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E=mc2. Just about everyone has at least heard of Albert Einstein's formulation of 1905, which came into the world as something of an afterthought. But far fewer can explain his insightful linkage of energy to mass. David Bodanis offers an easily grasped gloss on the equation. Mass, he writes, "is simply the ultimate type of condensed or concentrated energy," whereas energy "is what billows out as an alternate form of mass under the right circumstances."
Just what those circumstances are occupies much of Bodanis's book, which pays homage to Einstein and, just as important, to predecessors such as Maxwell, Faraday, and Lavoisier, who are not as well known as Einstein today. Balancing writerly energy and scholarly weight, Bodanis offers a primer in modern physics and cosmology, explaining that the universe today is an expression of mass that will, in some vastly distant future, one day slide back to the energy side of the equation, replacing the "dominion of matter" with "a great stillness"--a vision that is at once lovely and profoundly frightening.
Without sliding into easy psychobiography, Bodanis explores other circumstances as well; namely, Einstein's background and character, which combined with a sterling intelligence to afford him an idiosyncratic view of the way things work--a view that would change the world. --Gregory McNamee
Book Description
Already climbing the bestseller lists-and garnering rave reviews-this "little masterpiece"* sheds brilliant light on the equation that changed the world.
"This is not a physics book. It is a history of where the equation [E=mc2] came from and how it has changed the world. After a short chapter on the equation's birth, Bodanis presents its five symbolic ancestors in sequence, each with its own chapter and each with rich human stories of achievement and failure, encouragement and duplicity, love and rivalry, politics and revenge. Readers meet not only famous scientists at their best and worst but also such famous and infamous characters as Voltaire and Marat...Bodanis includes detailed, lively and fascinating back matter...His acknowledgements end, 'I loved writing this book.' It shows." (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)
"E=mc2, focusing on the 1905 theory of special relativity, is just what its subtitle says it is: a biography of the world's most famous equation, and it succeeds beautifully. For the first time, I really feel that I understand the meaning and implications of that equation, as Bodanis takes us through each symbol separately, including the = sign...there is a great 'aha!' awaiting the lay reader." (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
"'The equation that changed everything' is familiar to even the most physics-challenged, but it remains a fuzzy abstraction to most. Science writer Bodanis makes it a lot more clear." (Discover)
"Excellent...With wit and style, he explains every factor in the world's most famous and least understood equation....Every page is rich with surprising anecdotes about everything from Einstein's youth to the behind-the-scenes workings of the Roosevelt administration. Here's a prediction: E=mc2 is one of those odd, original, and handsomely written books that will prove more popular than even its publisher suspects." (Nashville Scene)
"You'll learn more in these 300 pages about folks like Faraday, Lavoisier, Davy and Rutherford than you will in many a science course...a clearly written, astonishingly understandable book that celebrates human achievement and provides some idea of the underlying scientific orderliness and logic that guides the stars and rules the universe." (Parade )
"Bodanis truly has a gift for bringing his subject matter to life." (Library Journal [starred review] )
"Entertaining...With anecdotes and illustrations, Bodanis effectively opens up E=mc2 to the widest audience." (Booklist )
"Accessible...he seeks, and deserves, many readers who know no physics. They'll learn a handful-more important, they'll enjoy it, and pick up a load of biographical and cultural curios along the way." (Publishers Weekly)
Customer Reviews:
Interesting History of Science.......2007-09-21
This is not a book for people who are looking to learn science. It is a book for people who want to learn about scientists. Bodanis includes lots of fascinating biographical snippets, some about people, such as Emilie du Châtelet, who are entirely overlooked in most textbook histories. His book is a great introduction for those who want to fill in some of the gaps in their knowledge about the people who created modern civilization.
Simple equation, enormous implications.......2007-09-13
A well written story about this famous equation, its history, and perhaps it's future. I STILL don't fully understand it all, but hey, the author tried.
Another masterpiece by Bodanis.......2007-07-20
David Bodanis as a way of writing that one can enjoy. I love all his work and this book was no disappointment. A masterful mix of history and physics that makes science come alive. I can recommend all Bodanis's books.
