BOOK REVIEWS

cosmology and astrophysics and success- topic. Chapters 12–14 contain some fully explaining how the everyday things thoughts on cosmology, which has been work, how physics sees the complex and a fascination among laymen. These chap- the easy things happening in nature, and ters discuss cosmic rays, neutron stars, moreover, how beautiful it is to under- black holes, X-ray binaries with a men- stand the physics behind them. The first tion of experimental techniques imple- of the 15 chapters discusses about the mented as well. The final chapter, ‘Way personal life of Lewin, including how he of seeing’ enlists the reasons why most was forced to move from the Netherlands of the students find it difficult to study to USA during the World War II, while physics, and explains how our way of half of his family was murdered by the seeing, i.e. the approach towards the sub- Nazis and then how he eventually got ject must be changed. The two appendi- into research, made path-breaking dis- ces succeeding the acknowledgement coveries in X-ray astronomy and became section are interesting, and it becomes world-famous as a teacher. clear why the authors have deliberately

Chapter 2 entitled ‘Measurements, un- placed them at the end, only after reading certainties, and the stars’, though appears them. Though being a non-technical For the Love of Physics: From the End quite a basic one, is of utmost impor- book, it also contains an index which is a of the Rainbow to the Edge of Time—A tance, according to the author. In common feature of standard technical Journey Through the Wonders of Lewin’s own words ‘All important in books in science. Physics. Walter Lewin with Warren making measurements which is always The book keeps reminding the readers Goldstein. Free Press, New York. 2012. ignored in every college physics book is about the physics behind the tiny and 318 pages. Price: Rs 399. the uncertainty in your measurements.’ complex miracles happening around us. The chapter also discusses measurement It creates interest among those who are Walter Lewin, a well-known astrophysi- techniques involved in estimating vari- new to physics and it makes the students cist having more than 450 scientific arti- ous astronomical parameters. The next who are already introduced to it, love the cles to his credit, and who chose to spend three chapters deal with the properties of subject. his career teaching physics to under- matter, discussing thoroughly Newton’s graduate students for 43 years at the laws of motion and gravitation, the prob- PADMANABH SHRIHARI SARPOTDAR prestigious Massachusetts Institute of lem of the pendulum, fluid dynamics and Technology (MIT), USA has come up phenomena related to light such as inter- G.B. Tatha Tatyasaheb Khare Commerce, with this delightful, engaging and acces- ference, diffraction and production of a Parvatibai Gurupad Dhere Arts sible book after his retirement. rainbow. Chapter 6 is devoted to wave and Shri Mahesh Janardan Bhosale The book is not a technical one, but is motion, discussing effects like reso- Science College, meant for general readers where the nance. Chapters 7 and 8 present a lucid Guhagar, Dist. Ratnagiri 415 703, India author’s main goal is to share the joy of discussion on the laws of electromag- e-mail: [email protected] learning that the world we live in is a netic induction, the history behind the knowable place. Warren Goldstein, who production of electricity, historical re- enjoys the honour of writing the intro- view of electromagnetism as well as duction in this book, mentions how each Maxwell’s theory. What is unique in this of the 94 lectures by the author, now book is that the author also provides web- made available at MIT OpenCourse- links for various demonstrations which Ware, YouTube, iTunes-U, etc. is a mas- may help the reader understand the con- terpiece appreciated worldwide and gives cepts better. The reason behind this is a whole list of responses and experiences that Lewin has always placed emphasis Lewin received as a teacher from the stu- on live demonstrations in the lecture hall dent fraternity and his fans all over the during his lecture sessions at MIT. world. He mentions that Lewin’s inbox is Chapter 9 entitled ‘Energy conserva- flooded by e-mails with subject lines like tion’ is a bit off from the main content of ‘You have changed my life!’. This re- the book, but equally important as well, minds the reader of another such great since readers are made aware of the energy Nobel laureate physicist Richard Feynman, and food crisis which our future genera- who again chose teaching as a lifetime tions are going to face, through simple job, and was famous among his students calculations involving high school-level Essays of a Lifetime. Carlo Fonseka. at Caltech, USA, for his unique teaching mathematics. Possible solutions to this are S. Godage & Bros (Pvt) Ltd, , style of making physics interesting. also discussed under the heading ‘Where . 2016. 368 pages. Price: SL Rs It is a tough job to write a book on are we going to get what we need?’ 1320/US$ 20. physics without a single mathematical Chapters 10 and 11 related to X-rays expression and yet covering a vast range are the author’s home-ground and hence There was a time when science was just of topics from mechanics, properties of one can justify the large number of pages one endeavour among many for the great matter, wave motion, electromagnetism, spent on this seemingly less important scientists of the world. For example,

