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Quantum Bullsh*t: How to Ruin Your Life with Advice from Quantum Physics
Science is so f--king rad. We don't deserve it.
What actually is quantum physics? If you can answer that questions without bullsh*tting the person standing next to you in the bookstore, you can stop listening right now. But although most of us don't actually understand quantum physics, and if we understood it we'd probably be rich and beautiful and happy, right? After all, there are plenty of people out there trying to sell you quantum crystals to align your quantum energy with your quantum destiny. Can they all be wrong?
yes. Yes, they can. There is no such thing as quantum crystals. Sorry!
Luckily, as pseudo-science takes over the internet and it's getting harder and harder to separate alternative facts from real science, Chris Ferrie (an actual quantum physicist!) is here to explain quantum physics in a way that makes sense, so you can see the hucksters and bullsh*tters coming from a mile away—and school them in what quantum entanglement actually is (it has nothing to do with your romantic life). If you f--king love science and want to be slightly less dumb than you were when you woke up this morning, Quantum Bullsh*t is the truly out-of-this-world book for you.
What actually is quantum physics? If you can answer that questions without bullsh*tting the person standing next to you in the bookstore, you can stop listening right now. But although most of us don't actually understand quantum physics, and if we understood it we'd probably be rich and beautiful and happy, right? After all, there are plenty of people out there trying to sell you quantum crystals to align your quantum energy with your quantum destiny. Can they all be wrong?
yes. Yes, they can. There is no such thing as quantum crystals. Sorry!
Luckily, as pseudo-science takes over the internet and it's getting harder and harder to separate alternative facts from real science, Chris Ferrie (an actual quantum physicist!) is here to explain quantum physics in a way that makes sense, so you can see the hucksters and bullsh*tters coming from a mile away—and school them in what quantum entanglement actually is (it has nothing to do with your romantic life). If you f--king love science and want to be slightly less dumb than you were when you woke up this morning, Quantum Bullsh*t is the truly out-of-this-world book for you.
223 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 17, 2023
157 people are currently reading
879 people want to read
About the author
Chris Ferrie
137 books402 followersI am Chris Ferrie, father of four and happy husband. My day job is academic research where I follow my curiosity through the word of quantum physics. My passion for communicating science has led from the most esoteric topics of mathematical physics to more recently writing children’s books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
August 26, 2022
There is a lot of fluff stuff out there, alluding to some connection with ‘Quantum Physics’. This book purports to debunk attempts to largely hoodwink the general public by adding ‘Quantum’ to anything and everything such as ‘Quantum Love’, ‘Quantum Healing’ etc.
Other than that, much of the key concepts, scientists & events you would read in most such books is there – Schrodinger’s cat, superposition, entanglement, Einstein’s discomfort and others. Right from the start, the author uses what one would largely consider street language – what you run into in groups of people chatting casually. I do like simple writing, and do not think street language makes things easier to understand in any way.
I have previously reviewed Helgoland: The World of Quantum Theory and Simply Schrödinger, both of which are better books to read about Quantum Theory.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher & author for a free electronic review copy.
Other than that, much of the key concepts, scientists & events you would read in most such books is there – Schrodinger’s cat, superposition, entanglement, Einstein’s discomfort and others. Right from the start, the author uses what one would largely consider street language – what you run into in groups of people chatting casually. I do like simple writing, and do not think street language makes things easier to understand in any way.
I have previously reviewed Helgoland: The World of Quantum Theory and Simply Schrödinger, both of which are better books to read about Quantum Theory.
Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher & author for a free electronic review copy.
April 28, 2023
I wanted to love this book. I love Chris Ferrie’s science books for babies and Sourcebooks Nonfiction. However, I was offended by this book. I’ve been contemplating if my skin is too thin or if I was taking the jokes too personally, but I don’t think that is it. I am a high school chemistry teacher. So the language didn’t bother me (yes, I’m that teacher that tells my students to “watch their language,” and then I continue with my day. I won’t let the f-bomb get in the way of a student’s education. Science is too important for that.) It’s hard to offend me unless it's an issue of social justice. Nevertheless, Ferrie’s language detracted from the science—the cussing felt gimmicky, almost as if it was a ploy to garner a specific crowd.
The science and the scientific anecdotes were interesting, and I learned new things. What bothered me was how Ferrie talked to his audience—he assumed too much about his readers. Sentences like this, “What you probably completely forgot—if you were even listening—was the formula Newton came up with…,” are obnoxious. I am someone who loves science. People who pick up this book probably have some interest in science. You wouldn’t pick up this book if utterly disinterested in quantum physics. How about you treat your audience respectfully and share insights about quantum physics instead of making cheap jokes about how people live their lives? For example, “Math. Yes. Fucking right. I love it. I know, I know, you hated math in school or whatever. But I have to listen to you drone on about your yappy little dog and keto diet, so you are going to listen to me about this one tiny math equation for five ***damn seconds.” Why not treat readers as if they are capable of understanding quantum physics without belittling and underestimating them simply because they have different beliefs, upbringings, or educational experiences? I can respect Ferrie for having a degree in quantum physics; however, I would rather read a textbook than listen to someone speak like this about others. His writing came off as high and mighty and detracted from what could have been an excellent book that could have encouraged others to pursue science in their everyday lives.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Nonfiction for the ARC.
