Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[Dngrsone]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Started (and read half of) The Hunt for Vulcan: And How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe yesterday. Its a fantastic blend of science, history and a love song to the scientific method.

This is one of three new (gift-card-purchased) DTBs that have come into the house since the new year started.

Sounds like something right up my alley...

[kansaskyle]

I finished One Year After, which I rated as a four-star read.

I'm staring The Forever War next.

[MickeyC]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Started (and read half of) The Hunt for Vulcan: And How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe yesterday. Its a fantastic blend of science, history and a love song to the scientific method.

In the relatively section, does the author focus on just general relativity or does he also discuss special relativity?

Thanks

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by MickeyC

In the relatively section, does the author focus on just general relativity or does he also discuss special relativity?

Thanks

I don't know, as I've not gotten there yet. The first half of the book was the history of the discovery of Uranus as a result of math. Vulcan has just now been discovered. I assume the back 25-30% will be Einstein disproving its existence. Will report back.

[MickeyC]

Thanks. I'll hold off till I hear from you.

[Rumpelteazer]

The Murder at Skellin Cottage by Amy Cross.
Amy Cross has become one of my favourite horror writers in the last couple of months. The is a reboot of a series she originally wrote set in the US, which is now set in the UK. It isn't a horror, but a murder mystery. It was fun and quick, but a bit predictable.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: The Moon of Gomrath by Alan Garner. Apparently a follow-up to The Weirdstone of Brisingamen.

And it is indeed a direct follow-up with much the same characters. Good, with an interesting look-in from various English myths, but let down, for me, by a very sudden ending.

Next up: 1636: The Ottoman Onslaught by Eric Flint. I'm looking forward to this novel from the original author in the series.

[drjd]

Originally Posted by drjd

Now I have started reading Living in Italy: The Real Deal by Stef Smulders, offered as free book in the Self-Promotions by Authors and Publishers thread. I have read the first few pages of the book and found it quite interesting and humorous.

Finished Living in Italy: The Real Deal by Stef Smulders. A well written and humorous account of anecdotes of two guys migrating from Netherlands to Italy, their funny experiences with the bureaucracy and red-tapism, buying an old house and getting it reconstructed with the help(?) of local builders. Their process of learning the local language and slangs in a torturous but funny way. Good for a light read.

Now I'll take up Another Fine Myth by Robert Aspirin.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

And it is indeed a direct follow-up with much the same characters. Good, with an interesting look-in from various English myths, but let down, for me, by a very sudden ending.

Next up: 1636: The Ottoman Onslaught by Eric Flint. I'm looking forward to this novel from the original author in the series.

I just finished this one. It is the latest in the mainline novels. My only problem with the book is waiting for the next one.
Apache

[bfisher]

Originally Posted by MickeyC

In the relatively section, does the author focus on just general relativity or does he also discuss special relativity?

Thanks

I read it last year. My recollection is that both the special and general theories were discussed.

The book starts with the impact of Newton’s theory of gravity on modern science; how its success in explaining the cosmos of 1700 and 1800s science validated Newton’s theory to the extent that eminent astronomers of the late 1800s spent considerable efforts and gambled reputations on the search for a non-existent inner planet that would explain a significant anomaly in Newton’s theory, the procession of the perihelion of Mercury.

The author describes how Einstein was able to demonstrate in 1915 that relativity could explain the issue of Mercury’s orbit. He also notes that even with Einstein's insight, it took him years of effort developing the equations to prove it.

I thought it was a great illustration of how the scientific method works

[MickeyC]

Originally Posted by bfisher

I read it last year. My recollection is that both the special and general theories were discussed.

The book starts with the impact of Newton’s theory of gravity on modern science; how its success in explaining the cosmos of 1700 and 1800s science validated Newton’s theory to the extent that eminent astronomers of the late 1800s spent considerable efforts and gambled reputations on the search for a non-existent inner planet that would explain a significant anomaly in Newton’s theory, the procession of the perihelion of Mercury.

The author describes how Einstein was able to demonstrate in 1915 that relativity could explain the issue of Mercury’s orbit. He also notes that even with Einstein's insight, it took him years of effort developing the equations to prove it.

I thought it was a great illustration of how the scientific method works

Great! Thanks bifisher. It's now on on TBR list.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by bfisher

I read it last year. My recollection is that both the special and general theories were discussed.

The book starts with the impact of Newton’s theory of gravity on modern science; how its success in explaining the cosmos of 1700 and 1800s science validated Newton’s theory to the extent that eminent astronomers of the late 1800s spent considerable efforts and gambled reputations on the search for a non-existent inner planet that would explain a significant anomaly in Newton’s theory, the procession of the perihelion of Mercury.

The author describes how Einstein was able to demonstrate in 1915 that relativity could explain the issue of Mercury’s orbit. He also notes that even with Einstein's insight, it took him years of effort developing the equations to prove it.

I thought it was a great illustration of how the scientific method works

Now that I have gotten to it, bfisher is correct. It has been a delight to read!

[Dngrsone]

Finished Fearless by Cornelia Funke. As good as the first one, and a good incentive to read the third...

Meanwhile, I have started Damocles by S. G. Redling. A freebie this month, IIRC. Rather short (276 pgs in my reader, and at chapter 2 I am already 7% in), but so far promising.

[bfisher]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Started (and read half of) The Hunt for Vulcan: And How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe yesterday. Its a fantastic blend of science, history and a love song to the scientific method.
.

"love song to the scientific method" is one of the best summations I've ever seen for a book

[MickeyC]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Now that I have gotten to it, bfisher is correct. It has been a delight to read!

Got it! Thanks for the reco.