Professor Maxwell’s Duplicitous Demon: The Life and Science of James Clerk Maxwell

by Brian Clegg

Asked to name a great physicist, most people would mention Newton or Einstein, Feynman or Hawking. But ask a physicist and there’s no doubt that James Clerk Maxwell will be near the top of the list. Maxwell, an unassuming Victorian Scotsman, explained how we perceive colour. He uncovered the way gases behave. And, most significantly, he transformed the way physics was undertaken in his explanation of the interaction of electricity and magnetism, revealing the nature of light and laying the groundwork for everything from Einstein’s special relativity to modern electronics. Along the way, he set up one of the most enduring challenges in physics, one that has taxed the best minds ever since. ‘Maxwell’s demon’ is a tiny but thoroughly disruptive thought experiment that suggests the second law of thermodynamics, the law that governs the flow of time itself, can be broken. This is the story of a groundbreaking scientist, a great contributor to our understanding of the way the world works, and his duplicitous demon.

Genres: Science, Biography, Physics, History, Audiobook, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir

304 pages, Hardcover

Published February 7, 2019

About the author

Brian's latest books, Ten Billion Tomorrows and How Many Moons does the Earth Have are now available to pre-order. He has written a range of other science titles, including the bestselling Inflight Science, The God Effect, Before the Big Bang, A Brief History of Infinity, Build Your Own Time Machine and Dice World.

Along with appearances at the Royal Institution in London he has spoken at venues from Oxford and Cambridge Universities to Cheltenham Festival of Science, has contributed to radio and TV programmes, and is a popular speaker at schools. Brian is also editor of the successful www.popularscience.co.uk book review site and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Brian has Masters degrees from Cambridge University in Natural Sciences and from Lancaster University in Operational Research, a discipline originally developed during the Second World War to apply the power of mathematics to warfare. It has since been widely applied to problem solving and decision making in business.

Brian has also written regular columns, features and reviews for numerous publications, including Nature, The Guardian, PC Week, Computer Weekly, Personal Computer World, The Observer, Innovative Leader, Professional Manager, BBC History, Good Housekeeping and House Beautiful. His books have been translated into many languages, including German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Turkish, Norwegian, Thai and even Indonesian.

Reviews

[Erik Josephson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 2018, I read The Hunt for Vulcan and it was one of the top reads of the year. It was the story of how scientists discovered Uranus, Neptune, and tried to discover Vulcan before Einstein put an end to that silly idea. This one was similar in style, except that I’m embarrassed to say that this one is a lot harder to follow along with. I’ve never had a firm grasp on magnetism or electricity, so a lot of the technical details went over my head. Actually, I think the author did a good job of dumbing it down, I just need to have a firmer grasp.
Long story short, Faraday was Maxwell’s hero and Faraday found that there was a connection between magnetism and electricity. Maxwell is regarded as one of the greatest scientists in history because he pulled the magic trick that all scientists are constantly trying to pull- unify disparate natural phenomena with a simple equation. This is what Maxwell did with magnetism and electricity, and it took a combination of expertise in math and physics. The physicists of the day couldn’t understand it because it was too math based and mathematicians couldn’t understand it because it was too physics based. Hence, we have a genius on our hands.
The author pulls the interesting trick of making Maxwell’s demon the narrator of the story. It’s a quirky idea, but I’m still not completely sure about what Maxwell’s demon is, besides the fact that he likes to make fun of the miniscule understanding of humans. What I got from this book is that Maxwell’s demon has the appearance of reversing entropy in unpredictable ways. I still don’t have the whole story about why this is important or how it connects to everything else, but you can only do so much in one book. First, I’m going to do some reading about magnetism, electricity, and the second law of thermodynamics. Then I’m going to read this one again. That annoying little demon is taunting me.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a revealing book about science in the Victorian age and especially about the life of a scientist who I agree is most underrated and under-recognized by the general public. The narration (interludes) by "the demon" makes the story all that more fun and entertaining.
I have revered Maxwell for years, since I was an undergraduate student in Electrical Engineering and first was introduced to the legendary Maxwell's Equations relating electricity and magnetism. This book gave me some background into Maxwell's life leading up to his monumental understanding that is expressed so beautifully in those four mathematical expressions.
This is a book that I will revisit/re-listen to.

[Krzysztof Woś · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book, full of insights into the mind and the way of thinking of one of the greatest scientists in history. As an undergraduate student reading physics, I found the modern formulation of Maxwell's equations a little too abstract and difficult to grasp. Learning how Maxwell thought about the problem, formulated his models, and approached the task of modeling at the meta-level has been enlightening.