Even more undrstanding.......2007-04-14
This was a splendid documenation of the actions and thoughts of the individuals involved in the revelations of the most important discoveries in physics ever made. It was told in an exceptionally clear manner by the author. It was very obvious that his research was thorough. He also documented all his discoveries so that the reader could easily do more research.
Personally, I had a hard time putting it down even though I have read other books on the subject. It is the best technical writing I can remember.
Havent read it yet.......2007-03-22
Really havent read it yet, I just bought it for a class, but it looks boring.
Book Description
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Einstein’s miracle year of discoveries, a new edition of the bestselling “biography” of his famous equation
Generations have grown up knowing that the equation E=mc2 changed the shape of our world, but never understanding what it actually means, why it was so significant, and how it informs our daily lives today--governing, as it does, everything from the atomic bomb to a television's cathode ray tube to the carbon dating of prehistoric paintings. In this book, David Bodanis writes the "biography" of one of the greatest scientific discoveries in history--that the realms of energy and matter are inescapably linked--and, through his skill as a writer and teacher, he turns a seemingly impenetrable theory into a dramatic human achievement and an uncommonly good story.
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating!.......2006-03-27
Even though I like math & science subjects, I do not normally put math, science and fascinating all together in the same sentence. E = MC2 is such an interesting story, mostly because it brings "life" into the process. The analytical work was well described for each of the respective persons, along with their human side.
Excellent! I will read more by this author!
Good Book, Good TV show........2005-10-18
I first heard of this book from the TV show of the same name. The show, presented on PBS by Nova on October 11, 2005 was one of the highlights of the year so far. Asuming that the book would be better than the show I immediately went out and bought it. I was not disappointed. The show was great. The book is great. The show brings out the essense of the book in an extremely easy way. The book backs up the show with greater detail. The show will undoubtedly be repeated watch for it, go buy the book now.
Basically this book/show talks about each term in the famous equasion. What is energy, where/when did we start to think of it? And what's mass? And of course c, the speed limit of the universe. This book uses these terms as the starting point to explain how each of these terms were developed. And then Einstein put them together.
The way the book/show treats Lise Meitner is supurb. She was at the cutting edge of nuclear physics for 55 years. In 1992 the 109th element was named Meitnerium (Mt) in her honor (Einsteinium is number 99). One point not mentioned, at the time when she was developing the basic theory of radioactivity as depicted in the show, she was sixty years old, not the young actress playing her part. Einstein called her 'The German Madame Curie.'
In one scene in the show Einstein is talking to his first wife Mileva Maric. He is explaining the equasion. His wife asks if he would like her to check his mathematics. Mileva Maric was no dummy. Largely forgotten until the recent publication of the love letters Einstein wrote to her, she provided enough input into Einstein's theories that she probably should have been listed as a co-developer, but in those days women just couldn't do those things. Further, the show didn't quite bring out that the famous equasion had a very rigorous mathematical background based on the then newly developed tensor calculus.
Enough writing: Get the book, when it comes out buy the DVD of the show, buy the DVD of the PBS show 'Einstein's Wife.' They cannot be recommended too highly.
A different take on Einstein and relativity.......2004-08-18
Because so much has been written about Einstein, it's not easy to come up with a fresh approach to him and his work. But that's what Bodanis has done, by tracing the history of each of the five symbols in the equation E = mc(2). Then Bodanis traces some of the implications of Einstein's work, from the Bomb to Black Holes.
Readers who are primarily interested in the personalities and dramas of science may like this book better than those interested in the science itself. Bodanis made a deliberate decision to keep the scientific content of the main part of the book light (too light for my taste), but then to put more meat into his extensive notes and web site. Call me old fashioned, but I don't want to have to go to an author's web site to get the full story.
Still, for anyone interested in Einstein and relativity, it's a worthwhile read.
Robert Adler, author of Science Firsts: From the Creation of Science to the Science of Creation; and Medical Firsts: From Hippocrates to the Human Genome
Average customer rating:
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E=mc2 : A Biography Of The World's Most Famous Equation
David Bodanis
Manufacturer: Doubleday Canada
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Mathematical Physics
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Mathematical Physics
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ASIN: 0385258909 |
Book Description
E=mc2 was born in 1905, the brainchild of Albert Einstein.
