43. A book related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) [fiction or nonfiction]

[dalex]

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict, scheduled for publication in January, is about Hedy Lamarr, who was a movie star and inventor. It would definitely fit here for "technology," I think. The author also wrote The Other Einstein about a woman who was a physicist and the wife of Einstein.

[Marta]

dalex wrote: "The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict, scheduled for publication in January, is about Hedy Lamarr, who was a movie star and inventor. It would definitely fi..."
I recently read she was an inventor and I was intrigued! Thanks for the suggestion!

[L Y N N]

Krissy wrote: "I'll be reading:

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women
"

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. In the book club discussion every single reader was simply amazed...

[Melanie]

I read The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World, which was incredibly interesting and made me rethink pretty much everything I thought I knew about trees. It turns out they're pretty social, communal creatures, in their own way. This was a great book to kick off my 2019 challenge with.

[Tabitha]

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women has been on my TBR for too long. Excited to read it.

[Rachel]

I'm thinking of The Kiss Quotient for this one since it's a book I really want to read and the main character is a mathematician, although I'm not sure how much STEM really plays a role in the story.

[Courtney]

What are you reading this week?
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Is the book nonfiction or fiction?
non fiction
- How is it related to STEM?
cells, biology and science

[Nathalie]

One that's recommended to me:
Origin Story: A Big History of Everything by David Christian

[Sheri]

What are you reading this week?

Ball Lightning

Is the book nonfiction or fiction?

Fiction

- How is it related to STEM?

The main character saw his parents get incinerated by ball lightening as a teenager, and devoted the rest of his life to studying it and figuring out why. There was a lot of math and physics discussions in the book.

[Wendy]

I'm considering going a hard-sci fi route for this category. Maybe something like All Systems Red since it's about building robots!

I've also got my eye on this lab lit book: The DNA of You and Me

[Beth]

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks has been on my TBR for years. Finally an opportunity to read it!

[ladymurmur]

- What are you reading this week?
I read Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee for this category

- Is the book nonfiction or fiction?
Fiction

- How is it related to STEM?
Extremely complex mathematical constructs are used to control/change reality, and is the basis for both society and warfare.

[Marilyn]

Angie wrote: "My current options include:

Jurassic Park
The Martian
The Right Stuff

Angie, I'm glad to see that you included THE RIGHT STUFF as a possibility for your read for #43 because I am thinking mine will be a book titled WALLY FUNK: RACE FOR SPACE by Sue Nelson. I ran across it at Barnes & Noble, just having left the ladies' room! It was on the nearest shelf, face-out rather than spine-out, with a b&w photo of a woman on an airfield - I was intrigued. Published last year I think, it's about a woman who was in the first group of USA women astronauts, who qualified and were training, and then the women's program was cancelled. Don't remember this, and I am in my early 70s. She is, I think, in her 80s and apparently still hopes to get up there - is on the list of people signed up to launch as a passenger. This book is about as science-oriented as I will get- so that's what I expect to read (unless something else attracts my attention!

[Rebecca]

Today I finished reading The Time Traveller
This is a non-fiction book which tells the story of how the author, Ronald Mallett, made it his life's work to see if it's possible to build a time machine.
The personal side of this story is touching and although the scientific side of it got away from me a bit, I loved how after 2 pages of a technical explanation he'd liken it to, for example, a coffee cup and a sugar cube, and I'd be like "oh I understand that now"
I love reading time travel novels but I've never read any non-fiction on the subject before.

[dalex]

Rebecca wrote: "Today I finished reading The Time Traveller
This is a non-fiction book which tells the story of how the author, Ronald Mallett made it his life's work to see if it's possible to build a time machine."

Several years ago I wrote freelance and did a feature on Ronald Mallett because he was visiting a local library. He was an amazing person to interview - charming, brilliant, down-to-earth. I've almost been fascinated by time travel so this experience made me ridiculously happy. :) . Glad you enjoyed the book!

[Angela]

Does 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: a Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life' count for this prompt? Goodreads has it under the psychology genre.

[Sophie]

Rebecca wrote: "Today I finished reading The Time Traveller
This is a non-fiction book which tells the story of how the author, Ronald Mallett, made it his life's work to see if it's p..."

