Book Post : Simply Electrifying : The Technology that transformed the world, from Benjamin Franklin to Elon Musk

Book Post : 21 

Book Name : Simply Electrifying : The Technology that transformed the world, from Benjamin Franklin to Elon Musk

Author : Craig R. Roach

Genre : Non-Fiction/Science

What is it about? : This book traces the journey of electricity from its earliest days when it was nothing but a curiosity to the present when we cant even think about living without electricity. The book is neatly divided into 5 major phases of electricity's journey. 

Part 1: The Age of Franklin : A Time of Awe and Discovery

Part 2: The Age of Edison: Let there be light (and power)

Part 3: The Age of Big: Big Government, Big Power Plants

Part 4: The Age of Harm: Crisis, Change, and Scandal

Part 5: The Age of uncompromising belief  

How I came to read it : When I moved to Kelowna one of the first things I did was check out the local library branch. Kelowna has the Okanagan Regional Library and while casually browsing through the books I spotted this book. I have been reading a lot of books on electricity lately and this seemed to be a good addition. 

   

Did I like it? : Yes I did. The book starts off nicely with Benjamin Franklin and James Watt, peaks with Michael Faraday, Maxwell, Tesla, Edison, Westinghouse, slowly starts to decline with Samuel Insull and gets a bit boring in the middle when talk moves to government, depression and policies. It ends on a high with George Mitchell and Elon Musk.  Overall what I loved about the book is how neatly the author has divided the different phases of electricity's journey. There is discovery, expansion, exploitation and finally a hope for a cleaner future. 

During the early years its mostly about how electricity was noticed and how curious minds like Ben Franklin set about investigating it. The author makes an interesting point here. Today we might know Benjamin Franklin as one of the founding fathers of USA and the general image is that his work on science was secondary. But the author says that he was a scientist first. His success, fame and respect he enjoyed both in America and Europe gave him the leverage to become a great statesman. The book is littered with interesting insights like these on many personalities and ideas. After, Franklin comes James Watt whos invention of the steam engine made the people dependent on machines and this set the stage for the development of the electricity run motors and the whole electricity infrastructure laid out by Edison, Tesla and Westinghouse. These days whenever discussions about inventors related to electricity come up people are quick to mention Edison vs Tesla. But there was a third person in this saga who seems to be forgotten in the general public. This was George Westinghouse. A famous inventor in his own right, his invention of the air brake changed the railways forever. After his success in the railway industry he turned his focus to the nascent electricity industry.  A brilliant entrepreneur in addition to being an inventor, Westinghouse took the path of developing the Alternating Current (AC) system. The war of the currents, AC vs DC was mostly Westinghouse (AC) vs Edison(DC). It was Westinghouse who recognized the talent of Tesla and employed him in his company. I feel its a shame that Westinghouse is largely forgotten today.

Next comes one of the most divisive personalities of the book Samuel Insull. Insull like Westinghouse remains largely forgotten today but he is the person responsible for spreading electricity across the country and made it accessible to a majority of the population. He is also responsible for the tariff structure of electricity later. Both sides of his story are presented here and the trial details of Insull make for interesting reading. Then comes Franklin D Roosevelt and his New Deal. Then there is talk of the time of big projects like building of Hoover Dam and Tennessee Valley Authority. The age of Harm stars off with talking about the person 'who started it all' Rachel Carson and her landmark book 'Silent Spring'. Then a large portion is dedicated to the California electricity crisis of 2003. A major portion of the book talks about deregulating of the electricity business. It was one of the most boldest moves in business and there are still debates about it going on even today. And the last part is about Obama, George Mitchell and Elon Musk. Leaving aside the criticism of Musk the author makes the point that at least he is making electricity and the science related to it cool again. 

One of the points I loved was that that electricity is a revolutionary force. The author says that during the early stages of electricity's development there was a sense of scientific adventure and excitement which seems have dwindled down recently. No longer do people associate electricity with scientific achievement or discovery. And this is so true. When I look at electricity related news its all about policies, regulations, prices etc, all important stuff undoubtedly but pretty mundane. There is no sense of scientific excitement, if I can use that term. Hopefully things change in the future!

