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Recommendations based on The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: The Story of Paul Erdős and the Search for Mathematical Truthby Paul Hoffman
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Fermat's Enigma
by Simon Singh
Uncovering the centuries-old mathematical mystery of Pierre de Fermat's Last Theorem.
xn + yn = zn, where n represents 3, 4, 5, ...no solution "I have discovered a truly marvelous demonstration of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain." With these words, the ... (Goodreads)
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
by Dava Sobel
Story of a man's determination to solve the complex problem of determining longitude at sea.
Anyone alive in the eighteenth century would have known that "the longitude problem" was the thorniest scientific dilemma of the day—and had been for centuries. Lacking the ability to measure their ... (Goodreads)
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
by Douglas R. Hofstadter
A complex exploration of logic, mathematics and art, exploring their relationships and interconnections.
Douglas Hofstadter's book is concerned directly with the nature of “maps” or links between formal systems. However, according to Hofstadter, the formal system that underlies all mental activity ... (Goodreads)
The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography
by Simon Singh
A comprehensive history of cryptography and its role in shaping our world.
In his first book since the bestselling Fermat’s Enigma , Simon Singh offers the first sweeping history of encryption, tracing its evolution and revealing the dramatic effects codes have had on wars, ... (Goodreads)
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope
by William Kamkwamba
An inspiring tale of a young boy from Malawi who, against all odds, invents a windmill to power his village.
Now a Netflix Film, Starring and Directed by Chiwetel Ejiofor of 12 Years a Slave William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi, a country where magic ruled and modern science was mystery. It was also a land ... (Barnes & Noble)
Superforecasting: The Art and Science of Prediction
by Philip E. Tetlock
An exploration of the science behind prediction and its potential to improve decision making.
Everyone would benefit from seeing further into the future, whether buying stocks, crafting policy, launching a new product, or simply planning the week’s meals. Unfortunately, people tend to be ... (Goodreads)
The Making of the Atomic Bomb
by Richard Rhodes
Historical narrative of the scientists and engineers who developed the atomic bomb.
Here for the first time, in rich, human, political, and scientific detail, is the complete story of how the bomb was developed, from the turn-of-the-century discovery of the vast energy locked inside ... (Goodreads)
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
by Barack Obama
A political memoir that explores Obama's vision for America and his hopes for the future of the country.
The Audacity of Hope is Barack Obama's call for a new kind of politics—a politics that builds upon those shared understandings that pull us together as Americans. Lucid in his vision of America's ... (Goodreads)
The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory
by Brian Greene
Exploring the hidden realms of physics, in pursuit of a unified theory of nature.
Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding string theory to reveal a universe that consists of eleven dimensions, where the fabric of ... (Goodreads)
The Psychopath Test: A Journey Through the Madness Industry
by Jon Ronson
Exploration of the psychiatric industry, examining the definition and diagnosis of psychopathy.
In this madcap journey, a bestselling journalist investigates psychopaths and the industry of doctors, scientists, and everyone else who studies them. The Psychopath Test is a fascinating journey ... (Goodreads)
Chaos: Making a New Science
by James Gleick
Investigation of complex systems and the impact of chaos on scientific understanding.
A work of popular science in the tradition of Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan, this 20th-anniversary edition of James Gleick’s groundbreaking bestseller Chaos introduces a whole new readership to ... (Goodreads)
Rocket Boys
by Homer Hickam
A coming-of-age story of a small-town boy and his journey of pursuing his dreams in rocketry.
"Until I began to build and launch rockets, I didn't know my home town was at war with itself over its children, and that my parents were locked in a kind of bloodless combat over how my brother and ... (Goodreads)
Humans of New York
by Brandon Stanton
Collection of stories and photographs of people from all walks of life in New York City.
A beautiful, heartfelt, funny and inspiring collection of photographs capturing the spirit of a city, In the summer of 2010, photographer Brandon Stanton set out on an ambitious project: to ... (Goodreads)
The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality
by Brian Greene
An exploration of space and time in the physical world, looking at the fundamental laws of the universe.
From Brian Greene, one of the world’s leading physicists and author the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Elegant Universe , comes a grand tour of the universe that makes us look at reality in a completely ... (Goodreads)
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
by Carl Sagan
A critical look at superstition and pseudoscience, advocating for the power of science and reason.
