San Francisco, CA, May 28, 2009—Megumi, the heroine of The Manga Guide to Physics (No Starch Press, May 2009, 248 pp, ISBN 9781593271961), is an all-star athlete, but she's a failure when it comes to physics class. And she can't concentrate on her tennis matches when she's worried about the questions she missed on the big test! Luckily for her, she befriends Ryota, a patient physics geek who uses real-world examples to help her understand classical mechanics—the foundation of physics.
Readers of this charming cartoon guide learn alongside Megumi as Ryota explains difficult concepts like momentum and impulse, parabolic motion, and the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration—all while using everyday objects like roller skates, slingshots, braking cars, and tennis balls.
The Manga Guide to Physics teaches readers how to:
- Apply Newton's three laws of motion to real-life problems
- Determine how objects will move after a collision
- Draw vector diagrams and simplify complex problems using trigonometry
- Calculate how an object's kinetic energy changes as its potential energy increases
"The Manga Guides prove that readers can grasp difficult scientific and mathematical topics with just a little helping of comics, narrative, and metaphor," said No Starch Press Founder Bill Pollock. "By easing the stress of learning with an interesting story, The Manga Guide to Physics ensures that readers stick with it—they care about Megumi's struggles in both physics and in tennis. The illustrated approach makes certain that readers immediately understand Ryota's examples and literally see how physics works."
Co-published with scientific and technical publisher Ohmsha, Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan, The Manga Guide to Physics makes learning about physics fun. Studying physics will never be the same again!
For more information or to request a review copy of The Manga Guide to Physics, contact Travis Peterson at No Starch Press (nostarchpr@oreilly.com, +1.415.863.9900, x300), or visit www.nostarch.com.
About the Author
Hideo Nitta, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Physics at Tokyo Gakugei University. He has had many papers and books published by Japanese and overseas publishers on subjects including quantum dynamics and radiation physics. He also has a strong interest in physics education. He is a member of the International Commission on Physics Education (ICPE), which is a commission of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP).
Praise for Other Books in the Manga Guide Series:
"Presents statistics as something fun, and something enlightening."
—GOOD MATH, BAD MATH
"The most enjoyable tech book I've ever read."
—LINUX PRO MAGAZINE
"A fun and fairly painless lesson on what many consider to be a less-than-thrilling subject."
—SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
"A solid book and I wish there were more like it in the IT world."
—SLASHDOT
"Way better than trying to comprehend a bland statistics book."
—DR. DOBB'S CODETALK
"A perfect addition to a homeschool curriculum...great for anyone wanting an introduction or a refresher on statistics."
—PARENTING SQUAD
"A light, impressively non-oppressive read, especially considering the technical nature of its subject."
—AIN'T IT COOL NEWS
Sample pages from The Manga Guide to Physics:
Additional Resources
Excerpt from The Manga Guide to Physics
Table of contents overview
Detailed table of contents (PDF)
Index (PDF)
Large cover image
The Manga Guide to Physics
by Hideo Nitta, Keita Takatsu, and Trend-pro Co, Ltd.
May 2009, 248 pp
ISBN 9781593271961, $19.95 USD
order@oreilly.com
1-800-998-9938
1-707-827-7000
Available in fine bookstores everywhere, from www.oreilly.com/nostarch, or directly from No Starch Press (www.nostarch.com, orders@nostarch.com, +1.415.863.9900).
About the Manga Guide Series
The Manga Guides explain essential scientific and technical subjects using Japanese-style comics. Each guide is written by a scientist or mathematician with expertise in the field and illustrated by a professional manga artist and scenario writer, ensuring the authenticity and accuracy readers demand. Already bestsellers in their native Japanese, these unique books have been translated into English with the assistance and oversight of technical experts. The first four titles in the series, The Manga Guide to Statistics (9781593271893, November 2008), Databases (9781593271909, January 2009), Electricity (9781593271978, March 2009), and Physics, will be followed by (9781593271961, May 2009), Calculus (9781593271947, June 2009), and Molecular Biology (9781593272029, July 2009).
About No Starch Press
Founded in 1994, No Starch Press is one of the few remaining independent technical book publishers. We publish the finest in geek entertainment—unique books on technology, with a focus on Open Source, security, hacking, programming, alternative operating systems, and LEGO. Our titles have personality, our authors are passionate, and our books tackle topics that people care about. See www.nostarch.com for a complete catalog.
About Ohmsha
Founded in 1914, Ohmsha, Ltd. is a science and engineering book publisher based in Japan. In addition to publishing dozens of titles a year in Japan, Ohmsha is also active in foreign projects, including co-publications with major publishers in Europe, North America, and Asia, and joint ventures with major international publishers. With the aim of contributing to the development and progress of science and technology in Japan, Ohmsha established The Promotion Foundation for Electrical Science and Engineering in 1951; through this foundation, the OHM Technology Award is given every year to those who have made significant contributions to the field of electrical engineering.
About O’Reilly
O’Reilly Media spreads the knowledge of innovators through its books, online services, magazines, and conferences. Since 1978, O’Reilly Media has been a chronicler and catalyst of cutting-edge development, homing in on the technology trends that really matter and spurring their adoption by amplifying “faint signals” from the alpha geeks who are creating the future. An active participant in the technology community, the company has a long history of advocacy, meme-making, and evangelism.