The Science Book

September 1, 2014

More than 100 chronologically arranged entries--most of them a page or two in length, with major advances (e.g., by Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein) meriting four to six pages--provide an overview of the physical and mathematical sciences. Each article focuses on a single theory or achievement associated with a particular scientist, and most contain short biographical sketches noting the person's key publications. The visual layout promotes browsing with illustrations, pull quotes, and simple mind-maps to explain concepts quickly. An overall theme of the book is the cumulative nature of science, meaning how scientists build upon and respond to previous work. Thus, every entry includes a contextual time line of earlier and later theories that held sway regarding the topic at hand. Unobtrusive cross-references and a comprehensive index also aid in following the development of a particular theory or discipline. An appendix provides paragraph-length sketches of about 50 additional scientists. VERDICT This book will appeal to and be an effective resource for those with a scientific bent who enjoy examining the big picture, especially high school or undergraduate students.--Wade M. Lee, Univ. of Toledo Lib.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2014
The latest title in DK's clever and engaging Big Ideas Simply Explained series takes a unique approach to general science topics. The history of science is presented in six chapters, titled The Beginning of Science (600 BCE1400 CE); Scientific Revolution (14001700); Expanding Horizons (17001800); A Century of Progress (18001900); A Paradigm Shift (19001945); and Fundamental Building Blocks (1945Present). Everything is covered hereastronomy, biology, botany, chemistry, geology, and physics. Chapters contain a variety of short essays, each accompanied by an In Context sidebar, brief biographies of influential thinkers, and illustrations, including flowcharts, graphs, and pictures. Example topics include At the Center of Everything Is the Sun, Discovering New Planets, Elements Always Combine the Same Way, Quantum Model of Computing, and We Are Made of Stardust. The book concludes with a time-line-style directory of key people in the sciences, a brief glossary, and an index. As with others in the series, the standout feature of this book is its ability to take complex topics and make them easy to understand via readable essays and an appealing format. Overall, this book is an excellent introduction to a variety of science topics and is suitable for the circulating collections of most high-school and public libraries.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)