Bookshelf Tour: Science
Vložit
- čas přidán 20. 04. 2020
- Buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/leafbyleaf
The second installment of the Bookshelf Tour videos, focusing on my Science section.
All Bookshelf Tour videos:
• Bookshelf Tours
I know I need a Steadicam rig, but I can't justify the cost right now. Otherwise, please let me know how I can make this better. Hope you enjoy!
The most beautiful personal bookshelf I've seen
Thanks so much!
That's an impressive book collection you got there! Thank you for the great recommendations!
Happy to oblige! Hopefully you’ll find them as enjoyable as I!
I just wanted to say I really love your content. Very informative and wholesome stuff. Thanks for contributing to my life even though I’m a total stranger.
Very kind of you to take a moment to say do! It is a pleasure. All my best to you!
As a retired medicinal chemist my library consists of mostly chemistry, physics and math books. I also enjoyed Jim Holt's book on Einstein and Godel because Godel was such an elusive character. Now I am reading history and started reading Gibbons History Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, downloadable in Kindle format for $1.99.
I’ve been getting the itch to reread the Holt soon. Speaking of Gibbon’s magnum opus, I just put it on my list of books to read before I turn 40. So-within the next two years.
Leaf by Leaf: I don’t have that much science
*has more science books on his shelf than my physicist dad*
😂😜😂🤣 I suppose I should clarify: compared to literary studies and fiction, I don’t have that much science. Your punchline cracked me up!
Thank you so much for this beautiful video. You have introduced me to newer material and authors more than anyone ever.
And congratulations for one thousand subscribers!
You are so welcome on all counts! It has been a real treat to do this.
Your videos are a true intelectual Joy.Thank you!
I am humbled and honored by such a comment. You are quite welcome.
After watching your videos I constantly come away with a growing wish list. So many great recommendations!
Ahhhh, music to my ears! I love helping people keep their TBRs at obese levels!
That's a very deep and engaging science column. Thanks for the awesome tour, I would be looking forward to look and read those titles. ❤📚
My pleasure!
What an awesome collection!
Thanks! 😁
I love that you can tell us about what's on your shelf. So many people stock up and never get round to reading, and I'm not shading anyone I'm guilty of that too.
I've always been more of a reader than a collector. If I read a book and I know I'll never read it again, I take it to a used book shop and trade it in. That also helps keep my library pruned down to just the books that are important to me. But--hey--I've got plenty of books aging in a TBR, too! :)
@@LeafbyLeafI have a tiny set of floating shelves so collecting isn't really an option for me. in Ireland we have charity shops instead of thrift or used book shops. There's 3 in my village and they end up taking the majority of what I don't love. Helps not to feel wasteful too.
@@LeafbyLeaf also thank you for the review you gave beyond biocentrism. Mines been sitting in the naughty corner for a while as I debate getting rid of it. Think I'll have to give it another go x
The naughty corner!!! 😂😂😂
Yes! Awesome hawking! Roger penrose's road to reality is a favourite of mine(I have two copies too!). I read Simon singh's the code book, DFW, aczel, feynman's QED, hofstaedter's Godel Escher bach, damasio, dennett, dawkins' the selfish gene, michio kaku's the future of humanity and the mistery of aleph(cantor is my favourite mathematician).
Well well well-you and I certainly have similar tastes in science! That book on Cantor really hooked me. Lichtenberg, in a Waste Book aphorism, says that math is a great way to stave off madness. Of course, he wrote that a century or so before he could have met Cantor (another Georg).
I just discovered your channel after trawling youtube for a LONG time and this is by far one of the best "bookshelf tour" videos. I look forward to seeing your channel grow, you've gained yourself another subscriber :)
Thanks so much! Glad you found me. There’s another tour for literary studies out here too, if you’re interested. And more to come. Thanks for subscribing!
@@LeafbyLeaf oh dont you worry, already watching it as we speak. I look forward to seeing if you bring out any for history/politics in the future.
See you around sir take care
Ah, excellent. I’ll definitely be posting history, poetry, essays, theology, journalism, biographies, and a serialization of fiction. I only have two or three political books, but the history crosses over.
Lovely video. I am not a huge reader of science, and I gravitate towards those books whose primary audience is the amateur. I have read G.E.B., but I found it to be a bit of a curate's egg. I tried reading The Elegant Universe, but was defeated by it, and eventually watched Greene's NOVA special instead. I enjoy your infectious enthusiasm!
Thank you! I’ll have to check out that NOVA special sometime. I think one reason I really took to GEB is because of my longtime background in software engineering (20 years). Glad you enjoyed the tour!
Thank you for sharing! 🥰
My pleasure!