In this lucid and brilliant book, one of the best popularizers of science illuminates one of science's most complex concepts. Ranging widely from Exit signs in theatres to the future fate of the earth, from smoke detectors to black holes and the structure of the atom, David Bodanis delivers a scintillating and colourful account of the real meaning of E=mc2.
Average customer rating:
- Good overview of the famous equation.
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E=mc2: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation
David Bodanis
Manufacturer: Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Quantum Theory
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ASIN: 0333780337 |
Customer Reviews:
Good overview of the famous equation........2006-02-25
I originally wrote this review for the hardcover edition, but I actually read the paperback. The pictures in the paperback are not on glossy paper and are therefore not very high quality, but I do not know if this is enough of a drawback to prompt one to buy the hardback instead.
I saw the PBS program that was based on this book, so I purchased it hoping to get a more detailed treatment. All in all, I liked the film better, but this is not to say that this book is not worth reading.
The book is, as the title describes, a biography (discussion) of the famous Einstein equation. The author goes into detail describing each term (including the = sign). While I have an advanced science degree, I found that there was much of the story that I did not know. Bodanis goes into the personal relationships of all the players and puts their contributions into a social and political as well as a scientific context. I am very familiar with Michael Faraday, but did not appreciate his relationship with Maxwell. I did not realize exactly why Lavoisier was beheaded, or of the contributions of his wife. The author highlights the many overlooked contributions of women scientists. While I was well aware of the work of Lisa Meitner, I had never heard of Emilie du Chatelet and of her very important contributions to 18th century science. The book gives a brief but non-rigorous derivation of the equation itself. It is physical and logical and gave me a very good idea of how Einstein was able to equate energy and mass. Unfortunately, I think that it is a bit of a fudge, and was not the way that Einstein actually derived the formula. Nonetheless, it did let me see that the equation is a logical outgrowth of the special theory of relativity. Bodanis does this in a very readable manner and you definitely do NOT need a science background to understand and enjoy this book.
The book covers more than just the famous equation. The book goes into the Manhattan project, Nazi science and their quest for the atomic bomb, the persecution of German Jewish scientists and applications of the equation beyond the atomic bomb. As I said, I liked the film better, but this book is a very useful and entertaining companion to it, as well as a good stand alone read. I would recommend this book to those who want to know more about; the equation itself, the personalities who were involved with the various terms that make up the equation, some of the history of science (particularly as it pertains to women in science), the history of the making of the atomic bomb and a bit of cosmology. While not a complete discussion of these topics the book does give a very useful and entertaining snapshot of them.
Customer Reviews:
Entertaining and Educational.......2006-06-27
This book wasn't about relativity as much as how the discoveries were made that lead to Einstein's theory. It also talks about the significance of the equation without getting very deep into the math and physics.
I very much enjoyed reading about the scientists over the past several hundred years who made contributions that lead to this theory.
If you want a general idea of what relativity is (without a lot of math) as well as a historical survey of science then this book would be an excellent read.
I have one suggestion for improvement. I would have liked some illustrations to help me visualize some of the experiments he describes.
Opportunity Lost.......2006-05-18
A solid "C" at best (not the c for the speed of light either). The main text of the book is a rather superficial history of one of the most important scientific theories. The substance is in the notes found at the end of the book. I only found them and realized their value after I had read the main text. A real shame.
Typical of so much of current writing flowing from academia, the author wastes time and space sniping at his perception of racism, sexism, social discrimination. He even appears compelled to throw some worshipful comments about Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela as though that was part of the required template among profs these days.
The ironic, and in all likelihood unintended, conclusion from reading the book is that, but for racism, sexism and social class ostracism, the theory of relativity would never have been worked out.
Great Popular Science.......2006-02-23
Had it had a bit more depth I would have given this book 5 stars. A great book for those with a limited physics background and a love of history. Also a very good read for those with a science background as it ties together many aspects of physics and chemistry.
I saw the PBS program that was based on this book, so I purchased it hoping to get a more detailed treatment. All in all, I liked the film better, but this is not to say that this book is not worth reading.
