Ian's Reviews

If you found Astrophysics for People in a Hurry to be a fascinating journey through the cosmos, strap yourself in. The story of the connection between astrophysics and the military—laid out by the amazing Neil DeGrasse Tyson (of Cosmos fame) and Avis Lang—is full of fascinating actors, from lone people to whole governments to Earth itself. - Ian

Given Robinson’s pedigree, there was little doubt I would like this book. If you enjoy intrigue and action in the low gravity of our closest neighbor, Red Moon will draw you in. Despite the lightness of the setting, it pulls its weight. Similar to last year’s Artemis. - Ian

Home After Dark follows a boy through the harsh experiences of an unstable life. Its simple yet exacting art style and the writing of its characters are of equal quality in this fictional follow-up to Small’s critically acclaimed memoir Stitches. Home After Dark has received starred reviews from Booklist, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Library Journal. Booklist says, “Small turns a deeply focused lens onto the isolation, loneliness, and relentless cruelty of male adolescence in this immensely powerful new work. Spare and powerful, this is not to be missed." - Ian

Although we may be but grains in an ever-running hourglass, our current livelihood was built up across the millennia by all the grains of those that came before us. Beiser ultimately positing from his learnings on roads to glass to sand itself as a finite and diminishing resource, if our civilization is one that will be put to the test of time, will it sand. Simply fascinating. - Ian

Legendary behaviorist Robert Sapolsky outlines so much of what we assume to be immutable behaviour as nothing more than a confluence of stimuli and their cascading responses. From genes to food to culture, Sapolsky starts small and continues to expound upon himself to illuminate the brain, the body, and the world in which we are all actors. - Ian

Following three astronomers across the Great Plains to the point of totality of the 1878 total solar eclipse, each one has their distinct reasons for converging on such a historic event that held great promise for the maturing field of astronomy to test some of its big ideas. But all their reasons are fascinating, engaging, and peculiar. A must for anyone interested by historical astronomy. - Ian

Grab your bike and hop on for a fantastical ride through the magical countryside. Polk’s choosing of the setting to be World War I was a refreshing take from current urban and medieval fantasy settings. And the story plays out more as a historical drama than an enchanting adventure, also a welcome turn. If you like your magic mixed with history, give this one a read. - Ian

Lighthouse is absolutely beautiful. The gorgeous illustrations, exquisite layout, and just the right amount of captioning all come together in one of the loveliest coffee table books I’ve had the pleasure of seeing. Lighthouses are some of the most elegant structures humankind has ever constructed and this book does them service commensurate with the service they provide us. - Ian

A book about the past mixed with the politics of the today, all told through captivating reporting. It celebrates the true thrilling story of the people who smuggled old, rare books and scripts out of West Africa as they confront the new dangers of the present. Badass Librarians is both inspiring and page-turning. - Ian

The ‘How Stuff Works’ series by DK publishes some of my favorite books. This iteration is no different. Simple in its display of facts and easy to follow, How Food Works forms a fantastic introduction to nutrition and the role food plays in maintaining a healthy human. - Ian