Critical Acclaim
Recognition and Reviews of Spark:
"The combination of uncertainty and controversy about neural electricity makes Spark, Jorgensen's remarkably diverse story of this crucial subject, full of vitality." -- Andrew Robinson
"[A] chatty, wide-ranging tour of electricity's role in biology and medicine." -- Jerome Groopman
"Jorgensen focuses not on electricity as a power source for appliances and electronic devices, but rather on its role in biology. ... Written for a general audience, Spark is intended to both educate and entertain."
"Rather than presenting the bland physics of charge particles, Jorgensen weaves together tales of serendipitous revelations, strange misconceptions, and emerging understandings, showing how the ancients' first impression of electricity's animating role has been borne out by the discoveries of modern neuroscience. ... [The] many memorably passages make this book so galvanizing from start to finish." —Laurence A. Marschall
Finalist for the 2022 PROSE Award in the Popular Science and Math category, Association of American Publishers.
"A fascinating history of humanity's gradual understanding of electricity. . . . Jorgensen's study is full of entertaining details, and his passion is evident. . . . The result is a sparkling reminder of the strange wonders of life."
"The narrative bobs and weaves through tales you'd expect (the AC/DC wars) and ones you might not (an entire chapter on zombies), with diversions on electrolysis, electric chairs, and Elon Musk. It's a fascinating and readable journey with the author slipping in folksy first-person anecdotes along the way." -- Brennen Jensen
"A fascinating biomedical approach to the history of knowledge about electricity and its future uses."-- E. J. Delaney
"In Spark, [Jorgensen brings his] lucid, engaging approach to explaining the science of electricity from a biological and medical perspective -- what it is, how it works, and how it affects people's lives."
Recognition and Reviews of Strange Glow:
The author won the Science Communication Award in the category “books” for writing Strange Glow. The annual Science Communication Awards of the AIP were established in the 1960s to recognize the best science writing of the previous year. Entries aim to improve the general public's appreciation of the physical sciences, astronomy, math and related science fields.
Strange Glow won a PROSE Award in the category “history of science, medicine and technology.” The PROSE Awards are awarded annually by the Association of American Publishers and are considered the publishing industry’s top awards for professional and scholarly works.
Strange Glow -- the "stylish history of radiation" -- ranked SIXTH BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR among all books published in 2016.
Strange Glow listed among the TOP TEN SCIENCE BOOKS of the year.
Strange Glow listed among the TOP TEN PHYSICS BOOKS of the year.
Choice magazine, a periodical of the American Library Association, compiles an annual list of Outstanding Academic Titles published during that year. This prestigious list reflects the "best in scholarly titles reviewed by Choice and brings with it the extraordinary recognition of the academic library community."
Strange Glow was ranked the SIXTH BEST SELLER of the year among history of science books.
“In this spirited, thorough investigation into radiation, [Jorgensen] delivers narrative science at its best, providing a propulsive story, each piece building on the next in a series of progressive revelations. … With a deft touch, the author delves into [the science, yet] he displays a soft sense of humor while covering a serious topic. A seismic piece of scientific inquiry, top shelf in narrative style and illumination.”
"This is a solid, accessible work, but perhaps its most beneficial aspect is that Jorgensen equips readers with enough knowledge to make their own risk assessments, whether it is of a potential medical diagnostic test or a particular consumer decision."
"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. ... Jorgensen writes, 'If I have done my job well, readers of this book will learn a tremendous amount about radiation and will find this information useful in many practical ways.' He has, and they will."
"Jorgensen proves that there's no excuse for convoluted writing, however difficult the subject. His conversational style makes even the most complex equations attractive, [in this] frightening, fascinating, inspiring story of radiation."
“Unbiased, comprehensible information on radiation risk is hard to come by. Jorgensen’s book Strange Glow: The Story of Radiation fills this gap, using history to explain how we encounter radiation and how it affects us. … It provides readers with the basic facts so that they can make decisions about the risks they want to live with.”
"[Jorgensen] takes on the task of bringing this scary abstraction [of radiation] down to Earth. ... An informative read that chronicles the history and science of humankind’s ambivalent relationship with this strange force."
