In my previous reading lists, I maintained a theme, such as for the month of June, when I recommended books about influenza pandemics and pandemics in general. For this month, I wanted to focus on other interests of mine: astrophysics, quantum physics and the universe. I won’t write detailed reviews since I read these books a while ago and unfortunately, I was not taking careful notes at the time. Maybe I’ll have to re-read them as well.
Audible and Disclaimers
I will include affiliate links to Audible for all discussed books, and for ebook and physical formats when available. You will not be charged extra, and Audible is likely to have the majority of books you want since it is the biggest audiobook platform.
When you buy a book from Audible, be sure to download and keep a local copy. That way, you own it like a physical book. If you only access it through the app, you rely on Audible for delivery. If they lose distribution rights for the book, you lose access. So, always download anything you purchase.
Sign up for a free Audible Premium Plus membership trial and get one credit for a free audiobook. Even if you cancel the trial, you still get to keep the book you got from the promotion.
Another way to access the books I mention in this post is to check if they are available at your local library. This is certainly the cheapest option, but keep in mind that you may need to wait weeks to obtain them, and you will have a time limit to finish reading them (usually up to 14 days).
Book Recommendations
Reality is Not What It Seems: The Journey to Quantum Gravity, By Carlo Rovelli
One of my favorite books, Reality is Not What It Seems talks about quantum gravity and how humans have understood the nature of matter throughout ages. The author, Carlo Rovelli, is a physicist who studies quantum gravity. If I remember correctly, one of the most intriguing concepts that the author introduced in the book was the idea that spatial continuity may not be real. I think I remember some chapter talking about how space could also be divided down into indivisible quantum packets, and what we perceive as a continuous physical space could be the entanglement of those quantum space particles. It is definitely an interesting read for those of us interested in quantum physics.
Links:
The Order of Time, By Carlo Rovelli
My second recommendation for this month is another publication by Carlo Rovelli. In this book, the author discusses the nature of time, including past and the current understanding of it. I found it fascinating even though some things went over my head. I enjoyed the idea that at the most basic and quantum level, time may not even exist. It has definitely been a while since I read this book, so I don’t can’t describe this part very easily, but I recommend this book for those interested in time from a quantum physics perspective.
Links:
A Brief History of Nearly Everything, By Bill Bryson
I enjoyed reading this book for its coverage of many topics. The author focuses mainly on the history of science and the history of the universe. However, when it came to describing the history of modern humans (the last 4000 years or so), the book mainly covers western societies. I guess it could be due to the abundance of records about that time compared to other cultures.
This is my second book by Bill Bryson (the first one was “The Body”) and I like his writing style.
NOTE: Even though I liked the book, it could be outdated in terms of scientific understanding, since it was published over 20 years ago, in 2002.
Links:
Conclusion
I hope you enjoy these books and I would greatly appreciate it if you could suggest other titles for me to read. Even though I have a bias for science, quantum physics, infectious diseases, and history, I’m open to any suggestions.
Let me know in the comments if you have any opinions on the books covered today.