The book is, as the title describes, a biography (discussion) of the famous Einstein equation. The author goes into detail describing each term (including the = sign). While I have an advanced science degree, I found that there was much of the story that I did not know. Bodanis goes into the personal relationships of all the players and puts their contributions into a social and political as well as a scientific context. I am very familiar with Michael Faraday, but did not appreciate his relationship with Maxwell. I did not realize exactly why Lavoisier was beheaded, or of the contributions of his wife. The author highlights the many overlooked contributions of women scientists. While I was well aware of the work of Lisa Meitner, I had never heard of Emilie du Chatelet and of her very important contributions to 18th century science. The book gives a brief but non-rigorous derivation of the equation itself. It is physical and logical and gave me a very good idea of how Einstein was able to equate energy and mass. Unfortunately, I think that it is a bit of a fudge, and was not the way that Einstein actually derived the formula. Nonetheless, it did let me see that the equation is a logical outgrowth of the special theory of relativity. Bodanis does this in a very readable manner and you definitely do NOT need a science background to understand and enjoy this book.
The book covers more than just the famous equation. The book goes into the Manhattan project, Nazi science and their quest for the atomic bomb, the persecution of German Jewish scientists and applications of the equation beyond the atomic bomb. As I said, I liked the film better, but this book is a very useful and entertaining companion to it, as well as a good stand alone read. I would recommend this book to those who want to know more about; the equation itself, the personalities who were involved with the various terms that make up the equation, some of the history of science (particularly as it pertains to women in science), the history of the making of the atomic bomb and a bit of cosmology. While not a complete discussion of these topics the book does give a very useful and entertaining snapshot of them.
Filled with Biased and Emotional Judgements .......2006-02-20
As a Japanese citizen, I do not want to believe that Einstein wrote to FDR many times trying to persuade him to build A-bombs by using explicit words and I do not want to believe that FRD was so stupid and impolite that he declined the proposal by such a well-known nobel-laureate physicist. We Japanese like Einstein very much, and probably Einstein liked Japan very much since he visited Japan twice, both time welcomed by heated celebrations. It is also unlikely that he hated Germany that much since many of his relatives and friends were still there. When Einstein arrived in US, he had only a few hundred English words in his vocabulary and probably was not able to write decent letters in English. It is rather well known that a Hungarian physicist Leo Szilard wrote the letter, performed all the meticulous errands, and Einstein just signed. No letter of Einstein quoted in this book has the date or the source. Also I don't want to believe Heisenberg was a bad guy just because he was an excellent scientist. Although I firmly believe in Lise Meitner's great contribution to the fission theory, I do not want to think that Otto Hahn was a bad guy who expelled her from Keiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin and stole the theory from her; to Keiser Wilhelm Institute and Otto Hahn, it was much better to let her away than losing her in a gas chamber; also in the situation with Nazi governed Germany, Otto Hahn just could not mention, in his paper, her name and her nephew's name (Robert Frisch), who were known as Jews. This book is unscientifically emotional, dramatized, opinionated and biased, so is my review of this book. "Brighter Than Athousand Suns" by Robert Jungk was much better to understand the historical event, and I expect much to "Heisenberg's War" by Thomas Powers.
This is a keeper.......2003-12-29
I first encountered this book at the library as a book on tape. I was fascinated. It would make a good companion to Richard Rhodes' The Making of the Atomic Bomb.
Book Description
In her first published mystery, Agatha Christie introduces readers to the heroic detective, Hercule Poirot. This is a classic murder mystery set in the outskirts of Essex. The victim is the wealthy mistress of Styles Court. The list of suspects is long and includes her gold-digging new spouse and stepsons, her doctor, and her hired companion.
Download Description
The illustrious career of Hercule Poirot begins with this tale of intrigue. Poirot, a master of inquiry, is called in to investigate the sudden death of elderly Emily Inglethorp at Styles Court in the village of Styles-Saint-Mary in Essex. She has just married for a second time, and Alfred Inglethorp (a former secretary and 20 years younger than Emily) is the new husband. There are many people in residence at Styles at the time of death who can be considered suspects...at the top of the list is Alfred whose name she repeated several times as she was dying. Nervously restrained accusations in the household reach the bursting point. A post-mortem is performed; strychnine is detected. This sensitive situation now requires the utmost discretion. Poirot, a retired Belgian detective, employs investigative methods that inspect every small detail that tells its own story and must fit seamlessly into the whole picture. A shattered coffee cup, a piece of burned paper, an empty box of sedatives, and several wills written at different times must all be considered. Poirot's careful and ceaseless examination of particulars at last bring the complicated events to a precise resolution. Please Note: This book has been reformatted to be easy to read in true text, not scanned images that can sometimes be difficult to decipher. The Microsoft eBook has a contents page linked to the chapter headings for easy navigation. The Adobe eBook has bookmarks at chapter headings and is printable up to two full copies per year. Both versions are text searchable.
