BOOK: The Trouble With Physics by Lee Smolin

The Trouble With Physics by Lee Smolin

The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next

nonfiction five 2008, science book challenge, cardathon

I don't know enough about physics to critique the thesis of this book, but I was impressed with the arguments put forth by Smolin. I learned a lot and won't begin to admit I understood everything, but I found it fascinating. String theory, quantum theory, the standard model, and then loops and superstrings, and gauge bosons, my head was spinning. But Smolin writes clearly and easily, and I was getting bits and pieces straight in my head.

The book starts with the Unfinished Revolution and the five great problems in theoretical physics left to be solved. A bit of history and background. The second section was a Brief History of String Theory. This got a lot more confusing and I did some skimming, I confess. Again, the ideas are difficult and I couldn't expect to understand just from reading a few chapters what string theory is all about. (I have The Elegant Universe here to read later, which is the story of String Theory; I also have the DVD, which will probably get watched first.) A third section looks Beyond String Theory at other areas of research, besides string theory, in physics. Ideas got pretty big and abstact here.

The last section is really the most interesting for a person from the outside of the physics establishment. Smolin examines how the physics community has arrived at its standstill, with an elegant theory of strings that has little to no experimental evidence to support it. A combination of sociology, groupthink, and the politics of academia have lead to what he calls the trouble with physics. He offers some solutions, and doesn't claim to not have been a part of everything, but he certainly wasn't part of the in crowd of string theory, and so he is on the outside, somewhat, looking in. It leads a credibility to his argument.

At times, he reminded me of Richard Feynman, mentioned often in the book. Feynman was a bit of a rebel, and didn't lack any confidence in his abilities. Feynman was awarded the Nobel Prize, so he has the cred to back up his bravado. Smolin includes personal situations he's been involved in, and they are the framework to tell this story, but he seemed to always have recognized the good idea that others didn't, or known the outsiders he admires so much. Not a criticism, but just a feeling I got as I read. But to be able to outline the problems he sees, it takes a big thinker and someone who is a little outside the system. He also acknowledges his role in the systematic problems he identifies.

I wasn't sure whether to read this first, or to learn about String Theory (The Elegant Universe.) I decided on this one, with the hopes it will help me to critically read the other. This was a very interesting book, and should be read my most scientists or people with an interest in science, and physics especially. The writing is very accessible and his arguments are persuasive.

BOOK: Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card

Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card

Book Awards II: Hugo and Nebula 1987 ; cardathon; in a series

Last year I read Ender's Game and liked it enough to read the next book. It's a summer read as I can take them from my school library. I would recommend this series even to people who don't like science fiction, as I am one of them. But the writing and the characters are so likable and conceivable that it makes it easy to read. Also, Card has a lot of things to say about forgiveness, and getting along with different people.

Andrew 'Ender' Wiggin has grown up and now is called to speak for the dead, to tell the dead person's story and let people know who they really were. Card has said this was his original story, but he had to write Ender's Game first to set up Ender as the Speaker for the Dead. He is called to a planet that humans have inhabited along with another species, the piggies. I was really intrigued by the piggies and how they lived. Humans judge everything based on themselves and the piggies were so different that it took Ender to figure out what was going on. Ender is a grown up now, but three thousand years have gone by since the Bugger War; travelling at the speed of light does some wonky things to aging.

Speaker for the Dead sets up the next book, but was stand alone as well and had a great ending. I'm not sure if you could read it without Ender's Game, but that is a really good book anyway.

BOOK: The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

Once Upon a Time II, Cardathon

I've had this book from the library for several weeks, and I had to renew it before I even started it. You know how there are books that people rave about and you want to read, but for some irrational reason, you avoid it. And what usually happens is the book is terrific, and you wonder why it took so long to decide to read it. This is one of those books.

It was lovely. Hale retells the fairy tale of The Goose Girl, a story I was not familiar with. Her writing is wonderful and she incorporates the mystical and magical parts of fairy tales in a way that seems perfectly natural. The characters are ordinary people with strengths and weaknesses, and love stories that make you root for the couple. There was the perfect mix of treachery and sword fights, mistaken identities and folk tales, royalty and common folk. Ani was a wonderfully strong character who grows and learns how strong she can be. She is different because she can communicate with animals and doesn't fit in, but finds out how to believe in herself. Her friend Enna was loyal and strong and the next book is called Enna Burning. I look forward to reading it.

If you have reviewed this book as well, leave a link in the comments.

BOOK: The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

Young Adult Challenge, Cardathon, decades challenge 1970s

Quite a disturbing book, but it gets its message across: the abuse of power and the power of bullies. And unfortunately, the ending is probably too much like real life.

