Book Review: Uncertainty by David Lindley

David Lindley's Uncertainty: Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, and the Struggle for the Soul of Science takes a different tack from many books on physic out there, focusing on the people and relationships behind the ideas rather than just trying to explain abstract ideas. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle states that there are things that cannot be measured, cannot be known for certain. This shook the science community, who were used to a world where everything could be measured and described down to the tiniest detail, as long as you had the right tools. 

Lindley does a wonderful job of explaining the complex relationships between these men, describing a close-knit, small profession full of people spread across several countries who knew each other for decades and frequently got on each other's nerves. This insular community is also placed in the larger context of the twentieth century, showing how World War II especially had such a huge impact on the future of physics, for more than the obvious reason.         

This book was fascinating and read smoothly. It's also reasonably short - it took me a little longer than a cross-country plane ride to finish it. While the nerds amongst us will enjoy it, I think it's accessible to anyone with an interest in the topic whether they have previous knowledge about it or not. Highly recommended to anyone interested in biographies, 20th century history, or science

Find Uncertainty on Goodreads

For fun stories about physicists, read Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!
For a challenge, read Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe 

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From the Bookshelf: Mysteries

I started reading mysteries when I discovered the shelf of yellow Nancy Drew books at my library when I was about 8, and haven’t stopped since. Here are some of my favorite mystery series now: 

Carola Dunn - Daisy Dalrymple Mysteries

 

In the wake of World War I, the Honourable Daisy Dalrymple has a tendency to trip over murder mysteries while making her living as a writer in 1920s London. There are now twenty books in the series and the most recent, Gone West, was published in 2012. Daisy is a wonderful, more grown up successor to our favorite spunky girl detective Nancy Drew. The books are fun light reading with just enough romance.

Start with: Death at Wentwater Court

See the Daisy Dalrymple series on  Goodreads 

Tana French - Dublin Murder Squad

 

French's books are a mix of police procedural and gothic, always hinting at something unknown and uncontrollable that lurks at the edges of civilization. Rather than the usual murder-mystery formula, the books focus more on trying to figure out what happens when people find themselves in situations beyond their control. I say try, since there are always unanswered questions, even with a solved case.

Start with: In the Woods

See the Dublin Murder Squad series on Goodreads 

Dorothy L. Sayers - Lord Peter Wimsey

If you crossed Sherlock Holmes with P.G. Wodehouse’s Bertie Wooster, you might get Lord Peter. Sayers is famous both for mastering the mystery formula and putting together complicated puzzles for readers (The Nine Tailors, Five Red Herrings) and for character-driven books (especially Gaudy Night) that read more like literary novels than genre fiction. The series also includes some wonderful short stories which range from dark and twisted to silly and heartwarming. If you want predictable stories that always end neatly, these may not be for you, but if you want a book that can make you laugh, cry, and think, I dare say they are.

Start with: Whose Body?

See the Lord Peter Wimsey series on  Goodreads

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