Customer Reviews:
Good beginning for Poirot.......2007-08-29
The Mysterious Affair at Styles was the first novel to introduce the great Hercule Poirot to the world. It also introduced Arthur Hastings, who appears in a number of other Poirot novels. The story begins with Hastings arriving at Styles Court to visit an old friend and his family. While he is at the estate, the Mistress of the house is killed. By a lucky coincidence, Poirot is in the nearby village and free to investigate the matter. The cast of suspects is largely drawn from the woman's family. Poirot interviews them all in his unique style and his little grey cells are put to the test as he attempts to untangle the mystery as many twists and turns ensue.
Because this is the first Poirot novel, you might expect that it would be lacking compared to the later efforts. It is often the case that characters become better developed in later stories, for example. In this case, you will find a very typical Poirot novel, with no real evidence that Christie hadn't yet found his voice. His little witticisms and eccentricities are present, the upper class suspects, the relatively remote "bottle" location for the murder... all of these are typical elements in a Hercule Poirot novel and all are well executed. Once the story gets going, it moves along very well and the mystery certainly held my attention to the very end. The suspects were all pretty interesting and Poirot himself is pure gold. The only sour note for me was Hastings who is a bit too dense for my taste as well as being too pure of a Dr. Watson clone.
Overall, The Mysterious Affair at Styles is well worth reading. If it isn't the best Poirot story, it is still far from the worst. While I might recommend a first time Christie reader to look elsewhere (Death on the Nile: A Hercule Poirot Mystery (Hercule Poirot Mysteries), or Evil Under the Sun: A Hercule Poirot Mystery), this is definitely worth trying for those who have read several Poirot novels and are looking for their latest fix of the little Belgian.
Into Mysteries? This is the place to start!.......2007-06-01
The novel Mysterious Affair at Styles: A Hercule Poirot Mystery by Agatha Christie is the perfect staring point for any fan of the mystery/thriller genre. There is a reason Ms. Christie is one of the most popular and prolific writers - with some 80+ titles to her credit - she is as enjoyable today as she was in 1920, when this classic was published. It is in this novel that we are first introduced to Hercule Poirot, an off little man who uses his little grey cells to solve mysteries. This is not Ms. Christies best work; however, it is a great foundation for truly enjoying a true fan favorite and mystery's true MVP!
Hercule Poirot! It all started here!.......2007-04-18
"The Mysterious Affair at Styles" can only be categorized as a classic among classics. In 1920, on the strength of a dare, Agatha Christie penned a cozy mystery that introduced a grateful reading world to Hercule Poirot and Arthur Hastings, the detective and sidekick duo who hold their place in literary fame alongside such luminaries as Holmes and Watson or Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe.
Captain Arthur Hastings, a guest at Styles Court, the family manor of long-time friend John Cavendish, finds himself hip-deep in a locked room murder mystery when Cavendish's mother, Emily Inglethorpe, is found poisoned by strychnine inside her locked bedroom! Hastings, who fancies himself a competent amateur sleuth, suggests the Cavendish family engage his friend, Hercule Poirot, a recently retired Belgian detective of no small skill and reputation, to find the culprit. There is certainly no shortage of possible motives, clues and suspects - John and Lawrence Cavendish, the victim's sons who are suffering from pecuniary difficulty and constant financial embarrassment; Alfred Ingelthorpe, the blackguard, money-grubbing husband who stands to inherit the entire estate at the expense of the rest of the family; Evie Howard, Mrs Inglethorpe's companion and long-time family friend recently dismissed from the estate after a bitter argument with the matriarch over the intentions of her new husband; Cynthia Murdoch, the chemist with access to strychnine; or perhaps Dr Bauerstein, a renowned expert on poisons entangled in an affair with Mary Cavendish!
