false 7102027 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2803 13 1317383 book 2003 Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World total:134|5:26|4:45|3:45|2:17|1:1| 134 480 227 29 1934 3.96 738 178 54213279 2108958 2803 0307335984 9780307335982 19 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420m/2803.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420s/2803.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2803.Electric_Universe_How_Electricity_Switched_on_the_Modern_World 3.58 84 Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2003 4 0 false Tue Apr 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Apr 28 00:05:59 -0700 2009 Tue Apr 28 00:12:27 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4626792 283750 621461 0349117667 9780349117669 3 <![CDATA[ELECTRIC UNIVERSE : HOW ELECTRICITY SWITCHED ON THE MODERN WORLD]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1176402760m/621461.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1176402760s/621461.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/621461.ELECTRIC_UNIVERSE_HOW_ELECTRICITY_SWITCHED_ON_THE_MODERN_WORLD 3.71 7 In his bestselling E=mc2, David Bodanis led us, with astonishing ease, through the world’s most famous equation. Now, in Electric Universe, he illuminates the wondrous yet invisible force that permeates our universe—and introduces us to the virtuoso scientists who plumbed its secrets.

For centuries, electricity was seen as little more than a curious property of certain substances that sparked when rubbed. Then, in the 1790s, Alessandro Volta began the scientific investigation that ignited an explosion of knowledge and invention. The force that once seemed inconsequential was revealed to be responsible for everything from the structure of the atom to the functioning of our brains. In harnessing its power, we have created a world of wonders—complete with roller coasters and radar, computer networks and psychopharmaceuticals.

A superb storyteller, Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through lucid accounts of scientific breakthroughs. The great discoverers come to life in all their brilliance and idiosyncrasy, including the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system, and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York City on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer

]]> 2003 5 0 false Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Thu Aug 16 03:06:01 -0700 2007 Thu Aug 16 06:41:38 -0700 2007 more...]]> 68218119 272061 621461 0349117667 9780349117669 3 <![CDATA[ELECTRIC UNIVERSE : HOW ELECTRICITY SWITCHED ON THE MODERN WORLD]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1176402760m/621461.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1176402760s/621461.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/621461.ELECTRIC_UNIVERSE_HOW_ELECTRICITY_SWITCHED_ON_THE_MODERN_WORLD 3.58 134 In his bestselling E=mc2, David Bodanis led us, with astonishing ease, through the world’s most famous equation. Now, in Electric Universe, he illuminates the wondrous yet invisible force that permeates our universe—and introduces us to the virtuoso scientists who plumbed its secrets.

For centuries, electricity was seen as little more than a curious property of certain substances that sparked when rubbed. Then, in the 1790s, Alessandro Volta began the scientific investigation that ignited an explosion of knowledge and invention. The force that once seemed inconsequential was revealed to be responsible for everything from the structure of the atom to the functioning of our brains. In harnessing its power, we have created a world of wonders—complete with roller coasters and radar, computer networks and psychopharmaceuticals.

A superb storyteller, Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through lucid accounts of scientific breakthroughs. The great discoverers come to life in all their brilliance and idiosyncrasy, including the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system, and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York City on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer

