The Nobel Book of Answers: The Dalai Lama, Mikhail Gorbachev, Shimon Peres, and Other Nobel Prize Winners Answer Some of Life's Most Intriguing Questions for Young People (Hardcover)

~ Various (Author), Bettina Stiekel (Editor), Jimmy Carter (Introduction)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-Twenty-two prizewinners contributed to this collection, which has an introduction by Jimmy Carter and an essay about Alfred Nobel and the prize by Mikhail Gorbachev. Each individual tackles a particular question. Desmond Tutu's entry, "Why Is There War?" includes a reference to the recent conflict in Iraq, and George Vithoulkas, winner of the Alternative Nobel Prize, addresses "Why Do I Get Sick?" Biologist Christiane Nsslein-Volhard, the one woman represented, explains why there are boys and girls. Richard J. Roberts, a geneticist, uses an analogy to LEGO building blocks to explain metabolism. Most essays incorporate aspects of children's experience to relate difficult concepts, although "Why Does 1 + 1 = 2?" by Enrico Bombieri, winner of the Fields Medal for Mathematics, is more difficult to access. The essays are conversational and friendly in tone. A paragraph at the end of each entry provides biographical information about the contributor. Overall, the book makes for interesting reading.
Vicki Reutter, Cazenovia High School, NY
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-6. Will I soon have a clone? Why are leaves green? Why are some people rich and others poor? Why does 1 + 1 = 2? Why is there war? What is love? Nobel Prize winners honored for their work for peace and in science, economics, medicine, and literature speak to children about elemental issues. The word answers in the title is misleading: many of these writers, including several scientists, make it clear that the best answers open up great new questions. The text, translated from the German, is chatty and informal ("Do you want to know, my friend?"), though the colloquial is occasionally too condescending ("Why don't you ask your parents if they know anybody who's unemployed?"). Even so, most of these intellectuals do an amazing job of explaining complex ideas--from nutrition to math. With spacious type and a brief biography of each prize winner, this will be especially welcome as a discussion opener in science and social studies classrooms. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum; 1 edition (October 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689863101
• ISBN-13: 978-0689863103
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #617,775 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great, great book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, March 15, 2005

A Kid's Review

This book was so great, I can't imagine why someone would not like it. Some parts were so good, I reread them many times. WHY WE HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL, WHAT IS POLITICS were a few of my favorites but WHAT IS LOVE, WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE RICH AND OTHERS POOR were not so good. Overall, this book is a sure hit!

5.0 out of 5 stars If you ever wondered why ; now get the answers from those who know., April 29, 2008

By	J. Guild (Toronto,Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

An amazing book in many ways. It is comprised of 22 questions that face every person on the planet. The questions are ones that mankind has been searching for answers ever since he has wondered why things are as they are.
The answers have been supplied by 22 Nobel Prize laureates.One of the traits of brilliant people is their ability to explain the complex in a simple way that can be easily understood.Although ,on first glance,one might be tempted to dismiss this book as one only suitable for school students;but it is a book suitable for all ages and all levels of knowledge.
Only if you could give an answer to the following questions,would this book not be worth your time to read.

How do I win the Nobel Prize?

Why can't I live on French Fries?

Why do we have to go to school?

Why are some people rich and others poor?

Why do we have scientists?

What is politics?

What is love?

Why do we feel pain?

Why is pudding soft and stone hard?

Why is the sky blue?

How does the telephone work"

Will I soon have a clone?

Why is there war?

Why do mom and dad have to work?

What is air?

Why do I get sick?

Why are leaves green?

Why do I forget some things and not others?

Why are there boys and girls?

Why does 1+1=2?

How much longer will the earth keep turning?

Now that you know the questions,and also know how well you might answer the;let Nobel Prize laureates ,who have been recognized for their work and knowledge in their fields ;give you answers to them. And their answers are unbelievably understandable.

.

5.0 out of 5 stars I wish more of the world was explained this way, January 5, 2008

By	C. Barrett (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

My seven year old daughter loves this book. It tackles a wide array of topics (nutrition, poverty, economics, love) in a kid-friendly way without sacrificing important concepts. As a parent, I often tire of reading children's books aloud, but this one is as interesting for me as it is for my daughter. My daughter likes the book so much that she carries it in her backpack for emergency reading material and agreed that it would make a lovely Christmas gift for her 8-year-old cousin. It would also be appropriate for boys and I believe it will still be interesting throughout her elementary school years. I hope that the publisher will continue to tap into the brilliant minds and thoughtful pedagogy of the Nobel community and publish another volume or two.