29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
It is fun, but only if you're not in the business., August 30, 2000
This review is from: What Einstein Didn't Know : Scientific Answers to Everyday Questions (Paperback)
I bought this book because I thought it would be the perfect reading for a week during some beach vacations. It was a perfect read for the occasion since you can read separate sections that do not have much connection between them. Grab it, read a bit, put it away, do the same later. This is no science book, and reading it will be very, very easy, it will require little of your attention, almost no technical background and well, even little time. Chemists and Physicists, and even engineering students might feel shocked seeing how Wolke simplifies some subjects that are complex enough to have whole books written about it, but you have to remember that this is not at all a technical book. You will learn, but you won't learn much. You will have the illusion of knowledge about heavy stuff like electromagnetism, nuclear fusion, thermodynamics and even the big bang theory and some cosmology.
But don't get me wrong, it you keep that in mind, Wolke has managed to write a very entertaining title that will keep you interested until the end. I have to admit I would drop some of the subjects and would pick other questions. I was a bit annoyed at how many pages Wolke uses talking about fat. A déjà vu feeling often happens. Wolke repeats himself a tad too much for my taste, but it is true that with some subjects it would be hard not to repeat the same facts. Still, Wolk should assume the reader isn't all that dumb and got the basics right the first time, why repeat what was already written. Wolke's sense of humour requires some getting used to. I was annoyed in the first few pages, but eventually grew to like it and it makes the book a lot more fun.
Chemistry and Physics students might get bored at some of the questions Wolke answers, but if you're not into the business and don't know too much about it, you will find it interesting, and sometimes fascinating. In many occasions I found myself wanting more technical details, and that can frustrated many readers.
Not perfect, the title is a bit of a bad idea and it's only all that interesting if you don't already have a scientific background on the subjects (mostly chemistry and some physics) but otherwise, it provides entertainment, it's perfect to lighten up from more heavier science readings and you'll always learn more than reading Calvin & Hobbes. :-) Go for it, I recommend it.
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15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reply to ArnoldVL@hotmail.com, March 27, 1998
By A Customer
I must reply to comments which state that I (the author) am in error regarding mass and energy. I am not. The misunderstanding--that there are no mass changes in chemical reactions--is, unfortunately, widespread. I had hoped that my explanation in the book would dispel this misunderstanding, but alas! Yes, chemical reactions merely rearrange the same atoms. But the energies of these before-and-after arrangements are different, and hence, so are their masses--minutely, to be sure, but different nevertheless. If a chemical reaction gives off or uses up energy, where has that energy came from or went to? Mass, that's where; there's noplace else. So if energy changes, mass must also change. In chemical reactions, the amount of mass-energy transfer is indeed extremely small, but it's there nevertheless. The discussion on pages 226-228 of my book is entirely factual and correct, not an "unnecessary conjecture." I thank Arnold, however, for the other kind words about the book.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the great Bathroom Readers, August 27, 2001
This review is from: What Einstein Didn't Know : Scientific Answers to Everyday Questions (Paperback)
This book is great, it kept me entertained for hours. Being curious and not having much science training, this book blew the dust of the stuff I learned (or was supposed to learn) in school. It makes you go "A-ha, of course!" a lot. The author is witty and while he probably takes his job seriously he manages keep the book entertaining throughout. The book explains a lot of stuff that you've probably never thought about and/or take for granted, like, why is oil slippery and water is not even if both are liquids. Sure, this may not be interesting to a chemist but to most other people it is. The explanations are usually short, 1 - 2 pages, which makes it perfect for dipping into on the bus or at the doctor's waiting room (or the bathroom). There's even a few things you can try out yourself at home. There's nothing as beautiful as your own private sunset in a glass of water and milk. "What Einstein Didn't Know" is also a great help to me as a dad. It was great to be able to explain what was happening when my 6-year old son commented on the noise the ice cubes made when I put them in his juice (of course, that triggered a lot of other questions which reminded me to buy the sequel). This is one of those that I'll read again some day.
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