The Power of Imperfections

"Townsend authored one of the most eloquent and lovely statements in the science of crystals: ""Crystals are like people and it is their imperfections that make them interesting"". This book is beautifully written and the wide range of topics fit well together. * Vasily V. Bulatov, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory * The range of topics is accessibly presented with confidence and there are interesting and often unexpected things to learn throughout. This is a book that is completely accessible to non-scientists, while not at all boring or tedious to more scientifically literate readers. * Gary Atkinson, University of the West of England * The book is written in an enjoyable style. The author adequately mixes scientific explanations with personal experiences and matters of topical interest. * Ginés Lifante Pedrola, Autonomous University of Madrid * Peter Townsend's book is highly readable, often provocative, and full of insights into technology, the nature of science, and even the broader nature of life. * N. David Mermin, Cornell University * In The Power of Imperfections, Peter Townsend argues that we are conditioned to orient toward a fictional ideal of perfection that leads to a disregard of any form of imperfection. His book is an attempt to overcome this conditioning and show that praising imperfection is justifed in many cases. * Bas de Boer, Metascience * The book attempts to make the general public sensitive to the beauty of imperfections in the context of technology, as well as show how the recognition of imperfections helps people to flourish in their social and professional lives. * Bas de Boer, Metascience *"