Sitting on the Shoulders of Giants product reviews

The title "Sitting on the Shoulders of Giants" conjures up the image of a budding scientist being supported and educated by the findings of those who have preceded him in his chosen field. But, in some cases, the person who then comes up with a new discovery may grow to be even more of a giant than his predecessor. Yet who knows whether this new thinking would ever have happened had it not been for the foundation provided by the giant?

The book is divided into six sections, each loosely based on a different theme, but there is frequent cross-referencing between them. Each section consists of several short essays or chapters that pose a question and then attempt to answer it. Many of these essays introduce technical terms for the effects they are unpacking. Some are familiar and others are completely new (Olbers' Paradox, for example - I had never heard of it!).

The subject matter ranges from human behaviour to commerce to the physical world to astrophysics. As a person with no advanced understanding of physics, I found that the book was both accessible and fascinating. It does not dumb down the content, rather presenting it in a way that a person new to the field can follow with little difficulty. Each chapter is self-contained so the reader can browse at will without having to read the book in linear fashion.

I did choose to read from start to finish and found that I agreed with many of the observations, particularly those on human behaviour. The occasional touch of humour was worth waiting for; the assertion that black holes are not just cosmic vacuum cleaners is utterly delightful. I also appreciated the suggestion that Horace's advice to "carpe diem", recorded over two thousand years ago, can be usefully replaced with its modern equivalent "yolo". And, of course, let's not forget the astronaut Bob who makes an occasional appearance when an astronaut anecdote is needed. Why Bob? Why not!

When I started the book, I did not know the significance of E = mc2. Now I do - or at least I think I do! I also now understand how a black hole is formed. Fortunately, the author stresses that, just as you think you have mastered a concept, someone stands on another shoulder somewhere and then a whole new explanation ensues. I take that to mean that it is ok to be wrong as long as you maintain your curiosity and an open mind.

The chapter that resonated with me most was Why Things Fall Apart. The author's assertion that a messy room has more entropy than a tidy one is a perfect way to illustrate the meaning of this word. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and plan to read it a second time because I am sure I missed something on the first reading!