The Canon: The Beautiful Basics of Science
By Natalie Angier
Faber £17.99
FT bookshop price: £14.39

Few science books have ever gained mass appeal: it’s hard to tantalise readers when the subject matter is either too narrow or too difficult to understand.

Angier, a New York Times columnist on biology, has found a solution. In her delightful and witty book, the mysteries of science intertwine with the world of popular culture. Elaborate formulas and theories come alive when George W. Bush, jazz legend Louis Armstrong, and the TV show Bewitched somehow find their way into discussions of chemistry and physics.

Angier’s book is a tour de force. She proves that our lives are enriched when we start understanding what science is all about. How much more we could have learnt at school had all science books been written like this.