetic style -- Steven Poole * Guardian *Part user manual for the human body and part detective story exploring our evolution, Exercised will change the way you think about exercise, diet and your own wellbeing -- Neil Shubin * author of Your Inner Fish *A surprising, erudite and revelatory look at the natural history of physical activity and why exercise is both so necessary for us and so unnatural. A must-read for anyone with a working body and mind -- Gretchen Reynolds * New York Times-bestselling author of The First 20 Minutes *A fascinating read, and one that could nudge you toward a healthier (and longer) life -- Amby Burfoot * editor of Runner's World *Excellent - well written, amusing and touching on the lives of all who read it -- Richard Leakey * FRS *Eye-opening, mind-expanding and potentially body-shaping -- Paul Wilson * Men's Health *Daniel Lieberman’s work is so incredibly impressive -- Steven Bartlett * Diary of a CEO *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewFull of interesting ideas, insightful and thought-provoking ... A stimulating book that perhaps leaves the reader with more questions than answers. That, in case you are wondering, is intended as praise -- Tony Mann * Times Higher Education *

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Book Synopsis''A must read for anyone interested in the emerging ethics of robotics'' Irene M. PepperbergA bold, optimistic exploration of the relationship between robots and humans based on our history with animals, from a renowned MIT researcherThe robots are here. They make our cars, they deliver fast food, they mine the sea floor. And in the near-future their presence will increasingly enter our homes and workplaces - making human-robot interaction a frequent, everyday occurrence. What will this future look like? What will define the relationship between humans and robots?Here Kate Darling, a world-renowned expert in robot ethics, shows that in order to understand the new robot world, we must first move beyond the idea that this technology will be something like us. Instead, she argues, we should look to our relationship with animals. Just as we have harnessed the power of animals to aid us in war and work, so too will robots supplement - rather than re

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Book Synopsis**The First Ever Maths Book to be a No.1 Bestseller**''Wonderful ... superb'' Daily MailWhat makes a bridge wobble when it''s not meant to? Billions of dollars mysteriously vanish into thin air? A building rock when its resonant frequency matches a gym class leaping to Snap''s 1990 hit I''ve Got The Power? The answer is maths. Or, to be precise, what happens when maths goes wrong in the real world.As Matt Parker shows us, our modern lives are built on maths: computer programmes, finance, engineering. And most of the time this maths works quietly behind the scenes, until ... it doesn''t. Exploring and explaining a litany of glitches, near-misses and mishaps involving the internet, big data, elections, street signs, lotteries, the Roman empire and a hapless Olympic shooting team, Matt Parker shows us the bizarre ways maths trips us up, and what this reveals about its essential place in our world.Mathematics doesn''t have good ''people skills'', but we would all be better off, he argues, if we saw it as a practical ally. This book shows how, by making maths our friend, we can learn from its pitfalls. It also contains puzzles, challenges, geometric socks, jokes about binary code and three deliberate mistakes. Getting it wrong has never been more fun.Trade ReviewMatt Parker has pulled off something wonderful . . . his stories are superb. -- Marcus Berkmann * The Daily Mail *Parker is consistently very funny . . . highly entertaining. * The Guardian *Numbers to die for. Four stars. -- Simon Griffith * Mail on Sunday *Bought it yesterday, enjoying it enormously, well done! -- Dara Ó Briain * Twitter *I just finished the new book by irrepressible maths enthusiast @standupmaths, and it's GREAT! -- Adam Savage, ex-host of 'Mythbusters' * Twitter *An entertaining and often alarming journey through the numerical blunders made over the years. * The Big Issue *Very funny. . . a compendium of stories about mathematical failures; some are amusing, others alarming, as in the case of the passenger aircraft that ran out of fuel because it had been measured in the wrong units * Telegraph Books of the Year *The surprise bestseller that makes maths fun * Sunday Times Magazine *Fun, informative, and relentlessly entertaining, Humble Pi is a charming and very readable guide to some of humanity's all-time greatest miscalculations - that also gives you permission to feel a little better about some of your own mistakes -- Ryan North, author of How to Invent Everything

