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3.76k reviews for:
What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
Randall Munroe
4.14 AVERAGE
3.76k reviews for:
What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
Randall Munroe
4.14 AVERAGE
This book is just wonderful.
First I need to say that I'm not a reader of XKCD. I mean, I've read a few when they've showed up on whatever social website I might've been on. I can name at least one friend who reads it regularly. I just never got around to it myself. Think I need to now though.
That said, I truly enjoyed this book. I am a geek, for sure, and I have some science background. Maths and physics were never my strong subjects (I went into biology but eventually changed my mind and ended up poking medieval dead people, but never mind that), however I've always enjoyed science. And the best kind of science is the kind that is communicated with humour and wit. And fun illustrations of course. We get all of that in this book. So much science, so much weird, so much fun.
I recommend it to anyone who has the slightest interest in science, for sure!
First I need to say that I'm not a reader of XKCD. I mean, I've read a few when they've showed up on whatever social website I might've been on. I can name at least one friend who reads it regularly. I just never got around to it myself. Think I need to now though.
That said, I truly enjoyed this book. I am a geek, for sure, and I have some science background. Maths and physics were never my strong subjects (I went into biology but eventually changed my mind and ended up poking medieval dead people, but never mind that), however I've always enjoyed science. And the best kind of science is the kind that is communicated with humour and wit. And fun illustrations of course. We get all of that in this book. So much science, so much weird, so much fun.
I recommend it to anyone who has the slightest interest in science, for sure!
This book made my nerd heart so happy! The answers are well-researched, the math seems completely legit, and I appreciate the seriousness with which the author took the questions. Wil Wheaton's narration is the PERFECT fit, and this made for a very fun listen.
Randall Muroe is the author of xkcd.com, a webcomic strip where he also answers questions posed to him by followers. Oh yeah; he has has a degree in Physics and worked at NASA, so he knows his stuff. This is a grouping of some of the questions he has received/answered on his website.
Some of the questions are fun, and some are rather scary when you think about the mind that formed the question, but all the answers are extremely well-thought out and informative. Some of Randall's foot-notes and side-thoughts are hilarious!
Best read in snippets while waiting for the doctor's appointment or during a commercial break, this is an enjoyable read and would make a fun coffee-table book at a party.
Some of the questions are fun, and some are rather scary when you think about the mind that formed the question, but all the answers are extremely well-thought out and informative. Some of Randall's foot-notes and side-thoughts are hilarious!
Best read in snippets while waiting for the doctor's appointment or during a commercial break, this is an enjoyable read and would make a fun coffee-table book at a party.
I love this book. I really, REALLY loved this book. Ask my girlfriend. I spent three hours of flight between Vienna and Dublin, plus some time in the departures lounge cackling maniacally at the sheer outrageousness of the concepts being discussed within. Then periodically I'd go "Woah... Listen to this!" and read out something really cool, like how at certain depths within a nuclear fuel pool you'd be exposed to less radiation than the average background radiation you experience in day to day life. Even though you're swimming with radioactive fuel rods. Maybe that doesn't sound weird and cool to you. Maybe this book isn't for you. From the neutron star bullet, to the relativistic baseball, to the Earth without the sun, however, I loved every second of this book.
This book was enormously fun to read and packed full of interesting information. The question / answer format made it easily digestible in small reading episodes, which was pretty much how it had to be read to make sure you absorbed everything. His sense of humor is really dry and fantastic. I highly recommend this to any science nerd.
challenging
funny
informative
relaxing
medium-paced
If you're not already familiar with xkcd, you might be more than you realize. Randall Munroe, the creative genius behind the widely-loved xkcd comics, has brought his unique brand of humor to this delightful book.
Within its pages, Munroe tackles absurd hypothetical questions with such meticulous detail that you'll emerge feeling like an expert on these whimsical topics. I personally listened to this book while doing mundane data entry at work, and it kept me thoroughly entertained throughout.
Whether you're in the mood for an easy, enjoyable read, or you simply want some intriguing conversation starters for your next social gathering, 'What If?' is the perfect choice.
Within its pages, Munroe tackles absurd hypothetical questions with such meticulous detail that you'll emerge feeling like an expert on these whimsical topics. I personally listened to this book while doing mundane data entry at work, and it kept me thoroughly entertained throughout.
Whether you're in the mood for an easy, enjoyable read, or you simply want some intriguing conversation starters for your next social gathering, 'What If?' is the perfect choice.
Audible// Fun read, or listen for me. Only reason I didn't give a five star is because a few questions / answers were a bit redundant for me.
We listened to this as a family in the van. The boys loved hearing some of the outrageous what ifs. We learned a few things too!
True to xkcd roots, this book is just such a perfect blend of science and humor, set up in perfect little dollops to browse through at leisure.