[Odo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5.0

[Michael Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, kinda confusing, will prob have to read again at some point

[Meg Briers · Rating 4 out of 5]

pitched about just the right level of physics to be understood without dreading reading the next chapter. an interesting story, told well. i did find the "demonic interludes" a bit out of place, especially considering what felt like a lack of focus on this in the telling of this work/life, but still enjoyable.

[Andreas Hennig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Utrolig artig å lære om livet til en av våre store helter og visstnok Einsteins største akademiske helt! Maxwell var en fin fyr, og det som sitter mest igjen er hvor morsom han var — særlig i alle diktene han skrev. Boka reflekterer dette ved å være ganske lettbeint og artig, uten å bli for vulgær. Anbefalt for alle fysikere!

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is an exploration of the life and work James Clerk Maxwell, a Scottish scientist who explored optics, statistical mechanics, E&M, dimensional analysis and a few other fields. JCM was also central to the pivot in British education to bring it to be more in line with what we would want from a modern experimental science education. The book covers his life and work and bit about his relationships but that's simply it, it's a survey.

I have little to recommend this book. None of the scientific ideas are investigated with a depth to reveal anything and JCM's genius and insight are merely stated. The reader is never given the tools to assess the degree to which any given idea or action was a proper breakthrough. The interpersonal bits are fine but merely illuminate him as a "nice" person. None of the correspondences were marked by exceptional wit or notoriety.

All in all, the book is fine. It may have been an artifact of the audio book but some of the dates mentioned are simply wrong. Badel-Powell was born in 1857 not active in 1857 and was quoted from the 1970s instead of the 1870s.

[Todd · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Professor Maxwell's Duplicitous Demon, the author delves into the life and scientific achievements of James Clerk Maxwell, an extraordinary figure who seamlessly bridged the domains of theory, experimental physics, and mathematics. With a writing style that is accessible for readers with a modest engineering and science background, the book offers a fascinating exploration of the enigmatic Maxwell's demon problem and its implications for the second law of thermodynamics.

The unique narrative approach, which includes sections from the demon's perspective, adds a delightful touch to the reading experience. Maxwell's love for science shines through the pages, leaving one to ponder the potential of his contributions had he lived longer than his 48 years.

The book also draws a parallel between the creativity of the Victorian age and the emerging era of AI and ChatGPT, asserting the importance of role models like Maxwell in fostering innovation. As we move towards a future where creativity is paramount and mundane tasks are left to machines, Professor Maxwell's Duplicitous Demon serves as a timely reminder of the value of scientific curiosity and human ingenuity.

[Dan Contreras · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este es un libro hermoso.

La biografia del Profesor James Clark Maxwell, contada en primera persona por su famoso demonio que, se supone, logra vencer a la segunda ley de la termodinámica.

El estilo del libro es único - por una parte es lo que esperas: una biografia del profesor. Por otra parte, incluye unos interludios donde va planteando la historia del Demonio de Maxwell, pasado, planteamiento y legado posterior a la muerte de Maxwell.

El mecanismo de fingir que es el demonio el que está narrando la historia, en vez de un academico seco y sin vida, le da una chispa al libro que lo hace muy facil de leer.

La vida de Maxwell en si es bastante interesante a pesar de la falta de drama y chisme. Al señor todo le salió bien. Excepto ese asunto con el cancer de estómago que lo mató a los 49.

Altamente recomendado, por fin entendí por que las ecuaciones de Maxwell son tan importantes para la física moderna.

[John P · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author has come up with a clever idea, well executed. He writes in a clear manner displaying a good sense of humor and attention to detail.

One problem: this reviewer does not find the 'demon' that interesting nor does it seem to apply to the real world except in contrived arcane circumstances. It is, however, an interesting thought experiment by Maxwell that lends itself to an workable book premise, but otherwise leaves us cold (no pun intended).

Maxwell's famous equation and derivations thereof could use additional explanation - perhaps considered by Clegg to be outside of the scope of his book. As revealed in chapter 6, one of Maxwell's contemporaries, Michael Faraday, asked him "may they not be expressed in common language as fully, clearly and definitely as in mathematical formulae?" My thought exactly.

[Eileen McCauley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8 is about right. Now quite 4, but certainly more than 3. James Clerk Maxwell is a contender for greatest scientist (a new word at the time) of the 19th century. Einstein certainly thought so as he had a picture of JCM in his study. Maxwell's foundational work on electromagnetism is among the most important scientific developments of the 19th century and absolutely necessary to 20th century science and technology and yet he is little known today. This book is a welcome correction.