The science and the scientific anecdotes were interesting, and I learned new things. What bothered me was how Ferrie talked to his audience—he assumed too much about his readers. Sentences like this, “What you probably completely forgot—if you were even listening—was the formula Newton came up with…,” are obnoxious. I am someone who loves science. People who pick up this book probably have some interest in science. You wouldn’t pick up this book if utterly disinterested in quantum physics. How about you treat your audience respectfully and share insights about quantum physics instead of making cheap jokes about how people live their lives? For example, “Math. Yes. Fucking right. I love it. I know, I know, you hated math in school or whatever. But I have to listen to you drone on about your yappy little dog and keto diet, so you are going to listen to me about this one tiny math equation for five ***damn seconds.” Why not treat readers as if they are capable of understanding quantum physics without belittling and underestimating them simply because they have different beliefs, upbringings, or educational experiences? I can respect Ferrie for having a degree in quantum physics; however, I would rather read a textbook than listen to someone speak like this about others. His writing came off as high and mighty and detracted from what could have been an excellent book that could have encouraged others to pursue science in their everyday lives.
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Nonfiction for the ARC.
June 18, 2025
A fun, fast audio-read (NSFW) that had me chuckle a few times as the author eviscerates the widespread and oft-fraudulent appropriation of notions from and adjacent to the field of Quantum Physics to tout everyday services and products. Schrodinger's poor cat makes an appearance, the screenwriters for Marvel Studios get deservedly ridiculed, and the fundamental concepts of this frequently baffling branch of the sciences get explained in salty, layman's terms.
I might not have learned as much as I would listening to or reading a book by Rovellior Neil deGrasse Tyson, but I had a good time nonetheless.
I might not have learned as much as I would listening to or reading a book by Rovellior Neil deGrasse Tyson, but I had a good time nonetheless.
August 20, 2022
With thanks to NetGalley, Chris Ferrie, and SourceBooks for an advance copy.
I requested this because it’s an area of interest, but I lack the grey matter to further it. And this book delivers - there are clear, well anecdoted explanations of many of our buzzwords, along with a strong life lesson about not buying into quantum pseudoscience (although you can pry my Quantum dishwasher tablets from my cold, dead hands, because: superior grease removal). I’ve learned quite a lot from a physics point of view, and I think this book will succeed in advancing the knowledge of anyone who reads it. What they will do with this knowledge, well, who knows, but it’s a good lesson.
However, and there will be a however - the title may give the clue, but there are lots of sweary words in here, so heads up if you’re easily offended. Early on, some of the chapters come across as a bit shouty ranty - as if he’s standing on a soapbox, but further in, you discover he really is passionate about educating and debunking the quantum fraudsters. The quantum paperclip guy made me so angry I had to Google him to make sure it was true, and sure enough…ugh, people.
Highly recommended, down-to-earth educational book, suited for upper high school/early university who need a break from the dry texts usually suggested, and anyone who wants to add another (quantum) dimension to their knowledge base.
I requested this because it’s an area of interest, but I lack the grey matter to further it. And this book delivers - there are clear, well anecdoted explanations of many of our buzzwords, along with a strong life lesson about not buying into quantum pseudoscience (although you can pry my Quantum dishwasher tablets from my cold, dead hands, because: superior grease removal). I’ve learned quite a lot from a physics point of view, and I think this book will succeed in advancing the knowledge of anyone who reads it. What they will do with this knowledge, well, who knows, but it’s a good lesson.
However, and there will be a however - the title may give the clue, but there are lots of sweary words in here, so heads up if you’re easily offended. Early on, some of the chapters come across as a bit shouty ranty - as if he’s standing on a soapbox, but further in, you discover he really is passionate about educating and debunking the quantum fraudsters. The quantum paperclip guy made me so angry I had to Google him to make sure it was true, and sure enough…ugh, people.
Highly recommended, down-to-earth educational book, suited for upper high school/early university who need a break from the dry texts usually suggested, and anyone who wants to add another (quantum) dimension to their knowledge base.
dnf
May 26, 2023DNF
The author is one of those annoying people who thinks they're funny especially when swearing. It also feels like he's talking down to you because you're not as smart as him. The last thing was the author sounding like those people who annoy their teens by trying to hip and talking like them and their friends. Maybe it's just written for adults younger than me.
The author is one of those annoying people who thinks they're funny especially when swearing. It also feels like he's talking down to you because you're not as smart as him. The last thing was the author sounding like those people who annoy their teens by trying to hip and talking like them and their friends. Maybe it's just written for adults younger than me.
dnf
March 7, 2024I believe the author is going for comedically hyperbolic arrogance combined with sarcasm, but I personally find the writing annoying rather than funny.
