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erikars's review against another edition
Bodanis describes the history of the science leading up to Einstein's research and the related work that came after it. Emphasis on the word history here. While Bodanis does try to give the reader an intuition of the science (probably in ways that would make a real scientist cringe on occasion), it is not really his focus. The real focus is the story of the equation and the people involved in its history. While Bodanis does take some liberties speculating on the feelings and motivations of some of the participants, the book is full of interesting things that I did not know about the scientists. Also, by focusing on the equation, the reader gets to see a scientific history sliced in a unique and intriguing way. Altogether, a good fluffy science book.
confettimama's review against another edition
challenging
informative
medium-paced
4.25
Entertaining science in layman terms. Watch out for the man behind the curtain.
huitiangao's review against another edition
5.0
Most people will turn around as fast as they can when they see this book. They assumed that this book is boring because even the title is a formula. but i can honestly say that this book isn't that bad.
I learned a lot of thing by reading this book. on each page, there's something new.
I learned a lot of thing by reading this book. on each page, there's something new.
almacd13's review against another edition
5.0
This book is amazing. It gives a clear idea of the history behind each individual aspect of the equation, the state of science at the time of it's inception, as well as the historical events that repurcussed as a result of the equation. Can't recommend it enough.
mythreyiramesh's review against another edition
4.0
This book is quite exceptional in its simplicity. It has a unique premise, and an excellent narrative. The reader can almost effortlessly move ahead in the book. The story is gripping and leaves you wanting to know more. What's most striking is that most of such books have a key person in mind and his/her journey is traced, but this book is about an equation. This means that more than one person is in the limelight while the focus still remains centred on the equation itself. It also has a lot of humour embedded in it which can catch you off guard.
The main reasons why I read such books is not just to learn about the science in a simplified manner, but to understand how science can be simplified and to get insights about the people behind the science, which will serve as great inspiration in my own pursuits. Bearing these in mind, I got a lot from this book. As Einstein himself put it, "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough". It's nearly amusing to see how brilliant scientists can have a cruel personality and how brilliance can be found in the most "seemingly unlikely" places.
Overall, a great read for anyone in need of a quick and insightful book. I am yet to read the extensive notes at the end, but I'm sure each of them is worth a look.
The main reasons why I read such books is not just to learn about the science in a simplified manner, but to understand how science can be simplified and to get insights about the people behind the science, which will serve as great inspiration in my own pursuits. Bearing these in mind, I got a lot from this book. As Einstein himself put it, "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough". It's nearly amusing to see how brilliant scientists can have a cruel personality and how brilliance can be found in the most "seemingly unlikely" places.
Overall, a great read for anyone in need of a quick and insightful book. I am yet to read the extensive notes at the end, but I'm sure each of them is worth a look.