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Book SynopsisNAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE ECONOMIST, OBSERVER, NEW SCIENTIST, BBC FOCUS, INDEPENDENT AND WASHINGTON POST ''A rollicking tour of the wildest physics. . . Like an animated discussion with your favourite quirky and brilliant professor'' Leah Crane, New Scientist''Weird science, explained beautifully'' - John ScalziWe know the universe had a beginning. But what happens at the end of the story?With lively wit and wry humour, astrophysicist Katie Mack takes us on a mind-bending tour through each of the cosmos'' possible finales: the Big Crunch, Heat Death, Vacuum Decay, the Big Rip and the Bounce. Guiding us through major concepts in quantum mechanics, cosmology, string theory and much more, she describes how small tweaks to our incomplete understanding of reality can result in starkly different futures. Our universe could collapse in upon itself, or rip itself apart, or even - in the next five minutes - succumb to an inescapable expanding bubble of doom.This captivating story of cosmic escapism examines a mesmerizing yet unfamiliar physics landscape while sharing the excitement a leading astrophysicist feels when thinking about the universe and our place in it. Amid stellar explosions and bouncing universes, Mack shows that even though we puny humans have no chance of changing how it all ends, we can at least begin to understand it.The End of Everything is a wildly fun, surprisingly upbeat ride to the farthest reaches of all that we know.Trade ReviewKatie Mack is a great scientist, a passionate inquirer of nature, a great companion in this exploration, full of wit and lightness. I have learned from her plenty of things I did not know. And I have found myself staring out of the window, meditating about the end of it all -- Carlo Rovelli * Observer Books of the Year *Witty, clear and upbeat -- Bill Clinton * Guardian *An engrossing and often funny tour of all the ways our cosmos might come to a close. Mack's enjoyment of physics stands out - and is contagious. She describes primordial black holes as "awfully cute in a terrifying theoretical kind of way", antimatter as "matter's annihilation-happy evil twin" and the universe as "frickin' weird". All true, and Mack's explanations are entertaining and informative * New Scientist Books of the Year *Mack's humour and eclectic references (from Shakespeare to 'Battlestar Galactica') carry the book along. Even through discussions of cutting-edge science, the general reader is never bewildered * The Economist Books of the Year *An enthusiastic celebration of the fact that we exist at all, here, right now, and are able to wonder about such stuff. . . By introducing concepts such as entropy and heat death with metaphors of unscrambling eggs or your coffee going cold, she takes the reader from the cosmos to the kitchen, and Mack's true skill is to do all this without a whiff of condescension or self-importance. . . while dealing with many of the same mind-bending cosmic conundrums, she succeeds brilliantly where Hawking failed * Sydney Morning Herald *Tremendous... makes me laugh the kind of laugh that puts doom in perspective. How useful! I feel weirdly lulled when I read about all the many ravishing ways the universe might, and will, end -- Johanna Hedva * White Review *In which everything ends, or doesn't, with bangs and whimpers. Like many good serious books, it's also funny -- Sarah BakewellA rollicking tour of the wildest physics. . . Like an animated discussion with your favourite quirky and brilliant professor. What stands out most is Mack's pure enjoyment of physics, and it is contagious. . . If you need a moment to be distracted from everyday life and journey to the deep cosmic future, I highly recommend it -- Leah Crane * New Scientist *Mack is brilliant, and my neighbour's six-year-old daughter loves her. I love her. . . The cosiest way to read The End of Everything, her fast-paced book about universal death, is as a murder mystery. In the middle of the carpet is our butchered universe. How did it die? Squashed ('The Big Crunch')? Boiled ('Heat Death')? Eviscerated ('The Big Rip')? Burst apart from every pore ('Vacuum Decay')? To one side, almost dancing with excitement, is Inspector Mack. . . -- Alexander Masters * The Spectator *One of the most popular voices on science. . . Katie Mack achieves two improbable feats. First, she writes about the end of the universe with a jauntiness that makes it not actually that depressing. And second, she takes concepts in cosmology, string theory and quantum mechanics and makes them accessible -- Tim Lewis * Observer *Exactly the sort of book I would have given to myself at 14, 24, 34 and honestly pretty much every age after. Weird science, explained beautifully -- John ScalziJoyous, beautiful and strange. . . filled with brilliant moments where you just have to stop and stare out of the window for a while -- Robin InceEverything dies, even the universe. But will it be a peaceful fading-away, or a dramatic cataclysm? Scientists don't know for sure, but Katie Mack provides an expert and entertaining guide to the possibilities. Who knew a book about the end of the universe could communicate so much passion for science? -- Sean Carroll, author of Something Deeply HiddenThis book teaches you that the universe could end at any moment, but is so good that you will be rooting for it not to-at least, not until you finish the book. Katie Mack's witty, lucid prose is endlessly delightful -- Alexandra Petri, author of Nothing Is Wrong and Here Is WhyAn engrossing, elegant timeline of the cosmos. . . Mack sprinkles in delightful esoterica along the way, while providing a guide to some of the most plausible scenarios about the end of the universe * New York Times *Mack is a great science communicator and I suspected I was going to like this book as soon as I saw her name. I am pleased to say it does not disappoint * BBC Sky at Night *Mack creates an accessible, easy-to-digest guide to how the universe might end, speaking in a casual way that feels like sitting down for coffee with a good friend - one who can break down the physics of destruction into bite-sized delights * Discover *Excellent, far-reaching... the perfect antidote to the malaise of mundane worries * Science *I found it helpful -- not reassuring, certainly, but mind-expanding -- to be reminded of our place in a vast cosmos. -- James Gleick, The New York Times Book ReviewHaving a great time enjoying The End of Everything. A mind blowing book. I got mine on Kindle as I need to underline particularly mind boggling ideas. Why not join me? -- Eric Idle

