Isaac Newton by James Gleick

This book was a very entertaining and informative read on one of the most brilliant scientific minds of our time. Newton was more than simply a mathematician but a person who devoted his entire existence to discovery and knowledge.

The drama that surrounds his life immersed me into the world in which he lived. His life had all the drama of a broken family and yet he lived with blinders on and devoted himself to the knowledge of those who came before him, which is where his famous quote comes from, "If I have seen further it is only by standing on the shoulders of giants." Newtons story contains more drama as he grows into an adult and pushes his studies further. As he progresses his interactions with others drive him from a social life to a solidary life, continuing his persuit of knowledge.

Throughout this book contains quotes from letters of the time by people associated with Newton in his circles. Newtons story unfolds in a fantastic timeline which kept me hooked the entire way through. The only downside to this book is that it was too short, otherwise I highly recommend this book to everyone.

Uranium: War, Energy and the Rock That Shaped the World by Tom Zoellner

This book provides a comprehensive guide to the modern history of uranium since the discovery of radium to present day. It shocked me to learn that radium was, and in at least one place still is, used in spas as treatment for ailments (try the Czech Repulic where the first major Uranium ore mine was discovered). This book takes you through the windy road that Uranium has taken since those early days of discovery where scientists overexposed themselves, through the uranium rushes of the late 40's and 50's. Then throughout the world from europe, who was forced by Russia in it's oppressive manners to Australia, where the aboriginals eventually came to play an important role, to the United States where a rush on any ore is a crazy ride in it's own right for many people.

Topics covered in this book make you question the current state of the world in terms of who has the ore and how safely its being guarded. Whether you believe in the proliferation or the non-proliferation, the hard facts on the ground are so astounding that you might want to rethink building that bomb shelter or accept the fact that anything is possible in our world. This ore, once thought of as a waste rock, has become one of the most important elements of modern history in so many ways it is both a harbinger of the apocolypse and the savior of the human race at the same time. It's a hypocracy that has yet to sink in.

Overall this book was an entertaining read, though I felt the tempo slow down at times when I would have preferred to continue the mood, specifically when going from the news reports and atmosphere of the world after Hiroshima and Nagasaki to the mining stories in the United States in the aftermath. Overall I recommend this book to anyone interested in understanding Uraniums impact on the world and it's possible future implications.