My son was starting at the U of MN as a Freshman, and when he found out that the author would be his physics professor, I bought him The Physics of Superheroes by James Kalalios, which I hoped would inspire while making physics fun! He really enjoyed it! This book is equally helpful to readers who want to explore the physics that we encounter every day, in an approachable manner. I can understand the basics of what is covered and find it interesting, but others who have a better understanding of physics (such as my husband who is an engineer or my son, who is now entering graduate school in a science field) might appreciate this book even more.

I liked this book well enough. It was a thorough examination of myriad technologies we use but don't think about every day. From the toaster to the car, the airplane to our phones, we walk through a day. I tried to read this when I first got it and found myself struggling with it. The second go at it worked but it just wasn't all that compelling.

In the end, pretty much everything comes down to electro-magnetism in one way or another. That was my key takeaway. There are many forms that can take and many ways we can induce those forces, but they basically rule our world with an iron fist.

It was interesting to learn about different technologies and I did enjoy learning the rudiments about many of them. My favorite was the microphone and the different types and technologies employed in microphones and how that impacts the sound. That was fascinating!

In the end, interesting, but didn't wow me.

I am very sorry to say that I didn't get all the way through this book before my time to read it expired. I liked the beginning, though!

'The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind and Ordinary Day' by James Kakalios takes the reader through a day and explains how the things we interact with work.

The book follows a person as they wake up for the day. Some of the many objects that are discussed are alarm clocks and toll booths and medical x-rays. There are airport security devices and credit card readers and hotel room card readers. There are LCD projectors and toll booths.

Most of the items may not be things that the reader may not interact with daily, but the familiarity is there. These items have a common enough use that the reader may not really consider what the science is behind them. That's where this book shines. It does end up feeling like a bit much by the time the book ends, but I found it interesting enough, and I'm sure it will make me look at the every day items I use in a new light.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Crown Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

James Kakalios structures his popular science book, The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day, around following a person through a typical day and stopping periodically to explain the science (particularly obviously the physics) behind the technology the person uses and/or engages with, such as a hotel keycard, a toaster, an LED TV, a copier machine and so forth. Both the explanations and the structure succeed to a mixed degree, and while I found at the end the book to be informative and generally rewarding, its style and structure seemed to work against its task of popularizing science/tech for the masses.

The structure’s issues tend to be that following a person progressively through their day gives a sense of chronological order, but little else. In other words, not much is gained. On the flip side, what is lost is a sense of thematic or logical structure, meaning our dips into various technologies not only feel random but at times are also repetitive in nature, as two techs that the “you” of the book interacts with at different times might make use of the same basic scientific principles, and so we get an overlapping discussion, if not to the same depth or degree. Following a person through a day is a cute idea that one might think humanizes the topic, but it turns out better in concept than execution or effect.

A larger issues is that the science here can get pretty dense. At times he assumes probably a greater knowledge of basic terms and concepts than many readers (and probably most people in general) have. And even when he explains terms in easy-to-digest fashion, sometimes the explanation would have been better as prelude rather than epilogue to whatever topic is being discussion as sometimes is the case. I’m not a scientist, but regularly read popularizing science works, and I definitely had to work at this book, rereading several passages multiple times to be sure I understood what he was getting at. Beyond some further breaking down of terms/concepts and simpler language, more illustrations would also have definitely helped (it’s possible my ARC copy simply lacked them and that the published version has more).

And the language can sometimes form a thicket of its own. Some of Kakalios’ metaphors work quite well (a theater metaphor in particular), but others I’d say fog things up more than they enlighten. And even when the prose is fluid and clear, I can’t say it’s ever particularly engaging.

Despite all these issues, and despite the book feeling a bit betwixt and between (maybe too dense for those who know very little science and unnecessary for those who do), there’s not doubt that having put in some work, I came away better informed about how my day to day tech works. So it’s a net positive, but I wish it were more definitely so.

Full disclosure- I am not a physics person now or ever was. I am more partial to biology and neuroscience.

The book has a fun layout- a walk through your day and how physics makes your life better. Nothing would work without it and I am eternally grateful. I just do not get how before the book and could not follow along with the book as much as I was hoping for.

I think had I read this book at the same time as taking a Physics class or right after, it would have been the perfect time to explore the real world application of the concepts.

An eye-opening, inside look at the science behind our everyday lives.

