Asimov's New Guide to Science

This book is a kind of executive summary of the state of science as of 1984, and like most executive summaries, this one doesn't require you to be a genius to understand it.Although the book is meticulously organized into sections and has both name and subject indexes, the best way to read it is from cover to cover. There is actually a kind of narrative structure that underpins the whole thing.The book is divided into the physical sciences and the biological sciences, and the progression in one section mirrors that in the other. The physical sciences section goes from big to small -- from the universe as a whole to the stars, to the solar system, to the earth, and from there to progressively smaller matters: the elements, particles and energy. The biological sciences section goes from small to big -- from organic molecules to cells, to microorganisms, to the body, and then to the species, evolution and the human mind.Ideas build one upon the other. So, for example, by the time Asimov introduces you to the periodic table in Chapter 6, you're already familiar with X-rays because he discussed them in Chapter 2, when he was talking about radio astronomy. By the time he discusses the chemical structure of organic molecules in Chapter 11, you're already an old hand when it comes to electron transfers because Asimov covered the idea thoroughly in Chapter 6.Asimov was never shy about his own accomplishments, and he didn't hesitate to cite himself in the book, such as discussing his 1955 insight into the importance of carbon 14 in the human body and his Three Laws of Robotics in the section on artificial intelligence. Throughout, the writing is wonderfully clear and lively.A few quibbles. First, it's a 30-year-old book, and so there are some things that scientists have changed their minds about, such as the psychological nature of XYY males. There are also a few typos and errors, and for this, the publishers who failed to fix them after 30 years surely deserve blame. For example, the Chinese-American biochemist Cho Hao Li, who synthesized human-growth hormone in 1970, is listed under the "Cs" in the name index, and not the "Ls" as he should be.Another problem is that the paperback edition was apparently photocopied from the hardcover. This means that the periodic table, for example, which had shaded the rare earth series to set them apart, is illegible in the paperback, since the shaded sections appear as black bars. (This is a minor problem, since in today's world, any reader can find a periodic table on the Web.)But what really strikes me is how well the book still holds up after three decades, and I'm not entirely sure that that's a good thing. I think if Asimov were alive today, it would take him fewer than 50 additional pages to cover all the changes since 1984, and this is with a book that's 802 pages without the appendix. If Asimov were to rise from the grave, I can't help but think he'd want to know: "What have you people been doing for the past 30 years?"

Isaac Asimov wrote some of the clearest explanations of difficult subjects that I've ever encountered. Even though I'm a professional math and science tutor and can help students work tough Physics and Chemistry problems or explain how photosynthesis works, I still regularly learn from this wonderful book. You don't have to know any math. You just have to have a curious mind.This is the most recent edition of a book first published some 50 years ago. This edition is updated through the discoveries of the mid 1980s. If only Asimov were still around! I'd love to read an edition updated for 2013. But you can still get an excellent understanding of how things work in every area of science.You can also experience the joys of discovery because Asimov doesn't just say "This is how it is" but tells you the story of how we found out how things are.

The book arrived on time, quite good condition , considering that it was published back in the 80s.

Easy to understand, encompasses the entire range of physics.

A must have dictionary

My college friends teased me about reading this book on the beach...the way Dr. Asimov wrote about science made me want to be a scientist. I once had a copy of this book, but lost it a while ago. Very happy to find another copy.

Received as advertised and my husband enjoyed it very much.

Book was exactly as described and arrived early.

The most comprehensible summary of State of the Science ever written.

Amazing, for this price i have an awesome book

Wow! If you are interested in science, this book is a must. I am less than half way through the book, but I am already blown away by it. As with Asimov's science fiction novels (as a teenager I was an ardent fan), this science fact book is the most readable I have ever encountered on all of the many subjects it covers. It is a pity that Asimov could not live on to cover 21st century science, because his writing is so interesting and informative. Every secondary school science pupil would be inspired by this wonderful book.

Awesome read. Should be part of curriculum

The book is excellent but was given in damaged condition bad delivery service by amazon