Overall 'Simply Electrifying' is a pretty decent read and I enjoyed it!

My top 5 Horror Movies (Part 2)

The last post I wrote about my favorite horror movies was in 2015. Its been almost 5 years since then and my list of favorites has now a number of new additions. Without further ado here are my favorite horror movies (in no particular order) since that last post. 

1. The VVitch

The VVitch (that's how its spelled in old english) is the debut feature of Robert Eggers who is considered one of the 'hottest' horror directors working today (along with Ari Aster). One of my top 3 horror movies of recent times, VVitch tells the story of a couple in 1630 who's youngest son disappears. Suspicions turn towards their eldest daughter who is suspected of Witchcraft. Bordering on the style of fairytales of the Grimm's brothers (not the fairytale of the Disney kind) The VVitch stays true to the period it is set in with old English dialogues and the details of the living conditions. Full of atmospheric horror and unsettling scenes, it is a Slowburn horror. The tension builds slowly and it never fully eases till the ending. It has some of the best witch depictions I have seen so far. The best scene comes quite early in the movie, the eldest daughter is playing a game of peekaboo with her youngest brother. She covers her eyes three times and uncovers it making the baby laugh, the fourth time when she opens her eyes, there's no baby. 

Why I liked it: Slowburn horror, extreme tension in the air, unsettling scenes and unexpected twists. 

2. The Wailing

The Wailing is a Korean horror movie about strange happenings in a town: people killing their family members and looking like zombies the next day. A police inspector is tasked with investigating these murders. The rural setting immediately brings to mind the classic Korean movie 'Memories of Murder' but here what looks like elements of supernatural soon turn into full scale evil. There are so many things happening in this movie its hard to keep up with it. As the story progresses it feels less like a linear narrative and more like branches of a tree with many different things all happening. Half way through the movie the police inspector calls for help in the form of a famous shaman. His entry adds more spice to the proceedings. The Wailing contains the finest exorcism scene I have seen so far in horror movies. So many unexpected things happen in this movie that somewhere along the way you know that anything can happen and even then nothing prepares you for the final twist. Thoroughly entertaining and absolute fun!  For full effect I watched this movie at 12 am in the night and it ended somewhere between 2am and 3am. Not to mention that I used to live alone at that time. Sometime after completing this movie as I was just falling asleep someone rang my doorbell. Needless to say I was sacred shitless. But I did go and after calling out 'whos there' and opening the door I saw no one at the door. I slept with my lights on for the rest of the night. The next day I found out that the guy next door had drunkenly rang my doorbell instead of the light switch which was the adjacent switch. I couldn't help but think that it had to happen on that night of all nights.   

Why I liked it: Creepy scenes, brilliant cinematography, amazing actors and a thoroughly unsettling ending. 

3. It Follows

'It follows' has a simple plot. There is a curse going on that jumps from one person to another through sex. Who ever has it, that person is followed by a strange entity which is never fully explained. This entity takes the form of other people. During the initial part of the movie the protagonist gets it from her boyfriend.  The rest of the movie is about how she tries to figure out a way to escape from it. The acting is top class but the highlight is the downright creepy soundtrack by Disasterpeace. What sets apart this movie is that unlike other entries on this list the movie is set in a town and all of it happens in everyday situations and places. 

What I liked about it: Creepy throughout with some top quality jump scares. In fact some of the best  jump scares I have seen so far. 

4. Suspiria (1977)

Suspiria is the most recent addition to this list and I was blown away in the first 10 mins itself. The first 10 mins of the movie has everything that makes me a horror fan. I have watched that scene multiple times now. The movie begins with a girl making her way out of the airport to a ballet school she has come to join in the city. As she begins to walk out, we hear the spine chilling theme music begin to play and we immediately get the sensation that something is wrong. She takes a taxi to the ballet school in the pouring rain. Here we the emotions on her face as she is coming to grips with the roughness of her situation. A single woman in a new city at night time in pouring rain. Shades of pink from the surrounding lights fall on her face as she tries to strike a conversation with the taxi driver. The red and pink color palette contribute in a huge way to make Suspiria what it is. As she begins to spend more time at the school she notices strange happenings and soon comes to a conclusion that something is wrong with her instructors. What it is I leave it for you to find out. Originally from Italy, the land of the Giallo, Suspiria is Dario Argento's masterpiece. 

