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pejahanako's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
fast-paced
5.0
An absolutely gorgeous introduction to particle physics, alongside insight into the roots of this field and the injustices that it continues to survive off of.
Required reading for anyone interested in particle physics, quantum mechanics, or cosmology.
Required reading for anyone interested in particle physics, quantum mechanics, or cosmology.
rogoreads's review against another edition
3.0
This is a tough book about an important topic. I suspect it will make a bigger impact on me long-term than it had while I was reading, because throughout I had to sort of drag myself through a lot of parts. This is not a beginner's book in the slightest, and that goes for most of the topics covered: being marginalized in science; the history and ethics of physics; white supremacy and capitalism; the physics itself. I struggled with a lot of it, including the physics, and I'm someone who's recreationally read other math and physics books in the past.
Professor Prescod-Weinstein clearly brings important perspective to the table. For example, I hadn't read much about the thirty-meter telescope on Mauna Kea and how it infringes on native sovereignty, and this book changed how I think about it. I also have not read nearly enough about what it's like to be thrown into an Ivy-league school on work-study, without enough support, and having to be an "only"--I thought being a woman in engineering got lonely, but it's nothing to what it is to be a black woman. I also appreciate the callouts to all the non-white men who have been erased from scientific history.
But I still found myself frequently lost. It was hard for me to follow a through line in parts. I understand that many of these issues interlock, but the chapters themselves seemed more like standalone blog posts. They brought in some of the same themes over and over, and then suddenly the author would reference something else that I could tell I didn't have enough context for. So the book felt sprawling and repetitive while still not always explaining enough.
Maybe it's on me, though. A lot of people have rated this book very highly so if the topic interests you, it's worth giving it a try.
Professor Prescod-Weinstein clearly brings important perspective to the table. For example, I hadn't read much about the thirty-meter telescope on Mauna Kea and how it infringes on native sovereignty, and this book changed how I think about it. I also have not read nearly enough about what it's like to be thrown into an Ivy-league school on work-study, without enough support, and having to be an "only"--I thought being a woman in engineering got lonely, but it's nothing to what it is to be a black woman. I also appreciate the callouts to all the non-white men who have been erased from scientific history.
But I still found myself frequently lost. It was hard for me to follow a through line in parts. I understand that many of these issues interlock, but the chapters themselves seemed more like standalone blog posts. They brought in some of the same themes over and over, and then suddenly the author would reference something else that I could tell I didn't have enough context for. So the book felt sprawling and repetitive while still not always explaining enough.
Maybe it's on me, though. A lot of people have rated this book very highly so if the topic interests you, it's worth giving it a try.
silver_lining_in_a_book's review
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25
Access to a dark night sky—to see and be inspired by the universe as it really is—should be a human right, not a luxury for the chosen few.
Wonderful book! The start is very quantum and cosmology heavy, which was perfect for me, while the middle and start dove into discussions of politics, race, religion, sexism, and history. It was so lovely to consume the deep and complex perspective of our society and modern physics that Dr Prescod-Weinstein holds and to understand some of the writer's history.
marcookiekat's review against another edition
So interesting but I think I need a physical copy to follow it better. Needs more brain power than I thought it would.
the_darn_kite_rises's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I read this book as a “non-scientist”, but also as a kid who thought they’d be an astronomer or an astronaut when they got older (not how things worked out in the end). I love science and love learning about science. Always have, even if I’m not part of the scientific community.
All that to say, the first few chapters were a slower read because the book is packed with definitions and concepts from the fields of cosmology, particle physics, astronomy, quantum mechanics, etc. I very much enjoyed the challenge; having to reread some paragraphs a few times didn’t negatively impact my experience at all (I know this might not be true for everyone).
So, the first part of the book focuses on instilling a sense of wonder about the universe and how it works. The rest of the chapters are a deep dive into the white supremacy driving western sciences and the scientific community.
It gives an unflinching, holistic picture of how throughout history and into the present, white empiricism and the scientific methods enforced by violent colonialism are not very empirical after all. How society has systematically disregarded and suppressed non-western thinking and ideas. How white supremacists are the ones who decide which voices are lauded and who is silenced. This book made me think so much and so deeply. It was horrifying. But hopeful, too. If you are involved in western sciences, or even if you just have a passing interest in it, I regard this as a must-read. It helped me experience something rare.
All that to say, the first few chapters were a slower read because the book is packed with definitions and concepts from the fields of cosmology, particle physics, astronomy, quantum mechanics, etc. I very much enjoyed the challenge; having to reread some paragraphs a few times didn’t negatively impact my experience at all (I know this might not be true for everyone).
So, the first part of the book focuses on instilling a sense of wonder about the universe and how it works. The rest of the chapters are a deep dive into the white supremacy driving western sciences and the scientific community.
It gives an unflinching, holistic picture of how throughout history and into the present, white empiricism and the scientific methods enforced by violent colonialism are not very empirical after all. How society has systematically disregarded and suppressed non-western thinking and ideas. How white supremacists are the ones who decide which voices are lauded and who is silenced. This book made me think so much and so deeply. It was horrifying. But hopeful, too. If you are involved in western sciences, or even if you just have a passing interest in it, I regard this as a must-read. It helped me experience something rare.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Racism, and Sexual assault