1548 CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 111, NO. 9, 10 NOVEMBER 2016 BOOK REVIEWS

Isaac Newton was a true polymath – a doctorate from the University of Edin- patient in the ward. In his linguistic dex- celebrated master of astronomy, chemis- burgh. His doctoral work on how the terity with command of the English lan- try, mathematics, physics and theology1. pituitary gland puts out growth hormone guage, he put it so elegantly whereas Another polymath was Charles Lutwidge has become the stuff of textbooks. Two from another man it might have seemed Dodgson, more popularly known by his of his papers have each been cited over crude vulgarity. It is that attitude and pen name Lewis Carroll. He was an 100 times. skill of his that gave the world the privi- Oxford mathematician, Anglican theolo- Greatness in life involves the ability to lege of reading how medical negligence gian, musician, author, publisher and communicate. Almost all great men does lead to deaths even from caring, political scientist to whom is attributed evince this truth. Most successful men in ethical doctors. the electoral system of proportional rep- Sri Lanka are no exceptions and products The could not keep resentation which is presently the subject of the church and her schools which gave Fonseka engaged in the pedestrian activi- of raging debates in Sri Lanka and a mat- them their skills. To cite one striking ties of a university where today we4: ter of personal interest to me as I labour example, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike was a at the Election Commission in Sri Lanka. product of Anglican education. Most (i) Split what can be meaningful Science now, however, is so special- public spokesmen of the LTTE were papers into small inane bits to play ized with small incremental advances Tamil Christians although for its mem- the numbers game (where adminis- that there are few polymaths today. Carlo bership the LTTE was rarely able to trators count papers because in the Fonseka (MBBS (First Class), University draw from Christians. specialized world of science they of Ceylon; Ph D, University of Edin- Likewise, Fonseka is a complete pro- cannot judge quality and depth burgh; Emeritus Professor of Physiology duct of the Roman Catholic Church and through actually reading the papers at the (now her St Joseph’s College, Colombo. His and therefore just count papers for Colombo)) is exception – engaging in versatility with the English language is assessment). medicine, management of public bodies, such that I have met a doctor who a gen- (ii) Have journals which will publish theology, music, left-wing politics and eration later preserves his handwritten anything for a fee, and clever aca- many other things, and bringing these to notes on physiology that he took down as demics have created so many cita- the public through op-ed pieces, and Fonseka lectured, as a monumental work tion indexes that make a mockery radio and television talk shows. of literature. Around the year 2004, we of journal evaluations. The book under review consists of a shared the same office while being mem- (iii) See university administrations collected volume of Fonseka’s selected bers of the University Grants Commis- claiming that grant money is im- writings and speeches over a lifetime on sion of Sri Lanka and, in the absence of portant as research because, in re- diverse topics such as medicine, science, his secretary, I had the pleasure as his ality, overheads give them the best philosophy and ethics, religion, econom- friend of typing his articles as he dic- offices in a university. ics, politics, education, the arts, the bio- tated. They were always perfect on the (iv) Recognize even university ranking graphies he has written and his travel first go. (Unfortunately the privileges of is subject to gaming. experiences. The selection has 34 essays high-up government service had then (v) Every metric to measure quality is written between 1971 and 2014. Of par- prevented him from learning the com- countered by clever academics by ticular note is the first chapter, appropri- puter. It now appears that he has become another metric they invent to cheat ately titled ‘To err was fatal’1, wherein computerate, though not to the degree the system. his honesty Fonseka details the five that he is literate.) deaths he attributes to his erroneous in- Fonseka is a man who is seen reading I am sure Fonseka saw this deterioration terventions, where it is clear that he is a different book each time one meets of the university ethos early and left be- being too hard on himself. Recent studies him, and can recite passages from books hind his high-powered research in physi- in the US showing that ‘iatrogentic dam- he read long ago. I rate him Sri Lanka’s ology to work on more important things age (defined as a state of ill-health or best prose writer today. His literary skills like superstitions, politics and religion. adverse effect resulting from medical brought him the editorship of the Sri By far his most successful endeavour is treatment) is the third leading cause of Lanka Association for the Advancement his world-famous demolition of the myths death in the US, after heart disease and of Science in the late 1960s. He was also behind fire-walking. Drawing from my cancer’2 prove Fonseka to be the incorri- elected the President of the Section on upcoming textbook5: ‘Carlo Fonseka be- gible iconoclast he is for speaking of Medical Sciences of the Association in came most famous for his scientific elu- truths that other doctors are not comfort- 1986. His Presidential Address on the cidation and personal demonstration of able with. subject of human violence attracted the how fire-walking is done by Buddhist The book has been positively reviewed attention of the Head of State, who pro- and Hindu devotees who walk across before3 as is natural for one from a cured and perused the script. embers without burning themselves.’ He much-loved public personality. I do not However, communication skills alone starred in a British documentary where wish to detail the book and take away the are not enough for greatness. The ab- he fire-walked, an area where others thrills of reading it. What I will focus on sence of taboos is another dimension of feared to tread and had come a cropper is Fonseka the man. For that is relevant greatness. For example, in his stark hon- by fire-walking to show that it can be to understanding what he writes and bene- esty, Fonseka once confessed to me of done by anyone. In the process they had fit from the lessons his life offers to us. how his conjugal engagements early into burnt their soles badly. Fonseka graduated in medicine from marriage in his house officers’ quarters To demonstrate that there is nothing re- the University of Ceylon and earned his inordinately delayed him from visiting a ligious, Fonseka and his team deliberately

