The only people who think science is fun is scientists. I cannot tell you the number of times my chemistry professor or biology teacher tried to bring a pop culture clip to class to show how science is “fun, relevant, and interesting!” Nice try, but no. Mary Roach, on the other hand, somehow manages to make science funny. Her book, Spook, examines different theories of the afterlife to try and determine if there is any scientific proof for the supernatural. She travels to India with a misogynistic believer in reincarnation, tries to read historical evidence of séances at the Cambridge Library, and relates her own experiences with which she cannot explain. Roach interrupts, questions, and mocks so much of the theories that she inadvertently teaches you how to question the scientific method in a natural and humorous way.
Unfortunately, the book isn’t always a bundle of laughs. It can drag on and focus on certain scientists and their experiments for one page too many. Sometimes, Roach just provides an experiment without any context or her interjections throw you off from her main point. But, in general, the book is funny, breezy, and an extremely interesting read that leaves you feeling smarter than when you picked it up.
If nothing else, you can recommend it to whatever science professor you’re currently whining about. They’ll certainly enjoy it.