A thoroughly enjoyable novel, easily read in a couple of sittings, "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" introduced us to all the hallmarks of typical Poirot mysteries - the quirky, vain fastidiousness of the little Belgian detective and his love of method, order and the use of "the little gray cells"; the loyalty, charm, unfailing gentlemanly behaviour and decidedly humorous upper class character of the ex-military man, Hastings; the liberal sprinkling of clues and possible suspects; and, of course, the much-loved and often imitated stereotypical congregation of the entire cast in the single room climax in which Poirot outlines his deductions and reveals the culprit for the edification of all!
If you've never read an Agatha Christie mystery, this would perhaps be THE place to start! If you've read her work before, then pick this one up again, re-read it and discover why you fell in love with Agatha Christie and Poirot in the first place.
Highly recommended.
The most ponderous of the Agatha titles.......2007-01-04
The most ponderous of the Agatha titles. A bit too many servants and old fashioned. As Agatha herself said, "When I go back and read my books, I can't believe how many servants were around." Her autobiography.
But start here. The first!
Mary
A Locked-Room Mystery in an English Country House.......2006-09-22
Agatha Christie began her series of Hercule Poirot mysteries in 1920 with THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES. As the novel opens, it is 1917; the Great War is on, and Lieutenant Arthur Hastings, the novel's genial narrator, has been wounded. To recuperate he goes to the country estate of a friend, John Cavendish, who lives with his wife, Mary, his younger brother, Lawrence, and a girl, Cynthia, who is the ward of his stepmother, Emily Agnes Inglethorp, who owns the estate. Mrs. Inglethorp has recently married a man twenty years her junior, whom no one else in the household likes - least of all her paid companion, Evelyn Howard. Hastings' restful sojourn at Styles is interrupted when Mrs. Inglethorp is poisoned, in a classic locked-room scenario. Hastings then joins forces with Hercule Poirot, a Belgian refugee and former police inspector living in the village, to hunt down the murderer...and a partnership is born.
The story's quaint country-house setting and its depiction of the beginnings of Poirot's English career are its most memorable features. The intricate murder-plot is great fun, and in developing it the author uses a technique for misleading the reader which she would repeat in later stories. I can't explain what the technique is without revealing the novel's ending, so I'll just say that THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES is a detective story that should prove just as enjoyable for longtime fans of the charming Poirot as for those new to the character and his creator, Agatha Christie. Also highly recommended, for those who have finished the novel: the superb made-for-TV version of THE MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR AT STYLES, starring David Suchet as Poirot and Hugh Fraser as Hastings, and available on DVD from Amazon.com.
Book Description
The heiress of Styles has been murdered, dying in agony from strychnine slipped into her coffee. And there are plenty of people who would gain from her death: the financially strapped stepson, the gold-digging younger husband, and an embittered daughter-in-law. Monsieur Poirot comes out of retirement to figure out who would have the impudence--and the motive--to commit the crime. In this book Agatha Christie's eccentric and hugely popular detective, Hercule Poirot, was introduced to the world, launching her career as the most famous and best-loved of all mystery writers. Newly designed and typeset in a modern 6-by-9-inch format by Waking Lion Press.
Average customer rating:
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The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Hercule Poirot Mysteries (Audio))
Agatha Christie
Manufacturer: Tantor Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: MP3 CD
Classics
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British Detectives
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Christie, Agatha
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ASIN: 1400152712 |
Average customer rating:
- This one is a page-turning, spine-tingling mystery .
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The Mysterious Affair at Styles, the Secret Adversary: An Agatha Christie Omnibus
Agatha Christie
Manufacturer: Carroll & Graf Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0786704349 |
Customer Reviews:
This one is a page-turning, spine-tingling mystery ........2004-06-24
The Secret Adversary was one of the most engaging books I have ever read. Set in post World War I England, two down-on-their-luck friends (Prudence Cowley and Tommy Beresford) form a pact to create Young Adventurers, Ltd., a company billing itself as willing to perform any task-- provided the pay was good enough. Yet before they place their advertisement, Prudence is approached by an unusual man who has overheard their conversation and wants to meet her-- alone-- the next morning. The story that follows stimulates the mind as well as appeasing those with a taste for action, without being graphic or offensive. Truly a good read.
