Reviews for Magic with Science - Walter B. Gibson - Paperback

The average rating for Magic with Science - Walter B. Gibson - Paperback based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2016-03-05 00:00:00 Jack Parrish This book is a blend of history, science and linguistics. I was surprised Isaac Asimov wrote this. It was recommended to me by a person I admire, so I dived right in. But it took me 4 months to finish it. Why? Because it felt like reading a dictionary. In a way, it was exactly like reading a dictionary. The book consists of page-long articles, organized alphabetically, about all kinds of scientific terms. Each term is provided with an explanation of its etymology, scientific meaning and a piece of history of science - how this material or process was first discovered, misunderstood for a while, etc. It reminded me a lot of stuff I've already forgotten from highschool. I picked up a lot of cool and interesting facts. But ultimately I found it hard to read a book without a plot or aim propelling me forward. At times I was really bored and had to push through.

Review # 2 was written on 2014-10-04 00:00:00 Asim Matin I first read this book in 1974 and the effect it had on my view of knowledge has persisted ever since. What often passes for knowledge is often mere familiarity or recognition rather than the deep understanding that this book exemplifies. I resolved then that I would judge my level of attainment by the extent to which I could explain a concept to someone else. It was much later that I found out this approach is known as the Feynman Technique. I've since added other metrics such as economy of expression and use of memorable phrases and diagrams. In short, Asimov's simple concept for this book became something of a foundation for my future learning.