]]> 2003 3 0 false Thu Aug 20 12:28:51 -0700 2009 Thu Aug 20 12:53:44 -0700 2009 more...]]> 30327103 286828 2803 0307335984 9780307335982 19 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420m/2803.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420s/2803.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2803.Electric_Universe_How_Electricity_Switched_on_the_Modern_World 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2003 2 0 false Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Aug 16 15:21:02 -0700 2008 Sat Aug 16 15:42:56 -0700 2008 more...]]> 81327701 3052695 2803 0307335984 9780307335982 19 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420m/2803.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420s/2803.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2803.Electric_Universe_How_Electricity_Switched_on_the_Modern_World 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2003 3 0 false Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2006 Thu Dec 17 14:52:50 -0800 2009 Thu Dec 17 16:10:59 -0800 2009 more...]]> 75200159 2300344 342887 1400045509 9781400045501 4 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173900366m/342887.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173900366s/342887.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/342887.Electric_Universe_The_Shocking_True_Story_of_Electricity 3.57 21 Electric Universe, David Bodanis fools readers, by keeping them entertained and intrigued, into learning the science behind electricity. He does this by telling a series of stories, starting with how a backwoods American really invented the telegraph and how Samuel Morse stole the credit for it. From there, he works through the lives of Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday, and other pioneers. He shows how their experiments affected their lives--never more poignantly than with the tragic story of Alan Turing, whose early work designing computers wasn't enough to prevent him from being driven to suicide. It's surprisingly easy to identify with some of these brilliant scientists, because Bodanis relates their failures as well as their successes. In the end, although we may continue using words such as "current" to describe the "flow" of electrons, Bodanis makes certain that we see electrical energy for what it really is, at a subatomic, quantum level. Even so, there's not a single boring bit in the book. Electric Universe is an excellent scientific history, one that reveals both the progress of knowledge and the strange science of the wiggling electrons that run our lives. --Therese Littleton]]> 2003 2 0 false Tue Oct 27 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 20 20:22:47 -0700 2009 Tue Oct 27 11:20:58 -0700 2009 more...]]> 48038322 2089112 2803 0307335984 9780307335982 19 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420m/2803.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420s/2803.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2803.Electric_Universe_How_Electricity_Switched_on_the_Modern_World 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2003 4 0 false Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon Mar 02 15:24:39 -0800 2009 Mon Mar 02 15:25:20 -0800 2009 14244561 862731 2803 0307335984 9780307335982 19 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420m/2803.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420s/2803.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2803.Electric_Universe_How_Electricity_Switched_on_the_Modern_World 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2003 2 0 false Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Thu Jan 31 23:22:54 -0800 2008 Tue Sep 23 23:39:44 -0700 2008 more...]]> 574744 45360 2803 0307335984 9780307335982 19 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420m/2803.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420s/2803.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2803.Electric_Universe_How_Electricity_Switched_on_the_Modern_World 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2003 3 0 false Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed Apr 04 16:04:54 -0700 2007 Wed Dec 16 17:32:14 -0800 2009 more...]]> 48698747 569096 2803 0307335984 9780307335982 19 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420m/2803.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420s/2803.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2803.Electric_Universe_How_Electricity_Switched_on_the_Modern_World 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2003 3 1 false Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Mon Mar 09 09:57:06 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 09 09:58:41 -0700 2009 10857947 28445 342887 1400045509 9781400045501 4 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173900366m/342887.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173900366s/342887.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/342887.Electric_Universe_The_Shocking_True_Story_of_Electricity 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis fools readers, by keeping them entertained and intrigued, into learning the science behind electricity. He does this by telling a series of stories, starting with how a backwoods American really invented the telegraph and how Samuel Morse stole the credit for it. From there, he works through the lives of Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday, and other pioneers. He shows how their experiments affected their lives--never more poignantly than with the tragic story of Alan Turing, whose early work designing computers wasn't enough to prevent him from being driven to suicide. It's surprisingly easy to identify with some of these brilliant scientists, because Bodanis relates their failures as well as their successes. In the end, although we may continue using words such as "current" to describe the "flow" of electrons, Bodanis makes certain that we see electrical energy for what it really is, at a subatomic, quantum level. Even so, there's not a single boring bit in the book. Electric Universe is an excellent scientific history, one that reveals both the progress of knowledge and the strange science of the wiggling electrons that run our lives. --Therese Littleton]]> 2003 5 0 false Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Sat Dec 22 00:42:11 -0800 2007 Sat Dec 22 00:44:51 -0800 2007
Bodanis covers everything from electromagnetism to the Telegraph (and subsequently wireless communication), to electric ligh...more...]]> 20219127 503531 342887 1400045509 9781400045501 4 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173900366m/342887.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173900366s/342887.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/342887.Electric_Universe_The_Shocking_True_Story_of_Electricity 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis fools readers, by keeping them entertained and intrigued, into learning the science behind electricity. He does this by telling a series of stories, starting with how a backwoods American really invented the telegraph and how Samuel Morse stole the credit for it. From there, he works through the lives of Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday, and other pioneers. He shows how their experiments affected their lives--never more poignantly than with the tragic story of Alan Turing, whose early work designing computers wasn't enough to prevent him from being driven to suicide. It's surprisingly easy to identify with some of these brilliant scientists, because Bodanis relates their failures as well as their successes. In the end, although we may continue using words such as "current" to describe the "flow" of electrons, Bodanis makes certain that we see electrical energy for what it really is, at a subatomic, quantum level. Even so, there's not a single boring bit in the book. Electric Universe is an excellent scientific history, one that reveals both the progress of knowledge and the strange science of the wiggling electrons that run our lives. --Therese Littleton]]> 2003 5 0 false Tue Apr 15 09:02:41 -0700 2008 Tue Apr 15 09:08:27 -0700 2008 The Prestige and I was so glad of it. There are so many subtle things in the movie that were so much more meaningful to me, especially concerning the backgrounds of Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison.

