Science and Inquiry discussion

You can use this thread to nominate books for the group to read for September 2013. When nominating a book, please be sure to use the "add book/author" link just above the comment box, to create a link to the book you are recommending. You may recommend a book that has previously been nominated but which didn't win. Also, please do NOT nominate a book which has just been published in the last few months because it may not be easily available to all of our members.

Nominations will be open until July 24 or until we have about 10 qualified suggestions, whichever occurs first.

DEATH BY BLACK HOLE AND OTHER COSMIC QUANDARIES BY NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON

Michael Levi. The Power Surge: Energy, Opportunity, and the Battle for America's Future.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16...

Sorry, Rohan, but we already read Death by Black Hole, in June 2009.

I nominate The Information by James Gleick.

I nominate A Guinea Pig's History of Biology by Jim Endersby.

Meenakshi wrote: "I nominate The Information by James Gleick."

I read that...wasn't up to his usual standards. On Amazon it got 30 ratings of between 1&3 stars

http://amzn.to/15OzYAX

Why Does E=mc²? by Brian Cox

I think it's a good beginning to Higg's Boson and other questions regarding the origins of mass.

"The Emperor of all Maladies" by Siddhartha Mukherjee.
A remarkable book.

Greta wrote: ""The Emperor of all Maladies" by Siddhartha Mukherjee.
A remarkable book."

Good choice, but depressing as hell

The First Three Minutes: A Modern View Of The Origin Of The Universe
By Steven Weinberg.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15...

Greenhouse of the Dinosaurs by Donald R. Prothero.
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60...

David wrote: "Meenakshi wrote: "I nominate The Information by James Gleick."

I read that...wasn't up to his usual standards. On Amazon it got 30 ratings of between 1&3 stars

http://amzn.to/15OzYAX"

that's too bad, i was really looking forward for that one.

I enjoyed it.

The Emperor of all Maladies was also covered by the group previously.

I vote for "Big Bang: The Origin of the Universe"
by Simon Singh for Sept 2013. In case that is also covered, I vote for "Time Reborn" by Lee Smolin. Even though it is new, I could recently reserve my copy at the local library.

Kenny wrote: "I enjoyed it."

Gleick's Information? I'm desperate to hear a good review.

Meenakshi wrote: "Kenny wrote: "I enjoyed it."

Gleick's Information? I'm desperate to hear a good review."

Yes, It "reviews" a lot of things you might already know if you have done any reading in the field as I have, but I thought it covered all the bases, particularly for the general public that might not be versed in all the aspects of information.

It has 4/5 stars on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Information...

Darwin's Ghosts: The Secret History of Evolution, by Rebecca Stott

We already read The Information in May 2011 annd The Emperor of All Maladies in December 2012.

Check earlier threads under the Book Club folder of the group if you want to see comments and reviews.

Maitrey wrote: "Why Does E=mc²? by Brian Cox

I think it's a good beginning to Higg's Boson and other questions regarding the origins of mass."

Great suggestion! I'll second it.

Why does E = mc²? seems like an interesting book. I third that suggestion.

But still, I want to nominate a book that had been nominated a couple of previous months: How to teach quantum physics to your dog. That one shows lots of promise.

Taking Wing: Archaeopteryx and the Evolution of Bird Flight looks interesting.

I'd like to read A Universe from Nothing: Why There Is Something Rather Than Nothing by Lawrence M. Krauss.

Karen wrote: "I'd like to read A Universe from Nothing: Why There Is Something Rather Than Nothing by Lawrence M. Krauss."

This looks good, too. I've had it on my TBR shelf for a while.

I enjoyed The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood too. Gleick covers a lot of ground, perhaps a little too much, but he gives you a great perspective on how information drives the universe.

Margie wrote: "This looks good, too. I've had it on my TBR shelf for a while."

I saw Krauss speak on this topic last year at TAM. He was a very engaging speaker, and I've been meaning for a year to read the book.

Thanks, Matt and Kenny. Well, since we have already read it in 2011, A Short History Of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson will be nice for a group read.

Meenakshi wrote: "Thanks, Matt and Kenny. Well, since we have already read it in 2011, A Short History Of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson will be nice for a group read."

Meenakshi, you are right--it was a very nice group read. You can find it, and a list of all the books that our group has read at this link.

Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic
by David Quammen Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic

How about one on wolves. The Secret World of Red Wolves: The Fight to Save North America's Other Wolf

How about The Particle at the End of the Universe: How the Hunt for the Higgs Boson Leads Us to the Edge of a New World?

David wrote: "Meenakshi wrote: "Thanks, Matt and Kenny. Well, since we have already read it in 2011, A Short History Of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson will be nice for a group read."

Meenakshi, you are right-..."

Every book I choose seems to have already been read. Thanks for the link, David.

The ABC Of Relativity by Bertrand Russell
(Please, let this one be not yet read)

Meenakshi wrote: "The ABC Of Relativity by Bertrand Russell
(Please, let this one be not yet read)"

LOL

Margie wrote: "Maitrey wrote: "Why Does E=mc²? by Brian Cox

I think it's a good beginning to Higg's Boson and other questions regarding the origins of mass."

Great suggestion! I'll second it."

It's already been third-ed, but I'll fourth that suggestion too. It's on my to read shelf and I've not yet done a full reading of it only b/c time has been tight. Brian Cox is always fun to read, and I think it's probably a good summer idea. Not heavy or depressing, just informative.

I, personally, am not up for anything too depressing right now.

Edited to add that I always love this thread. It offers me a book list that is terrific and adds to my to read pile every month!

"The Song of the Dodo"by David Quammen. One of my favorite books!

I'll throw in a third (?) vote for "A Universe from Nothing."

You guys are too fast for me. Before I could get the nominations thread closed, we got 14 good nominations.

You can vote for your choice at the following link:

http://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/87...