Pepper and Handsprings, 17 Jan 2004

By	H. Cota "takingadayoff" (Las Vegas, Nevada) - See all my reviews

I enjoyed the chapter on The Physics of Sex, but had to read the notes to find out why a woman taking the antidepressant clomipramine supplemented her dosage with pepper. (The side effects were delightful!)

In addition to making science more accessible, Fisher makes scientists seem more human. He describes colleagues of his reacting to successes by singing, shouting, and one who removed all his clothes and did a series of handsprings. Now that is a happy scientist.

 Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

A truly readable and enjoyable popular science book, 27 Nov 2002

Dr Fisher's approach de-mystifies science by examining how scientific analysis can be applied to ordinary everyday situations, from boiling an egg to catching a ball. His lighthearted biscuit dunking experiments were widely reported across the world. Dr Fisher deals with subjects dear to most of our hearts: beer, food, sex and shopping amongst others, and this is one of the things that make this book so readable. The science is interspersed with anecdotes about the many scientists Dr Fisher has worked with and about the way scientists actually go about their work. The elements are carefully mixed to allow the science to be easily digested in bite-sized pieces, and for those who want to read further there are extensive appendices, notes and references at the back of the book.

I recommend this book to anyone. It is informative, thought provoking and a pleasure to read.

 Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)

learn physics the easy way, 12 Jan 2005

And if you are a budding scientist read it with Michael Faraday's "The Chemical History of a Candle" to find out how real, fundamental but essentially simple science is undertaken.

 Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? (Report this)