I am in love with your books ❤️
Me, too! 🙏👊
I am ur subscriber ☺️
Thank you! 🙏
OH you must read Emperor of All Maladies! It's truly fascinating and Siddhartha Mukherjee is a great companion. I'm no medical doctor or scientist, just a simple engineer and I was able to follow along easily. I'm currently working through his second book "The Gene".
All the Best,
Seth Topper
Thanks for the encouragement! It’s not so much the complexity as it is my hypochondria! Still-there’s a reason I bought it. I’ve heard The Gene is really good. Thanks again for the push!
Love your collection! I actually attempted to read On the Origin of Species in high school but I only got around to reading the chapter summaries of the book (too much advanced jargon haha) - hoping to start getting into it in the future.
All the best!
Thanks! Nothing wrong with that. I argue that it’s best to read a lot of these books later in life.
@@LeafbyLeaf Couldn't agree more!
Wow it's amazing 😍
Thanks!
I believe Hofstadter also translated "Exact Thinking in Demented Times" from German into English. I've had that book on my shelf for quite some time as well. I appreciate your content, man.
Whoa! I didn't realize he translated it. I thought he only wrote the introduction.
@@LeafbyLeaf I'm going to have to make a correction to myself. I reread the introduction, and Hofstadter wanted to translate the book, but by the time he asked the author, the translation had already come close to being finished, so he ended up helping with the translation.
Awesome shelves, beyond biocentrism is on my ebay and the code book just moved up in my tbr pile 😝 consilience is so good ❤️📖❤️
Hear! Hear! You are making so many great decision all at once!
@@LeafbyLeaf cool! I'm always looking for that literary (or full mind) blow 🤯🤯 I love consilience
Nice video. I don't recall seeing Stephen Jay Gould...his magnum opus The Structure of Evolutionary Theory is fascinating. For baby boomers like myself, Jacob Bronowski's Ascent of Man is crucial. Lastly the autobiography of Paul Feyerabend, Killing Time, won't disappoint. A rebellious physicist famous for Against Method. For subscribers who would like a great book on psychology, Owen Flanagan's The Science of the Mind is hard to beat. Thank you for your work.
Thanks! All of these suggestions are going on my recommendations spreadsheet. Really appreciated!
I'm hopeful you'll continue this series
I plan to, probably with poetry next. Need to figure out the logistics with my new camera.
This was great! Even my son watched with me and boy does he want a lot of these titles. =) Thank you for sharing.
Thanks and you’re welcome! Hope I don’t strain the book-buying budget too much. Oh, OK, that was a lie-MAY ALL THE BOOK BUDGETS BE BROKEN!
@@LeafbyLeaf LOL! When it comes to education, budgets can be rearranged to accommodate. =) But we found quite a few on second hand sites. Only one of your books was exceptionally expensive.
Great news! Which was the expensive one?
@@LeafbyLeaf In Praise of the Music of Language.
I think you would really enjoy black hole war by leonard susskind
Thanks! I’ve been wanting to read Susskind. I’ll start with this one.
11:10 Did you just casually mention that you've corresponded with Daniel Dennett by email?! I'm so curious now, did you message him cold or did you somehow have his personal email? Bingeing on your videos, btw. I seriously think your channel will inspire millions of readers in the future. There's a huge demand to hear articulate people passionately discuss books and the value they give. Your passion for knowledge is palpable. love it
I actually went onto the Tufts University web site and got his school email address. After reading Consciousness Explained, I was compelled to email him. And he answered with such a warm and engaging response. Then I sent him some possible errata from another of his books and he thanked me and posted it on his personal web site (where he posts all issues found in his books). Great guy!
And thanks for all your kind words!
@@LeafbyLeaf That's encouraging to hear such a public intellectual being so humble and receptive to constructive feedback. Thanks for the response Chris.
I'm not sure I'm with the majority here, but I would definitely be interested in having a theology tour one day if you don't mind.
It’s coming!
The Age of Wonder, Richard Holmes. I really enjoyed the history of science during the romantic period.
Thanks so much for this recommendation!
In the earlier 1980s I worked at a YMCA in Madison, WI, when these places had become half slum/half elite workout joint--door between locked locked locked and security guarded...as a desk clerk at night I dealt with knife wielding prostitutes and pimps and many schizophrenics and tramps of Thomas Wolfian varieties. One of many favorites was a tiny wacky black man from the surprise balck ghetto of that great university town, and his sole purpose in life was to solve what I think was Fermat's theorem...
Awesome story! I wonder if he ever got in touch with Andrew Wiles.
critique of video: wonderful that you had just as much verve as for your fiction vids, palpable excitement.
Thanks, Rick!
Happy to see another Douglas Hofstadter enjoyer!! Have you got I am a Strange Loop, i'm reading it right now!