I am a little disappointed to learn that Maxwell's work on EM considered of "more than 20 equations". The much more elegant presentation of just 4 equations was developed by Oliver Heaviside and needed vector calculus which was not available to Maxwell as it was invented by Heaviside.

[Jeff Gabriel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, informational, and a little bit odd with the author utilizing a "demon" to narrate from the point of view of someone who was involved / near Maxwell. Otherwise, the depth of information was good for layman, and interesting enough for someone with existing familiarity. Good job tying the historical chain from Newton -> Maxwell (Faraday) -> Einstein (Lorentz/Poincare) -> Shannon. One of my favorite things about science biography (or popular writing about scientific discovery in general) is finding the path between the different scientists discoveries and theories - one building upon another.

[Yash Patel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was kinda weird -- expected just a normal recounting of Maxwell and his life as the physics giant he has become. It does present these things (although, as it turned out, the main discoveries of interest at this time of his being alive were those on thermodynamics, not E&M, which was super interesting to see), but there are these odd interludes narrated by this "demon" that Maxwell constructed as a mental model for understanding entropy. Anyway, some interesting information, but just an odd choice of presentation

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this a bit hard to follow, and I didn't really understand the purpose of the 'demon'. The book's title seems to suggest that Maxwell has a demon, or perhaps a muse that inspired him. The book itself suggests that the demon is the way that the second law of thermodynamics can be broken; but that's never really explained, just stated. The demon's interjections were quaint, but distracting.

As for a biography, it jumped around quite a bit, without really ever giving me a feel for Maxwell himself. The discussions on physics were generally insightful and thought provoking.

[Peter Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable biography that manages to convey a little of his likeable personality as well as his tremendous achievements in science. The 'Duplicitous Demon' reference is a little superfluous in my opinion and adds little to what is an excellent account of his life and work. Well written.

[Ronald McCoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating well researched and read biography of one of the greatest scientific minds ever. I have never understood why James Clark Maxwell it's not considered one of the greats, and this book reaffirms my thoughts.

[Mohammed alkindy · Rating 2 out of 5]

other than to get to know how 19 century scientists used to live and the limited resources they had at that time and still manage to produce real science, the book was a bit boring and the sense of humor that the author wanted to add did not help me to really enjoy the book

[Joe Beeson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically a biography of James Clerk Maxwell. Really thourough and enjoyable book to listen to. You only know him because of his famous equations, but he did a huge amount of different things, and had a truly interesting life

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting biography of James Clerk Maxwell, the discoverer of the laws of electromagnetism. The conceit of the book is quite a choice—with interludes ‘written’ by Maxwell’s Demon, which isn’t nearly his most interesting work for me—but the Audible narrator is excellent, switching across accents and tones depending on who is writing or speaking.

[Donna Herrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a wonderful, fun story of a genius physicist who has shaped our world. Now if I could find a textbook or online course that would help me to understand the mathematics that Maxwell developed to explain electro-magnetism.

[Michael Hansen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give this book a high rating based on its approach; using the narrative of Maxwell’s Demon to explain the life and work of James Clerk Maxwell. It has a more Victorian feel than other bio’s on JCM. Imagine science history meets the screw tape letters. An enjoyable read.

[Nathan Vassiliades · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to say this was kind of a weird read for me. I am glad others like it. I read the second half twice because I felt like i missed something.

[Zara · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25. Wish more people knew about the insane impact this man had on pretty much everything.

[MilleCodex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lighter on thermodynamics than I was expecting but overall a nice and easy account of Maxwell.

[Aditya · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful explanation of the life of James Clark Maxwell - while I was vaguely aware of the impact of Maxwell on various fields of physics, I didn't realize just how prolific he was

[Pegeen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more a biography of the physicist than a book about ph6sics. Which is fine by me, I ended up with a lot of admiration for Maxwell’s broad ranging curiosity.

[John Badger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maxwell was a great person, very kind as well as a genius. This does a good job of representing his life as well as the science, and it contains a great account of how maxwell came up with a mechanical model of light and electricity (which we use today and was the foundation of Einstein work on relativity)… absolutely amazing that a mechanical model he never believed in (as underlying reality) was used and extended to one of the most fundamental theories today. Some thought provoking content for even philosophy and philosophy of science.

I didn’t like the second half demon writing idea (it’s meant to be a split narrator voice discussing the content), it could have been done better or could be removed entirely. But it is easy to skim through those grey pages which mark the second voice.

[Brian Miears · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed getting to know JCM and his demon too! Although Maxwell was much more interesting. :)