What I liked about it: theme music, the setting, creepy atmosphere, opening scene, colour scheme

5. Tumbbad 

Tumbbad is a Hindi language movie which tells the story of a man searching for a hidden treasure in the village of Tummbad. Set in the Pre-independence days (before 1947) the sets and costumes are authentic, adding to the creepy nature of the movie. For me the number one criteria for a good horror movie is the atmosphere of dread it creates and Tummbad absolutely nails it in this area. There are folk elements present and more than one mystery to understand. Some characters are downright nightmarish  and many scary situations. In fact I was watching this movie with a group of friends and on at least occasions I could hear a audible of f**k go around the room. I am a huge horror fan both of stories in the written form and movies. Keeping in mind all of my horror fascination in mind and the work that I have read and watched I can safely say that Tumbbad is one of the best Hindi Horror movies ever. If I can take it a bit further it can be even be called the best Hindi horror movie ever.

What I liked about it: The authentic feel, the atmosphere of dread throughout, the crisp visuals, the multiple layers of mysterious characters.

Book Post 20: A Brief History of Creation by Bill Mesler and H. James Cleaves

Book Name : A Brief History of Creation

Author : Bill Mesler and H. James Cleaves

Genre : Non-Fiction/Science

 

What is it about? :   One of the most enduring mysteries of science has been the origin of life. How did it all began? What was the first organism to appear? What differentiates living from non living? Where is the boundary that separates the two? These are some of the questions mankind's best mind have been trying to answer for a long time. In this book the authors, Bill Mesler and James Cleaves trace the history of the ideas/concepts about the origin of life and the people behind them.  

How I came to read it : For the first time since years I was in a position where I had not read a book in 3 months. This was the longest gap in years for me. This was largely because of some change in jobs and some moving around. Eventually though I couldn't hold up any longer and I went to the nearest Indigo branch and headed straight for the sale section. This was one of the only two science paperbacks on sale and I got this immediately. 

   

Did I like it? : Loved it! This book made me question why I had not started reading science books much earlier in life. No fiction can match the thrill of the stories of the brilliant minds of science.  

Coming to the book itself, it starts off the history from the time of Anaximander and Aristotle. The spontaneous generation theory supported by Aristotle was something that was in vogue for the next few hundred years. Then came Van Leeuwenhoek whose mind blowing work with microscopes opened up a new understanding of the tiny creatures around us. This way, the book slowly moves on from on one major advancement to another, from one scientist to another all the while keeping in mind the big question of when and how life originated. Some of the amazing scientists include Voltaire, Andrew Crosse, Charles Darwin, Louis Pasteur,  JBS Haldane, Stanley Miller, Sidney Fox, Crick and Watson. 

One of the most exciting parts of the books is the anticipation of which scientist is going to turn up next. People you don't expect to turn up in a book about origin of life turn up at the most unexpected times. That was by far my best experience about this book. Also, being a energy professional myself the appearance of electricity piqued my interest. Mary Shelley, the creator of Frankenstein makes an appearance in this section. During the early days of electricity people tended to believe that electricity had life giving properties. Mary's inspiration for Frankenstein was no different. It was a result of the intense debate and discussion going around electricity at that time. She was largely inspired by experiments of Andrew Crosse and Luigi Galvani. Galvani's experiment where he accidentally observed the twitching of a frog leg by electricity became hugely famous. Fun fact: the English word 'Galvanize' meaning 'to stimulate' or 'to bring to life' originated from Galvani's famous experiment. 