How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? ... (Goodreads)
Black Holes & Time Warps: Einstein's Outrageous Legacy
by Kip S. Thorne
Exploring the strange and powerful effects of gravity and time, as predicted by Einstein's theories.
Ever since Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity burst upon the world in 1915 some of the most brilliant minds of our century have sought to decipher the mysteries bequeathed by that theory, ... (Goodreads)
Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's
by John Elder Robison
An honest account of a man's life with Asperger's, exploring his unique perspectives.
Ever since he was small, John Robison had longed to connect with other people, but by the time he was a teenager, his odd habits—an inclination to blurt out non sequiturs, avoid eye contact, ... (Goodreads)
Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
by Eric Schlosser
An exploration of the industrial food system and its effects on U.S. society.
Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelled American cultural imperialism abroad. That's a lengthy list ... (Goodreads)
Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar
by Simon Sebag Montefiore
A biography of Joseph Stalin, exploring his rise to power and the inner workings of his regime.
Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781400076789 This widely acclaimed biography provides a vivid and riveting account of Stalin and his courtiers—killers, fanatics, women, and children—during the ... (Goodreads)
Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety
by Eric Schlosser
An exploration of nuclear weapon safety and the risk of catastrophic accidents.
A myth-shattering exposé of America’s nuclear weapons Famed investigative journalist Eric Schlosser digs deep to uncover secrets about the management of America’s nuclear arsenal. A groundbreaking ... (Goodreads)
Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco
by Bryan Burrough
The story of the highly competitive bidding war for RJR Nabisco, one of the biggest corporate takeovers in history.
A #1 New York Times bestseller and arguably the best business narrative ever written, Barbarians at the Gate is the classic account of the fall of RJR Nabisco. An enduring masterpiece of ... (Goodreads)
Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose
by Tony Hsieh
A business leader's journey from success to significance, showing how to build a corporate culture of happiness.
You want to learn about the path that we took at Zappos to get to over $1 billion in gross merchandise sales in less than ten years. You want to learn about the path I took that eventually led me to ... (Goodreads)
Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth
by Apostolos Doxiadis
A historical exploration of the development of logical thinking, from ancient Greece to the 20th century.
Set between the late 19th century and the present day, the graphic novel Logicomix is based on the story of the so-called "foundational quest" in mathematics. Logicomix intertwines the philosophical ... (Wikipedia)
A Beautiful Mind
by Sylvia Nasar
The true story of mathematical genius John Nash, and his battle with mental illness.
Stories of famously eccentric Princetonians abound—such as that of chemist Hubert Alyea, the model for The Absent-Minded Professor , or Ralph Nader, said to have had his own key to the library as an ... (Goodreads)
The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World
by Niall Ferguson
Outlines the history of money and its pivotal role in human society.
Niall Ferguson follows the money to tell the human story behind the evolution of finance, from its origins in ancient Mesopotamia to the latest upheavals on what he calls Planet Finance. Bread, cash, ... (Goodreads)
Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space
by Carl Sagan
Reflection on humanity's place in the universe, and its responsibility to protect life on Earth.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sagan traces our exploration of space and suggests that our very survival may depend on the wise use of other worlds. This stirring book reveals how scientific ... (Goodreads)
America
by Jon Stewart
A satirical take on American politics and democracy, filled with humor and wit.
Jon Stewart, host of the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning The Daily Show , and his coterie of patriots, deliver a hilarious look at American government. American-style democracy is the world's most ... (Goodreads)
Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman
by James Gleick
A biography of physicist Richard Feynman, exploring his life and scientific contributions to quantum mechanics and the Manhattan Project.
An illuminating portrayal of Richard Feynman—a giant of twentieth century physics—from his childhood tinkering with radios, to his vital work on the Manhattan Project and beyond Raised in ... (Goodreads)
Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
by Jared Diamond
Tracing the origins of human civilizations through the lens of geography, technology, and biology.
"Diamond has written a book of remarkable scope ... one of the most important and readable works on the human past published in recent years." Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and a national bestseller: ... (Goodreads)
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness
by Richard H. Thaler
A groundbreaking exploration of how subtle influences can shape decisions and improve people's lives.
From the winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Economics, Richard H. Thaler, and Cass R. Sunstein: a revelatory look at how we make decisions,New York Times bestseller,Named a Best Book of the Year by, ... (Goodreads)
