Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
LA Times Book Prize Nominees: How We Think, How We Speak & How We Know What We Know
()
LA Times Book Prize Science & Technology Nominees
As the LA Times Book Prize award ceremony looms ever-closer, we're taking a look at the books nominated in each category. As we mentioned last week, unlike other big literary awards, the LA Times Book Prize winners are never a sure thing, which is what makes following them all the more fun.
The nominees in the Science & Technology category this year are:
- Animal Architects: Building and the Evolution of Intelligence by James L. and Carol Grant Gould
- I Am a Strange Loop by Douglas Hofstadter
- The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language by Christine Kenneally
- On Deep History and the Brain by Daniel Lord Smail
- Faust in Copenhagen: A Struggle for the Soul of Physics by Gino Segrè
Here's the thing: we're so annoyed that The Canon: A Whirlgig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science by Natalie Angier didn't get nominated that we aren't invested in the actual nominees for this category.
Support for LAist comes from
If we had to narrow it down, we'd say that while Animal Architects offers an interesting look at how animals know how to build their homes - how spiders spin webs and beavers build dams - it isn't our first pick. We'll admit that the title of I Am a Strange Loop got us excited, but we didn't wholly buy into the notion that the soul can arise out of...well...nothing. Smail's On Deep History and the Brain explores both how "I" came to be and how history came to be, wrapping it up in the neat little package of neuroscience. For brainy history buffs, this may be a favorite, but it isn't ours.
Since we're uber-nerdy when it comes to words and how they evolved and what that means about how we talk now, we'd love to see The First Word win. Yet, Segrè's book about the drama of 1932 and the incredible advances in physics as played out during the convention in Copenhagen where phycisists applied their findings to the possiblities of war (which is actually a good read, despite the fact that it is about physics) is our bet to win it.
Who will win the category? We'll find out on Friday as the LA Times Book Prizes will be awarded on April 25th.
Prevously:
LA Times Book Prize Nominees of the Fictional Sort
LA Times Book Prize Nominees: Soldiers & Shock Doctrines
LA Times Book Prize Nominees of the Sleuthing & Scary Sort
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday, which organizers say will save $12 million in infrastructure costs. -
Taxes on the sale of some newer apartment buildings would be lowered under a plan by Sacramento lawmakers to partially rein in city Measure ULA.
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago.
-
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
Best of LAist