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jenpaul13's review against another edition
4.0
The pursuit of scientific findings is rarely a straightforward endeavor, but the various personalities and intellects that combine and fight against funding struggles, and one another, to best reach discovery of gravitational waves as predicted by Einstein are laid out in Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space by Janna Levin.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Black holes are a fascinating subject and the obsession to prove the existence of gravitational waves emanating from colliding black holes as theorized by Einstein is evident in the depiction of the dedicated scientists Levin provides readers; while focusing on scientific principles and concepts that can get to be complicated, the way that these are outlined for an everyday reader makes it accessible enough to grasp the necessary details to understand the underlying idea pursued and the science isn’t delved in to too deeply. The decades long range for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) project helps to better contextualize the contemporary development of science and discovery that frequently is abbreviated to impossibly short durations in media portrayals. There’s a sense of going along on a hero’s journey with the ambitious way the featured scientists doggedly pursued proof of these waves through all the various setbacks they faced along the way. There were interviews used as a large portion of building out the interpersonal and interdepartmental politics behind the endeavor and Levin’s thoughts were also included, turning this seemingly journalistic effort of gathering an oral history toward the more personal; the human element of this was a good method to garner interest from everyday people in to the complexities and excitements present within the scientific discovery process.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
To read this, and other book reviews, visit my website: http://makinggoodstories.wordpress.com/.
Black holes are a fascinating subject and the obsession to prove the existence of gravitational waves emanating from colliding black holes as theorized by Einstein is evident in the depiction of the dedicated scientists Levin provides readers; while focusing on scientific principles and concepts that can get to be complicated, the way that these are outlined for an everyday reader makes it accessible enough to grasp the necessary details to understand the underlying idea pursued and the science isn’t delved in to too deeply. The decades long range for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) project helps to better contextualize the contemporary development of science and discovery that frequently is abbreviated to impossibly short durations in media portrayals. There’s a sense of going along on a hero’s journey with the ambitious way the featured scientists doggedly pursued proof of these waves through all the various setbacks they faced along the way. There were interviews used as a large portion of building out the interpersonal and interdepartmental politics behind the endeavor and Levin’s thoughts were also included, turning this seemingly journalistic effort of gathering an oral history toward the more personal; the human element of this was a good method to garner interest from everyday people in to the complexities and excitements present within the scientific discovery process.
Overall, I’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
trinitypoints's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.5
Reading this felt like watching the west wing but it’s science instead of the White House
jbaty's review against another edition
4.0
Fascinating history of the people and science behind the detection of gravitational waves. Surprisingly exciting stuff.
amoskane's review against another edition
4.0
Good story of the creation of the Ligo instrument,but I don't really understand gravitational waves any better. They are still very upsetting to me.
smalefowles's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.5
I love how Levin writes about space, and I like space. Unfortunately, this is actually a book about astrophysicists, and I absolutely do not like astrophysicists (I dated one, and he was seriously the worst). The tiny sections about black holes were the gold flakes drifting in a larger tale of dudes doing science, which I found boring. I just need her to write a new book about only the science (like Black Hole Survival Guide, which is perfect).
dherzey's review against another edition
4.0
Subjects regarding relativity, black holes, gravitation - in general, physics and astronomy - have always been an interest of mine. Reading this book (although I expect more on the storytelling) is a thrilling delight, both in the scientific and historical aspects involving the first discovery of gravitational waves. Moreover, the personal conflicts and the many setbacks - political and technical - of all the people involved in such a huge experiment puts color and a rather "wordly" background to the whole scientific endeavor. It was nice to be reminded every now and then, that behind such objective experiments lies scientists - still fallible human beings - collaborating and clashing with each other while the ever peaceful, apathetic universe they are all trying to understand stood over them, bearing witness.
Ultimately, the many decades which leads to the great discovery of gravitational waves is both a story which started billions of years ago, a story whose mysteries are still deeply buried; and another story of a more finite scale, involving humans who are characters forever struggling to understand more of what could possibly be out there. Both stories are worth the tale.
Ultimately, the many decades which leads to the great discovery of gravitational waves is both a story which started billions of years ago, a story whose mysteries are still deeply buried; and another story of a more finite scale, involving humans who are characters forever struggling to understand more of what could possibly be out there. Both stories are worth the tale.