The author makes assumptions about the reader that I find irritating. I, like the author, have a background in physics, albeit a shorter one, and I picked up the book because I find quantum physics and its interpretation/misuse in wider culture interesting, not because I know anything about the author (?) or because I'm completely confused about it. He writes, for example:
I like this style more when the author is writing from the point of view of people using quantum physics terminology to scam people, rather than from his own point of view. For example:
which is pretty funny. I think the writing style would have been much better suited to a satirical manual of how to bullshit people with fake quantum physics. The over-the-top cockiness would have been effective for a book framed like that.
I find it sad that the book implies that of course quantum physics is so boring, so we need to describe it in more personable ways, like in this passage:
I'm not thinking that at all! While, yeah, the average person isn't going to be passionate about quantum physics, I think it's safe to assume that someone intentionally picking up a book on quantum physics is at least a little interested. Why not assume that the basic premise of your book is interesting enough on its own without having to say, "I know it's boring, but stay with me"? Or, maybe, write about how the general perception of quantum physics in pop culture is that it's too difficult and esoteric for the average person to find interesting, and then argue against that?
If the book is more aimed at people who don't give a shit about quantum physics and who are easily taken in by quantum physics being misused to scam them, then I think the writing is still too patronizing to actually be palatable to someone who is already not on board with your premise. Like, the author says:
Either the reader already knows it's bullshit, in which case this kind of writing is distracting and unnecessary, or the reader doesn't already know it's bullshit, in which case this kind of writing is aggressive and offputting.
The author makes assumptions about the reader that I find irritating. I, like the author, have a background in physics, albeit a shorter one, and I picked up the book because I find quantum physics and its interpretation/misuse in wider culture interesting, not because I know anything about the author (?) or because I'm completely confused about it. He writes, for example:
"[...] I'm going to assume you picked up this book for two reasons: (1) my name is on it and I'm awesome, and (2) you are utterly confused by quantum physics... and I'm still awesome." (p. vii)
"You clearly have some interest in me (who can blame you?) but also a deep fascination with quantum physics. [...] I went and wasted fifteen years of my life studying it. [...] Anyway, you wisely didn't do that. Your fascination stems from spectacular claims about quantum physics from science journalists and social media hot takes. Unfortunately, these have only served to confuse you further." (p. viii)
"I'm here to tell you it's not your fault you don't get it. Well, maybe it's a little your fault? It's certainly not my fault; at least we can agree on that." (p. vii)
"You didn't realize that was sarcasm? Dear lord, we have a long way to go." (p. xiv)
I like this style more when the author is writing from the point of view of people using quantum physics terminology to scam people, rather than from his own point of view. For example:
"State that your shitty product will solve some problems faster and more effectively than solutions provided by professionals like, for example, real doctors." (p. xiv)
which is pretty funny. I think the writing style would have been much better suited to a satirical manual of how to bullshit people with fake quantum physics. The over-the-top cockiness would have been effective for a book framed like that.
I find it sad that the book implies that of course quantum physics is so boring, so we need to describe it in more personable ways, like in this passage:
"By now, you're thinking, Yawn! You already boring me. Can't you just repeat some vague banalities about real estate prices so I have something to say to my neighbor during our morning small talk?" (p. xii)
I'm not thinking that at all! While, yeah, the average person isn't going to be passionate about quantum physics, I think it's safe to assume that someone intentionally picking up a book on quantum physics is at least a little interested. Why not assume that the basic premise of your book is interesting enough on its own without having to say, "I know it's boring, but stay with me"? Or, maybe, write about how the general perception of quantum physics in pop culture is that it's too difficult and esoteric for the average person to find interesting, and then argue against that?
If the book is more aimed at people who don't give a shit about quantum physics and who are easily taken in by quantum physics being misused to scam them, then I think the writing is still too patronizing to actually be palatable to someone who is already not on board with your premise. Like, the author says:
"We are woven into the fabric of space-time with quantum threads. Whoa. That's fucking deep. Or is it just bullshit? If you are into this kind of crap, I'm sorry to burst your bubble. But it is bullshit." (p. 1)
Either the reader already knows it's bullshit, in which case this kind of writing is distracting and unnecessary, or the reader doesn't already know it's bullshit, in which case this kind of writing is aggressive and offputting.
July 18, 2023
A fantastic introduction to quantum physics. The swearing really helps.
July 27, 2024
The humor is thrown at you a bunch in the book and most of it worked for me. This was a fun, short read. And I got my little nerdy giggles reading the parts about quantum physics.
April 2, 2023
Chris Ferrie discusses quantum physics in a way I’ve not seen, read or heard any type of physics before. It’s immediately engaging, funny and what’s more, you actually learn stuff. (Although if you really hate f-bombs, this might not be your kind of book).
