Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: scientist

  • The Half Life of Valery K

    The Half Life of Valery K

    What a fantastic read! Natasha Pulley has again produced an unforgettable story in The Half Life of Valery K. Set in Russia before the second world war and moving through until the cold war, it is a piece of history little known. Although the facts are raw and brutal, she has woven a deep love and a little magic, to lend heart into the story. The author’s notes tell us that although the characters are fictional all the other details are true.

    The intrigue and convoluted thinking of the times has the reader on edge, and although the main character, Valery, is guilty of crimes, we see his integrity and compassion shine through. Again, Natasha Pulley has chosen her main characters to be people of the highest intellect, and we see the way they rationalise their thoughts. Valery is a physicist who has studied the effects of radiation and is a foremost expert in the field. From his short exchange into Germany while an undergraduate, to his imprisonment in a Gulag, his life is a challenge.

    When the KGB step in and place Valery in a wire enclosed town to help with radiation studies, he is challenged as never before. As he gradually realises the full extent and implications of the study, he realises he needs the most exquisite timing and planning to make a difference. With help, he evades the ever-watchful KGB.

    Even though there are technical terms used, the author has placed them in context for ease of understanding. She is superb in her development of characters and presents their deepest emotions so beautifully. The Half Life of Valery K will be a story to remember always. The love, the magic, the man.

  • Stephen Hawking

    Stephen Hawking

    Scientists Who Changed the World

    The Scientists Who Changed the World series is a great introduction to scientists and Science. We find that the famous men and women of science were once young boys and girls who played with their peers, often struggled at school, and came from families like ours. They were men and women who had a great intellect and were lucky enough to have their imaginations stimulated by someone. The common thread with these scientists is the burning curiosity which prompted them to seek answers to questions which intrigued them.

    Always for Stephen Hawkins, it was the love of Maths. Suddenly he realised that by measuring space objects he could show how things began and continued to grow. Physicists were beginning to show that the universe followed mathematical rules. The invention of the Hubble Telescope allowed a huge amount of information to be gathered and studied.

    Always aimed at a younger audience, this book is broken skilfully into areas of interest and colour. Interspersed with the story of Stephen’s life are chapters of his scientific works, always with the questions which he pondered. We learn about Hawking’s contemporary scientists who worked with him and brought fresh ideas to the study. Stephen also was curious about the probability of alien life forms and time travel.

    Even though Stephen’s illness was a great impediment for him, it didn’t stop him from bringing the “geeky” subject of Theoretical Physics into people’s homes. He appeared in shows on Television such as “The Simpsons, Star Trek and Futurama.”  Thanks to him, we have all heard of Black Holes, and dark matter. This is a fascinating read for all ages and set out so well that it holds the attention of the reader.