Week 4: (Nov 21 – 25) – (Julz)
Be The Expert/Ask the Expert/Become the Expert: Three ways to join in this week! You can either share 3 or more books on a single topic that you have read and can recommend (be the expert), you can put the call out for good nonfiction on a specific topic that you have been dying to read (ask the expert), or you can create your own list of books on a topic that you’d like to read (become the expert).
I'd like to do all three but I'll just stick to being the expert. I'll have fun visiting all the other posts and get my recc's on a topic from that. Which will then cause me to make a list of books on a topic I'd like to read.
I teach high school physics and one of my favourite sections to teach about is space and universal gravitation. It's the chapter I am in the middle of right now, so these books are on my mind. Here are some very readable books about space.
Sobel takes each of the planets and writes a chapter from a different aspect of popular culture - mythology, music, history, poetry, astrology. Wonderful book!
The scientific process at its best: new information comes to light, makes scientists look at the model, and adjustments are made. Mike Brown found the planet that caused the definition of planet to be looked at and ultimately caused Pluto to be demoted to 'dwarf planet'.
Nice guide to space, with each of the 42 questions (get the reference?) getting an answer. For example: Where does space begin? (100km above Earth) Can I run fast and jump into orbit? (theoretically, but not really) What moons are worth visiting? ( Jupiter's Europa, and Saturn's Titan might be very interesting) and How fast are we moving through space? (it's all relative to what else is moving, but pretty fast)
Bonus topic: Smart, Feminist Memoirs is topic that I expect someone else will mention. These three books kind of go together, written by funny television women. I listened to all three of these books and can highly recommend the audiobook versions of these books. All are read by the authors, and are smart and funny women from relatively stable childhoods.
Bossypants by Tina Fey
Yes, Please! by Amy Poeler
Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