I’ve not done any physics since a previous postgrad, and for school I chose biology because it was easier to get a super high mark / allowed me to study less in first year undergrad. However, I understand now that my reluctance to learn any more physics than necessary for the exam was because I didn’t have the teacher who could make physics interesting, fun and swear a lot. Enter Quantum Bullsh*t and Chris Ferrie. This is a book for the angry, annoyed and those sick of stupidity. Those sick of mislabelling everything as quantum when frankly, it has nothing to do with quantum physics. Quantum is but a buzzword and Dr Ferrie is here to shred that to pieces. I am all for a good takedown, especially when it involves stupidity on the internet and swearing. I saw this on the science shelf on the bookshop (thankfully it wasn’t mistakenly put in the self help section), picked it up and started reading and laughing. (I did end up buying it – that much laughter doesn’t usually come from the science section).
The tone of the book is cynical, but not towards the reader. It uses simple terms to describe the basics of quantum physics, although I did wonder why it took so long to get to the multiverse (possibly the only thing besides Dr Strange that interests me in the never-ending Marvel movie series). It’s really fun, explaining things simply and giving some great examples. (Like on ongoing joke of famous physicists being in a car, then having Schrödinger’s cat in the boot…) It’s more about quantum physics than an in-depth takedown of quantum everything else that’s not really quantum, which was fine by me. (I can look up quackery on the internet any time, thanks quantum physics!) Overall, I found the book much more engaging than a dry lecture series and I think I learned more too. It’s funny, and way more entertaining than any textbook.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
I’ve not done any physics since a previous postgrad, and for school I chose biology because it was easier to get a super high mark / allowed me to study less in first year undergrad. However, I understand now that my reluctance to learn any more physics than necessary for the exam was because I didn’t have the teacher who could make physics interesting, fun and swear a lot. Enter Quantum Bullsh*t and Chris Ferrie. This is a book for the angry, annoyed and those sick of stupidity. Those sick of mislabelling everything as quantum when frankly, it has nothing to do with quantum physics. Quantum is but a buzzword and Dr Ferrie is here to shred that to pieces. I am all for a good takedown, especially when it involves stupidity on the internet and swearing. I saw this on the science shelf on the bookshop (thankfully it wasn’t mistakenly put in the self help section), picked it up and started reading and laughing. (I did end up buying it – that much laughter doesn’t usually come from the science section).
The tone of the book is cynical, but not towards the reader. It uses simple terms to describe the basics of quantum physics, although I did wonder why it took so long to get to the multiverse (possibly the only thing besides Dr Strange that interests me in the never-ending Marvel movie series). It’s really fun, explaining things simply and giving some great examples. (Like on ongoing joke of famous physicists being in a car, then having Schrödinger’s cat in the boot…) It’s more about quantum physics than an in-depth takedown of quantum everything else that’s not really quantum, which was fine by me. (I can look up quackery on the internet any time, thanks quantum physics!) Overall, I found the book much more engaging than a dry lecture series and I think I learned more too. It’s funny, and way more entertaining than any textbook.
http://samstillreading.wordpress.com
February 28, 2024
I truly loved this book and laughed out loud so often while reading it! I appreciated the stream of consciousness style; the voice felt like my own (if I could explain quantum physics)!
December 29, 2023
Quantum Mechanics 101 in bro speak. That with some lets make fun of the religious and hippies and you get the gist of the book. I can see how this would work for some people and if you have never read or listened to anything on the subject you will get something out of it, but this is very much 101 type stuff nothing new, just repackaged in a different way.
June 9, 2025
Very enjoyable if you like an excessive amount of jokes (normally this annoys me, but I think it worked here). Presumably you wouldn't pick this up if the fowl language is going to offend you - it is used for comedic purposes (although it probably is overused). There are a few places where he goes against traditional ways of describing things, which I think helps teach the ideas (including trying to come up with new or disambiguize old terms), but there are also a few places where he contradicts what is commonly taught. In those instances he might be pushing his own view/interpretation but since this is his speciality I am more willing to doubt my own knowledge (and I'm not informed enough to know whether he is right about doubting some professionals). There are plenty of non-scientists that he calls out, but I wish he had done the same for some of the scientists - debates in open forums should be had and he even described that as one of the boring ways science advances. I hope that this book reaches the right audience, but I am pretty sure it will not hit the peddlers of pseudoscience nor the people who don't have a basic understanding of these concepts already.
October 10, 2022
I enjoyed this book. As an effort to explain quantum mechanics, it is among the best I’ve read. Underneath all the swearing, there is some great, clear information and explanations. Interestingly, Chris Ferrie doesn’t pull any punches on pseudoscience; he is merciless. And funny. Very funny. Sometimes the swearing seems contrived and is overdone, but this doesn’t change my impression of the book’s ability to clearly talk about quantum mechanics. Overall this is a great book on quantum mechanics, if you are okay with the language. Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for the advance reader copy.
April 22, 2023
Decent entry-level content, but the profanity-heavy text read in the slightly twee tone of the audiobook narrator gives the vibe of a 12-year-old who’s not allowed to swear at home but just watched all three Deadpool movies at a friend’s house.
