Book Reviews : April 2014

1. Mind Body Medicine : The science of Optimal Health - Jason M. Satterfield

This is an audio/video series of 36 lectures, each covering different topics like why some people catch cold, exercise, sleep, stress, depression, personality types and diseases, cardiovascular diseases.

The most interesting part was listening about new research in the field of biology. I listened to one chapter everyday and almost for a month talked about just these lectures to everyone around me. I strongly recommend you listen to this series. I give it 5/5.

2. Monk who sold his Ferrari - Robin Sharma

 This book gives a step-by-step approach to living with greater courage, balance, abundance, and joy. I absolutely loved the book and wondered why I didn't read it earlier. I give it 5/5.

3. Fermat's Last Theorem - Simon Singh

I majored in Mathematics, I assure you I am not good at it. I did it simply because I love problem solving. During last year of graduation we had 9 different subjects in Math like Real Analysis, Modern Analysis, Complex Analysis and what not. Each having hundreds of theorems and their proofs. None of the textbooks mentioned where these theorems were applied, how are they used in the real world? I found it frustrating. Fermat's Last Theorem is a book that covers the story of how Fermat's last theorem was proved in the 90s. The book is very well written, it has a mystery kind of a feel to it but again fails to make readers understand if the proof helped resolve any real world problems? or was it just a challenge for people who like to play with numbers and find some random co-relations between them. I give it 4/5.

Nothing Something

How and why did it begin? Is there an end to it?  Was there space before the big bang? Or then big bang created the space? What exactly is space? Why is it there?
Is the universe open? Are there multiple universes?

What created life? Is there a creator? If yes then what created the creator? What is the purpose of life in the universe? Is there even a purpose? Did nature want to let out its secret and that is why humans evolved the way they did?

It is all perplexing.  I am sure most of you think about these questions. These sorts of questions bother me many times. I am not helping in any way to find the answers but some are - of course I am not talking about Gurus/Sadhus who say they know it all, I am talking about finding it scientifically.

I totally feel that humans have the capacity to find answers. It may take many years to get there. I have utmost respect for those who are making efforts in understanding the process of creation.

A Universe from Nothing: Why There Is Something Rather than Nothing  by Lawrence M Krauss is a must read book - brilliant and easy to understand. Does it have an answer to all the above questions? NO! but It shows that we are on the track and gives a summary of things we know today.