Geek Logik: 50 Foolproof Equations for Everyday Life [Hardcover]

Garth Sundem (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 4, 2006

Here for the geek in all of us are fifty foolproof equations that take the guesswork out of life—and the funniest twist on an idea since Richard Smith’s The Dieter’s Guide to Weight Loss During Sex. Call it the algebra oracle: By plugging in the right variables, GEEK LOGIK answers life’s most persistent questions. It covers Dating and Romance, Career and Finance, and everyday decisions like Should I get a tattoo? Can I still wear tight jeans? Is it time to see a therapist? How many beers should I have at the company picnic?

How does it work? Take a simple issue that comes up once or twice a week: Should I call in sick? Fill in the variables honestly, such as D for doctor’s note (enter 1 for “no,” 10 for “yes,” and 5 for “yes, but it’s a forgery”), R for importance of job (1-10, with 10 being “personally responsible for Earth’s orbit around Sun”), Fj for how much fun you have at work (1-10, with 10 being “personal trainer for underwear models”), N for how much you need the money (1-10, with 10 being “I owe the mob”), then do the math, and voilà—if the product, Hooky, is greater than 1, enjoy your very own Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Includes a pocket calculator so that prospective geeks can immediately solve the equation on the back cover: Should I buy this book?

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Geek Logik is a hoot!”
—Will Shortz, Crossword Editor, The New York Times (The New York Times )

From the Back Cover

For the hopelessly indecisive and brainiacs lacking basic social skills, now you can solve life’s most vexing problems through mathematics.
The opposite sex, office politics, questions about career—even wardrobe. It’s all here, plus a calculator to eliminate any margin of error.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (October 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761140212
• ISBN-13: 978-0761140214
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 7.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #639,819 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Garth works at the intersection of math, science and humor, with a background including a growing list of bestselling books, a Magna Cum Laude pre-med/music degree from Cornell University, and math-for-hire for mobile app and tech companies. In addition to conferences, colleges, and bookstores, you may have seen Garth's work on the Science Channel where he's a frequent onscreen contributor, online at his popular blog (scientificblogging.com), or in magazines including Esquire, Wired, Publisher's Weekly, and Congressional Quarterly.

Garth grew up on Bainbridge Island, a short ferry ride from Seattle, where his dad----a former President of the American Accounting Association----taught for 34 years in the UW business school. Garth lives in Ojai, California with his wife, two small kids, and one large Labrador, commonly found shoulder-deep in Ojai's municipal fountain (the dog, not the kids; the kids only go in up to their knees).

Stay tuned for more fun, fascinating and sometimes useful books nestled at the nexus of pop and science.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best buy two, November 10, 2006

By 

Scott Freutel "Puccini" (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Geek Logik: 50 Foolproof Equations for Everyday Life (Hardcover)

This is the sort of book you cannot wait to share with friends. Alas, as I've learned several times over, it's also the sort of book friends are reluctant to return after you loan it to them. Besides being funny and clever and near impossible to put down, it's actually useful, in the same way that a Rubik's Cube is (used to be) useful: to transport you into the realm of problems that wink, "I have a solution! Find me!" I cannot recommend this book too highly.

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Silly but somewhat humorous, January 4, 2007

By 

Carissa Clark (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Geek Logik: 50 Foolproof Equations for Everyday Life (Hardcover)

This book is completely useless but somewhat entertaining. The prose accompanying each equation is witty. This book would be a reasonable cheesy gift for the person who has everything. The first chapter has an overview of basic algebra, including the all-important order of operations, so it might even be a useful gift for someone whose math education ended in junior high.

On the negative side, the "Dating and Relationships" section is completely written for a male perspective and generally invokes some negative stereotypes of women. The book could definitely use more egalitarian language to give it a broader appeal.

The calculator included with the book (packaged in the front cover) does not have an exponent function, even though most of the equations use an exponent. Did the publisher's marketing department even glance at the text before picking the gimmicky cover?

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tired of the same-ol' self-help books?, October 15, 2006

By 

Gail A. Noller (Anoka, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Geek Logik: 50 Foolproof Equations for Everyday Life (Hardcover)

All the self-help books are beginning to sound the same. NOT SO with Geek Logik. From a psychology perspective, I think following Garth Sundem's advice may be the best thing since Freud (sorry Garth). His approach is not only intuitively sound but mathematically sound (so he claims). It's a difficult book to put down except when you're laughing so hard you can no longer see the words. Merry Christmas to my whole Christmas list!
Gail Noller