Important to mention, too, that aesthetically, this book has an amazing rectangular, hardcover design; thick pages that are highlighter leak-proof.
Rating: 5 / 5

You will have to skip a lot of mathematical formulas and Chemical Reaction diagrams to get to the meat of the topic though. Some of the applications I saw especially for the biomass solutions were quite fanciful and would be terrific if the fossil fuel cost of creating them could be made less than the actual production of the energy.

For engineers though the text will be pure gravy. You’ll be sure to understand the formulas and the problems presented. Hopefully one of you will use this information to make cars and appliances that will help the environment while at the same time making us less dependant on fossil fuels.

Rating: 4 / 5

Rudolf S. Le Poole

Astronomer, Leiden Observatory, the Netherlands

Rating: 5 / 5

But perhaps we don’t have to give up our civilization and our hard-earned modern lifestyle in order to get ourselves off the hook.

How so? This is the question. But before we can have meaningful debates, we need to quantify how big a stake we’re dealing with here. We need to talk “numbers, not adjectives.”

Hats off to David MacKay who gives us his unemotional assessment through a marvelously easy read, a must for those who still care about our planet.

(If you don’t read, check out the images and the diagrams at least!)
Rating: 5 / 5

If one really wants to understand the simple, cold numbers about energy production and consumption, current and potential, in the world today, it is the definitive, objective work. It puts into perspective all of the various components of `greening’ one life. It takes no issue with people who want to do every little thing to help, but in the concept of broader strategy and policy, it makes the compelling point that scale and perspective are essential. One can be penny-wise and pound foolish. One can expend lots of energy and focus on low yield initiatives (or even counter productive ones), when certain other initiatives deliver much bigger gains. Author David MacKay contradicts the common refrain of activists who say `every little helps’. He asserts, the reality is that `every big helps.’

In this fully objective, very comprehensive catalogue of energy outgoings by worldwide society, the second biggest use of energy is car travel. Car travel, especially in the context of commuting and other business travel, is a major benefit to Dynamic Work where workers’ activities are more closely aligned to `where they are available.’

Bruce ([...]
Rating: 5 / 5

Here McEwan introduces a character even more despicable: Michael Beard, a physicist who inspires neither professional respect or personal affection. His colleagues view him as a has-been; apparently he won a Nobel prize but now he’s reduced to accepting big checks for consulting and speaking engagements. He’s uncomfortable with himself and his own body. He can’t form attachments. He handles social situations awkwardly.

And yet somehow he’s compelling. He exposes commonly held fears: being left behind, losing a cherished companion, and loving too late. He tries to cope yet every time he gets close to something, he gets burned. Or maybe he’s like the sun: a large person who burns everyone he meets.

As usual, McEwans’s prose is compelling. It’s almost a cliché to say that reading this book is like watching a train wreck: it’s hard to look away. Michael destroys his marriage, his career, his relationships and even his own body, through a combination of self-centeredness, denial and perhaps more than a little lack of social skills. Of course, as Michael experiences more and more negative consequences, he goes into a downward spiral, so he creates more and more problems. His story of eating chips on the train seems to be a prime example: both what happened during the incident and even worse, what happened when he shared the story.

Other reviewers have commented on McEwan’s understanding of the science world. As a non-scientist, it’s hard for me to imagine someone like Michael getting as far as he has. In the early stages of his career, he would need some strategy to get into the right labs and he’d have to be team player.

At times the book seemed to move slowly or else I didn’t want to spend more time with characters like Michael, his ex-wife, his ex-wife’s lovers, and more. Then again, perhaps McEwan wants us to be as uncomfortable with Michael’s story as Michael himself is uncomfortable trying to live in his own skin.
Rating: 4 / 5

The book is divided into four sections:

Part 1: “Heat Engines”

Part 2: “The World of Hydrogen”

Part 3: “Energy from the Sun”

Part 4: “Wind and Water”

Each chapter begins with an introduction to the topic, followed by an in-depth covering of the material, replete with diagrams, schematics (circuit diagrams for example), and formulae and equations.

For example, Chapter 9, “Fuel Cells”, the first chapter in the “The World of Hydrogen” section, we are introduced to the types of batteries:

………………. | Expendable

Voltaic cells ….. | Nonexpendable …|.. Rechargeable

………………..|………………|.. Refueable

This is followed by an explanation of voltaic cells, with a schematic of a simple fuel cell, containing a cathode and an anode on two sides, and an ion conducting membrane in-between.

The next section describes types of fuel cells, like Alkaline Fuel cells (AFC), Molten carbonate FC, Solid polymer FCs, etc…

Fuel cell reactions are described next, with the equations describing the reactions.

Each chapter has a list of references, and a list of questions and problems.

The index comes in at an anemic 16 pages.

For the non-technical or the lay reader, this book is of limited value, since only a small portion of each chapter is sufficiently simple enough, while the bulk of each chapter gets technical, rapidly.
Rating: 4 / 5

Beard, the protagonist, is a Nobel Prize winner whose early brilliance has been diluted by his obsessions. These are treated with considerable humor. Beard’s egotism overrides any social constraint by evidence of his lack of ethical behavior. He appears to possess a smooth ability to disentangle himself from many situations. It seems as if Beard cannot control his many appetites, and his need to be sated.

McEwan’s virtuosity is demonstrated in describing a small event, in detail, that illuminates the character of his protagonist. I refer to episodes involving a potato chip, as well as one involving Beard’s difficulty in disencumbering layers of clothing in order to meet an essential bodily need.

The novel rewarded this reader in being humorous, erudite, and informative especially regarding a critical issue – global warming.

If there is a shortfall, it may be that there are very few characters with whom one would wish to identify.

McEwan writes topically and speaks to contemporary issues with considerable clarity. The novel is structured in a clever manner. The third section amplifies how Beard evolved into the man presented to the reader. One sees the arc of this author’s intention. There may be a little of Nabokov’s genius in describing how an individual self-destructs. McEwan is a tremendously skilled writer, and I believe that there is a large audience his work.

Rating: 4 / 5

BUT Amazon sent me a pirated draft copy full of errors, misplaced paragraphs etc.

I protested to Amazon – no response except for a belated response from Jeff Pohlman – who I assume is the pirating publisher.

The original publisher in England “UIT Cambridge” generously rose to the occasion and sent me a replacement copy.

My next order will go to Barnes & Noble

Gerry McDonald
Rating: 5 / 5