Story of Light FROM OUR EDITORS
Although you may know Ben Bova as an award-winning author of science fiction, he is also an accomplished writer of popular science books. In this nonfiction work, Bova explores all facets of light -- from shining stars to fireflies -- and gives an update on the new technologies of light, such as lasers.
FROM THE PUBLISHER
From the origins of the earth to the exploration of the heavens, Ben Bova, a multiple winner of science fiction's Hugo Award, unveils the beauty and science of light. In accessible prose, he explains new discoveries in areas ranging from relativity and quantum physics to perspective and the Renaissance painters' use of light.
SYNOPSIS
Bova is a science fiction and nonfiction writer who here reworks an earlier book, The beauty of light (1988). In plain English, his broad-ranging guide describes the ways light has shaped every aspect of human existence, from religions to sex drives to art. Four sections (each of which can be read independently of the others) focus on the human visual system and light's effects on our lives and societies; how scientists over the years have studied light, and what they've learned; how light has been deployed in art, science, and technology, beginning with Ice Age cave paintings; and what the stars in the sky are revealing to astronomers, physicists, and cosmologists.
Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
FROM THE CRITICS
Publishers Weekly
Prolific SF and nonfiction writer (Venus, etc.) and former editor of Omni and Analog, Bova once rhapsodized about The Beauty of Light (an ALA Best Science Book of 1988). He now offers this secondary source-based introduction to light's influence on aspects of human experience, "from our religions to our sex drives." Those looking for inspired, penetrating insights will be disappointed: "Great artists, even those who came long before our modern understanding of human vision, used their own eyes and minds, their own observations of the world around them and of human behavior, to produce works of immortal beauty." The lack of illustrations is also a serious drawback. But with a 25,000-copy initial printing, an eight-city author tour and 1,500 galleys in circulation, this book should reach Bova's core SF fans, who may pick this one up for themselves or for their older children. Endogenous pacemakers (the light-sensitive "clock inside your brain"), the birth of the sun, lasers, astrology (it "was, is, and always will be entirely rubbish") and the camera obscura all make appearances, and Bova draws on examples from all corners, from medieval optics author Alhazen to Daguerre, James Clerk Maxwell and Einstein. While sheathed in filler, Bova's illustrative thought experiments hit the mark, and his breezy affability is evident throughout, making this a decent primer. (Sept.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
Library Journal
What is light? What was its role in the evolution of life? How is it important to humans today? In The Story of Light, sf master Bova (The Rock Rats) summarizes the physics, chemistry, biological impact, and social history of light. He begins with a description of the molecular soup that will become the sun and planets. Simple organic molecules develop into living creatures as they learn to extract chemical energy from the light of the sun. Modern, complex organisms, with multifaceted eyes and/or stereoscopic color vision, still require light for both mental and physical health. This introduction is followed by a remarkably clear outline of the physics of light intermixed with a history of technological developments. How can light have both wave and particle characteristics? What is the speed of light? What is "relativity"? The final section of the work deals with stars, space, and the search for extraterrestrial life. The abridgment, competently read by Stefan Rudnicki, does lack certain scientific details found in the full text. Still, perhaps as a consequence, it is interesting and easy to understand. Recommended for all moderate to large public libraries; academic libraries should consider purchasing the unabridged version. I. Pour-El, Des Moines Area Community Coll., Boone, IA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
AudioFile
Stefan Rudnicki has a deep, pleasing voice, that makes him sound like the friendly neighbor next door in a particularly philosophical mood. He breezes through this book of facts and theories about light with a comfort level that makes one think he does this every day. Bova's approach to the subject is wide ranging, from the history of science to the secrets of the atom and the farthest star. If one is an ignoramus about light, radiation, matter and energy, lenses, and quantum physics (among other topics), Dr. Bova's descriptions will shed some light on those areas of knowledge. D.R.W. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine
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