I have it on my TBR, I’m glad to see you liked it!

[Marta]

Angela wrote: "Does 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: a Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life' count for this prompt? Goodreads has it under the psychology genre."

I don’t think so; it is more of a self-help book than science.

[Angela]

Marta wrote: "Angela wrote: "Does 'The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: a Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life' count for this prompt? Goodreads has it under the psychology genre."

I don’t think so; ..."

Thanks heaps, I thought it was - I’ll have a look for another book.

[Emily]

What are you reading this week?

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Is the book nonfiction or fiction?

Nonfiction

How is it related to STEM?

It discusses how scientists took and used Henrietta's HeLa cells and how those cells have been crucial in scientific research over the past 50 years.

[Kathy]

I didn't follow my original plan for this prompt because I started reading the fiction book The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa for #26, something blue and realized this book works great for STEM. It's a beautiful story about a man who only has 80 minutes worth of memory but remembers everything before 1975. He was a professor of mathematics before a brain injury stole his memory. Set in Japan, the housekeeper and her son care for the professor. The story includes equations and the thoughts of the professor about the elegance of mathematics. Baseball included too. I loved it.

Would also work for an author from Asia.

[Kim]

What are you reading this week? The Art of Dying Well: A Practical Guide to a Good End of Life by Katy Butler
- Is the book nonfiction or fiction? Nonfiction
- How is it related to STEM? It's about how we let science and medicine determine how we choose to die, or take away a sense of choice.

[Rachelnyc]

I was planning on reading Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind for this prompt but then I chose Lost and Wanted for BOTM this month which looks interesting. I may do both so I have a fiction and non-fiction choice for this one.

[Jen]

I've done On Natural Selection for this section though there will be several over the year that would fit since I teach all the sciences and try to read something from each discipline each year.
It is non-fiction (though some may disagree and are entitled to).
Chosen because my original degree was in Biology and I should have read it years ago. It's Charles Darwin! Our closest proper city is Darwin and our local uni is Charles Darwin University.

[Milena]

Jen wrote: "I've done On Natural Selection for this section though there will be several over the year that would fit since I teach all the sciences and try to read something from each discipli..."

What did you think, Jen? I would like to read this also. I was also a Biology major.

[Jen]

Milena wrote: "Jen wrote: "I've done On Natural Selection for this section though there will be several over the year that would fit since I teach all the sciences and try to read something from e..."

Read it! There was one section towards the middle where his diagram of speciation basically said what needed to be said, but it was also written out for those who were not familiar with the concepts, where it was repetitive. Other than that section I was surprised that it was accessible to read for most with high school level biology. The examples used were nothing to do with finches (also a surprise) and were actually really varied involving Balanus spp. (barnacles)and motile Cirripedia, plants and bats. The only bit which may have stumped a non-biologist was all the Latin names but it was fun to realise I still remembered them 23 years later. I think he actually explained it better than the efforts others have produced to try to make it more accessible. Plus it is only just over 100pgs so worth it. Might try The Origin of Species, the full version next year.

[Milena]

Jen wrote: "Milena wrote: "Jen wrote: "I've done On Natural Selection for this section though there will be several over the year that would fit since I teach all the sciences and try to read s..."

Thank you, Jen.

[L Y N N]

Krissy wrote: "I'll be reading:

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women
"

One of my IRL book clubs read this and we all loved it! Highly recommended! We owe these women our own lives in so many ways...

[Sarah]

What are you reading this week?
I read What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions

Is the book nonfiction or fiction?
It is a nonfiction book.

[MN]

I read Barbara Kingsolver, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Seasonal Eating for this prompt, which sounds like a cookery book but is actually part memoir, and part sound (scientific) argument for eating organic food sourced locally.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked the book up, but was absolutely rivetted throughout. It's a book I'd like to give to everyone I know - and then stand over them until they've read it.

[Lisa]

I think I’m going to read Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers for this prompt. It’s on my TBR list and looks interesting.

