John Gribbin
Half-Life Stories
Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation
By Timothy J Jorgensen
Princeton University Press 490pp £24.95
I approached this book with low expectations. Ho-hum, I thought, a book about radiation written by a professor of radiation medicine. Probably some dull memoir by a retired old boy. How wrong I was. Strange Glow is a cracking good read, filled with fascinating stories about the people behind the science and covering vastly more of that science than I anticipated, in an accessible style.
The first delight is that Timothy Jorgensen deals with radiation in all its forms, starting with light and putting other kinds of electromagnetic radiation (such as X-rays) in context, as well as explaining the nature of particulate forms of radiation, such as the particle beams used to treat cancers. He starts with, as he puts it, ‘the basics’, a historical overview from Newton to nuclear fusion via X-rays and radium. Just occasionally the American view of the world seems slightly out of tune with my version of reality – as in ‘the British love their plum pudding’ – but this is a small price to pay for a friendly, jargon-free narrative.
In the second part of the book, which deals with the health effects of radiation, Jorgensen really comes into his own. The slightly grim stories of the scientific community’s emerging understanding of the occupational hazards of working with radioactive materials have a morbid fascination. Even the familiar tale of the
Sign Up to our newsletter
Receive free articles, highlights from the archive, news, details of prizes, and much more.@Lit_Review
Follow Literary Review on Twitter
Twitter Feed
Knowledge of Sufism increased markedly with the publication in 1964 of The Sufis, by Idries Shah. Nowadays his writings, much like his father’s, are dismissed for their Orientalism and inaccuracy.
@fitzmorrissey investigates who the Shahs really were.
Fitzroy Morrissey - Sufism Goes West
Fitzroy Morrissey: Sufism Goes West - Empire’s Son, Empire’s Orphan: The Fantastical Lives of Ikbal and Idries Shah by Nile Green
literaryreview.co.uk
Rats have plagued cities for centuries. But in Baltimore, researchers alighted on one surprising solution to the problem of rat infestation: more rats.
@WillWiles looks at what lessons can be learned from rat ecosystems – for both rats and humans.
Will Wiles - Puss Gets the Boot
Will Wiles: Puss Gets the Boot - Rat City: Overcrowding and Urban Derangement in the Rodent Universes of John B ...
literaryreview.co.uk
Twisters features destructive tempests and blockbuster action sequences.
@JonathanRomney asks what the real danger is in Lee Isaac Chung's disaster movie.
https://literaryreview.co.uk/eyes-of-the-storm