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Great summary of the state of Quantum Physics, including most of the history from Einstein/Bohr to the present (aka 2018). No math, but references and notes in the back can lead you there. Unfortunately, no simple answer to the title question.

Thought experiments and metaphors give insight into the competing theories. Chapters focus on history and implications, with some chronological overlap. It was interesting to read about papers lost or buried for years, and just how much ostracism the Copenhagen interpretation folks used against anyone who didn't fall in line. This is sold as a "popular science" book, but goes deep enough to really teach - again, with no math or other deep science knowledge required.

I learned a few things, though I graduated with a minor in Physics. I did not know about the steep ramp up of physics after WWII, or the recent decline. The sections on Philosophy were unexpected, but I can see the conjunction now - we are talking about Reality after all, and what can't be measured must be surmised. I did not realize early physicists were so involved with the philosophers.

Even in 2018, quantum physics was deeply involved in modern transistors and storage media. Quantum tunneling impacts my work daily, and I would have liked to see more about this impact to the real world. 30 years ago we were talking about Planck limits to measurement, and they don't make an appearance here. String theory is mentioned only at the end. These last two are much deeper than popular science, so I get it.

Recommended. Rating? It's a great history, but I wanted a little more. 4½ stars.

Gentrification is a murky term, perhaps best described as an influx of wealth and a focus on profits over community. Lingel's accessible book demonstrates the same steamroller effect on digital communities.

The online community was originally very niche - a collection of like-minded folks with a technical knack. This continued as modems and personal computers expanded the possibilities for more of the population. As the author points out, when profit became more of a focus, these communities collapsed - or were pushed out. Without net neutrality, even the ISPs are capable of throttling bandwidth to some sites in favor of others - based on money and not need.

The comparison to urban gentrification also comes with a series of strategies for pushing back. Strengthening (or legislating) community, insisting on fair infrastructure and just compensation, and above all awareness are excellent tools. In addition to full notes on resources, this brief book also contains a glossary and sources for further reading.

This is not an easy topic to cover, from the difficulty in explaining gentrification to the active resistance by those profiting from it. The addition of charts with historical outcomes would have helped, along with graphics for some of the analogies. The author clearly knows her stuff, I just feel it could be more accessible to the general public - the very audience for much-needed awareness.

Connects a single character with several historical Soviet air incidents, then adds one more - a last minute lunar launch to try and beat Apollo 11. Very technical, yet fictional - probably not everyone's cup of tea.

The main character is driven, highly intelligent, possesses great eyesight, but hampered in social situations - which is a description many used for Ted Williams. The orphanage scenes that molded this character are tough to read, if brief. In the remainder of his flight career, highly detailed scenes show his piloting success. They also contains frequent cameos of future astronauts and famous pilots - Terrible Ted among them. In this respect, the author has definitely done his homework.

I don't recall how this ended up on my want-to-read list. I found the book between then and now at a used book sale, remaindered from a library in Akron Ohio. Many other reviews mention the author's work as a screenwriter, but I am unfamiliar with those shows.

The book is technical, described by many as a "boy's book". The accuracy of those facts drew me in, much like other fiction and non-fiction books and biographies of the space race. The idea of the Soviets rushing launches to stay ahead of the Americans is also familiar, and works well here. On the negative side, the characters are 2D and the prose is dry at times. There is a certain poetry in descriptions of the environment, though... overall rating, 3 stars.

Nick Hornby's High Fidelity is about love, relationships and the redemptive qualities of music. This book, described as High Fidelity plus Time Travel, falls far short.

In many sci-fi novels, suspension of disbelief is a key. It can't be suspended far enough here - cell towers in 10th century North America, the time traveler can/can not affect the past (hint - the answer is both, without explanation), and finally finding out that time travel is powered by love (maybe?). Bah!

The male main character, Karl Bender, is inconsistent at best - but asshole is the better description. The woman he "hired" to help him is also the love interest - but they have no chemistry. I can say that Lena is a strong female character, but she lacks scientific ethics. And what was the point of Milo's recurrence?

Finally, the premise is good - a time traveling wormhole that can take you to any concert. Taking away stars for the flaws doesn't leave much that I can draw from this book. Sorry Mo.

A closed room mystery, in space, with clones and memory loss and hacking and most of all, characters with secrets. A lot to tackle, perhaps too much.

I've read several of Mur Lafferty's essays on role playing games, leading me to this novel. She does a good job with the science here, and has clearly thought through the ethical parts of cloning and personality. Within the universe she has created, this book has a strong plot, with twists up to the end.

While reading, I was reminded of 2001, Project Hail Mary, And Then There Were None, and others. Each of these takes a subset of the topics above and really nails it. There are times where this novel feels a little too busy. Mechanically, the author uses Maria's perspective and all the historical flashbacks to good effect. There are a few additional chapters from the perspective of other characters which don't work as well.

Overall, I liked this mystery and the eventual outcome. Recently, Lafferty wrote the expanded novelization of Solo, and that might be where I turn next. If you like a mystery AND science fiction, with a dose of cloning and ethics, I would recommend reading this book.

This is a fairly complete collection of game mastery advice, and unlike most game master's guides, completely unnecessary for play. But oh so worth it!

Castles & Crusades came out a few years after the D20 open game license came about. The team took that open reference and took a step back, making a game quite like 1978's Advanced Dungeons and Dragons. In that game, the Dungeon Master's Guide contained all the needed charts for combat, conditions and treasure - a required resource for game play. Castles & Crusades used the D20 model and encapsulated all that in the basic rules - no lookup charts required. In fact, for more than five years, Castles & Crusades consisted of only a player manual and the book Monsters & Treasure.

