The Science Queen's Five Top Picks for Science Books
This whole site is dedicated to readers and books. I can’t believe it took me this long to come up with the idea to write an article on my favourite science books. I mean to say, it should have been the most obvious topic! These books are not in any order, but they are books with high readability and interesting information.
Bill Bryson’s A Short History of Nearly Everything
Bill Bryson is a great writer. His outstanding feature is the enthusiasm he brings to anything he writes about, trekking around a country, walking in woods, and he is usually writing about his own life experiences. In this book, he puts together his own explorations into the various fields of science, from cosmology to geology to ecology and the list goes on. At times, you might feel like you are suffering from information overload; however, I am a big fan of lots of details. Mr Bryson has dug up some curious facts about the people behind the science, which helps bring these (often weird) people to life. And it’s fun... what more can I say?
Dr Carl Zimmer’s Parasite Rex: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature's Most Dangerous Creatures
I reread this book about once a year. It may be the most addictive science book I know, because it is full to the brim with the weird, gross and grotesque. Carl Zimmer is another writer with high readability; after all, why does science have to be dry and boring? He knows his topic inside and out, and Parasite Rex is well named, because the entire book is about parasites, internal and external. I dare you not to become obsessive about washing your hands after reading this book. The YA author Scott Westerfeld actually pointed me in the direction of Parasite Rex, so the kudos are all his for finding it first.
Terry Pratchett’s, Ian Stewart’s and Jack Cohen’s The Science of Discworld
Do I have to mention readability? Humour? Hard facts made very easy to read? Beloved Discworld characters having walk-on parts? The book contrasts the reality of the Discworld with the reality of Roundworld, better known to us as Earth. I started to read this book while recovering from an operation in hospital. I nearly burst my stitches laughing, and so the nurses confiscated it and gave it to my family to take home. Best of all, if you love this book, Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen have other science books that I can recommend, and of course, there are the two more Science of Discworld books by the same authors.
James Burke’s The Day the Universe Changed: How Galileo's Telescope Changed the Truth and Other Events in History That Dramatically Altered Our Understanding of the World
This is the book based on the television series of the same name. James Burke’s enthusiasm for the history of science and technology of our Western culture is limitless, and he manages to convey that enthusiasm in his writing. The television series was shown back in the Eighties, and James Burke has made other impressive series since, but this was the series that caught fire in my imagination. It shows you how completely random the whole process of scientific process really was, and that one person can certainly make a difference to the whole course of science and technology. I still get excited when I read this book, and you should to.
Isaac Asimov’s Asimov’s Guide to Science, Asimov’s New Guide to Science
(Any science book written by Isaac Asimov)
Here is where it all started for me. I had read my way though every one of Asimov’s books in the fiction area of the school library. The librarian - a goddess - was kind enough to point out his books in the non-fiction area of the library. I wasn’t certain that I would enjoy non-fiction books; after all, the only non-fiction I had read previously had been text books. One book and I was hooked! Uncle Isaac can take the driest, dullest topic, and turn it into gold. It was his gift, one that I admire and aspire to.
Now, I don’t know how easily available these books will be. You shouldn’t have too much trouble with the Pratchett or Bryson books, buying or borrowing. Zimmer’s and Burke’s books might be harder to get, though a quick look on Amazon gives me hope you should be able to find them. As for Asimov’s books, I am certain you manage to find one or two at the local library.
However, I can promise you this. If you read any of all of these books, you will learn something. Even if all you learn is a love of science, well... join my club.
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*The Voyager Science Queen is also
known as Lynne Green
So, who is this woman who attempts to entertain us with Science?
Well, I really am a scientist. I have a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Queensland, in Zoology. And, at the moment, I am working in a Pathology laboratory.
I have always been intensely curious about every aspect of our universe, from the teeny tiny workings of the gene right up to the mind-bending forces that are twisting and knotting inside a blackhole. So, now I am sharing a brain stuffed full of trivia...and hopefully entertaining people at the same time.
As well, I write Fantasy stories and novels. One day, I hope to have a book published, but don't hold your breath. Reading is my other major love, and my favourite authors are Terry Pratchett and Isaac Asimov, though I could list hundreds of others. If I had one wish, I ask for more time to write!
Read previous Sci-Facts:
Animals at War
Busy Little Bees
Thinking Outside the Square
Water-Saving Tips
The Dark Side
Strange Objects
Updates: Bad New, Good News
Happy Holidays
Happy Birthday
Carnivorous Plants
What Makes Matter, Well Matter?
Putting the Science into Science Fiction
The Vortex
The Baddies on Your Bread
Scientific Updates on Previous Articles
Talking not Choking
Searching for the Lost Eden
A Comment on Comets
Mari Lwyd
The Pandemic
Zombie Insects and other oddities
You'll Be A Star!
Twisting
the Light
Green by name, green by nature
A No Science Page...
The Art of Statistics...
Ice, Ice, Baby...
Oddities
Bang, crash...Thud!
The Concept of Time
Fact versus Fantasy
Sci-Facts review
Incy-Wincy Teeny-Weeny Itty-Bitty Small Things
Flavour versus Flavonoids
The Third Eye
X Marks the Spot
The Horseshoe Crab
Pathology
The Tenth Planet
Science News Updates
The Sweet Keen Smell
Indulgence
Hollywood Crimes
Natural
Oddities
A Rainbow of Emotions
When is a star, not a star?
The Red Planet
Minerals
Hot Topic - Vitamins
A brief glimpse of New Technologies
Cuddly
Australian Animals
Something light-hearted
Living
in Interesting Times
New Hope
for Our New Year
The Meaning
of Life...
As the worm turns
Forensics
A Grab Bag of Facts
Bits and Bobs
Australian Achievements
Getting Your Attention
May Sci-Facts
After the Big Bang
The Big Bang
Ashes to
ashes; Dust to dust
Twists in
the tale
Robots in
the Swim and other things
The Tachyon
and other things
Looking for more scientific oddities? Have you checked out Dr
Steven Juan's website? He is, quite literally, the wizard of odds! |
