#Popular Science

sci-fi history

A Short History of Nearly Everything

by Bill Bryson

history

Freakonomics

by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner

non-fiction

QED

by Richard Feynman

Six Easy Pieces

by Richard Feynman

The Character of Physical Law

by Richard Feynman

The Elegant Universe

by Brian Greene

sci-fi

A Brief History of Time

by Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking's landmark exploration of the universe's biggest questions — from the Big Bang to black holes, the nature of time, and the search for a unified theory of physics. Written for non-scientists, it became one of the bestselling science books of all time.

sci-fi history

A Short History of Nearly Everything

by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson takes his ultimate journey — into the most intriguing and intractable questions that science seeks to answer. Taking as territory everything from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, Bryson seeks to understand how we got from there being nothing at all to there being us.

history

Freakonomics

by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner

A groundbreaking look at the hidden side of everything. Levitt and Dubner use economic analysis to explore real-world puzzles — from cheating sumo wrestlers to the economics of drug dealing — proving that economics is really about incentives and the stories data can tell.

non-fiction

QED

by Richard Feynman

Feynman's brilliantly accessible explanation of quantum electrodynamics — the theory of how light and matter interact — adapted from four lectures for a general audience. Using simple diagrams and plain language, Feynman explains one of the most accurate theories in all of physics.

Six Easy Pieces

by Richard Feynman

Six of the easiest chapters from Feynman's legendary Lectures on Physics, covering atoms, basic physics, energy, gravitation, quantum behavior, and the relationship of physics to other sciences. Feynman's gift for explanation makes complex ideas feel natural and exciting.

The Character of Physical Law

by Richard Feynman

Based on a series of lectures at Cornell University, Feynman explores the general character of physical law — not specific laws, but the nature of the laws themselves. Covering gravity, conservation, symmetry, and the relationship between mathematics and physics, it's a meditation on how science works.

The Elegant Universe

by Brian Greene