When A Book Is Bad Because You're Stupid

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

What If by Randall Munroe is finished. The book that gives "Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions" is now, done, completed. The book which, you may recall from an earlier post, a colleague practically mauled over when I was away from work.

I should have let her continue.

Essentially this is "Scientists go wild". This is fine by me. I'd rather have them give answers to questions for situations that will never exist than threaten to unleash some dangerous virus unless they have control of the planet.

As I see it. For the general reader there should be two types of Science books. The first is designed for non scientists but for people interested in a particular subject (eg global warming).

The second is the sort of book which starts from the premise that the reader should be treated, at least in the beginning as a five year old when explaining a subject. And the reader is not insulted about this. We know nothing. You the scientist are there to guide us.

Now this book is "omnibus science" in the sense that to answer the questions being posed (on a particular website as it happens) such as "How many arrows would it take to seemingly blot out the sun?" various science subjects are used.

The trouble with that approach for the general reader is that although you might, for example, be interested in information technology it doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to be interested in chemistry. So to grab your attention it has assume you're thick as two planks and stay there.

And let me make things absolutely clear here....I'm thick.

The book suggests it will help you. There's cartoons for those who need pictures (me) . While all the questions are wacky enough plus even pop culture references to Star wars to tempt you along the way.

What Mr Munroe does however is start chatting to you as the village idiot (please continue Mr Munroe I don't mind!) but as the answer to a question goes on he gets more and more scientific and technical and well.....my brain hurts.

Consequently he loses that question to me. Multiply that by most of the questions and that will give you an actual and theoretical computation that he's lost me as a reader.

So this is a bad book. It fails for me....because I'm thick......sorry.

Until the next time.