Jerry is a freshman at a boys' school in New England, trying to fit in. The secret school group, The Vigils, hands out assignments that nobody dares to challenge, even though everyone seems to hate it, even most of the ones involved. There are teachers who tacitly approve of the group and even find ways to use the group to their advantage. Jerry is told to refuse to sell chocolates at the school fundraiser, and then decides to continue to not to sell them. This blatant refusal to conform gets others in a snit, and Jerry in a heap of trouble.

There is way too much testosterone in this book. All the characters are male and the only females barely mentioned are the objects of the teenage boys ogling, referred very crudely as 'rape by eyeball', a line which extremely disturbed me. The cruelty of the teacher Brother Leon, who sets an example of tyranny and abuse of power that the Vigils emulate, was not fun to read about. There was violence and psychological cruelty and we don't get to understand any of the motives or enough of the thoughts of the characters. We are sort of rooting for Jerry and his friend Goober, but we aren't allowed inside their characters enough. I wasn't pleased that the ultimate message was to conform, but in real life, you have to do what you can to survive.

Still, the book was good because it was able to evoke all these uncomfortable feelings in me. A teenager struggling in a similar situation could at least identify with the struggles of the boys, although nobody really gets their comeuppance in the story. In that way it is far too similar to real life. We see lots of bullies get away with treating people horribly, just within the lines of the law with no repercussions. I believe those people do eventually get consequences, in the form of karma. They eventually push the wrong person and discover what they have done to others. Like the former student of mine who was a bully and mean to people, and years later, I read in the paper he was involved in a road rage incident and was shot in the groin region. I'm not happy he got shot and don't condone violence, but it did seem like the universe was settling a score.

BOOK: Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Young Adult Challenge, cardathon challenge

I've been wanting to read a Shannon Hale book as I've read such glowing reviews. I picked this up at the Book Fair at my kids' parent teacher interviews (they did very well, thanks for asking) And with the Once Upon a Time challenge coming up, I'll think of this as a preview to the fairy tales I want to read. If this book is any indication, I'm in for some good reading.

This has the requisite fairy tale elements: a prince looking for a wife, bandits, evil teachers, and lots of folklore, and lots of princesses. Mira is a fourteen year, small for her age, looking after her father and sister. She isn't big enough to work in the quarry like nearly everyone else in her village. The linder rock is valuable and everyone on the mountain works to release the rock. When the advisers to the king in their land announce that the prince will marry a girl from their mountain, the king's men set up an academy to prepare the girls to be presented to the prince. The girls struggle to learn how to be princesses, learn to live away from their families, and think about their life would change if they were chosen. If they even want to be chosen.

It was a great tale, with strong female leads, who learn how strong they really are. Mira learns to think, deal with the advisers, and reconcile the girls with their fate. It was well written, the plot moves along nicely, interesting characters, well developed folklore for Mount Eskel, with a few twists at the end, and of course, ends as all good fairy tales should.

Never hesitate if you know it's right.

BOOK: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

Young Adult Challenge, Cardathon, another Something About Me

Melinda had just started high school, but she is an outcast. A party over the summer has drastically changed her life, and caused her to lose her friends. She tries to fit in, tries to survive, but she is finding it hard to find the works to express herself. This book follows her first year of high school.

This was touching, and heart breaking, and a very good book. Anderson puts into words the agony of high school, and dealing with teachers who are only concerned with school and forget that there can be a whole world of issues that the students are dealing with and algebra isn't even on their radar. I appreciated that reminder every now and then, and it will help when I can't understand why they are not as fascinated by projectiles as I am.

This is an excellent young adult book, covering big issues, but in a very humanizing way. At less than 230 pages, it is a quick read that I recommend. I can see why it is so popular.

BOOK: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

themed reading challenge, Cardathon, more something about me


I loved this book! The imagination, the humor, the adventure, and Jane Eyre or rather Mr Rochester, black holes and warped time and literary detective Thursday Next, SpecOps of the LiteraTec Swindon Office.

I took my time reading this, because I enjoyed thinking about it during the day, and all the effects and jokes in the book, and wondering what would be next. I luxuriated in the story and can't wait to read the next one, Lost in a Good Book. Fforde has created a parallel, not quite right world that revolves around books. There were so many funny parts, and perfectly plotted events, I can't begin to summarize. The story involves a madman, and books that have 'soft' boundaries, where people and characters are moving back and forth, and Jane Eyre plays a pivotal part. I am so glad I read Jane Eyre last summer as it added immensely to my enjoyment, knowing that plot. It sounds weird, but Fforde knows what he is doing, and I was quite safe in his hands. I think I probably missed many jokes and allusions because this is packed full of goodness.

