The One Thing You Need to Know

Details:

• author: Marcus Chown
  
• full title: The One Thing You Need to Know - The Simple Way to Understand the Most Important Ideas in Science
• narrator: Peter Noble
  
• genre: nonfiction, science
  
• topics: #electricity, #gravity, #atoms, #thermodynamics, #quantumtheory, #evolution, #brain
  
• publisher: Tantor Audio
• publish date: 04 Jul 2023
  
• timing: 6:39:00
  
  

My Rating of the Audiobook:

• content: 💙💙💙💙💙
• narration: 💙💙💙💙💙

Goodreads

Excerpt from the Book: 

Gravity is a 'universal' force of attraction, which means that it acts between every chunk of matter and every chunk of matter. There is a force of gravity, for instance, between you and someone passing you on the street. And there is a force of gravity between you and the coins in your pocket. You do not notice either of these things, however, because gravity is such a phenomenally weak force.

My Thoughts:

The book discusses 21 significant scientific topics, including gravity, electricity, thermodynamics, global warming, and more. The author explains even complex scientific subjects in a simple way, so it is easy to understand, even if you’re not an expert in this field. For an average reader without prior knowledge, I would recommend listening to one or two chapters/topics a day. Of course, if you’re curious, you can listen more or even the whole audiobook in one go. The title promises you will learn one thing you need to know, but this book offers way more than that.

The narration is very good and clear. The writing and narration function very well. Nonfiction (audio)books can become boring or overwhelming, but not this one.

About the Author: 

Marcus Chown is an award-winning writer and broadcaster. Formerly a radio astronomer at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, he is currently cosmology consultant of the weekly science magazine New Scientist. He is the author of the bestselling Quantum Theory Cannot Hurt You, The Never Ending Days of Being Dead and The Magic Furnace. He also wrote The Solar System, the bestselling app for iPad, which won the Future Book Award 2011. Marcus Chown has also written a work for children, Felicity Frobisher and the Three-Headed Aldebaran Dust Devil.

About the Narrator: 

Peter is an Audie-winning narrator, who has recorded hundreds of audiobooks and audio dramas – including Audible and New York Times bestsellers – for an ever-growing list of clients. Peter is a brain injury survivor, and has a unique understanding of the music of language. He was born in South Africa, in a valley Alan Paton called ‘lovely beyond any singing of it’. He grew up travelling and studied music and drama at the University of Cape Town. In South Africa, Peter worked in the theatre, touring the country with a small repertory company, as well as appearing on radio, TV and film. Peter moved to London to study classical acting at LAMDA. He went on to train as a singer at the Royal Academy of Music, where he was part of the second graduating cohort of the legendary RAM Musical Theatre programme. He also has an MA in creative writing from the University of East Anglia. He now lives just outside of London, in Hertfordshire.