[L Y N N]

MN wrote: "I read Barbara Kingsolver, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Seasonal Eating for this prompt, which sounds like a cookery book but is actually part memoir, and part sound (scientific) argument ..."

Thanks so much for this posting! Wow...I love Kingsolver and although I shelved many copies of this book while working at Borders years ago, I didn't realize what it was truly about. I really need to read this since I believe in eating/purchasing locally grown organic produce at every opportunity.

[Pam]

- What are you reading this week?
Mandelbrot the Magnificent by Liz Ziemska
- Is the book nonfiction or fiction?
Fiction
- How is it related to STEM?
From the GR blurb: "a stunning, magical pseudo-biography of Benoit Mandelbrot as he flees into deep mathematics to escape the rise of Hitler."

[Rose]

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson
Astrophysics is a science (S)
Nonfiction

[Karissa]

What are you reading this week? The Martian by Andy Weir
Is the book nonfiction or fiction? Fiction
How is it related to STEM? It is about an astronaut who accidently gets left on Mars. He goes into a lot of the science behind space travel and his survival.

[[deleted user]]

I read Cure: A Journey into the Science of Mind Over Body, a nonfiction book that looks into the science of the placebo effect. I appreciated the reference to rigorous science.

[Debra]

I read Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex 3/25/19

[dalex]

For this prompt I read The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal, which features a mathematician. This alt history set in the 1950s was unputdownable and so good!

A meteorite has crashed into Earth and scientists determine it is an Extinction Event. The only way to save humanity is to figure out how to travel to outer space and colonize the moon. If you liked Hidden Figures, you will probably enjoy this book.

[Milena]

dalex wrote: "For this prompt I read The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal, which features a mathematician. This alt history set in the 1950s was unputdownable and so goo..."

I am just finishing it up now. It was really good.

[dalex]

Milena wrote: "I am just finishing it up now. It was really good. "

There were little niggly things that kept me from rating it 5 Stars but I really liked it! In fact, I read almost the entire thing yesterday (and got a sunburn because I didn't want to put it down and leave the deck). Glad to hear you enjoyed it also.

[Milena]

dalex wrote: "Milena wrote: "I am just finishing it up now. It was really good. "

There were little niggly things that kept me from rating it 5 Stars but I really liked it! In fact, I read almost the entire thi..."

(view spoiler)[Was it the rocket-related sex jokes? Those did get old. (hide spoiler)]

[L Y N N]

Milena wrote: "dalex wrote: "Milena wrote: "I am just finishing it up now. It was really good. "

There were little niggly things that kept me from rating it 5 Stars but I really liked it! In fact, I read almost ..."

Oh, my! I loved (view spoiler)[the rocket-related innuendos! (hide spoiler)] :)

[Milena]

Lynn wrote: "Milena wrote: "dalex wrote: "Milena wrote: "I am just finishing it up now. It was really good. "

There were little niggly things that kept me from rating it 5 Stars but I really liked it! In fact,..."

Haha! There were just too many of them. But so many other things to love about the book.

[dalex]

Milena wrote: "(view spoiler) "

YES! :lol:

[Evelyn]

What are you reading this week?
Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys' Club of Silicon Valley

- Is the book nonfiction or fiction?
Nonfiction

- How is it related to STEM?
Is related to technology.

[Stacey]

What are you reading this week? Theory of Bastards by Audrey Schulman.

Is the book nonfiction or fiction? Fiction

How is it related to STEM? There's a lot here, but mainly it's the story of a female scientist, her scientific theory and bonobos.

[Samantha]

- What are you reading this week? Sleeping Giants
- Is the book nonfiction or fiction? Fiction
- How is it related to STEM? Big robot and scientist main character.

[Ashley]

- What are you reading this week? A Brief History of Time
- Is the book nonfiction or fiction? Nonfiction
- How is it related to STEM? Science. Its about the universe

[Rachel]

I read The Kiss Quotient, which is a fiction book with a main character who is an econometrician (working with statistics to study and analyze economic patterns, as far as I understand).

[Jill]

What are you reading this week?
I read The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore

Is the book nonfiction or fiction? Fiction

How is it related to STEM? Science. It is about the lighting of America, and the inventors of the system used.