Example of small funny part: There are Baconians, knocking on doors in London like Jehovah Witnesses, trying to convince people that Francis Bacon wrote Shakespeare's plays. That was hilarious.

BOOK: Brainiac by Ken Jennings

Brainiac by Ken Jennings

Cardathon Challenge, in their shoes

Answer: Brainiac
Question: What's a really good book I got for Christmas?

Sorry, I had to do that.

Not only did I get this book for Christmas from my sister, I gave the same book to my sister for Christmas. She was reading it while she was over for a visit, and reading out questions and quotes, intriguing us. I couldn't wait to get started. And I started using the Book Darts she gave me while reading this book. Thanks sis.

Some people apparently have a sponge-like brain that sucks up information and detail almost from birth, through some perfect-storm coalescence of curiosity, compulsiveness, and innate talent. These people are indiscriminate information gourmands, driven by inexplicable urge to scrawl every scrap of knowledge that comes their way onto their blank chalkboard of a brain. We did not choose trivia. Trivia chose us. p 7

I should confess my trivia history: we are a trivia (trivial?) family. We love trivia: my husband and parents and I played in a bar league before the children were born, and we won one season. In university, my roommate and some fellows from the boy's dorm had an ongoing Trivial Pursuit game until we knew all the questions before they were even read. Jeopardy! of course is still very big: we keep the daily calendar in the bathroom. My husband's siblings and their spouses are perennial champions at the Blueberry Festival annual summer Trivia Contest held in the local rink. So Jennings is preaching to the confirmed here. We Love Trivia!

The book follows Jennings' improbable run of winning 74 games on Jeopardy! but more than that, he investigates the rise of trivia games, the history of the popularity of trivia. Each chapter, titled for example What is Audition? (the applying for Jeopardy! process) or What is Composition? (writing good questions) also include about ten questions in them, with answers at the end of each chapter. Jennings has a very winning style, and is very funny. If you haven't been reading his blog, Confessions of a Trivial Mind you are missing out on an amusing read.

From the first trivia books, to the first radio and television shows, to the College Bowl games, to the town of Stevens Point annual 54 hour radio trivia contest, all manner and types of trivia are analysed. I particularly liked Jennings telling of his Jeopardy! experience, not revealing anything he couldn't - legal confidentiality clauses, but his winsome, charming, self deprecating manner makes this book a wonderful, overall, enjoyable read.

I'll leave with my trivia questions I throw out to my classes when time is short:

What is Chef Boyardee's first name? Hector
What three words best describe the Grinch? stink, stank, stunk
Where do you find the Sea of Tranquility?the moon
highlight the space after the question for the answer.

CHALLENGE: Cardathon Challenge

The Cardathon Challenge

Becky is the hugest Orson Scott Card fan. She has developed a challenge to try and convert the rest of the world. It's a nice, easy, ongoing challenge with its own blog.

I first heard of Orson Scott Card at the top 50_books list of books, because Ender's Game was in the top 20. When that book was picked by Becky, natch, for the Something About Me Challenge, I decided to read it. It was good, even though I'm not a huge science fiction fan. When a book is well written with great characters, regardless of the genre, it will be a good read.

Becky has set up this challenge in a way that it is nearly impossible to ignore. It is not just Orson Scott Card books, it is any book he may have touched in his life. I'm kidding. But books he has written, or introduced, or reviewed at his website are eligible. And that is where this challenge really opens up. With a quick perusal of reviewed books, I easily found over ten books I want to read, plus a sequel and parallel novel to Ender's Game by Card himself. I don't know if I'll read all the books I picked out, that's why we make lists with alternates.

This challenge is officially for a year, but I think Becky would also like it to be open ended.

The Rules: pick 6 - 12 books, preferably with 1 or 2 by Card

read, enjoy, review

join the blog if you want (it's usually more fun if you do)

My List of Potential Books

Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card
Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
Xenocide by Orson Scott Card

The Goose Girl - Shannon Hale
Princess Academy - Shannon Hale
Howl's Moving Castle - Diane Wynne Jones
Because of Winn-Dixie - Kate DiCamillo
A Midsummer's Night Dream - Shakespeare
Robert B Parker mysteries
The Trouble with Physics: The Rise of String Theory -Lee Smolin
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid - Bill Bryson
Brainiac - Ken Jennings
I Shouldn't Even be Doing This - Bob Newhart
The Eyre Affair - Jasper Fforde
The Princes of Ireland - Rutherford
Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson
Teacher Man - Frank McCourt
Stardust - Neil Gaiman
The Chocolate War - Robert Cormier

For now, this is my pile of books to pick from. In one year, I hope to read a minimum of 6, but probably more. Go check out the blog and get pulled into Becky's plot to turn everyone into Card-ites? Orson groupies?