"Strange Glow is a three-part narrative history which integrates detailed science and carefully illuminated medical statistics with the personal lives of scientists. ... The book's goal -- ‘to present the facts about radiation as objectively and even-handedly as possible, leaving you to decide which aspects to fear’ -- is achieved with authority and style."
"One real strength of this book is the way it dispels the myth that radiation risks are too complicated for ordinary people to grasp. ... A very useful resource to the general public as well as to radiation experts, thanks to its simplicity, conciseness and lucidity."
"Timothy Jorgensen takes the reader on a journey from the discovery of radiation through to modern day uses of radioisotopes, via the experiences of many colourful characters who have played a part in our understanding of this intriguing topic. ... This book is informative, fast paced and entertaining. ... I guarantee you will be engaged and surprised."
"A dynamic narrative, peppered with personal anecdotes by key actors, succeeds in transmitting the decisive scientific and societal impact of radiation and related discoveries. The interleaving of the history of the discovery with aspects of the lives of inspirational figures such as Ernest Rutherford and Enrico Fermi is certainly very relevant, attractive and illustrative."
"[Strange Glow] offers an accesible and illuminating analysis of the risks and benefits of radiation. ... [The book] gives readers tools to understand what research findings mean in actual practice."
"Strange Glow is clear, engaging and refreshingly willing to treat the reader as a thinking adult."
"Strange Glow isn’t about lessening what is largely a sensible fear, but about removing some of the mystery and misunderstanding. Jorgensen’s approach is to make it very much a human story. ... This is a long overdue and successful attempt to rationalise an emotional subject by telling its story in very human terms."
"The only antidote to irrational fear is knowledge, and Strange Glow imparts this in spades."
“The book is a pleasure to read, written for an audience without technical jargon or medical bombast, but concentrating on the stories of those who discovered and researched various types of radiation. … [Strange Glow] is a well-written, engaging, and fascinating journey through radiation, from history to health.”
["Jorgensen deals with the scientific explanations easily, pointedly, and understandably. He plainly shows the difficulties of a risk assessment."]
"[Strange Glow] is . . . the story of human interaction with radiation -- beginning with the one type that we can see (light) and continuing through radio waves, atomic blasts, cellphones, radon, microwave ovens, luggage scanners, the Fukushima accident. ... Jorgensen avoids graphs and numbers, instead relying largely on entertaining -- if alarming -- anecdotes."
“What I certainly did not expect [from Strange Glow] was to get caught up in the stories of the scientists. ... Jorgensen has written a compelling book about the history of radiation. . . . [His] gift is that he makes us care about the scientists.”
"[Strange Glow] is very well written in a colloquial style and does not require any specialist knowledge. It can be recommended as a good read both for entertainment and scientifically based information to a general readership."
"[Strange Glow] is engaging, thoughtful, and useful to anyone with an interest in the controversies surrounding the use of ionizing radiation. ... The presentation is very well done and will be especially helpful to those unfamiliar with the subject."
"Timothy Jorgensen is a scientist with a knack for narrative storytelling. ... His goal is not so much to dispel our fears of [radiation] exposure but to present the facts as evenhandedly as possible."
"Strange Glow is a fantastic, well-written book about the benefits and risks of radiation. Jorgensen uses common prose so that a wide range of readers can follow the discussions. ... The book includes extensive, useful, and lucid discussions on medical x-rays and radon gas. Readers also learn the facts regarding the Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima nuclear reactor meltdowns and the problems they caused. [A] well-researched book."
"Can you explain why the meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor led to more excess cancer deaths than the one at Fukushima, or why Hiroshima and Nagasaki are thriving cities while the areas around the ruined reactors are ghost towns? Are you well-versed in the risks and benefits of radiotherapy and diagnostic X-rays? If you aren’t – and perhaps even if you are – Jorgensen’s book is an excellent guide to a subject fraught with controversy and confusion."
"The book's careful and readable treatment of radiation's risks and rewards will certainly succeed in tamping down tendencies toward unwarranted ray-phobia in contemporary culture."
["Like in an exciting documentary, the chapters harmoniously build upon one another and one does not want to put the book down."]
"[Strange Glow] will certainly be useful due to the striking and exciting style of its presentation."