“How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems” by Randall Munroe
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Rating: 4/5 Stars
A very entertaining book about how to solve ‘common’ problems in unusual ways that don’t break the laws of physics. In a series of mostly short stand-alone chapters (which occasionally refer the reader to other chapters for related how-tos), you may learn:
- how to either solve common day problems in unusual ways (how to play a piano that can play notes from the sub-sonic to ultrasonic range, or charge your phone when there are no power outlets)
- how to logically think about common actions (how far you could actually throw various things, from coins to footballs)
- how to do absurd things (like landing a plane on a ski slope, or build a lava moat)
The chapters are mostly unconnected to each other, making it easy to read the book chapter by chapter, while allowing you to digest the humour and strangeness of each way to achieve a task. By the end of the book, you will definitely have learned to how to do tasks in the strangest ways physically possible.
As a disclaimer, the author does recommend at the start that you really shouldn’t try to do what he suggests in the book, as they are supposed to be hypothetical exercises; or the author would like you to think that.
Throughout the book, the author’s signature stick figures doing unusual things are featured, giving you an idea of what’s in store if you actually did try to do what is suggested in the book.
Book read from 2019/09/30 to 2019/10/09