Slowly, as the narrative progresses, it narrows down to biology and medicine focusing on Watson, Crick and Rosalind Franklin who discovered the shape of DNA, a landmark achievement in understanding the origin of life. The book spans from the time of the Greeks to the late 1990s. A tremendous tour of the inspiring journey of humankind's quest for an answer to the, some say, ultimate question of science, how did life originate? Thrilling and inspiring I enjoyed every bit of this book. Best 4 bucks ever! 

Book Post 19: Coal by Mark C. Thurber

 Book Name : Coal 

Author : Mark C. Thurber

Genre : Non-Fiction

 

What is it about? : As the title of the book makes it amply clear this book is about Coal. Whether we like it or not the fact remains that over 1/3rd of electricity generation in the world is still generated from Coal. This book tries to answer some of the questions related to coal. Almost 200 years after we started using Coal on a mass scale why are we still dependent on it? What are the political conflicts and dynamics on the national and International level that influence the policies affecting coal. And most importantly for us what would it take for other energy sources to push out coal from the market.  

How I came to read it : This has an interesting background. During my Masters in UBC last year, one of the Departments invited this author Mark C. Thurber for a talk about his then latest book 'Coal'. I attended the talk and at the end the organizers were giving away Author signed copies. I got one from Mark himself. I had a little chat with him then took a selfie with him as well. This was my second author signed copy and the first time I met the author themselves. 

   

Did I like it?

Yes I did. Coal is a concise and to the point book. It does not deviate from the topic at hand. 

In the first chapter itself the author reveals some startling facts. For example, sample this. From 2000 to 2013 China made massive strides in manufacturing sector and boosted its per capita sevenfold. This was made possible in part by threefold increase in coal production and consumption. At present China consumes more coal than the rest of the world combined. This shows coals popularity. It is cheap and has wide geographical distribution. The competition between fuels is shaped by three main factors: resource depletion, technological change and policy. And coal still edges out other fuels in these three factors in many regions around the world. But things are changing albeit slowly. The author then reviews the PET factors: Political, Economic and Technological that have shaped coal's past and will shape its future. 

The author then outlines the History of coal usage and how it came to be so heavily used and brought us to where we are today. It was the vehicle to our prosperity at present. The book offers many thought provoking insights too many to list here. The rest of the book talks about the coal supply chain and the dynamics associated with it, the environmental groups fighting the use of coal and the strategies and tactics they use to put pressure on coal users, the alternatives associated with coal, their strengths and weaknesses and finally the last chapter details the Policies, Technology and the future of coal. 

The author provides a neutral narrative to the whole topic. Not swaying to any one viewpoint he provides a nuanced and insightful account of why coal was popular, why it is still in use and what is its future. To me it seemed like the kind of book to read if you are to follow the adage 'Know your Enemy'. Know Coal with this book and find out everything about it. Learn what makes coal what it is and try to know how the insights can be used to help other fuels to grow. Overall an excellent book. Totally worth rereading again and again.  

 

Book Post 18 : The Third Industrial Revolution by Jeremy Rifkin

Book Name : The Third Industrial Revolution: How Lateral Power is transforming Energy, The Economy and the World.

Author : Jeremy Rifkin

Genre : Non-Fiction

 
What is it about? : The book outlines the concept that the present Energy regime is outdated and that the World needs a Third Industrial Revolution which will be lead by the Mix of Renewable Energy and Internet Technologies.  

How I came to read it :  It was listed as one of the best books to read about our Energy Future. So I got it from UBC (University of British Columbia) library with the help of a friend.  

Did I like it? 

Not much. Though the book presents some brilliant concepts and a vision of the future, the whole of the book could have been condensed into a shorter read. It drifts away from the main topic quite a lot and add to that the boastful tone of the author only made it irritating at some points. Twice I thought I should stop reading but I completed it anyway. And I am glad I did. The overall concept of the book is good. It presents a model of planning and how things should be done as we move into a climate emergency affected world. A lot of jurisdictions have already adopted the The Third Industrial Revolution model outlined in the book. The model has 5 main pillars, the adoption of which, the author says will revolutionize our lives. 