April 6, 2023
author's crude cuteness detracts from his message
April 7, 2024
guy realized he had free will and decided to write this consciously. what a shame.
July 15, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
So, imagine me for a moment. Scrolling through NetGalley, looking for fun books I can read, when I stumble across a book about… quantum physics. For a bit of background, I haven’t taken much physics in my life (although I am a STEM student, so I’ve had to learn... some). And I think to myself, Well, this could be fun.
Spoiler alert: it was fun!
Chris Ferrie does a great job at explaining some of the fundamental basics of quantum physics, including theories, thought experiments, and other fun facts. I really enjoyed his writing style! The entire book was tinged with humour and had me snorting at my screen. Humour, methinks, is really important when you’re talking non-fiction (or fiction, really). And for the most part, the jokes landed. I could have probably done with fewer F-bombs, and that’s coming from me, a regular F-bomb user.
I did agree with Dr. Ferrie on almost all his points, though there were a couple that I was iffy on. (Yes, I wholeheartedly believe in ghosts and crystals—but not quantum ones, so don't worry.) The tone of the book is a little bit cynical, but it’s definitely acknowledged, so it was mainly just funny. Also also also, I really liked how, by the end, we were pretty unhinged. The author, the reader, all of us. It was fun (seriously).
As a closing statement, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn a bit of quantum physics for fun. In my humble opinion, even the parts that make you go back and try to understand them are worth it! Go off, my little scientists, the world of Quantum Bullsh*t awaits!
So, imagine me for a moment. Scrolling through NetGalley, looking for fun books I can read, when I stumble across a book about… quantum physics. For a bit of background, I haven’t taken much physics in my life (although I am a STEM student, so I’ve had to learn... some). And I think to myself, Well, this could be fun.
Spoiler alert: it was fun!
Chris Ferrie does a great job at explaining some of the fundamental basics of quantum physics, including theories, thought experiments, and other fun facts. I really enjoyed his writing style! The entire book was tinged with humour and had me snorting at my screen. Humour, methinks, is really important when you’re talking non-fiction (or fiction, really). And for the most part, the jokes landed. I could have probably done with fewer F-bombs, and that’s coming from me, a regular F-bomb user.
I did agree with Dr. Ferrie on almost all his points, though there were a couple that I was iffy on. (Yes, I wholeheartedly believe in ghosts and crystals—but not quantum ones, so don't worry.) The tone of the book is a little bit cynical, but it’s definitely acknowledged, so it was mainly just funny. Also also also, I really liked how, by the end, we were pretty unhinged. The author, the reader, all of us. It was fun (seriously).
As a closing statement, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn a bit of quantum physics for fun. In my humble opinion, even the parts that make you go back and try to understand them are worth it! Go off, my little scientists, the world of Quantum Bullsh*t awaits!
January 21, 2025
I'm giving this book a 2 because of the writing and attitudes of the author vs the content itself. While I respect Dr. Ferrie's authority on quantum physics, he spent his entire time using expletives and making fun of people who didn't also spend their whole lives studying the same thing he did (which is ironic because he ends the book advising not to make fun of ignorant people). When he's not insulting people he denounces philosophy whenever he can. He certainly takes a philosophical approach for being a quantum purist.
The parts that did actually discuss the science were helpful and digestible (I've read about quantum physics before). It was the noise and chatter around other people who incorrectly apply quantum terms that completely pulled me out of the reading. He comes across more as an angry specialist who feels unappreciated and misunderstood and must ensure that his view of the quantum world is the only reference model you have (complete with shit talking and hatred for 'ignorance') and that a single deviation outside of his understanding makes you stupid. I would like to recommend the book "A Thousand Brains" by Jeff Hawkins to Dr. Chris Ferrie. Dr. Hawkins is a brilliant computer scientist, neuroscientist and engineer who introduces scientific ideas on an approachable level without being derogatory. More important, his book explains reference models and how the brain comes to understand ideas. I think Dr. Ferrie could learn about human comprehension and how ignorance creates opportunity to build a new reference model.
I hope his children's books stick a bit more to the science and have a lot less of his unresolved anger.
The parts that did actually discuss the science were helpful and digestible (I've read about quantum physics before). It was the noise and chatter around other people who incorrectly apply quantum terms that completely pulled me out of the reading. He comes across more as an angry specialist who feels unappreciated and misunderstood and must ensure that his view of the quantum world is the only reference model you have (complete with shit talking and hatred for 'ignorance') and that a single deviation outside of his understanding makes you stupid. I would like to recommend the book "A Thousand Brains" by Jeff Hawkins to Dr. Chris Ferrie. Dr. Hawkins is a brilliant computer scientist, neuroscientist and engineer who introduces scientific ideas on an approachable level without being derogatory. More important, his book explains reference models and how the brain comes to understand ideas. I think Dr. Ferrie could learn about human comprehension and how ignorance creates opportunity to build a new reference model.
