Science and the City: The Mechanics Behind the Metropolis (Bloomsbury Sigma) Hardcover – October 25, 2016

This book was an easy read . The author did a fine job of touching on a multitude of topics related to today's modern cities. It's written for the layman so specialists will probably quibble. I live in a city and this book opened my eyes a bit. I would have liked to have heard more about how metro sumps are emptied and there was a chapter that seemed rushed but all in all I enjoyed it and would recommend it to most anyone open to science.

This is sort of a culmination of readings on infrastructure including roads, the grid, and water supply. It did not disappoint!

I was disappointed the book didn't get down to the nitty gritty as to how the city functions;it just seemed to be listing items in a superficial way and talking about future gee whiz things that are vaguely "in the works". I guess a book that dealt with a specific city would have been better for me because my curiosity about the topic stems from an impression that some cities are on the verge of transportation gridlock and I thought possibly less visibly also reaching gridlock in terms of other services and I was curious how these problems could be solved given the limitations in the real world rather just theoretically in terms of physical laws.

This book is a great read for those of us who are interested in our environment around us! I thoroughly enjoyed the world Ms. Winkless unveiled.

This book’s author explores the question: how does a city work? Starting with the erecting of skyscrapers, she discusses the electrical grid, water/sewage systems, roads, vehicles, transportation, etc. Each topic is the subject of an entire chapter. Also, roughly the second half of each chapter is devoted to expected future developments in the subject matter at hand.The author writes in a style that is friendly, lighthearted, accessible and well-informed; she has consulted specialists in each of her selected categories, thus adding specialized expertise to her discussions. I believe that this is a book that can be enjoyed by anyone.

This is a great well written and informative book on the science behind the everyday things we see and experience in the city. While this book is well written and very accurate it is written towards more the general/lay audience in mind.

Winkless had an extremely challenging objective: explain the science behind various phenomena of urban life, from transport to water supply. She has a very personal style meant to be fun, but often not. Perhaps to keep herself engaged, she is more focused on the future, and what it might hold, than on the present. Her explanatory talents are mediocre, but she is well attuned to what the general reader is likely to understand.I loved the work that has been done on mixing recycled plastic with gravel and bitumen to create a road surface that is stronger and seems immune to potholes. It is also cheaper.

For writing style alone - that is, the 'translation' of all the STEM into intelligent, engaging, personable narrative - Winkless earned all 5 stars, hands down. Even just her overall organizing structure, the streamlining of the magnificent, overwhelming tangle of a city into discrete, logical, familiar chunks (skyscrapers, bridges, etc.) was a feat worth reading. The clever title chapters - one word each: Up, Switch, Drive, Connect, etc. - conveyed the core concept as well as underscoring this book would be concise and approachable. Throughout, she was not shy about sharing her uber-nerdiness, another big plus. Her interactions (interviews, synopses) with experts were spot-on & seamless. I could've used a bit less of the very frequent interjection, 'well, but we'll get to more on that in a minute,' a distraction that seemed to be her version of a speaker's 'um' (as opposed to a necessary clarifying phrase). The logical extension of current science/research into what could likely happen with sustainable/safe/super-cool city features in the near and not-so-near future added a fun, 'oh, I hope so' layer. Also, these passages (and the final section) served as a sort of formative assessment for the reader (Did I get all the earlier points? Does this application make sense?). This should be required reading for students - anyone ~8th grade & up would gain from it (for both the STEM and the clarity of writing).

I don’t remember the last time I read a book that featured so much corporate puffery. One seriously begins to wonder what the profit margin must be for such a short book which contains so much advertising. Must’ve been incredible. So well done on that front. Edifying read, however, it really is not.While the author seems very knowledgeable about the topic, and notwithstanding the fact that the topic is very compelling, the book was an absolute waste of money and I urge others not to make the same mistake I did in buying it.After every explanation of every novel technology, we’re treated to the (undeclared) “...and now a word from our sponsors” section, where author rolls a few pat-back questions to the brand behind the tech, such as “how did you manage to do such a great job?” or “What part of your successful design do you think is the best?”It gets really quite embarrassing.I should add, I don’t have hard evidence that the advertisements in the book were actually paid for by the brands in question, but it certainly appears that way and I wonder if this is the new way of the world now... are we expected to pay for the ads we endure?No thanks.

I actually bought this book as a present for a family member because I thought she'd enjoy it, and find it interesting. I managed to pick up this book over my holiday to have a good read myself - although the topic is generally quite interesting, and it does give insight into how things are done - I find the writing style a bit less advanced that other books on similar topics. The level of writing is probably more similar at high GCSE / low A-level if terms of quality of content - I don't intend this comment to come across as a snobby: what I mean is, if you compare information given to students in revision books at that level - the information is delivered in a similar way! There are definitely more interesting chapters for one to read, but I think that is also down to personal preference.

I absolutely love the way this book has been written. It feels like a friend is talking to me, it enables non-scientific minds like myself to understand, appreciate and learn about the science facts that is overwhelming in other contexts. Definitely a must read. So many little facts that can be included in design technology lessons as starter activity questions.

A wonderful book which is a treat for scientists, school students and the general public. Winkless is clearly an expert, who can explain her research to any audience. The book is not just a catalogue of facts, but a cleverly worded demonstration of how important science is in our daily lives.

Really enjoyed this book. The author's enthusiasm for all things tech is infectious and it's written in a very accessible style. There's so much I didn't know about the science and technology behind how cities work. The chapters are in nice bite-sized chunks so I managed to get through one per commute. Would recommend it!