Winner announced on 10 November 2014
Six enthralling books that help
readers to better understand themselves and the world around them have been
selected as the shortlist for The Royal Society Winton Prize for Science Books.
The shortlisted books, announced today (19 September), are vying for the
world’s most prestigious award for popular science writing.
The
author of the winning book will receive £25,000, while the authors of each
shortlisted book will receive £2,500.
The
six books shortlisted are:
Serving the Reich: The Struggle for the Soul of Physics
under Hitler by
Philip Ball
(The
Bodley Head)
The
judges said: “An authoritative account of the complex science and politics of a
much disputed period in history. This book shows how scientists can never
divorce themselves completely from the world around them.”
Seven Elements That Have Changed The World: Iron, Carbon,
Gold, Silver, Uranium, Titanium, Silicon by John Browne
(Weidenfeld
& Nicolson - an imprint of the Orion Publishing Group)
The
judges said: “Browne is clearly a man who has dedicated his life to the
elements. This is an inspiring tale of our relationship with these seven very
special elements that interweaves the culture, science and history
masterfully.”
The Perfect Theory: A Century of Geniuses and the Battle
over General Relativity
by Pedro G. Ferreira
(Little,
Brown Book Group)
The judges
said: “A treasure trove of information about the theory of relativity and all
its ramifications, carried along by stories of personal struggle that highlight
how scientists are only human too.”
The
Cancer Chronicles: Unlocking Medicine’s Deepest Mystery, by George Johnson
(The
Bodley Head)
The
judges said: “A wonderful and yet very sad book. It weaves together an immense
amount of detail on this devastating disease with a very personal and touching
story.”
Stuff Matters: The Strange Stories of the Marvellous
Materials that Shape Our Man-made World by Mark Miodownik
(Viking
– an imprint of Penguin Books)
The judges
said: “This brilliantly written book is a fresh take on material science that
makes even the most everyday stuff exciting and interesting. It demonstrates
just how creative and ingenious the human mind can be in its ability to
incorporate them into our lives.”
Gulp:
Adventures of the Alimentary Canel by Mary Roach
(Oneworld)
The
judges said: “Roach is such an entertaining writer who uses humour and wit to
make the mundane intriguing and the unmentionable acceptable. She ventures
where few would go, for example, Elvis Presley’s poop!”
Professor Nicky Clayton FRS, Chair of the judges, said:
“The
judges had to think long and hard about which books to include on the shortlist
this year. With so much good science writing out there at the moment, it was
incredibly difficult to select only six. Whether we realise it or not, science
is inextricably part of our culture and the books we have selected for the
shortlist emphasise the central role it plays in all of our lives. Each of
these books takes you on an informative and engaging journey of the science.
Some are woven with humour and passionate personal stories; others shed light
on incredibly complex topics. All are beautifully written and full of the
wonder of science.”
The
winner will be announced at a public event at the Royal Society on 10th
November 2014.
The
first chapter of each book is available to download for free at: royalsociety.org/awards/science-books/.
The
judges on this year’s judging panel are: Professor Nicola Clayton FRS (Chair),
Professor of Comparative Cognition at the University of Cambridge and Scientist
in Residence at Rambert (formerly Rambert Dance Company); Dr Nathalie Vriend,
Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow, Department of Applied Mathematics and
Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge; Emma Read, Head of Factual and
Features at ITN Productions; Michael Frayn, playwright and novelist, best known
as the author of the farce Noises Off and the dramas Copenhagen and
Democracy; Lone Frank, former neuroscientist, journalist and author of My
Beautiful Genome, shortlisted for the 2012 Royal Society Winton Prize for
Science Books.
Commencing in 2011, the global
investment management company Winton Capital Management agreed a five year
sponsorship deal of the prize.
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