Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words by Randall Munroe - 2 stars

[Leah]

Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words by Randall Munroe
60 pages - DNF

★★

The synopsis is an easy one– the author takes objects and tries to explain them in simple wording with the top 1,000 used words in the English language. Since I enjoy the author’s comics on XKCD and with the book coming it at a mere 60 pages, I was looking forward to this one, especially with its fairly consistent positive reviews.

But…blah. The idea is an interesting one, explaining some complex objects with simpler words but it was…overly simple. I don’t find myself to be some snob who needs a 600 page scientific book on the workings of objects but talking to me like an adult would be a start. The simplistic wording made some descriptions actually more complicated leaving me saying “what in the heck is this guy talking about?!” Subjects I knew about had me rolling my eyes since I knew the actual wording and didn’t really like the dumbing down and as for the subjects I didn’t know? I pretty much still didn’t know how they worked without going online to do research and figure out what the author meant. It’s a cute idea but it got old fast. I pushed myself through over half the book, with its small print and simplistic styling before I realized I had spent over 4 days getting through 33 pages and that was enough, I wasn’t spending another 3 days finishing the book – too many good books, too little time.

I give the author credit, attempting to come up with definitions and ideas with just 1000 words at his disposal certainly wasn’t easy. In fact, some of his descriptions were quite creative and funny. I can see why so many people liked it, I see the appeal, just wasn’t the one for me.

[Nicole R]

I felt really similar about his other book, What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions. I ended up giving it 3 stars but mainly out of guilt for not liking it more than I did.

[Leah]

Interesting. I actually own What If? (got it for $2), have yet to read it. Didn't give me high hopes after Thing Explainer, but I'll still give it a try since it's on my shelf.