It's a great read, which tells the stories of lots of people ...more...]]> 54073621 14208 2803 0307335984 9780307335982 19 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420m/2803.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420s/2803.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2803.Electric_Universe_How_Electricity_Switched_on_the_Modern_World 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2003 3 0 false Fri Aug 14 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Apr 26 19:13:14 -0700 2009 Sun Aug 16 07:32:31 -0700 2009
Towards the end of the book, he mov...more...]]> 1123225 81066 342887 1400045509 9781400045501 4 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173900366m/342887.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173900366s/342887.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/342887.Electric_Universe_The_Shocking_True_Story_of_Electricity 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis fools readers, by keeping them entertained and intrigued, into learning the science behind electricity. He does this by telling a series of stories, starting with how a backwoods American really invented the telegraph and how Samuel Morse stole the credit for it. From there, he works through the lives of Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday, and other pioneers. He shows how their experiments affected their lives--never more poignantly than with the tragic story of Alan Turing, whose early work designing computers wasn't enough to prevent him from being driven to suicide. It's surprisingly easy to identify with some of these brilliant scientists, because Bodanis relates their failures as well as their successes. In the end, although we may continue using words such as "current" to describe the "flow" of electrons, Bodanis makes certain that we see electrical energy for what it really is, at a subatomic, quantum level. Even so, there's not a single boring bit in the book. Electric Universe is an excellent scientific history, one that reveals both the progress of knowledge and the strange science of the wiggling electrons that run our lives. --Therese Littleton]]> 2003 3 0 false Tue May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed May 09 10:26:18 -0700 2007 Wed Dec 16 19:10:38 -0800 2009 more...]]> 3242640 159587 2803 0307335984 9780307335982 19 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420m/2803.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420s/2803.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2803.Electric_Universe_How_Electricity_Switched_on_the_Modern_World 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2003 5 0 false Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed Jul 18 17:09:13 -0700 2007 Thu Dec 17 01:06:58 -0800 2009 more...]]> 24719685 545183 2803 0307335984 9780307335982 19 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420m/2803.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420s/2803.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2803.Electric_Universe_How_Electricity_Switched_on_the_Modern_World 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2003 3 0 false Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Tue Jun 17 11:21:19 -0700 2008 Fri Aug 29 12:19:39 -0700 2008 more...]]> 32593908 855333 2803 0307335984 9780307335982 19 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420m/2803.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420s/2803.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2803.Electric_Universe_How_Electricity_Switched_on_the_Modern_World 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2003 4 0 false Thu Sep 11 06:29:58 -0700 2008 Thu Sep 11 06:31:53 -0700 2008 more...]]> 14121437 793473 362498 1415916268 9781415916261 1 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174105598m/362498.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174105598s/362498.