PositiveThe Washington Independent Review of BooksParker examines a bewildering array of math mishaps with a light touch and dry wit ...There are several pitfalls for books like this, and Parker largely manages to avoid them. The first is simply being too technical. I’ve encountered such books before. But, along with wit, Humble Pi is conversational in style. It’s also largely conceptual, rather than focused on the nitty-gritty of equations and formulae. Many of the foibles described aren’t about math itself so much as about what can go wrong when it’s done by computers ... Refreshingly, Parker doesn’t abandon all pretense of humor after the first few pages. The text moves quickly ... Parker does a mixed job on giving the book a larger meaning ... fascinating and important reading ... Less compellingly, he argues that one reason we so often mess up math is that our brains aren’t built for it. One problem with this argument is how much of the book focuses on computers rather than human brains ... You’ll learn some stuff. You’ll occasionally laugh. You’ll be forced to acknowledge you’re misusing Excel…even if you refuse to do anything about it. And the next time the mathematical poop hits the fan, you’ll have a more enlightened view about the many ways it might have happened.
Neil deGrasse Tyson
RaveWashington Independent Review of BooksEverything about his latest book, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, demonstrates why he’s been so successful ... Even the book’s physicality makes a statement. Each page contains a mere 200 or so words, and the hardcover is slender and diminutive, fitting — albeit snugly — in the back pocket of my jeans. Of course, none of this matters much if the text itself is a slog, but Astrophysics for People in a Hurry is fascinating and fun ... Tyson understands and is very good at communicating the material ... Tyson also has a knack for providing compelling tidbits that stick in your head and make concrete what might otherwise be hopelessly abstract ... Savor this book.
Franklin Foer
PositiveThe Washington Independent Review of Books...[a] thought-provoking and cogent book ... World Without Mind argues that we must actively fashion the internet we want instead of accepting, by default, what markets give us...It would take quite a shift to bring about the changes Foer advocates. He thinks it’s most likely to occur only after enormous and damaging hacks, the kind that disclose enough private information to wreck lives, or disrupt systems in ways that cause death and destruction. In an environment where we are being governed by the Tweet, but can at least vent our outrage on, well, Twitter…I fear even this sad prediction may be overly optimistic.