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA scientific memoir as gripping as any HBO drama series... Just as she disinters earthy mushrooms and the finest of filaments, so she lays bare the human heart with moving simplicity... It is her gallant mission in the book and in her life - and one essential to combating the climate crisis - to make science more humanly engaged -- Kate Kellaway * Observer *Finding the Mother Tree is the kind of story we need to be telling, a new way of communicating that the world desperately needs to hear... A reminder to listen to our wilder selves, and to remember, with humility, how little we know of the complexities of the natural world -- Tiffany Francis-Baker * Guardian *This book is a testament to Simard's skill as a science communicator. Her research is clearly defined, the steps of her experiments articulated, her astonishing results explained and the implications laid bare: We ignore the complexity of forests at our peril -- Jonathan C. Slaght * The New York Times *A masterwork of planetary significance * Booklist (starred review) *[Simard] is an intellectual force... Simard's results are so revolutionary and controversial that they have quickly worked their way into social theory, urban planning, culture and art... We have a lot of rethinking to do about the economic and political models that, since Darwin, have been taken to be natural -- Kate Brown * Independent *Finding the Mother Tree has come at a crucial moment... With biodiversity on a knife edge, the need to appreciate and understand the complexity and brilliance of the natural world could not be more important -- Rosie Boycott * Financial Times *Vivid and inspiring... a radical new understanding of plants -- Eugenia Bone * Wall Street Journal *Speaking with Simard felt like coming to the headwaters of a vast system of ideas, both innovative and ancient... To read Finding the Mother Tree is to imagine the view from a 250-foot redwood. The recognition that we're all connected is one of the great gifts of the memoir * Los Angeles Times *[Suzanne Simard] forever transformed our views of the world and the interconnectivity of our environment. Finding the Mother Tree is not only a deeply beautiful memoir about one woman's impactful life, it's also a call to action to protect, understand and connect with the natural world -- Amy AdamsA vivid and compelling memoir of [Simard's] lifelong quest to prove that the forest is more than just a collection of trees * The New York Times *Extraordinary * BBC Wildlife Magazine *The moving and remarkable story of one of the greatest ecological discoveries of our time. Writing with humility and passion, Suzanne Simard's unravelling of the secret life of trees is changing the scientific mindset. Finding the Mother Tree is a crucial step towards healing our planet -- Isabella Tree, author of Wilding and The Living GoddessFew scientists make much impact with their PhD thesis, but, in 1997, Suzanne Simard did just that ... What was then a challenge to orthodox ideas is today widely accepted * New Scientist *Finding the Mother Tree is a rare and moving book - part charming memoir, part crash course in forest ecology. And yet, it manages to be about the things that matter most: the ways we care for each other, fail each other and listen to each other. After the last year and a half, its lessons about motherhood, connection and the natural world are more timely than ever -- Jake GyllenhaalFew researchers have had the pop culture impact of Suzanne Simard * Scientific American *The interplay of personal narrative, scientific insights and the amazing revelations about the life of the forest make a compelling story... These are stories that the world needs to hear -- Robin Wall Kimmerer, author of Braiding SweetgrassSuzanne Simard has a completely beguiling way of writing. I love how she combines brilliant scientific explanation with emotion and feeling -- Patrick Barkham, author of Wild Child and The Butterfly IslesSuzanne Simard is a total legend - someone who transformed the world in the way of James Lovelock, or Lynn Margulis -- Rowan HooperRevolutionary on both the scientific and the spiritual level. It is so extraordinary that it is, frankly, hard to believe - until you see the data, the science, the rigour, and the many independent affirmations of her findings... Simard is one of [Nature's] most insightful and eloquent translators -- John Vaillant, author of The Tiger