I hope his children's books stick a bit more to the science and have a lot less of his unresolved anger.
August 8, 2024
Goes from 4-5 star fun explanations of quantum physics and it's history to annoying 1-2 star rants complaining about pseudoscience in scam marketing. Never a 3-star read per-se, but it definitely averages out to be around there
January 13, 2025
Great intro to quantum physics, something I’m not sure I’ll ever truly understand. The swearing definitely helped.
December 19, 2025
Brilliant and hilarious, who knew learning a bit about quantum physics could make me laugh out loud at least twice per chapter?
January 8, 2024
Heavily satirical. Funny and witty. Covers the wave tops of quantum physics to include: quantum energy, uncertainty, super, and computing. Quick read.
June 16, 2024
You can tell this guy is Australian.
March 19, 2024
3.5* in total. I like how I learnt something about quantum physics without the textbook kind of style, however sometimes the writing style was bit redundant and it felt like we learnt in every chapter that quantum isn‘t some esoteric bullsh*** with different examples. This could have been dealt with in one chapter? I don‘t know. Overall I liked it and would recommend it if you have no knowledge about quantum physics but want to know the rudimentary basics.
August 18, 2023
It’s tempting to say this book is little more than an extended, sarcastic, straw man rant, but admittedly, that’s too simplistic. Part of my inclination is no doubt due to my “reading” the audiobook version, where, to me, the snarky tone quickly grew more tiresome than funny.
Another bias I should expose is that I’m a student of Tibetan Buddhism, a ‘non-theistic’ religion that, due in part to its emphasis on ‘devotion’, is often misunderstood, even by many practitioners, as involving the worship of gurus and practice deities with “supernatural” powers. I mention this because of the — at this point unproven — assertion by scientific materialists that consciousness is a product of independently existing material, rather than a field within which the seemingly separate material world exists. If incorrect, that assertion dramatically affects whether “supernatural” has any ultimate meaning.
Like many apparent materialists, Ferrie seems stuck in the view that there are only two possible options: to either believe, or not to believe, in magic and the supernatural. Another possible option, at least in the view of educated Buddhists, is that material reality is not separate from, but is a product of, mind. That seemingly opens the possibility that reality is less stable and more fluid than scientific materialists imagine. And, that’s where, to my liberal arts educated mind at least, the work of quantum physicists seems on the verge of venturing into philosophical territory similar to Buddhist ideas of emptiness and interdependence.
What disappointed me about this book, in addition to the relentless sarcastic tone, is that Ferrie seems assume a monolithic, gullible, and credulous, body of people that willingly throw away money on “quantum crystals” and high tech snake oil remedies, and to assume a readership that shares his light-hearted contempt for those wacky New Age and religious people. Some of us religious kooks are actually curious about, and respectful in our kooky way, of science.
I would have appreciated some reasoned discussion of the work of speculative quantum physicists in addressing the “hard question” of consciousness. I understand why some might tell me I bought the wrong book for that. But, I cling to my view that the book should have gone into that, and Ferrie should have been less confident than he seems. To which I hear him responding, “it’s humor, dumbass!” Oh well
Another bias I should expose is that I’m a student of Tibetan Buddhism, a ‘non-theistic’ religion that, due in part to its emphasis on ‘devotion’, is often misunderstood, even by many practitioners, as involving the worship of gurus and practice deities with “supernatural” powers. I mention this because of the — at this point unproven — assertion by scientific materialists that consciousness is a product of independently existing material, rather than a field within which the seemingly separate material world exists. If incorrect, that assertion dramatically affects whether “supernatural” has any ultimate meaning.
Like many apparent materialists, Ferrie seems stuck in the view that there are only two possible options: to either believe, or not to believe, in magic and the supernatural. Another possible option, at least in the view of educated Buddhists, is that material reality is not separate from, but is a product of, mind. That seemingly opens the possibility that reality is less stable and more fluid than scientific materialists imagine. And, that’s where, to my liberal arts educated mind at least, the work of quantum physicists seems on the verge of venturing into philosophical territory similar to Buddhist ideas of emptiness and interdependence.
What disappointed me about this book, in addition to the relentless sarcastic tone, is that Ferrie seems assume a monolithic, gullible, and credulous, body of people that willingly throw away money on “quantum crystals” and high tech snake oil remedies, and to assume a readership that shares his light-hearted contempt for those wacky New Age and religious people. Some of us religious kooks are actually curious about, and respectful in our kooky way, of science.
I would have appreciated some reasoned discussion of the work of speculative quantum physicists in addressing the “hard question” of consciousness. I understand why some might tell me I bought the wrong book for that. But, I cling to my view that the book should have gone into that, and Ferrie should have been less confident than he seems. To which I hear him responding, “it’s humor, dumbass!” Oh well
April 2, 2023
If you like physics, you should definitely check this book out. And even if you didn’t, you should still give it a look. Why? Because Chris Ferrie is awesome!! I mean, he makes discussions around physics seem like a stand-up comedy show…and that takes some doing!