Using a good format of explaining physics of everyday interactions, Kakalois attempts to solve a tough challenge - educating audience on science, requiring some thought. This is exactly what the population needs in a selfie-obsessed, instant-gratification driven behaviors. His explanations are brief and provides an excellent starting point for any curious reader interested in learning more. Where the book could have improved was identifying the impact of each of the concept in a broader scale...

This book was... not for me. The title and description lead me to believe this was going to be an approachable way to look at the science of our everyday lives. However, it ended up feeling like one of those videos they show you in school. They are educational, vanilla ice cream levels of boring, the voice-overs are bland and even-toned, and they manage to make even the most interesting topics sleep-worthy. So it can hardly be a surprise that I kept wanting to fall asleep every time I even thought of picking this book up again. I ended up mostly skimming the back half, and while it seemed he picked interesting topics, the writing itself was just too blah for me to actually read it.

THE PHYSICS OF EVERYDAY THINGS was written and conceived by James Kakalios, the Taylor Distinguished Professor of Physics at the University of Minnesota and the author of the bestselling The Physics of Superheroes. This non-fiction work follows the reader ("you") throughout a somewhat typical day: waking up, going to the doctor's for an x-ray, taking an airplane flight, giving a presentation and staying in a hotel. In each section, Kakalios uses fairly basic language and some rudimentary diagrams to explain the physics involved. For example, he begins by writing about the kinetic and potential energy involved in the pendulum of a grandfather clock and then moves on to simple springs in an alarm clock and then to piezoelectric crystal in a smartphone. In other sections, he describes how information is stored in various ways on credit cards, how an airplane flies and the optics and electronics behind how a copier machine works.

I think our high school physics classes would enjoy reading and thinking about several excerpts from this book as well as other recent works on similar subjects, including Storm in a Teacup by Helen Czerski or the more complex space and astrophysics from Neil deGrasse Tyson. It could be interesting, for example, if the class was split into groups charged with making a video or other presentation about one of the ideas that Kakalios explores in a relatable way. Those could run throughout the day on the video monitors in our Library Commons for an even larger audience.

Links in live post:
http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2017/01/look-for-these-new-non-fiction-titles_34.html
http://treviansbookit.blogspot.com/2017/05/neil-degrasse-tyson-and-condoleezza-rice.html

Nonfiction
Adult
I seem to be tripping over nonfiction books this season, and this is the second tome on physics in just a few weeks! Given how much I enjoyed Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, I looked forward to delving into this new “pop science” title on the science behind the objects we use every day. Physics prof Kakalios, author of The Physics of Superheroes, takes the reader through a typical North American’s day to examine how physics impacts our modern lives. This hypothetical day includes a visit to the doctor, a flight, and a public presentation, giving Kakalios a chance to explain everything from electric toothbrushes, fitbits and hybrid cars to touchscreens, x-rays and those electronic keys in a hotel room. For each technology, the science is carefully explained, and occasionally includes simple illustrations. I particularly liked learning the science behind mag-lev trains – this technology fascinates me, and I thank Dr. Kakalios for explaining it in a way I can finally understand. But other topics, to be honest, sailed over my head. (What the heck is a transistor? They seem to be in everything.) Perhaps it was the tech – frankly, I just can’t get into the science of a photocopier. While clearly some of the science pushed my envelope, I would still say it is quite accessible to non-scientists who are interested in bettering their understanding of physics. It has a lot of appeal for younger readers too; in fact, teens taking high school physics will probably find the science much easier going! My thanks to Crown Publishing for the advance reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this title: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31752980

While the idea of how to present the information in this book is creative (taking you, the reader, through an average day which involves a doctor's visit and a flight), I have to say that overall it lost me. I've got a good science background but found myself having to read explanations several times; I can't help but think that others with less background in science may find their eyes glazing over. If I knew nothing about physics, by its cover I'd think this could be a good intro--but Mr. Kakalios doesn't really make the idea of all the workings behind each item very "exciting." For a potentially dry topic like physics, a certain passion for the subject from the author is appreciated so that while I may not understand the topic, I can want to get on board with it and learn about it. Instead this was rather dry overall, and probably not the best option to grab someone's attention.

