Wholly Irresponsible Exploits: 65 Ways to Muck About with Science Hardcover – 5 Jun. 2008

this book is not as good as i thought it would be, i was thinking it would have more fun big bangs to make but sadly it dont

I think that first reviewer and I were reading different books. As a parent looking for an educational but entertaining way into science I bought and subsequently loved the first one of these books and had no hesitation in buying this, the sequel. It's just as involving, diverting, and educational as its predecessor, plus I like the extra bits in each chapter, eg the origin of the Smoot unit of measurement (about 5' 7", the height of a student at MIT in the 60s used a measuring stick to measure the Harvard Bridge). A hugely enjoyable way in to the wonders of science.

This book describes dozens of simple experiments to have kids do in and around the house. Don't expect any rocket science, just some stuff to keep young teenagers busy in an educational way. Of course, just reading about the 'irresponsible exploits' can be entertaining as well, as long as you have plenty of imagination.

I have the previous book - Wholly Irresponsible Experiments - and some of the experiments are really good.But I am struggling to find one that works out of this lot. Some sound failsafe - like Crazy Cereal - but I have tried all kinds of spoons, all kinds of wool, my hair, every combination I can think of, and it's just not doing anything. I spent all day yesterday soaking and drying a piece of cotton, over and over again, to try the Anti-Flame Thread. It burned through in a nano second :-) Finger of Fate - my friend just pushed against me and stood up. Sliding Tumbler took so long to work, the tumbler ended up stuck rigid with the dripped wax. And so it goes on...! Just about to try the Straw Rocket. Wish me luck!

Science is the most brilliant subject with such a huge opportunity to amaze, amuse and impress. This book does none of these but does frustrate, disappoint and irritate instead. Such an ambitious title should serve up a riot of madness drawn from the almost limitless range science offers. Instead a succession of limp, puerile experiments are served up with poor imagination and little humour. The scientific explanations are very limited, in places misleading or inaccurate and uninspiring (why call them excuses?) And there's more bad news .... the safety warnings are laughable. It really isn't suitable for any age group. Readers may be drawn in by the archaic format but this must originate like the book in a time before science had much to offer. This book is a huge let down.