Two main points stick out. One is the combination of Internet technologies and Energy. He says whenever a communication regime combines with a energy source, revolutions happen. Both the previous revolutions are good examples of this. Second is the change in way of doing things. From the traditional top down structure to lateral. More emphasis on collaboration and group work than on single individual work. 

Overall an okay read. Though a simple essay could have captured all the ideas presented instead of a narrative that meanders its way through this book. 

But the biggest bonus for me was the section of Thermodynamics. The below lines are the best part. 

''Albert Einstein once pondered the question of which laws of science were the least likely to be overthrown or seriously modified by future generations of scientists. He concluded that the first and second laws of Thermodynamics were most likely to withstand the test of time. 

He wrote:
A theory is more impressive the greater is the simplicity of its premises, the more different are the kinds of things it relates and the more extended its range of applicability. Therefore, the deep impression which classical thermodynamics made on me. It is the only physical theory of universal content which I am convinced, that within the framework of applicability of its basic concepts, will never be overthrown.''

Book Post 17: Invention by Design : How Engineers get from Thought to Thing by Henry Petroski

Book Name : Invention by Design : How Engineers get from Thought to Thing 

Author : Henry Petroski 

Genre : Non- Fiction

 
What is it about? : This book is about the nature of Engineering. How Engineers think of a problem or a necessity and try to meet it. It does this by presenting a few case studies. Starting from the common paper clips to Bridges it covers a huge range of things designed by Engineers.  

How I came to read it :  I had this book in my wish list for a long time now. I remember I first came to know about it some 5 years back while I was in my first job. A major hindrance to getting my hands on it was the cost and its unavailability on major online book stores. Here in Vancouver I could easily get it from the University library thanks to a friend.  

Did I like it? 

Moderately. The style and a bit of dry writing made it a mildly boring book to read. I had so much expectations on this one. 

The content is, without a doubt, hugely informative. The development of the things presented in the case studies are shown in a such a way so as to throw light on the different facets of Engineering like Design, analysis, failure, economics etc. They also touch on different engineering fields like Aeronautical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Mechanical and Structural Engineering. The case studies are of the following items:  Paper clips, Pencils Points, Zippers, Aluminum Cans, Fax, Airplanes, Water networks, Bridges and Buildings.

I never knew that the  development of paper clips involved a lengthy Engineering process. You would be amazed to know how many designs were suggested for the simple purpose of holding a bunch of papers together. There was an important point mentioned that Engineers spot problems that the general public cannot see. The development of a lot of everyday products is the result of this ability of the Engineers. The other case studies reveal a lot about the issues in developing a product and how engineers go about solving them.

All in all, had it not been for the drab writing this book would have been a powerful magnet for attracting people to Engineering. 

Book Post 16 : A Concise History of Canada's First Nations by Olive Patricia Dickason

 Book Name : A Concise History of Canada's First Nations

Author : Olive Patricia Dickason

Genre : Non- Fiction 

What is it about? : It is about 

How I came to read it :  Before coming to Canada I did a lot of homework in getting to know the country. I read History books, watched a few movies and read tons of articles. By the time I landed in Canada I had a fair bit of knowledge about the country's history. But one thing which still eluded me was knowing about the History of the original natives of the place. Hoping to fill this gap I got this book from the UBC library through a friend. 

Did I like it? 

Yes.

Starting with the earliest known history, through the First meetings with Europeans to the latest developments this book covers everything. There are complex dynamics playing out throughout with the Key Players being the French, the British, The Hurons and a few others. Revealing a number of lesser known facts about the First nations this book is an eye opener. It talks about the number of treaties, the residential school system, the trade, the beginning of the reserve system, the Indian Act, how the Confederation of Canada was shaped and the equations with First Nations. The last chapter talks about the Road to Self Government.

The only drawback I found is that it tends to drag a bit in the middle. It will take a serious reader to forge on in till the end. A casual reader looking to get a quick idea about the history of the First Nations will be disappointed. A more serious reader may enjoy the details. I fell somewhere in the middle. Nevertheless this was an eye-opening read and I am glad I read it.