The Castle Keeper's Guide collected the extra bits, from play style to game advice, from environments to equipment. Advanced Dungeons & Dragons was supported by a monthly game magazine called Dragon, with optional rules, advice, and ideas. The Castle Keeper's Guide contains several years worth of quality Dragon items in one hardcover. It truly enhances the game, while not being strictly required for play.

I read the PDF of the third printing, recently on kickstarter, though I did not go back and compare with my earlier print edition. The artwork here is really nice, evocative of situations and adventures. The alternate cover joins in story with the 8th printing of the Player's Handbook, also recently on kickstarter. I read the book cover-to-cover, which I hadn't done with my print edition. While I wasn't reading with a proofreader's eye, I found only one misspelling on page 310, part of the "Ebb and Flow of Battle" section - and that looks like a paste error. A very good record for a 372 page book.

Overall, if you are interested in an "old school rules", I recommend Castles & Crusades in general - and this book in specific and an excellent reference for game play, optional rules, situations and ideas.

What an interesting world the author has built. Time is controlled by the clocks, not the other way 'round, and that change also led to a very Steampunk England in the late 19th century. First book in a series, but this story comes to an end here, a big plus.

The world also has a very interesting mythology, over and above what we have today, of time gods. The clash between that and monotheism is also a small part of this story. My favorite character was the inventor Cassie, a strong female character who frequently helps the protagonist.

... and that protagonist needs help. I didn't especially like the main character, who was too hotheaded and impulsive. There was only a hint of improvement at the very end. The plot felt a little slow at times, but maybe that is because the author was weaving in more romance than story.

While this wasn't the "time travel" novel I was looking for, I do plan to dig into the second book. The story moves to colonized India, and likely reveals more about this curious world.

Excellent biography that focuses mostly on Carter's presidency and cabinet, the "Georgia Boys" who rubbed Washington society the wrong way. Uses declassified and recently recovered notes to great advantage.

I've read some presidential biographies, but most enjoyed [b:Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln|2199|Team of Rivals The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln|Doris Kearns Goodwin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347278868l/2199.SY75.jpg|2861004]. That book showed Lincoln's genius but also focused on the directions and goals of the men that worked with him. This book shows that some of Carter's "failing" is due to his cabinet, and why. In the end, this provides a complete picture of the presidency, which was rarely evident at the time.

With over a hundred pages of notes and index, it is also an incredibly thorough book. Makes an excellent counterpoint to some of Carter's autobiographies about his boyhood in Georgia. Didn't contain enough about Carter's post-presidency, where he has become the new standard for a Christian life. May have to read [a:Jonathan Alter|191014|Jonathan Alter|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1275240850p2/191014.jpg]'s recent book on Carter to compare. Regardless, this book on his presidency is well worth reading.

Really enjoyed this quick little book, which looks at the recent information on brains and also clears up some old (and popular) metaphors and myths. This latest learning is presented with clarity and humor - both welcome!

This book was said to be inspired by Rovelli's [b:Seven Brief Lessons on Physics|25734172|Seven Brief Lessons on Physics|Carlo Rovelli|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1443551746l/25734172.SY75.jpg|42912214], which I really liked. Some reviewers criticized it for being too brief, for not having enough information. Did they read the appendix or visit the authors website with all the supporting info? I'm thinking not. Some reviewers criticized the author for some politics. Her mentions of evolution no doubt scared some off, her mention of a recent tyrant perhaps offended others. Cancel much?

My only minor criticism is the too-frequent use of the term "body budget". This probably comes from the authors other writings, and definitely makes the point that the goal of the brain is management not philosophy. I will find out just how much it shows up in other writing, because I plan to read more from this author - soon.

The dystopia of 1984 was recognizable - 13 hours, two-way video screens, but nothing "new". This book has more "new", and much of it feels arbitrary - and not all of it is explained.

We read science fiction and expect something we can connect with. If not told otherwise, we expect the main characters to be human, resembling ourselves. When a character has to "name" something, because if they don't it dissolves, this reader would like to know why in the end. Or perhaps this is a metaphor which I didn't understand.

This story pictures a moment in the collapse of the colony. Prior moments are mentioned; nothing here is seen as improving. The conflicts are mostly internal, inevitable. Perhaps this is another metaphor. The ending didn't help, leaving the reader only slightly more informed than when they started.

Looking forward to a new book, something in a shade other than gray.

First book I've read by this author, it is set in a universe he knows well - though his other series are set many centuries after this one. For the first book, it ended fairly well, but you could also tell it was part of a larger series.

As I am unfamiliar with this author, I struggled a bit with the character names and the non-standard elves (Fhrey). The auhthor mhust have whorn severhal "H" kheys out writing this bhook. The ending has a helpful glossary. I especially appreciated the occasional humor. Battle scenes are well written and thrilling. My favorite part was the several strong female characters

The plot was a little predictable, and most of the male characters were also. This was a minor detraction from what is a solid story and start to a series. I plan to read a few short stories from this timeline (one is located in [b:Unfettered II: New Tales By Masters of Fantasy|31177603|Unfettered II New Tales By Masters of Fantasy (Unfettered, #2)|Shawn Speakman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1475742702l/31177603.SY75.jpg|51815071]) and then move on to the direct sequel of this story.