Book Description
The heiress of Styles has been murdered, dying in agony from strychnine slipped into her coffee. And there are plenty who would gain from her death: the financially strapped stepson, the gold digging younger husband, and an embittered daughter-in-law.
Agatha Christie's eccentric and hugely popular detective, Hercule Poirot, was introduced to the world in this book, which launched her career as the most famous and best loved of all mystery writers.
Customer Reviews:
Ever Heard of "Spoiler Alert"?.......2006-07-18
Dear Barry R. L. Went "Spooky Epileptic":
Why would you write a review of a mystery where you give away who-done-it? Who will be reading your review? Answer: People thinking of buying the book, some of whom, like me, HAVE NEVER READ IT! Why should I buy it now?
I know my review is inappropriate (not being about the book, which I haven't read) and will be removed. But I really hope Amazon.com removes your review or at least the part where you describe who the killer is. What were you thinking?
Revolutionary Title.......2005-03-16
When Agatha released this masterpiece, there was a huge uproar as to whether Agatha had broken the rules of detection novels by having the narrator be the murderer. Nevertheless, it was decided that as long as the detective wasn't the murderer it was fair game. This opened up a huge new field in detection. Because of Agatha there were now limitless possibilities, multiple narrators, multiple murderers, different perspectives, etc. That work alone revolutionized the field of murder mysteries.
Exerpt from my "Mrs. Miller" Biography of Dame Christie
This is the bookt hat revolutionized Detection, if you've ever seen Gosford Park, this is what made that possible, if it had been decided that good novels must stick to rules, we couldn't have had any cat and mouse chases or reverse novels.
Thank Agatha, buy this book.
A Good Start to a Great Career.......2004-12-07
Many have read Murder on the Orient Express and other classic Agatha Christie books. I probably read my first Christie book 25 years ago.
But I had never heard of her first book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, before spotting it in a library. This book is certainly not her best. But it is certainly worth reading. Interestingly, despite introducing her famous detective Hercule Poirot to the reader, she treats him as a person who people should know if they know anything about detectives, as someone with whom we are all acquainted already.
The plot has all the hallmarks of Agatha's later works. A person dies. There are small assorted clues, but nothing like a smoking gun. There are people who hate the victim, and people who love them, but Christie manages to draw suspicion upon both sets of characters alike without making the plot seem forced. The intricate plan for the murder that eventually comes out is similarly within the realm of possibility.
The only real problem I had was that when Poirot revealed the final clue, it was something none of us could have guessed beforehand. Still, this was a good first effort in a marvelous career for Agatha Christie.
Average customer rating:
- A Must Read for the True Mystery Lover
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The Mysterious Affair at Styles: A Detective Story (Mortalis)
Agatha Christie
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0812977203
Release Date: 2007-02-13 |
Book Description
In this mesmerizing classic of detective fiction by world-renowned mystery author Agatha Christie, the brilliant Belgian detective Hercule Poirot makes his unforgettable–and legendary–debut.
Who poisoned the wealthy Emily Inglethorpe, and how did the murderer penetrate and escape from her locked bedroom? Suspects abound in the quaint village of Styles St. Mary, just outside Essex. Among those basking in the shadow of doubt are the heiress’s fawning new husband, her two aimless stepsons, her volatile housekeeper, and a pretty nurse who works in a hospital dispensary. And though the identity of the culprit will prove as shocking as the crime, nothing gets past the calm logic and cool head of Hercule Poirot.
“The key to the success of this style of detective novel lies in how the author deals with both the clues and the red herrings, and it has to be said that no one bettered Agatha Christie at this game.”
–Elizabeth George
“Future scholars of the simon-pure detective novel will hold that its greatest practitioner . . . has been Agatha Christie.”
–The New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews:
A Must Read for the True Mystery Lover.......2007-04-11
"87 years ago the grande dame created Hercule Poirot to solve with logic and deduction the murder and he has been with us ever since. A must read for the true mystery lover."
Product Description
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