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/362498.Electric_Universe_The_Shocking_True_Story_of_Electricity 3.40 5 Electric Universe, David Bodanis fools readers, by keeping them entertained and intrigued, into learning the science behind electricity. He does this by telling a series of stories, starting with how a backwoods American really invented the telegraph and how Samuel Morse stole the credit for it. From there, he works through the lives of Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday, and other pioneers. He shows how their experiments affected their lives--never more poignantly than with the tragic story of Alan Turing, whose early work designing computers wasn't enough to prevent him from being driven to suicide. It's surprisingly easy to identify with some of these brilliant scientists, because Bodanis relates their failures as well as their successes. In the end, although we may continue using words such as "current" to describe the "flow" of electrons, Bodanis makes certain that we see electrical energy for what it really is, at a subatomic, quantum level. Even so, there's not a single boring bit in the book. Electric Universe is an excellent scientific history, one that reveals both the progress of knowledge and the strange science of the wiggling electrons that run our lives. --Therese Littleton]]> 2003 2 0 false Thu Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Wed Jan 30 20:16:30 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 30 20:17:19 -0800 2008 more...]]> 753014 60575 2805 0736698345 9780736698344 1 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: The Shocking True Story of Electricity]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625421m/2805.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625421s/2805.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2805.Electric_Universe_The_Shocking_True_Story_of_Electricity 3.33 3 Electric Universe, David Bodanis fools readers, by keeping them entertained and intrigued, into learning the science behind electricity. He does this by telling a series of stories, starting with how a backwoods American really invented the telegraph and how Samuel Morse stole the credit for it. From there, he works through the lives of Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Michael Faraday, and other pioneers. He shows how their experiments affected their lives--never more poignantly than with the tragic story of Alan Turing, whose early work designing computers wasn't enough to prevent him from being driven to suicide. It's surprisingly easy to identify with some of these brilliant scientists, because Bodanis relates their failures as well as their successes. In the end, although we may continue using words such as "current" to describe the "flow" of electrons, Bodanis makes certain that we see electrical energy for what it really is, at a subatomic, quantum level. Even so, there's not a single boring bit in the book. Electric Universe is an excellent scientific history, one that reveals both the progress of knowledge and the strange science of the wiggling electrons that run our lives. --Therese Littleton]]> 2003 3 0 false Sun Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Mon Apr 16 19:39:24 -0700 2007 Wed Dec 16 18:04:29 -0800 2009 64722086 871102 2803 0307335984 9780307335982 19 <![CDATA[Electric Universe: How Electricity Switched on the Modern World]]> http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420m/2803.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1161625420s/2803.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2803.Electric_Universe_How_Electricity_Switched_on_the_Modern_World 3.58 134 Electric Universe, David Bodanis weaves tales of romance, divine inspiration, and fraud through a lucid account of the invisible force that permeates our universe. In these pages the virtuoso scientists who plumbed the secrets of electricity come vividly to life, including familiar giants like Thomas Edison; the visionary Michael Faraday, who struggled against the prejudices of the British class system; and Samuel Morse, a painter who, before inventing the telegraph, ran for mayor of New York on a platform of persecuting Catholics. Here too is Alan Turing, whose dream of a marvelous thinking machine—what we know as the computer—was met with indifference, and who ended his life in despair after British authorities forced him to undergo experimental treatments to “cure” his homosexuality.

From the frigid waters of the Atlantic to the streets of Hamburg during a World War II firestorm to the interior of the human body, Electric Universe is a mesmerizing journey of discovery by a master science writer.]]> 2003 5 0 false Sun Jul 26 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 23 18:19:12 -0700 2009 Sat Aug 29 12:12:45 -0700 2009 8 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=7102027