The Science of Interstellar by Kip S. Thorne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is kind of a double deal – you have to see the movie (Interstellar) before you read the book. Anyways, I don’t know many (or rather, any) people who have not seen arguably one the best science fiction movies to come out of Hollywood, and hence I assume that you have. I also think that when the DVD of Interstellar comes out, this book will mostly be included in the package.
Back to the book. There were a lot of puzzling concepts in the movie that stumped even an avid science aficionado like me, and so this book came as a blessing. Calttech physicist Kip Thorne, who served as the science consultant for Interstellar, breaks down the science parts bit by bit, putting all the concepts explained into three buckets – truth, educated guess and speculation. He then goes on to deconstruct the most intriguing bits in a language that us commoners can digest (although in some cases, he can’t resist going too deep into the subject). And so you are transported into the world of wormholes, black holes, singularities and time travel…one starts each chapter with many questions, and by the end of the chapter, one mostly has all the answers. And that, in my opinion, is no easy feat.
There are a couple of chapters that you can skip, for they are too theoretical and detailed, but overall, the book is enjoyable to an extent that once your finish it, you would want to see the movie once again, this time as an informed audience! Go read it, and yes, let your kids be a part of this wonderful world too!
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