Who is Chris Ferrie, you may be asking… If you have little ones, you may have seen some of his STEM-driven board books hanging out all over the place (ex: Electromagnetism for Babies, Blockchain for Babies, and Organic Chemistry for Babies to name a few).
In this house, our little one is a HUGE fan…which makes me a SUPER fan (I hold the pursestrings, after all)! Not only does he chop up difficult principles into bite-sized pieces for little ones, he also gives a basic understanding of those principles to the parents who should have learned them long ago.
But apparently he doesn’t just share his wealth of knowledge with toddlers - he also has books for grown-ups. And I couldn’t be more thrilled!!
About this book: it’s deep! It took me a couple of weeks to get through (even though it’s less than 200 pages) because it is full of complex topics that take a long time to digest. Even so, I loved every single word! And I gleaned some insight into certain areas of physics that seemed to be mystical before…and now I feel sure that I won’t be duped by pseudo-scientists in the future. At least, I hope not.
Who is Chris Ferrie, you may be asking… If you have little ones, you may have seen some of his STEM-driven board books hanging out all over the place (ex: Electromagnetism for Babies, Blockchain for Babies, and Organic Chemistry for Babies to name a few).
In this house, our little one is a HUGE fan…which makes me a SUPER fan (I hold the pursestrings, after all)! Not only does he chop up difficult principles into bite-sized pieces for little ones, he also gives a basic understanding of those principles to the parents who should have learned them long ago.
But apparently he doesn’t just share his wealth of knowledge with toddlers - he also has books for grown-ups. And I couldn’t be more thrilled!!
About this book: it’s deep! It took me a couple of weeks to get through (even though it’s less than 200 pages) because it is full of complex topics that take a long time to digest. Even so, I loved every single word! And I gleaned some insight into certain areas of physics that seemed to be mystical before…and now I feel sure that I won’t be duped by pseudo-scientists in the future. At least, I hope not.
September 6, 2023
Oh, heavens, how I tried to listen past all the f**ks and sh**s, but in the end, I had to give up...
April 13, 2025
There was a lot of rants that were more like tangents that I didn’t really care for. There were some interesting points though so overall 3/5 ⭐️
September 5, 2022
Quantum physics is amazing: amazingly accurate, amazingly powerful, amazingly misunderstood. Its reputation for counterintuitiveness and difficulty makes it seem mysterious and almost magical the layperson. This, of course, leaves the field open for scammers to slap the word "quantum" on whatever bullshit they're trying to peddle in the hopes of dazzling the ignorant long enough to rifle through their wallet.
In Quantum Bullshit, Australian physicist Chris Ferrie is here to cut through that bullshit and give us the quantum truth. By explaining what the buzzwords, such as "entanglement" and "uncertainty," mean, and thus show that they do not mean at all what the bullshitters claim, he aims to help us guard against this scammy nonsense. With humor and down-to-earth (and "earthy") language, he neatly summarizes quantum theory and shows how ludicrous the titular quantum bullshit peddled by scammers is.
I wish I could wholeheartedly praise Quantum Bullshit, but, alas, I cannot. I was looking forward to a proper skewering of the... well, bullshit that gets passed off as "quantum" these days. And, yes, there is definitely some skewering, but the strengths of the book -- humor and down-to-earthedness, and indeed "earthiness" (i.e., swearing) -- are also some of its weaknesses. There are genuinely good jokes and quips in this book. There are exquisitely placed and appropriate swears in this book. Unfortunately, both are outnumbered by the weak, extraneous, self-indulgent, and just plain unnecessary. Instead of complementing and putting emphasis on information, you're so distracted by the non-stop "fucks" and quips that the point is entirely buried. At one point, I literally wondered if he was trying to stretch out the wordcount, only for him to almost admit as much (in what I'm sure was meant as an off-hand humorous comment, but which contained more truth in it than I'd wager he cared to admit)!
But perhaps on a more fundamental level, there's a lot less of specific calling-out of bullshit than I expected or desired. I wanted more takedowns and specific products, but mostly it's generalities. Very disappointing.
However, I cannot wholly condemn the book. As I said, there's plenty of genuine humor. And its summary of quantum theory at the end is one of the most concise and clear I've ever encountered. All in all, Quantum Bullshit is frustrating, but perfectly serviceable, for anyone who wishes to combat woo-woo and scams.
In Quantum Bullshit, Australian physicist Chris Ferrie is here to cut through that bullshit and give us the quantum truth. By explaining what the buzzwords, such as "entanglement" and "uncertainty," mean, and thus show that they do not mean at all what the bullshitters claim, he aims to help us guard against this scammy nonsense. With humor and down-to-earth (and "earthy") language, he neatly summarizes quantum theory and shows how ludicrous the titular quantum bullshit peddled by scammers is.
