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Various Technical Reviews

Non-fiction/technical book reviews excerpted from different reviews at http://www.klue.com.my from the monthly Book Bags (May 2001 – October 2001)

Fermat's Last Theorem book cover Fermat’s Last Theorem - Amir D. Aczel (Delta Trade Paperbacks)
An enchanting tale, tracing the history of one of the mathematical world’s most beguiling history that preludes with Pierre de Fermat’s scribbling of a truly marvellous proof, which the margin is unfortunately too small to contain. Hence the reader is led through the ancient world of Greece, a thousand-year old journey that travails time and boundaries. Aczel is a masterful storyteller, expertly weaving the spoken language to give the layman veritable access to a specialized field. Each story re-enacts the lives of eminent mathematicians and their contributions towards the final proof, and is as suspenseful as any mystery thriller, with manifold climaxes leading up to the final burst of ebullience.

Alice in Quantumland book cover Alice in Quantumland - Robert Gilmore (Copernicus)
Regardless of the reader’s inclination towards physics, whether benign, malignant or ardent, this book on physics is bound to amuse. It uses the classic tale of Alice in Wonderland to explain the concepts of physics, often with amusing results. The many sights to see and learn about make up for the rather loose narrative, which takes a back seat to the ideas that are the reason behind the tale.

Beyond Contact book cover Beyond Contact - Brian McConnell (O’Reilly)
A technical book written with the non-specialist reader in mind, although the author, in his enthusiasm for the subject, tends to slip into ramblings bordering on techno-speak. Here, we have everything from the physics needed to establish contact with extraterrestrial beings to coding information that would be decipherable by them. Depending on how much exposure you've had to all things technical, it might be a task to wade through all that information. Only recommended for those who really care about how we can possibly communicate with aliens.

The Consolations of Philosophy - Alain de Botton (Vintage International)
As suggested by the title, de Botton is seeking out answers to some of life’s most exasperating problems; that of unpopularity, penury, frustration, inadequacy, a broken heart and whatever difficulties in life. Solutions ranged from the philosophy of Socrates in ancient Greece to Friedrich Nietzsche of pre-Nazi Germany. It's a laudable effort by de Botton for making an ontological subject relevant to laymen seeking answers and comforts from life’s miseries. Even if the reader needs to plough through the heavier passages, it has the practicalities of a self-help book minus the cliched exhortations.

God's Dust book cover God’s Dust - Ian Buruma (Phoenix)
As the author himself has mentioned in the introduction, you have to prepare yourself for cynicism and caustic observations peppering this travelogue-cum-historiography-cum-politico-sociological analysis. It’s a book for anyone interested in reading about Burma, Thailand, Phillipines, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea and Japan. Buruma's subtle scepticism becomes obvious in his wry narrative of events influencing the political climate of each country, but it's an interesting read if the reader can steer clear of being on the defensive.