DMPL Book Chat discussion

See which books staff read for this challenge below. If you've completed this challenge, let us know which book you read and what you thought about it! Also, don't forget to register for the 2022 Reading Challenge at dmpl.org/readingchallenge.

Just finished reading The Novel of the Century by David Bellos. It discusses all things about Les Miserables, which I just finished at the end of 2021. Great read if you’re interested in Les Mis!

I read 'Fear of Physics' by Lawrence M. Krauss for the Wild Card category. The author's aims to guide readers both familiar and unfamiliar with physics through thinking as a physicist, applying logic to our observations of reality. I see how some readers may be confused by the depth of topics presented at times, but understanding individual content should not deter readers from entertaining the context and overall goal of the guide: "more to present the flavor of Physics than a working knowledge [of physics]..."

Readers unfamiliar with science will gain the mindset of a physicist and a better understanding how to apply logic to daily problem-solving: removing irrelevant details, abstracting assumptions from scale and magnitude, and scaling arguments. As already having a strong foundation in physics, I found this book to be a good reflection of perspectives and logic. The continually referenced example of assuming a cow as a sphere, a favorite amongst scientists, was also well received.