Oh, yes! I've got everything his name is attached to (whether author, editor, forward, introduction, etc.). :)
@@LeafbyLeaf That's crazy, i have 6 of his books (including the Nagel and Newman's Godel's Proof). Metamagical themas is arriving and i can't wait for it, albeit i only bought it in english (Italian is my native language, and it was not translated). I have really been struck by his genius since when i started reading his masterpiece Geb. I have found in him and in all the thinkers that surround his a bunch of affine Strange Loops :))
I love Metamagical Themas!!!
you‘re the 🐐
Wow! thanks! 🙏🏼 Glad you enjoyed the video.
thank you for the recommendations! I will defiantly be reading “Beyond Biocentrism” sounds interesting.
People have given me a hard time about that one for being fake science, but I don’t care-it’s a thrilling read. Stimulates my Reason and my Imagination. Why should they be mutually exclusive?
@@LeafbyLeaf I agree with you, sometimes you just need some excitement -- even if it may be speculation on the author's part -- to dive deeper into science.
@@LeafbyLeaf I didn't want to say, but I've heard Biocentrism is fake science too. I was told it contains many factual errors about quantum physics. I've never read it so I can't actually comment with certainty. I admit my ignorance!
Leaf, my recommendation is Quantum by Manjit Kumar. It's the true story of how quantum theory was invented/discovered. I have no training in physics but after struggling at first I became enthralled. The writer concentrates primarily on the amazing debates between Einstein and Bohr. But others, like Max Born, Heisenberg, Schroeder, Pauli etc are included. What is so fascinating is he includes the letters/correspondence they sent each other disagreeing and learning along the way. It a tale of intellectual discovery. The ending had me in tears! I also suggest Lee Smolin's Einstein's Unfinished Revolution. Please, if you have time, check this out.
I must try Daniel Dennett. I've heard he is very good. Thankyou for this! What a fantastic channel. It's nice to see someone with an open mind, loving knowledge and the learning experience.
That's heaven for me😭😭😭💕💕
😁😁😁
Great collection! You may want to check out David Bohm if you haven’t done so already. His “Thought as a System” is 🤯
That name sounds really familiar. Thanks for this recommendation. Adding it to my short list now!
I've always wanted to read Bohm. Is this recommendation comprehensible to a lay person? Could you also suggest another by Bohm please?
Whoohoo, science. "The Science of Can and Can't " by Chiara Marletta, she works with David Deutsch, founder of quantum computing, at Oxford. Many fine CZcamss.
Thanks for the recommendation!
How do u protect your books from foxing?? My collections of books have got a lots of brown spots
I don't do anything special other than keep the humidity at a minimum. I have a lot of foxed books--but I feel they have character!
I had to buy Intuition Pumps, I'm so curious to the explanations!
It’s one of my favorite reference books! I keep it at my desk at work now.
I enjoyed Realty Is Not What It Seems By Rovelli. Really good intro to Quantum Loop Gravity, a rival theory of the now largely debunked String Theory.
Agreed. Love Rovelli!
String theory is not debunked at all, that would imply there was data that doesn't fit the theory, the problem is that there is no data that can be used to prove or debunk the theory at all, and no will come in the near future. Therefore the theory may be called unscientific, if you are a follower of Karl Poppers theory of science. But there is still hope among some theoretical physicist that the theory will develop into something with predictive power.
Don't consider this a defence for string theory, its just that the reasons to dismiss string theory are much more complicated than it simply being debunked.
For context I am currently studying physics and considering going in to research in string theory, but I don't actually think string theory is any good to be perfectly honest with you, not that I think loop quantum gravity is any better.
Edit: grammar (English is my second language, so please excuse me)
@@arthurdoktor Thanks for the very articulate comment. Have you read Lee Smolin's The Trouble with Physics? Or Lee Smolin's other book called Einstein's Unfinished Revolution? They are very good.
I don't understand why anyone would want to study String Theory unless it's naked ambition. Careerism. It seems pretty pointless otherwise. What a shame.
I'm not happy with Loop Quantum Gravity either.
@@georgeliverpudlio1258 I haven't read any of the books you mention by Lee Smolin. (I haven't read any popular science books since I began my university studies. Not that I don't like them, I think a brief history of time is brilliant. It's just when you like math you also want to see it and be able to do the calculations yourself). But from what I gather he has the same issues with string theory that I have. It should be noted that some physicist who has read the book, including Sean Carroll (not a string theorist, but has an excellent podcast in addition to researching) and Joseph Polchinski (famous for his work on string theory, so probably biased), have said that Lee Smolin does a lot of speculation and therefore is more confident in his view point than what is supported.