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Book SynopsisThe international bestseller - a whip-smart, entertaining exploration of the geometry that underlies our world, from the author of How Not to Be WrongHow should a democracy choose its representatives? How can you stop a pandemic from sweeping the world? How do computers learn to play chess? Can ancient Greek proportions predict the stock market? (Sorry, no.) What should your kids learn in school if they really want to learn to think? The answers to all these questions can be found in geometry.If you''re like most people, geometry is a dimly-remembered exercise, handed down from the ancients, that you gladly left behind in school. It seemed to be a tortuous way of proving some fact about triangles that was obvious to you in the first place. That''s not geometry. OK, it is geometry, but only a tiny part, that has as much to do with the modern, fast-moving discipline as conjugating a verb has to do with a great novel.In Shape, SundTrade ReviewThis mind-bending book will change how you see the world (Five stars) -- Simon Ings * Telegraph *Shape is a triumph of mathematical exposition, exposing profound truths - from the nature of distance to the predictability of randomness - as well as profound mistakes - from historical misattributions to Supreme Court justice hardheadedness - with eloquence and hilarious wit. Ellenberg's evident affection for both his subject and his reader makes us feel like the lucky ones who get to hear him hold forth in an intimate setting about his favorite subject, mathematics -- Cathy O'NeilEllenberg's skill as a storyteller, combined with a natural ability to spot otherwise obscure connections, enables him to capitalize on geometry as math's gateway drug... A deeply enjoyable and insightful book -- Matt Parker * New York Times *Ellenberg, in both his arguments and his enthusiasm, is persuasive -- Michael Prodger * New Statesman *Serious mathematics at its intriguing, transporting best . . . [A] humorous, anecdotally rich dive into numerous mathematical theories * Kirkus *Unreasonably entertaining... reveals how geometric thinking can allow for everything from fairer American elections to better pandemic planning -- Parul Sehgal * New York Times *Droopy cheese and the curve of the Earth, the everyday and the cosmic, are beautifully interwoven in the mathematician Jordan Ellenberg's new book Shape -- Derek Thompson * Atlantic *Almost anyone is likely to enjoy Ellenberg's prose, and mind * Harvard Magazine *

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Book Synopsis''A gem of a book'' Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics''A unique and beautifully written masterpiece'' Max Tegmark, author of Life 3.0Could there be a civilization on a mote of dust? How much of your fate have you made? Who cleans the universe?Through more than fifty Koans - pleasingly paradoxical vignettes following the ancient Zen tradition - leading physicist Anthony Aguirre takes us across the world from Japan to Italy, and through ideas spanning the age, breadth and depth of the Universe. Using these beguiling stories and a flair for explaining complex science, he covers cosmic questions that giants from Aristotle to Galileo to Heisenberg have grappled with - from the nature of time to the origin of multiple universes to the meaning of quantum theory.Playful and enlightening, Cosmological Koans invites the reader into an intellectual adventure of the highest order, givingTrade ReviewThis unique and beautifully written masterpiece transforms the deepest mysteries of our universe into a captivating and accessible quest for personal enlightenment -- Max Tegmark, author of Life 3.0A gem of a book -- Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on PhysicsA delight for readers raised on Gödel, Escher, Bach and The Dancing Wu Li Masters * Kirkus *This is calisthenics for the mind - it will stretch your imagination almost to the breaking point, and your understanding of reality will come away more healthy and flexible than before -- Sean Carroll, author of The Big PictureA truly creative exploration of physics and its profound insights into the Universe -- Adam Frank, author of Light of the StarsThe paradoxes of Zen Buddhism could help us grasp fundamental physics. . . What Aguirre does remarkably well is to find a way of threading many of the most interesting questions in theoretical physics onto a single narrative chain. . . At its heart the book offers a compelling answer to the question of how to talk about the un-talk-about-able -- Gilead Amit * The New Scientist *

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Book Synopsis

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