Writer: Chris Balakrishnan, Matt Wasowski
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Format: eBook, 320 pages
Publishing date: February 20, 2024
Language: English
Genre: Nonfiction, Science, Humor, Essays
Source: Libby
Source: Libby
Read on May, 25th 2024
My rating: 4 of 5
Buy a digital copy at Amazon (INT)
Buy a digital copy at Amazon (INT)
The co-founders of the global science organization Nerd Nite bring readers a collection of wacky, yet fascinating STEM topics.
For twenty years Nerd Nite has delivered to live audiences around the world the most interesting, fun, and informative presentations about science, history, the arts, pop culture, you name it. There hasn’t been a rabbit hole that their army of presenters hasn’t been afraid to explore. Finally, after countless requests to bring Nerd Nite to more fans across the globe, co-founders and college pals Matt Wasowski and Chris Balakrishnan offer readers the quirky and accessible science content they crave in book form. Focused on STEM and paired with detailed illustrations that make the content pop, the topics are quirky and vast, from kinky, spring-loaded spiders to the Webb telescope’s influence on movie special effects.
How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi features narratives, bursts, and infographics on all things STEM from scientists around the world. Chapters are sure to make you laugh-out-loud, with titles such as "The Science of the Hangover," "What Birds Can Teach Us About the Impending Zombie Apocalypse," and "Lessons from the Oregon Trail."
Even with a towering TBR pile, one day, I suddenly felt like finding some new non-fiction books about science. So, I started reading Goodreads articles about book recommendations, and this one popped up on the list. A strange title trying to mimic Dale Carnegie's book, an unfamiliar author, and a blurb I didn’t really understand. What even is this Nerd Nite? Let’s be honest, at first glance, what a weird title! And who on earth is Nerd Nite?! But I decided to give it a shot anyway, hahaha.
I found the book on Libby, where there were plenty of copies available and, best of all, no waiting list! So, without further ado, I borrowed and started reading it right away (for the record, it was a Friday night, past 11 p.m.), and to my surprise, I absolutely loved it!!
The feeling of reading this book brought me back to my middle school days when I was obsessed with applied science books—yes, I was addicted back then.
Back in middle school, I was blessed with a school that had a pretty cool library, at least for someone like me, growing up in a fishing town. The library had a kind and lovely librarian, but it was often quiet and not many people visited. I was one of the regulars. Even when I was sick, I preferred resting in the library over the school clinic. I remember we could borrow a maximum of two books, but the kind librarian would sometimes let me take three, haha. My go-to science books back then were mostly by Janice VanCleave. It wasn’t until I got older and familiar with the internet that I realized she was a school teacher who wrote a lot of bestselling Science Fair project books for students. Speaking of Science Fairs, they’re one thing I wish we had more of in Indonesian schools, especially public ones. They’re so fun!
Back to this book, How to Win Friends and Influence Fungi is basically a collection of essays from talks at Nerd Nite. So, what exactly is Nerd Nite?
Nerd Nite is a monthly event held in over 100 cities worldwide, where people give fun, informative 20-minute presentations on a variety of topics while the audience enjoys drinks. The events also feature things like bands, trivia, and more. The goal of Nerd Nite is to make learning both fun and social.For more info, check out their website.
Honestly, this was my first time hearing about this community, and I’m really intrigued!
The key point of Nerd Nite is "Learning in a fun mood." Learning topics they offer cover a wide range of fields, from science to non-science, biology to astronomy, and IT to psychology. The title of the book alone sets the tone for what readers can expect: a witty, light-hearted exploration of some of the most fascinating, bizarre, and unexpected scientific topics. The collection of essays feels like a lively conversation at a science-theme stand-up comedy. For short I'd say the topics are broad and super interesting.
Introduction
For 21 years, Nerd Nite has delivered to live audiences the most interesting, fun, and informative presentations about science, history, the arts, pop culture-you name it (we're modest, too)-as there hasn't been a rabbit hole that our army of presenters hasn't been afraid to explore. Curious about the science of The Simpsons or the cuisine of ancient Egypt? We've had presentations about those. Cyborg feminism> Check. Math feuds? Check. The history of the jumpsuit?Check! Nerd Nite has made hundreds of thousands of people in more than 200 cities across the globe a little bit smarter, and tipsier, by bringing them in person, fun-yet-informative presentation while they drink along.
And the whole time, we toyed with various ways to expand Nerd Nite. TV shows. Documentaries. Rock operas. Puppets. Interpretive dance. If you can think of it, we batted it around. But we think we've stumbled on the optimal method spreading Nerd Nite goodness-good ol' print. Timeless, classic, tree-murdering print.
Whether you're a casual reader looking for fun trivia or someone who enjoys diving deep into scientific oddities, there’s something in here for everyone. Each chapter feels like a lighthearted chat with a super-smart friend who knows how to make even the weirdest facts enjoyable.
Happy reading, fellas!
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