CURRENT SCIENCE, VOL. 111, NO. 9, 10 NOVEMBER 2016 1549 BOOK REVIEWS downed arrack (the local brew) and pork Joseph’s College, he has made a name turned by the new President. Such is the (which devotees abstain from to acquire for himself as a popular musician and perception of him as being politically spiritual power to do the magical walk) one of his lyrics is now sung at Sinhalese conscious and yet above politics. before successfully fire-walking in front weddings as the bride goes away. A In conclusion we may say of Fonseka of British TV cameras with British dirge he composed was included in an what Newton’s tomb at Westminster science fiction writer Arthur C. Clark award-winning Sinhalese movie. Abbey says in Latin: ‘Mortals rejoice watching (https://metavideos.com/video/ In 2005, President Chandrika Banda- that there has existed such and so great 1391344/fire-walk-by-prof-carlo-fonseka). ranaike Kumaratunga, widow of the slain an ornament of the human race!’ He came out with the rules of how it is leader (whose Thankfully, it is much too early for a done – walking fast without allowing the mother was Fonseka’s first cousin) was real eulogy for Fonseka. God bless him soles to heat enough to reach ignition point rooting for her brother Anura Banda- and give us many more years of his in- to burn the flesh, and making the rectan- ranaike to succeed her as the Sri Lanka sightful mind. gular fire bed wide to make it seem big Freedom Party leader, while Mahinda while the length one walks across is nar- Rajapakse staked his own claim. Fonseka row, thereby giving the impression of inclined towards Rajapakse. In 2004, he 1. Fonseka, C., Br. Med. J., 1996, 313(7072), walking across a large bed of embers, etc. wrote a newspaper piece on the Rajapak- 1640–1642. He showed that the thick soles of the fire ses of Ruhuna, which is among the es- 2. Cha, A. E., Washington Post, 3 May 2016. Also see Kressler, C., https://chriskresser. walkers who never use footwear also says re-printed in this book. com/medical-care-is-the-3rd-leading-cause- helped. Again later as the LSSP alliance with of-death-in-the-us/ (downloaded 9 May Fonseka’s forays into politics, how- the Rajapakse regime continued while 2016). ever, were a disaster because, although the Government soured with the people, 3. Fernando Laksiri, A., , 22 he acted with integrity, his associates did and was summarily voted out in presi- March 2016; David Kumar, B., The Island, not. As a member of the Trotskyite dential and general elections in the year 19 March 2016. Lanka Sama Samasamaja Party (LSSP), 2015, his loyalty to the LSSP kept him 4. Hoole, S. R. H., Gaming the system: Ma- Fonseka and his LSSP friends under the silent as many unsavoury things hap- nipulating the impact factor in research, late N. M. Perera, did Tamils proud by pened. His foreign travels were limited IEEE Institute, 25 September 2014. standing up for Tamil rights and parity of because of his membership in a Commu- 5. Hoole, S. R. H. and Hoole, M. M., Ethics for Engineers – A Human Rights, Interna- status for the Tamil language with the nist Party. The US Embassy refused him tionalist Perspective, Cognella Publishers, Sinhalese language. However, as the LSSP a visa, but later relented because the visit San Diego, CA, 2016. realized that the policy was not winning was sponsored by WHO. them votes, they abandoned their noble This period saw Fonseka working qui- ideals. Fonseka had to lapse into silence. etly in administration. The best testament S. RATNAJEEVAN H. HOOLE As the political culture in Sri Lanka to his value as a person is that when the deteriorated, he withdrew into religion Government changed in 2015, he handed Election Commission, and music, and cultivated a new public in his resignation from the posts of Presi- Sarana Road, persona to match. Whether for better or dent of Sri Lanka Medical Council and Rajagriya, Sri Lanka, and worse I am unable to decide. He com- Chairman of the Vijaya Kumaratunga Michigan State University, pleted an M A degree in Buddhism. Memorial Hospital at Seeduwa. However, East Lansing, MI, USA Initiated into Sinhalese music at St his letter of resignation was promptly re- e-mail: [email protected]

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