I am still a curious person, I love learning and understanding how things work, Science applied in technology deliver us devices and artifacts that I understand less and less. But as I continue to amaze myself and to be interested in learning new things, this book caught my attention. Reading has been very nice, the content is appropriate for a person of average education is accessible without going into overwhelming detail.
Topics range from simple explanations such as the functioning of a toaster, or electric toothbrush, to something a little more complex like an electronic thermometer, keyless remote control, lithium battery, self-parking feature, touch screen, a magnetic resonance imaging Scan or a high-speed train.
I am very grateful to the people involved in making this knowledge available to the public in an educational and accessible way, from the people who design very well the devices that we use intuitively without having to understand the research behind them. I recognize that knowledge has changed our lives dramatically in the last 200 years has been a collective effort of many researchers, engineers, designers, entrepreneurs, etc.
My gratitude to the Publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review the book

Approachable, but not condescending - a must read for anyone who likes science

A Physics Tractor Pull

Have you ever attended a tractor pull? A tractor pulls a sled. On that sled is a weight that slides back and digs the sled further and further into the ground as the tractor and sled try to move forward. Eventually the weight is too much and the tractor can't go any further forward. The pull winner is the tractor that goes the furthest before getting stuck. In many respects that's what this book is. But that's O.K., because I like a good tractor pull.

The frame is that the author takes a hypothetical person through a typical day and describes and explains the physics behind all of the everyday technologies with which that person interacts. That allows for an organization of sorts, and it allows for a certain amount of amusing happy chat and joking. None of that did much for me, but it didn't detract either.

Outside of that frame the book consists of a number of discussions of particular technologies. We probably address maybe twenty or thirty big picture concepts and at least a hundred or more applications. Explanations run from a few paragraphs to a few pages to brief factoids. (Did you know that GPS satellites correct for the minute general relativity time differences caused by their speedy orbits in order to secure greater accuracy? Cool.) Some of the topics are pretty basic - how do toasters work? Some are unexpected - your car lock remote generates a new password code every time it's used. Some stretch even a motivated amateur's ability to comprehend - magnetic resonance imaging.

This is where the tractor pull comes in. For each bit, I read it until I understood, lost my way, or lost interest. There is no final exam at the end of this book, (just as the tractor doesn't really have anywhere important to go), and getting stuck is just part of the experience. At a minimum you'll get this - a broad and general survey of the role physics plays in all of our technological "wonders", and a better and deeper understanding of things that may have intrigued you, (like, what's the deal with the quartz crystal in a quartz crystal watch? Answer: its vibration under electrical stimulation substitutes for a pendulum). Depending on your background, interests and level of commitment you may develop a nodding acquaintance with the quantum underpinnings of some of this.

For me, that's a lot to take away, and so for me the pull was worth it. (Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

I really loved James Kakalios’ The Physics of Superheroes , so I jumped at the chance to get his new book, The Physics of Everyday Things, when it became available on NetGalley. The Physics of Superheroes was such an engaging way to look at physics! I was intrigued by this new concept, the idea that Kakalios would teach us physics while stepping through a single person’s ordinary daily activities. However, the tone and conceptual density of this book leave it somewhat lacklustre compared to my (admittedly faded) memory of the first book of his.

The Physics of Everyday Things starts with waking up and making breakfast and ends with a business presentation and a trip back to a hotel. Along the way, our protagonist drives through toll booths, has an x-ray, goes through airport security, takes a flight, and engages in all sorts of activities that rely on our society’s exploitation of physics. Kakalios pulls the curtain back on the technology we depend on, and the secrets he reveals really are quite fascinating.

One of my enduring understandings, particularly from taking a Philosophy of Science and Technology course back in university, is how artificially we separate different types of technology in our minds. For example, a pencil or a pen are technologies. Chairs are technology. My glasses are a technology—and assistive technology, at that. These things are so ubiquitous, cheap, and reliable that they have faded into the background noise of life. Vehicles are more recognizable as technology, or as a collection of technologies, but are also so much a part of our life that we tend to think of them differently. Digital tech—that is, something with a computer somewhere in its guts—is almost always what people think of nowadays when they hear “technology”. Yet so many technologies that once were analog are now digital and computerized, from toasters to clocks, not to mention the scary and possibly doomed Internet of Things.

Kakalios engages with a lot of digital technologies in The Physics of Everyday Things, from credit card readers and wireless communications to touchscreens and LCD projectors. However, he also highlights technology we take for granted, or technology that it might never occur to us to question how it works. One of my favourite examples might be an explosive trace detector, as seen in airport security screenings. Kakalios explains how the machine ionizes and then measures the rate at which gas molecules make it through a test chamber to determine what type of molecule it’s dealing with. That’s really neat and not something I would ever have considered. Similarly, I loved his explanations of comparably simpler phenomena, like the fact that coils in things like toasters (not to mention microwave ovens) mean we are cooking with light.

