Five Equations That Changed the World [Paperback]

Michael Guillen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 4, 1999

The author recounts the the stories of the people and the discoveries that led to the five most powerful and important scientific achievements in human history. In doing so, Dr Guillen reveals the secret world of mathematics. It was through the brilliance of these five fascinating people (Isaac Newton, David Bernoulli, Michael Faraday, Rudolf Clausius and Albert Einstein) that we were able to harness the power of electricity, fly in aeroplanes, land astronauts on the moon, build a nuclear bomb and understand the mortality of all life on Earth. The author brings to life the times in which each man grew up, and reveals the political debates, social upheaval, religious sanctions, family tragedies and personal ambitions that contributed to each man's inevitable place in history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

**'The eponymous mathematical syntheses are his personal selection of what we might call "equations every educated person ought to know". His objective is to chronicle their discovery, introduce the individual who had the inspiration, and outline their significance and their consequences for the world today. It is a worthy aim ... the tales are well worth the telling' IRISH TIMES **'Guillen packs a lot of fact into his story of five greats' NEW SCIENTIST

About the Author

Dr Michael Guillen teaches physics and mathematics in the Core Curriculum Program at Harvard University. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, and now lives just outside Boston.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Abacus (February 4, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0349110646
• ISBN-13: 978-0349110646
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,575,041 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Intriguing, July 17, 2008

By 

William Pulgarin "Neighborhood Critic" (Medellin, Colombia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Five Equations That Changed the World (Paperback)

Written like an intriguing history lesson, this book is fascinating and incredibly accessible to the layman. Dr. Guillen's book, gives the reader insight into the lives of some of the world's most accomplished scientists, everyone from Issac Newton to Michael Farady. The five scientists and equations that are studied are: (1) Issac Newton and the Universal Law of Gravity, (2) Daniel Bernoulli and the Law of Hydrodynamic Pressure, (3) Michael Faraday and the Law of Electromagnetic Induction, (4) Rudolf Clausius and the Second Law of Thermodynamics, and (5) Albert Einstein and the Theory of Special Relativity.

Each chapter is broken down into three parts: Veni, Vidi, Vici (These are the Latin words for "I came, I saw, I conquered"). Essentially, this classification helps the reader navigate swiftly through the enigmas of mathematics, not only by presenting the scientist as real people, but also by explaining the implications and applications of their theories.

I honestly believe that there should be a series of books following the same format that Dr. Guillen uses for this book. It would be a format that can be easily duplicated. Don't shy away from this book. I wholeheartedly recommend it!