How Things Work: The Physics of Everyday Life

The reason I bought this book was that I had enrolled for Coursera's online study course, entitled HOW THINGS WORK, led by Prof Bloomfield. Students were not required to buy the book and the chapters relating to the course were available online. I really dislike reading large format books on a small glowing screen, so I borrowed it from the local library. Six weeks later, when the course was over, I felt I HAD to own the book. It offers a lucid and well-rounded appreciation of the principles of Physics. I was very pleased to be able to afford the paperback version and am delighted to have the most recent edition (the library's edition was maybe 2008).Potential buyers need to understand that this is a text book, not a science popularizer. It is aimed at college-going students. As I did not study the sciences when I was in school and college, I have often wanted to make up the deficit in my understanding. HOW THINGS WORK is really very good for that. It is not intended for casual reading and it does require the reader to concentrate, to think through the many examples and to take notes. I am reading it slowly and expect to work at it over the next two years. Buying it is an investment in my understanding of the mechanics of reality.

I have bought this book because I want to deepen and enlarge my grasp of physics of everyday life, right after attending the Coursera Mooc, entitled « How Things Work », created and animated by Prof Bloomfield, the author of the book.With this excellent textbook with just enough mathematics and a lot of enlightening illustrations, Pr Bloomfield shares his passion for the physics of everyday life and his desire to make it accessible to everyone.The only default of this excellent book is it's price, but the page count is near 600.

I am currently using "How things work" as textbook for my physics classes. As teacher I think this book is the best choice to introduce students on the subject. Mathematical formulae are presented as word equations, which is a remarkable idea for those students who are not aquainted with complex calculations. Just love it! =]

as described.

Well written and friendly. But there are no answers to the excercises.

Took a long time to get here plus the paper is super thin. Turn the page a little crooked or open it fast and you'd tear the page.

Came on time and is nice.

Thank you

It was a present for my son!!

As expected

very useful book and excellent delivery