Seven Tales of the Pendulum

Seven Tales of the Pendulum would be a fine addition to the bookshelf of a teacher who wished to understand more about physics than he or she was required to teach and who wished to stimulate his or her students to investigate areas beyond the syllabus. Complex ideas are explained clearly by the author and the use of diagrams and photographs provides valuable support for these explanations. * Science & Education * A good popular science book will uncover the hidden workings of familiar mechanisms, push this understanding through to lesser known phenomena, and reveal links between apparently disparate branches of science, nature, history and culture. Seven Tales of the Pendulum achieves each of these in an easy, readable style. The book swings through a wide arc of topics, from classical applications of the pendulum as an experimental tool, a time-keeper, and a symbolic artefact, to more modern uses, including chaos theory, synchronization and quantum physics. A good mix of precise descriptions, clear diagrams, and interesting anecdotes make this an enjoyable and informative read. * Rob Sturman, University of Leeds * Gregory Baker spins a series of tales about how the pendulum became central to a wide range of scientific inquiry and technological development. This book is highly recommended both for the professional scientist and the curious layman, each of whom will find much of interest and will surely learn a thing or two. * Julien Clinton Sprott, University of Wisconsin - Madison * This is a charming and well-written book for general readers, and one that would be of special interest to younger students with an interest in science. It might just be enough to give an extra nudge to a prospective scientist.