I wish I could wholeheartedly praise Quantum Bullshit, but, alas, I cannot. I was looking forward to a proper skewering of the... well, bullshit that gets passed off as "quantum" these days. And, yes, there is definitely some skewering, but the strengths of the book -- humor and down-to-earthedness, and indeed "earthiness" (i.e., swearing) -- are also some of its weaknesses. There are genuinely good jokes and quips in this book. There are exquisitely placed and appropriate swears in this book. Unfortunately, both are outnumbered by the weak, extraneous, self-indulgent, and just plain unnecessary. Instead of complementing and putting emphasis on information, you're so distracted by the non-stop "fucks" and quips that the point is entirely buried. At one point, I literally wondered if he was trying to stretch out the wordcount, only for him to almost admit as much (in what I'm sure was meant as an off-hand humorous comment, but which contained more truth in it than I'd wager he cared to admit)!
But perhaps on a more fundamental level, there's a lot less of specific calling-out of bullshit than I expected or desired. I wanted more takedowns and specific products, but mostly it's generalities. Very disappointing.
However, I cannot wholly condemn the book. As I said, there's plenty of genuine humor. And its summary of quantum theory at the end is one of the most concise and clear I've ever encountered. All in all, Quantum Bullshit is frustrating, but perfectly serviceable, for anyone who wishes to combat woo-woo and scams.
March 30, 2024
Last week when I was browsing the General Non-fiction shelves of the library, I came across some scientific books. One of them was 'Quantum bullsh*t: How to Ruin Your Life with Advice from Quantum Physics'. The title was too compelling like 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck', so I borrowed it after reading the first page.
I am not totally new to Quantum Physics. I've already read 'Quantum Physics for Beginners' by Carl J. Pratt. Long story short, I learnt more from Carl's book than Chris's (The author of Quantum Bullsh*t).
Here are the reasons why this book could be my least favorite reads of this year,
Firstly, I got so confused if the book was about Quantum Physics or Bullshit. The author (Chris) was using swear words for no reason. Ever seen an introvert, who just want to get into the 'bad dudes' gang and starts swearing in each sentence? Yeah. Chris looks like one of them.
Secondly, if you take only the quantum physics concepts from this ~200 page book, the book would be around 70 pages. Yes. Chris just talks too much about something which is not even related to Quantum Physics, unlike Carl J. Pratt. For instance, while talking about scientist Paul Dirac's contribution to quantum physics, he wrote a lot about his silent character and he writes almost a whole page about why superimposition is a better choice than superposition.
I personally think that the author tried making his teachings funny, but made it so funny that I cannot find the teachings.
Thirdly, adding so much of jokes just made the concepts more complex instead of easier. When there is a whole page, which is unnecessary and full of jokes that I cannot even laugh at if I tried, my mind just goes to a sleep mode. My brain then did not take in the next physics concept that he writes, as a result when he referred to the principle I missed towards the end of the book I wonder, "Is this teaching from this book?"
But I have to admit that the few quantum principles Chris writes are interesting. For instance about Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. Though the concept was a bit tough, reading it with a bit of jokes made the journey to tiring. Also, I really liked the Heisenberg, Schrödinger, Einstein and Everett III jokes.
To conclude, I wouldn't really recommend this book to someone who has no idea about Quantum Physics. But, if you want a laugh ride, then this book is for you.
I am not totally new to Quantum Physics. I've already read 'Quantum Physics for Beginners' by Carl J. Pratt. Long story short, I learnt more from Carl's book than Chris's (The author of Quantum Bullsh*t).
Here are the reasons why this book could be my least favorite reads of this year,
Firstly, I got so confused if the book was about Quantum Physics or Bullshit. The author (Chris) was using swear words for no reason. Ever seen an introvert, who just want to get into the 'bad dudes' gang and starts swearing in each sentence? Yeah. Chris looks like one of them.
Secondly, if you take only the quantum physics concepts from this ~200 page book, the book would be around 70 pages. Yes. Chris just talks too much about something which is not even related to Quantum Physics, unlike Carl J. Pratt. For instance, while talking about scientist Paul Dirac's contribution to quantum physics, he wrote a lot about his silent character and he writes almost a whole page about why superimposition is a better choice than superposition.
I personally think that the author tried making his teachings funny, but made it so funny that I cannot find the teachings.
Thirdly, adding so much of jokes just made the concepts more complex instead of easier. When there is a whole page, which is unnecessary and full of jokes that I cannot even laugh at if I tried, my mind just goes to a sleep mode. My brain then did not take in the next physics concept that he writes, as a result when he referred to the principle I missed towards the end of the book I wonder, "Is this teaching from this book?"
But I have to admit that the few quantum principles Chris writes are interesting. For instance about Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle. Though the concept was a bit tough, reading it with a bit of jokes made the journey to tiring. Also, I really liked the Heisenberg, Schrödinger, Einstein and Everett III jokes.
To conclude, I wouldn't really recommend this book to someone who has no idea about Quantum Physics. But, if you want a laugh ride, then this book is for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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