Book Review: We Have no Idea - A guide to the unknown universe

“That’s right, we are being bombarded by millions of extremely high-energy particles on a daily basis, and we have no idea what could be creating them”

Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson provide an entertaining narrative about the Universe in We have No Idea. As physicists Cham and Whiteson, provide an informed look into what we know about the universe and in the process provide a window into everything that we don’t know. The book uses humor, illustrations and clear explanations to whet our appetite for future research.

Cham and Whiteson begin by highlighting that we have some understanding of about 5% of the universe. The remaining unknown can potentially be explained as dark matter and dark energy. In the proceeding text, Cham and Whiteson execute the challenging task of providing simple, yet profound explanations for each of these topics armed with illustrations. Not only do they rise to the challenge, they do so with humor, puns and aplomb. They highlight how science and art are fused together, both literally and figuratively. Along the way, Cham and Whiteson invite the reader ask the creative and wild questions in a quest to understand our mysterious universe.

The book offers a rare balance of rationale, beauty and humor. Cham and Whiteson highlight how the philosophical questions of today have the potential of becoming the scientific experiments of tomorrow. As a citizen of the Information Age, reading this book and realizing the extent and numerosity of unknowns is humbling and exciting. Reading this book can provide the inspiration to believe in reincarnation and ghosts, if only to witness some of these mysteries unfold.

Book Review: Quiet - The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking

“The word introvert is not a synonym for hermit or misanthrope”

Susan Cain’s Quiet compassionately explains introverts through a combination of science and case studies. It is the author’s compassion which makes the book standout. In the beginning, Cain hits a chord with the reader by describing how the culture of personality engulfed America in the 1900s and placed extrovert characteristics on a pedestal. By extension, this meant that introvert characteristics were devalued. In the remainder of her book Cain presents the case for introverts, doing what introverts tend to avoid, bringing them in the limelight.

She leverages neuroscience to explain why introverts tend to get overstimulated easily and how this avoidance of seeking more noise helps introverts focus more. Cain builds on this to demonstrate and explain the positive side of being less loquacious. She cites examples of successful leaders, hedge fund managers and professors to affirm the fact that being an introvert can actually be an advantage. The book explores being an introvert across many settings - academic, professional, social, family and romantic, to discuss the introvert-specific challenges and suggests ways to overcome them. Along the way, Cain also emphasizes on how being an introvert is not the same as being shy or sensitive. This is a particularly useful insight since it makes room for shy and/or sensitive extroverts.

Overall, Cain uses a combination of scientific studies and interviews to drive home the idea that being true to yourself should not be at odds with being successful in today’s world, even for introverts. As an introvert, I found the book to be uplifting. It encouraged me to understand and leverage my introverted behavior instead of hiding it and making excuses for it. Cain’s writing style balances reason and emotion well, providing an entertaining education of introverted behavior.

Book Review: The Nordic Theory of Everything - In Search of a Better Life

“Finland’s experience shows that it is possible to achieve excellence by focusing not on competition but on cooperation, and not on choice but on equity”

Anu Partanen, makes a compelling case for the Nordic theory of Love, a theory which focuses on providing equal opportunity to all, above all else. She explains how this idea has led to the popular Nordic policies of free healthcare, free education, a higher (but reasonable, she argues) tax rate and corporate innovation. Been born and brought up in Finland, Partanen moved to USA in 2008. She channels the duality of her experiences in Finland and America to dispel popular American misconceptions about the Nordic nations. In the process, Partanen exposes the current rift between American ideals and American reality.

Through the varying issues, Partanen maintains that the Nordic social contract is designed to promote individual expression. This is possible only when one’s social responsibilities, such as infant care, health care and work pressures, do not threaten to consume an individual. It requires for the Nordic governments to step-in to ensure that these social responsibilities are reasonably distributed between the government and the individual. It also requires the Nordic citizens to pool their resources in terms of trust and taxes for use by everyone. Partanen explains, carefully and compellingly, that this is a deliberate exercise in preserving and promoting the happiness of an individual. Many happy individuals together form a happy nation. This is the opposite of the concepts of socialism and the welfare state.

As a reader, the highlight of Partanen’s book was its flow. The arguments were well-structured. In addition, the balance between the emotional and the rational appeal meant that the book always had my complete attention. Even though the book highlights the positives of the Nordic life, it does not viciously attack the American life. Partanen, does not impose, but proposes that borrowing a trick or two from the Nordic books might help American reality come much closer to the highly regarded American ideal of individual sovereignty.