It's been a while since I posted an update on the status of the book-in-production. Things are moving along-- the second (and hopefully final) pass proofs are in the mail now, and assuming those are ok, that's about it for the text. Then it's just a matter of waiting.
I asked a friend at work who does photography on the side to take some pictures for possible use as an author photo, and he came through with some great shots of me and Emmy talking about physics:
(The books were chosen to be amusing to the half-dozen people who will recognize them.)
As you can see, Emmy is pretty photogenic.
We also have the first blurb in response to the galley proofs that were sent out a few weeks ago:
Quantum physics is perhaps the most interesting and slipperiest scientific subject; who knew that Socratic discussion with an adorable dog was the key to unravelling it?
-- Cory Doctorow, co-editor of Boing Boing and author of "Little Brother"
This is great to see, because it dispels my totally irrational fear that we wouldn't get any useful comments out of the whole process. I'll still fret a little, but at least I know there'll be one good quote to go on the cover.
Humanities & Social Science
Physical Science
Comments
Emmy is so amazingly photogenic she puts you to shame.
Posted by: becca | July 14, 2009 3:03 PM
I can't make out any of the books besides the one standing up on top...hints?
Posted by: asad | July 14, 2009 3:38 PM
I can read the titles of the book standing up and the middle one of the three on the ground (Photons and Atoms and Modern Physics, respectively). For the top one of the stack, the title is barely distinguishable in that lighting, and the bottom one is obscured by grass. Typefaces are too small to read author names.
Posted by: Eric Lund | July 14, 2009 4:41 PM
At least Emmy is looking at the camera...
Posted by: mollishka | July 14, 2009 7:47 PM
Hey, you got my blurb precognitively, in my not-having-read-it-yet book review!
I am currently reading my copy, and sharing bits with my dog (who will chase squirrels, but who has never actually seen a rabbit), and am trying to see how accurate my review was. Thanks for sending it!
Posted by: Cuttlefish | July 14, 2009 9:12 PM
I can read the titles of the book standing up and the middle one of the three on the ground (Photons and Atoms and Modern Physics, respectively). For the top one of the stack, the title is barely distinguishable in that lighting, and the bottom one is obscured by grass.
I should've included a link to a larger version.
Photons and Atoms is a graduate-level (if not higher) text on quantum electrodynamics by Claude Cohen-Tannoudji and mumblemumble. The next book down is Eugen Merzbacher's Quantum Mechanics another graduate text. The one below that is an upper-level undergrad modern physics book by somebody Rohlf.
(The one under that is Serway's giant introductory physics book, chosen mostly because it would prop the others up over the level of the grass.)
The books with visible titles are ridiculously advanced, which is the nominal joke.
Posted by: Chad Orzel | July 14, 2009 9:27 PM
So that's what, the 5th edition Merzbacher? Mine is 7th or 8th, dark blue cover.
Posted by: agm | July 15, 2009 1:35 AM
agm @7 -
Wow! Thanks for making me feel old. My edition is the 3rd. I think I'll go take another drink of my metamucil now.
Posted by: Pineyman | July 15, 2009 9:53 AM
Is it an optical illusion or is your head really that big?
Posted by: Lee | July 16, 2009 1:26 AM
Nice choice: "Photons and Atoms" is an awesome book. Hope Emmy appreciated it.
Posted by: Michael Nielsen | July 22, 2009 3:06 PM