suggestions for science books, please!

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anyone recommend some books? i need a couple...

i want a "popular" science on string (possibly superstring) theory, even better with all the stuff on particle theory/quantum oojits. i don't want a book full of maths, which is why i said "popular" science. i've heard "the elegant universe" by brian greene is good. nothing by john gribbin, though - does anyone else find him a bit difficult to follow? (i think it's his writing style, and the order in which he presents things, myself).

the other thing is supervolcanoes. ditto the above. if it's part of a book on all sorts of geological stuff (and with pictures!), even better - tsunamis, mad weather, that sort of thing.

so, people - can you help me out here?

Last edited by vetivert on 07 Sep 2005, 5:10 am, edited 1 time in total.

I dont know what books to recommend. I just awnted to tell you that there is a band called Vetiver. I thought of you when I saw their music on Rhapsody. heheh.

cheers, hell grey!

Well, I've got the "Elegant Universe" by Greene, I read it a few years ago and found it fascinating. It's generally quite easy to follow, but some of the stuff towards the end is a bit difficult to get to grips with, though I'm sure a person of your many attributes would have little problem!

As for volcanoes, well I'm part way through "Global Geomorphology" by M Summerfield, more a text book than "popular" science, but I can follow it OK, and it's got lots of diagrams and some pictures. I've just got to the section on landforms associated with igneous activity. The first part on plate tectonics was great . There's also stuff in it on the impact of climate change, as well as rare catastrophic events in landform creation, or so it says on the back cover, but I've not got that far.

Oh, and totally unrelated, but if you want a really good read, and to learn a bit too, try "Life: A Natural History Of The First Four Billion Years of Life on Earth" by R Fortey.

whoop, whoop!

books, books! not that i'm obsessed, or anything (i'd rather buy books than food, frankly).

great suggestions, ascan, ta ever so!

and thank you for the compliment - i do have a bit of physics, but don't fancy a textbook sort of affair.

off to leap onto amazon...

Stephen Hawking's and Stephen Jay Gould's books should do

Technically kids books, but if you haven't read Lloyd Alexander's Prydan Chronicles then you have not lived!

ta seven and kitten.

i have read lloyd alexander's trilogy - but i don't seem to remember anything about superstrings or geology in them...

kitten - you're potty. but that's why we luuuurve you

LOL

Michio Kaku is good for particle physics/string theory. As is Brian Greene.

For quantum theory, I like David Deutsch's The Fabric of Reality.

I actually find John Gribbin quite clear, but a bit boring.

Try Tom Clancy's Without Remorse. I only recommend that one to people over 18.

thanks again, folks.

just want to make clear that i'm looking for science books - have read gribbin, simon singh, capra and that ilk, and lookng for up to date stuff which won't tie my brain in knots. am about to embark on feynman - he sounds like a riot!

First, it's NOT a trilogy! It's a quintet!

Second, who said anything about string and rocks?

*scrolls up page*

Ooooh... that would be YOU!