Entertainment Weekly Bemoans Lack of Great Science Books

Bryan writes "A recent headline at Entertainment Weekly suggests that the '100 Best Reads' of the last 25 years do not include a single science book (not even a popular science book). In response, cosmologist Sean Carroll at Cosmic Variance has given an interesting analysis of EW's disappointing list, and Soul Physics is calling for suggestions on the Greatest Physics Books of the Last 25 Years. For all the great literature that science has produced in the last 25 years, EW's list seems to represent a major shortcoming in the field: it still isn't diffusing into popular culture." I'm not sure what Entertainment Weekly's standing to complain would come from. That aside, have science books ever in modern times been a driving force greater than ones intended as (mere) entertainment, religious instruction, etc? I'd put anything by Richard Feynman on this list, though.

Comments

In related news

[morgan_greywolf]

In related news, Cosmo whines about the lack of great intellectual thinkers.

Re:Good books?

[sm62704]

Who needs books? Most scientists read wikipedia.

REAL scientists know wikipedia is unreliable. That's why they use the Uncyclopedia.

Scientific Way of Doing Things
Developed at the precise moment everyone thought science was just a passing fad, the Scientific Way of Doing Things formalized the approach scientists would take to remove knowledge from human minds, allowing the field to flourish and fully separate itself from its mystic beginnings. In the words of metascience expert John "Don't quote me on this" Smith, "The Scientific Way of Doing Things is based on the ancient divination ritual of Guess and Check. Thanks to the innovations of the past century, we've been able to remove the 'Check' phase."

The Scientific Way of Doing Things is strictly adhered to by all respectable scientists and involves 6 steps:

1. Find a piece of information you dislike. In our example, we will use the statement "1+1=2"
   
2. Form a statement which will take its place ("1+1=Dolemite")
   
3. Email this statement to everyone you know. Include the subject line "FWD: Something u didn't know!!! I no i didn't!"
   
4. Publish an article on your Myspace.
   
5. Brush your teeth. A fresh smile adds a layer of believability.
   
6. ?????
   
7. Profit.

Another place scientists go is Bob the Angry Flower. Here's another. And another. Oh look, here's one for you!

Re:I don't know about books...

[Nefarious Wheel]

Hofstadter's Goedel, Escher, Bach was a great favorite. Don't know how many people made it past the predicate calculus but though.

Tough read past that point but you can make it if you mind your P's and Q's.