Asimov's Guide to Science

by Isaac Asimov

Asimov tells the stories behind the science: the men and women who made the important discoveries and how they did it. Ranging from Galilei, Achimedes, Newton and Einstein, he takes the most complex concepts and explains it in such a way that a first-time reader on the subject feels confident on his/her understanding.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Physics, Education, History

945 pages, Hardcover

First published July 18, 1972

About the author

Works of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles, The Foundation Trilogy (1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.

Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.

Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).

People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.

Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.

Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...

Reviews

[Geoffrey Irvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although dated now, don't let that put you off. Asimov's genius for drawing together a synthesis with insight and clarity of perspective is remarkable, modest in the main, and stays with you forever. Where it is dated is only in its many predictions (internet, medicines, global warming, computing power etc) and most of them have or are coming about. My copy comes from 1975 and still reads with a fresh, humane and passionate voice. Recommended.

[Ramakalyan Ayyagari · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I see it, in many cases one is never educated with a big picture in the backdrop; instead, everyone hurries through complicated theories and equations only to finish off the current academic year. I wonder, when one would learn anything for the sake of learning; usually, in the later years, when already one is biased extensively, does he/she discover books of this nature. There are two options - one to deeply regret, and another to grab this opportunity and let not the next generation at home go through the ordeal; I have always preferred the second, and more so, I have been sitting with my kids to learn afresh. Asimov is unique when it comes to writing; just imagine a man with such grand vision, coupling knowledge with the right amount of imagination, writing on science and guiding us through the technical tit-bits. I just loved reading it. To a large extent I consider myself fortunate to have discovered this book when I was finishing my PhD and entering into teaching profession.

[Jmaynard9221 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Asimov's perspective on science as an eternal part of history, rather than simply assessing equations and theories. He delves into the why and the how our ancients went about explaining and discovering the whereabouts of this Earth. He brings one back to a place where it was everyday ignorance over whether we were moving or the sky was moving, whether the earth was flat or round, oh and by the way what IS that big burning ball of fire in the day sky, that shining disc of a smiling face in the the night?

I haven't gotten to the invention of nuclear power yet. :) But thinking about the beginnings of the process by which we have arrived at our current state (like the ability to type these words into a silicon-based grid covered by plastic, then send it out over invisible waves for others to view....)is so much fun.

[Thomas Ray]

See the updated version: Asimov's New Guide to Science

[Martin Hernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Estupendo libro de divulgación científica. En su momento, fue uno de los libros más populares, y despertó la curiosidad en muchos jóvenes por dedicarse al estudio de disciplinas científicas. Desafortunadamente, el avance de la ciencia es inexorable, y en poquísimos años, el libro quedó obsoleto, como cuenta el propio ASIMOV en el prólogo de la tercera edición, de 1972:

"Cuando se publicó The Intelligent Man's Guide to Science, allá por 1960, el progreso, científico no tardó en rebasar su contenido. Así, pues, fue preciso publicar The New Intelligent Man's Guide to Science en 1965 para analizar, por ejemplo, elementos tales como el cuasar y el láser, términos desconocidos en 1960 y de uso común dos años después.
Pero, entretanto, la Ciencia ha proseguido su inexorable marcha. Y ahora se plantea ya la cuestión de los pulsars, los orificios negros, la deriva de los continentes, los hombres en la Luna, el sueño REM, las oleadas gravitacionales, la holografía, el AMP cíclico..., todo ello posterior a 1965..."

A pesar de que han transcurrido más de 40 años desde su publicación, y que evidentemente muchos temas tratados en el libro se han actualizado, no deja de ser una lectura amena e interesante.

[Mary Karpel-Jergic · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that I cannot bear to part with so remains on my book shelf. Naturally it is a product of science at that time but I remember it enthralling me. Asimov is a brilliant writer and I wouldn't mind reading this again at some time in the future.

"The human brain is the most magnificently organised lump of matter in the known universe"

[Ted · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book years ago at a used bookstore, mostly because I've always been a fan of Asimov's science fiction. I finally pulled it off the shelf and read it. It was a bit daunting at 877 pages, and looked to be dry reading in its beige hard cover (the dust cover having been lost), but I was pleased to find that it was quite easy to read.

I think it does impart a good level of general understanding of concepts across the fields of physics, chemistry, astronomy, and biology. It certainly won't make you a scientist, but it will help you understand the physical world a bit more deeply. However, I'm not sure I could have absorbed much of the material if I didn't already have a good general understanding of science.

At 50 years old, the book is definitely dated. Many discoveries in biology and particle physics were still in the future when this was written, and the author's excitement over the "advanced" state of computers is quite amusing. But the science that was settled at the time this was written is taught well.

[Uladzislau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Великолепная книга! Прочитал в виде pdf-скана еще с советского издания. И печально, что несмотря на то, что научно-популярный Азимов был переведен и издан в 90-2000-е гг. почти весь, этой книге места для переиздания не нашлось. А вместе с тем новые переводы по большей части скороспелые, неудачные и неотредактированные, да и многие книги уже откровенно устарели, да часто и просто не удались автору - в конце концов невозможно хорошо написать 400 книг, даже средне - и то невозможно. А вот этой - действительно одной из лучших книг, к тому же великолепно переведенной, отредактированной и адаптированной - так переиздано и не было.
А ведь ее начнешь читать - не оторвешься, хотя по сути это сборник наиболее широко распространенных научных терминов и их определений. Станешь читать про "Абсолютный нуль", заодно узнаешь что такое "абсолютный" и что такое "нуль", и что такое они таки вместе, да еще историческая справка, плюс лингвистический обзор и на закуску - какой-нибудь анекдотический случай из жизни.
Феерично!

[Tell Tale Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

-Gregory Kerkman

[Books, Crooks, & Hooks]

Reading w/my sisters

[Bill]

A must-read for anyone who wishes to have a comprehensive, generalist's understanding of the basic sciences governing physical movement, light, matter and life. There are some portions that, even though written for an interested non-specialist, will tax every neuron for attentiveness (especially the latter part of the section on Chemistry and the final appendix that includes mathematical operations). I really doubt anyone else but Asimov could have produced such a book.

[Morris Nelms · Rating 4 out of 5]

He and Clarke had an agreement that Asimov was the best science fact writer and Clarke was the best science fiction writer. I see no reason to disagree. The only thing wrong with this book is that science moves on, so there is plenty of dated material here. More a reference book than something you sit and read.

[Curtiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

An updated single-volume version of his two-volume Thinking Man's Guide to Science, which came in a cardboard sleeve. A good all-around look at virtually every field of scientific endeavor.

[Adrian Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book you can dip into anytime and discover something you SHOULD know!

[Eddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reasd this many years ago, It got me into learning...

[Zaini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good

[Jose Moa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good elemental introduction