The reason why I personally consider writing my PhD in string theory is that you need a supervisor who is researching in the field I am to study. It's just a lot easier to find people in theoretical physics doing string theory than some other form of quantum gravity. And hopefully the skills I get from research in string theory will be applicable in other areas of theoretical physics, once I get more freedom to choose my particular research area. Hope it makes some sense.
@@arthurdoktor The Trouble With Physics clearly explains the groupthink around String Theory in Universities. I suggest you read it before committing a grave error.
I also listen to Sean Carroll's podcast and I'm aware of the quibbles he has with Smolin. Carroll has a nice voice and is always a very good communicator. I've also read two of his books. One was about the Higgs Boson and the other was about philosophy and the Universe. They were very good but limited.
Have you read any Alan Watts books or any books by Robert Anton Wilson?
I haven't read any of Anton Wilson, but I've read Watts's The Wisdom of Insecurity. I read that one in close proximity to Tolle's The Power of Now. Great books!
Very much appreciate this channel but you might want to review the quantum physics. What you said was incorrect- I wonder if a book with a reveal from sepal chopra on the cover might be stepping out of the realms of science
Thanks! Yes, I fully admit that I have no qualms with letting my imagination run wild with more speculative "science" books. :)
Got to be a fire hazard surely !
That’s why we have several extinguishers on hand. 😁
@@LeafbyLeaf Great collection 👍🏼
Thanks! I can see that I need to do an updated science section tour. 😁
@@LeafbyLeaf Trying to get into philosophy, but finding the subject slightly abstruse 🤔
Why all your books look new any secret plzz share 😁
I get this a lot. I am neurotic about the external condition of my books. I never crack the spine and I rarely take them out in public (I hate reading in public because I need silence). It can make for awkward, wrist-punishing conditions with bigger books, but it's worth it to me. Now, the INSIDE of the books is a different story, as this is where I have a conversation with the book in the margins.
@@LeafbyLeaf 👍
Grab Spillover by David Quammen ...he is the best science writer on the planet. Please give him a try.
Will do! Thanks for the recommendation. I love recommendations. Oh, and I see this is categorized as bacteriology, so I’ll get to really let my hypochondria run wild too!
@@LeafbyLeaf Try and remember that these are all of the people out there working their butts off to keep you safe and doing an amazing job of it actually.
You are absolutely right and that is a solid point. Some of them are in my own family. I am immensely thankful for them. Because I am so lily-livered when it comes to this stuff, it amazes me that there are people with the brains and courage and altruism to stay on the front lines.
Have you read Edward O Wilson's rival, Richard Lewontin? Both died very recently. Both are great. But they disagree on some things. They disagree on the political implications of their ideas. It's kinda like, if you read anything by Charles Darwin, then you should really try Alfred Russell Wallace.
No, I haven't read Lewontin--thanks for these recommendations!
@@LeafbyLeaf Thanks for the reply! And thanks for your wonderful channel and your interesting recommendations. You describe books with clarity and honesty. I've also learned to appreciate writers I wouldn't normally be drawn to. So thanks again, keep up the good work!
Wow you’re shelf is insane. But to little non-fic hihi jk.
:-P
Great collection and awesome bookshelf! Other than the Alex Eipstein book :,( why do people listen to non-climate experts like Alex, he's clearly a grifter, I would suggest actual experts book like Michael Mann, Katherine Hayhoe, Bill McKibben, or Naomi Klein.
Yeah, Epstein's is one of those books I almost feel like I need to secretively read. I'm interested in all sides, even the ridiculous, but I so risk being categorized as siding with Epstein's views just because the book is on my shelf--which earned me quite a few expletives and nastygrams from a heckler a few months back. For the record, I am not a climate denier. Thanks for maturely and constructively commenting!
@@LeafbyLeaf ya I understand that, I am in climate science and it is always interesting to read what people like Alex (or lomborg, or other similar industry funded non-experts) are saying just to keep track of the current narratives that are being peddled by the denial (inaction is a better word now since they've moved past the denial phase) machine. But as you say, it is at least interesting to see they're rhetoric. You may have already read this, but in my opinion 'Merchants of Doubt' by Naomi Oreskes and Eric Conway is the most important climate change related book that has come out, it is basically the climate change equivalent to 'Silent Spring' by Rachel Carson, I highly recommend! Awesome collection either way!
My god--a thumbs down? Oh yeah, US/MAGA/South...
Haha! That’s how it goes. I’ve noticed I always get dislikes on “list” videos, which I guess means they would’ve made different selections or something. The dislikers rarely leave comments. For this one it could be that they don’t like science; they think the books I have are lacking; they don’t like the amateur shakiness of the camera; or they don’t like my voice.