Need a scientific novel, non-fiction book?

Question

Hi, I'm currently in year 10 of school and I've personally hated reading novels. I can never get interested into the story. Probably the only realistic fiction novel book I read was Diary of a Wimpy kid. >.> However I would be stoked to read a scientific non-fiction book such as "Michio Kaku: Physics of the Future: How Science Will Shape Human Destiny and Our Daily Lives by the Year 2100" or "The Universe in a Nutshell by Stephen Hawking"

The thing is, I have an Outside Reading Novel project I have to do. And it has to be a NOVEL. I'm looking for a scientific non-fiction novel, if they even exist. Such as a novel about a scientist and his findings and how it shaped the world today.. I can think of a book like that, but it wouldn't be a novel..If it's going to be hard to find, throw it at me, I'll get it in my hands one way or another. Thanks!

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=the-mad-scientist-myth

Answer 1

From the way you write I can tell your NOT one of those head in the clouds dreamy fantasy people, you are a realist BUT that does not mean you wont find a good SciFi novel...



For you I would recommend Isaac Asimov's Robot books (of which there are many) specifically THE CAVES OF STEEL (fantastic, and written in 1950s, and Yes THIS is a REAL Novel not that schoolboy nonsense.) Although he wrote fiction it's some of the best stuff out there, realistic, thoroughly engaging and scientific...



and whether you know it or not he has influenced your life already after all, Issac Asimov was the person who coined the word robotics, it was widely used in his sci-fi works and he made the 3 laws of robotics. He is the 'Father of robotics' he thought this stuff up in the thirties and forties (before the television!)

Answer 2

Partly given that the foundational works (e.G. Lord of the Rings) have been written in Europe and drew largely on European mythology and mediaeval romances. Partly, also, on account that European cultural dominance helped spread this mythology notably commonly, so it has a disproportionate have an effect on. That stated, there's far more influence from core eastern mythology on delusion than many men and women comprehend, specifically within the depiction of magic (consider of the Arabian Nights -- amassed collectively, it should be mentioned, by means of a european). The impact of Judaeo-Christian imagery can, of path, even be seen as partly middle japanese. Additionally it is no longer too surprising that native American, Australian, and sub-Saharan African historical past and mythology have had a fairly small have an effect on. Much of their historical past and mythology was once both under no circumstances written down, or handiest deciphered rather late. I'd love to peer more delusion that attracts on these cultures, however (and there definitely is a few already). In the end, it is worth adding that there's really relatively plenty of fable that borrows from eastern culture, mainly in role-playing video games and graphic novels.

Answer 3

First of all, dont be put off by the boobs and twits who are always so eager to lecture us on the petty definitions of literature. There are lots and lots of non-fiction novels, some biographic, some historical, some on current events and science. As for imaginative science, I often go back and re-read the 2001 and further series by Arthur C. Clarke. 2061, 3001 etc. Also William Gibson has genuinely fascinating ideas about computers and the net in his many novels. Michael Crichton was a good writer, doctor, and scientist. His The Andromeda Strain is still thrilling . A personal note... I too was a bit nerdy, a bit too intellectual and scientific in my youth. I eventually learned that including the feelings, thoughts and real human situations that many novels offered in my educational mindset expanded my personal planet immensely. Endeavor to explore.

Answer 4

A novel is, by definition, fiction. And I wouldn't bother with fictionalised biographies. Even if **sarcasm alert** people have remarked that The Double Helix by James Watson reads like one.



CP Snow wrote about scientific research in his long novel-sequence.Strangers And Brothers. I found him tedious to read.



If you can find it, try The Struggles of Albert Woods by William Cooper. After a bit of struggling of my own, I managed to find a review that isn't hidden behind a paywall

http://www.unz.org/Pub/SaturdayRev-1953apr11-00044?View=PDF

It is indeed a comic novel, and a very funny one. But for your purposes, it is the only book I've ever read which in any way describes what it actually feels like to do scientific research, in the section describing Woods's breakthrough on the chemical reactions he is studying.



Here's a more recent, though very brief, comment on it - by a scientist.

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/Issues/2008/December/Editorial.asp

Answer 5

Novels are fiction by definition - there simply is no such thing as a non-fiction novel. You'll need to ask your teacher if a novel-length non-fiction book is acceptable.

Answer 6

A novel, is, by its definition, prose narrative fiction. When it is no longer fiction, it is no longer a novel. It may be a narrative- as with the case of some biographies and histories- and may share elements with the novel, but the novel, at its core, is fiction.

Answer 7

It has to be a novel, sorry. Novel is fiction.

Answer 8

*How about any of these books.



2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/2001-arthur-c-clarke/1101956512?ean=9780451457998



The Hammer of God by Arthur C. Clarke

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hammer-of-god-arthur-c-clarke/1103023883?ean=9780553568714



The Hot Zone: A Terrifying True Story by Richard Preston

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hot-zone-richard-preston/1101092197?ean=9780385479561



Lab 257: The Disturbing Story of the Government's Secret Germ Laboratory by Michael Christopher Carroll

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lab-257-michael-christopher-carroll/1007026205?ean=9780060781842



Evolution by Stephen Baxter

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/evolution-stephen-baxter/1100292842?ean=9780345457837



Genesis by Poul Anderson

http://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Poul-Anderson/dp/B000F6ZBD0/ref=tmm_hrd_title_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1348124029&sr=1-2



Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beggars-in-spain-nancy-kress/1100616361?ean=9780060733483



The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/adoration-of-jenna-fox-mary-e-pearson/1100358496?ean=9780312594411



The Fox Inheritance by Mary E. Pearson



The Changeling Plague by Syne Mitchell

http://www.amazon.com/Changeling-Plague-Syne-Mitchell/dp/0451459105/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348124787&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Changeling+Plague



Mindscan by Robert J. Sawyer

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mindscan-robert-j-sawyer/1100356156?ean=9780765349750



Humans (Neanderthal Parallax Series #2) by Robert J. Sawyer



Manifold: Origin (Manifold Series #3) by Stephen Baxter



The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi





*NOTE: Yahoo Answers only allow 10 links, so not all books have links to info on them.