Five summer reading picks

The summer heat is upon us (in the Northern Hemisphere, at least), so it’s the perfect time to visit a bookstore and pick up some beach reading. If you’re not packing any journal articles but still want to read about science, Physics Today has you covered. These five books are fast-paced and engaging and just might teach you some new physics while you dig your toes into the sand.

Totality: The Great American Eclipses of 2017 and 2024 by Mark Littmann and Fred Espenak (Oxford University Press, 2017)
On 21 August 2017, a remarkable total solar eclipse will be visible in North America; there will be an encore performance (albeit with a shorter North American path) in April 2024. Totality is perfect for learning all about eclipses before the big day hits. Science writer Littmann and astrophysicist and eclipse photographer Espenak combine their talents to produce a volume chock-full of eclipse knowledge, ranging from ancient mythological eclipse stories to detailed maps and timetables for 2017 and 2024 eclipse watchers. Readers planning to observe an eclipse for the first time should also consult Michael Bakich’s Your Guide to the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse (Springer, 2016); look for a full review of Bakich’s excellent book in the August issue of Physics Today.

Eclipse: Journeys to the Dark Side of the Moon by Frank Close (Oxford University Press, 2017)
If you don’t plan to see the August eclipse in person, or if a how-to guide doesn’t strike you as beach reading, Eclipse brings the human side of eclipse chasing to life. Close, a theoretical physicist at Oxford University, observed his first eclipse in 1954, when he was eight years old. Eclipse chronicles Close’s quest for totality, which has taken him to places as close to home as Cornwall, England, and as distant as Fiji. Anyone interested in eclipses and the people who chase them will enjoy this lively, personal book.

Drawing Physics: 2600 Years of Discovery from Thales to Higgs by Don S. Lemons (MIT Press, 2017)
Simple, evocative black-and-white line drawings illustrate millennia of famous discoveries in this delightful volume. Lemons, an emeritus professor of physics at Bethel College in Kansas, illustrates 51 scientific concepts, arranging them in chronological order from the findings of ancient Greek thinkers to the discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012. The historical discussions that accompany the illustrations are brief but thoroughly researched. The book is a perfect starting point for those who want to learn more about the history of physics.

Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions by Richard Harris (Basic Books, 2017)
Harris, an experienced science journalist for National Public Radio, deftly tackles the thorny issue of reproducibility in biomedical science, a problem that has serious consequences for both scientists and patients. Despite the alarmist subtitle, Rigor Mortis is not an attack on science or science funding; the book reflects the author’s deep understanding of how science works, and his conclusions are backed up by a wealth of research and powerful stories. Harris is also quick to point out that biomedical researchers at the National Institutes of Health and other organizations are trying to solve the reproducibility problem. This engaging book will inform and challenge readers who care about the public image of science, the state of peer review, and US funding for science.

Kepler’s Cowboys edited by Steve B. Howell and David Lee Summers (Hadrosaur Productions, 2017)
If you’re in the mood for science fiction that’s heavy on the science, pore over this enjoyable collection that takes exoplanets and the American West as its inspirations. The stories and poems in Kepler’s Cowboys imagine wild and risky futures for the first generations of exoplanet explorers as they grapple with harsh environments, tight quarters, aliens, and one another. The anthology’s editors write that they “looked for stories that gave us the same feeling of adventure as we got from such classics as Star Trek, Firefly, and Cowboy Bebop.” Not every story will resonate with every reader; those struggling to engage with a particular entry will do well to skip it and move on to the next one. Highlights include “Chasing May” by Anthony Cardno, “Twin Suns of the Mushroom Kingdom” by Jaleta Clegg, and “Calamari Rodeo” by Summers.