So as a reader of popular science, this book admirably ticks the “chock full of scientific information” box. There are also diagrams!

Where I struggled was more with Kakalios’ patter. He explains things very well; I didn’t often feel lost or confused or in too deep. Yet I just wasn’t … invested. At all. I didn’t care about the gimmick—I’m not saying it’s a bad gimmick, but I just have no connection to this unnamed hypothetical person whose day we’re stalking. It didn’t enhance my reading experience; I feel like if the book had just said, “Hey, we’re going to explain how these x number of inventions work!” I would have enjoyed it more.

I have a theory for why this didn’t hold my interest, though I’m not sure it’s true. Most of the popular science books I read examine science with a historical mindset. The authors explain scientific and technological discoveries and innovations by talking about the people and circumstances that led to them. The Physics of Everyday Things notably retains the spatial location of a technology (where we use it) but strips the temporal aspect (its history and invention). Kakalios doesn’t often mention who came up with an idea, who discovered how to use something, why a particular technology took off. And so I realize that maybe I enjoy the history of science as much as the science itself (it’s this damn unicorn math/English brain again). But it’s hard to test this theory, because I think Kakalios’ book stands out in this regard.

And so, maybe, if you’re not so much into the history of inventions and just want to know how they work, this book might be your jam. It is also the right length—I’m finding that with some of these non-fiction books I’m reading electronically, that percent count never seems to increase as fast as I’d like, no matter how fast I’m reading. The Physics of Everyday Things isn’t long, but it’s dense enough to be educational.

Would I recommend this? Conditionally. I can’t get as excited about it as I can with other science books. I’m not sure a casual reader is going to pick this up and read it cover-to-cover. But for a DIY-type person, a hardware enthusiast who likes to get their hands dirty but lacks the scientific background on the subject, this could be a cool exploration of these topics.

I was really torn about whether to give this book 2.5 stars or 3 stars. The episodic character of the explanations about scientific principles of things commonly found in seven different settings (Home, at the start of your day; your Drive to work; Doctor's visit; Airport and flying; Presentations, largely information science based; Hotel stay) was not completely satisfactory. Frankly, I have been trying to figure out who the ideal market is for this book. Those with no science background may find the explanations a challenge because the author assumes a fair amount of underlying knowledge, while those with a science background will find them simplistic and too brief. I settled on the idea that this might be a good dinner table book for discussing with teens. You can work through each scenario, reading a bit and discussing, for instance starting your day with timers, alarm clocks and looking at pendulums, moving in to toasters and electric toothbrushes. (Be prepared for more explanation of D.C. Vs AC current than you get here...)

I wish this book was just more. And at a relatively slender 256 pages, it could have been. The author mentions "pruning" in his acknowledgements but I guess I have some doubts about cutting the information to such a minimum and allowing it to lurch from one subject to another. And even some of the grouping is bizarre. Why is a fitness band in the hotel section? Rather mystifying.

Appearing in June 2017 issue of Pulse magazine: If you’re like me and often wonder “how the heck does that actually work?”, then James Kakalios’s latest book The Physics of Everyday Things: The Extraordinary Science Behind an Ordinary Day (Crown) is a must-read. Kakalios, who is a physics professor, gives detailed explanations about the technology you encounter in everyday life, from alarm clocks and coffee makers to elevators and copy machines. He answers ultimate questions such as, “do noise-cancelling headphones actually work?” (yes, and the technology as to how is mind bending) and “how does my fitness tracker actually know my steps?” (because science, and Newton’s second law). The explanations are very technical and perhaps more in depth than the average reader might be able to handle (you may have to read slowly and re-read some sentences), but understanding how things work is fascinating. And you’ll certainly gain a new appreciation for the basic physics that drive the technology you encounter on a daily basis after reading this one.

I enjoyed this book. I never realized how much physics impacted by daily life. Who knew?

It explains the simple items of life and how they work. It's not by magic!

Fun look at science and technology

I had enjoyed a previous James Kakalios book, The Physics of Superheroes, so I had high expectations for this book and I wasn’t disappointed. I tend to take modern technology for granted, but this book made me stop and appreciate the discoveries and inventions that make my modern life what it is. Next time I plug my GPS into my car, for example, I will have a better appreciation for it. Likewise for a lot of the things I use every day. Kakalios writes with a great sense of humor and explains the science very clearly. I also liked the way the story is structured, just following a day in the life of Kakalios, but stopping to examine the technology in the course of daily activities. I recommend this book for anyone interested in science.