Me, Myself, And Why

Praise for The Calculus Diaries
"Ouellette makes math palatable with a mix of humor, anecdote, and enticing facts. . . . Using everyday examples, such as petrol mileage and fairground rides, she makes even complex ideas such as calculus and probability appealing."
--Nature

"This dash through a daunting discipline bursts with wry wit. Ouellette uses differential equations to model the spread of zombies and derivatives to craft the perfect diet. Sassy throughout, she reserves special barbs for subprime mortgage holders: 'Chances are they weren't doing the math.'"
--Discover

"A great primer for anyone who needs to get over their heebie-jeebies about an upcoming calculus class, or for anyone who's ever wondered how calculus fits into everyday life and wants to be entertained, too!"
--Danica McKellar, New York Times bestselling author of Math Doesn't Suck and Hot X: Algebra Exposed

"I haven't had this much fun learning math since I watched The Count on Sesame Street when I was three. And the Count never talked about log flumes or zombies. So The Calculus Diaries wins the day."
--AJ Jacobs, New York Times bestselling author of The Know-it-All and Drop Dead Healthy
"Ouellette is every English major's dream math teacher: funny, smart, infected with communicable enthusiasm--and she can rock a Buffy reference. In this book, she hastens the day when more people are familiar with an integral function than with Justin Bieber."
--Peter Sagal, host, NPR's Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me, and author of The Book of Vice

"Wonderful and compulsively readable . . . Ouellette finds the signature of mathematics--and especially calculus, of course--in the most unexpected places, from the gorgeously lunatic architecture of Spain's Antonio Gaudi to the shimmering arc of waves on a beach. . . . Her ever clear and always stimulating voice is a perfect match to the subject. The Calculus Diaries is a tour de force."
--Deborah Blum, author of The Poisoner's Handbook
"As amusing as it is enlightening . . . Ouellette steers us so gently we think we're gliding along on our own."
--Michael Sims, author of Adam's Navel

"If you ever thought that math was useless, read this book. Want to survive a zombie attack? Win at craps? Beat a zombie at craps? Well, listen to Jennifer Ouellette. The math she describes might just be your best hope if you don't want your brains to be gobbled by the undead."
--Charles Seife, author of Zero: Biography of a Dangerous Idea

"A charming and gentle introduction to important mathematical concepts and their relevance to everyday life."
--Leonard Mlodinow, author of The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives
Praise for Black Bodies and Quantum Cats
"Bursts with answers for curious adults . . . Employing contemporary cultural icons like the movie Addams Family Values and The Da Vinci Code, Ouellette explains the principles behind acceleration and ancient geometrical anomalies. . . . Ouellette shines when she pulls analogies from real life to explain, for example, why blackouts are more likely since the deregulation of the power industry, in prose that is engaging and economical."--The Washington Post
"Readers of these pieces will feel Ouellette's companionship as a fellow layperson sharing her interest in physics history. Hooking the audience with some movie or science-fiction novel . . . her entertaining explications encourage generalists to give physics a try."--Booklist
"Remarkably fresh and immensely readable. . . . All major theories and breakthroughs, along with the personalities that brought them to life (including a particularly ruthless Thomas Edison and a resourceful patent clerk named Chester Carlson, who built the first photocopier in his Astoria, New York, kitchen), are presented clearly by the reader's pop-culture escort. It is a credit to Ouellette that, as the reader progresses into more complex theories, the TV and movie references aren't nearly as interesting as the science."--Publishers Weekly

Praise for Physics of the Buffyverse
"Blending fizzy pop culture with serious science . . . Ouellette makes an earnest effort to introduce the laws of physics to couch potatoes in a relatively painless way."--The New York Times Book Review
"If you dig science, vampires and the like, give The Physics of the Buffyverse a try."--USA Today
"Ouellette presents a strong case for many of the seemingly impossible aspects of the world Buffy and her friends inhabit. All the while, she makes the science accessible, guaranteeing that fans of the show will be receptive."--Booklist

Praise for Me, Myself, and Why

"Ouellette is a smart, well-studied, and personable companion. . . . There are a number of approaches to defining a person, and this task has engaged philosophers, theologians, scientists, and pretty much everyone who has ever lived, at least since mirrors were invented. Ouellette looks at all of the methods listed above, and more, in trying to figure out who she is and what tools are at hand for figuring out who anyone is."
--The Wall Street Journal

"In Me, Myself, and Why Ouellette offers curiosity-inspiring glimpses into science , coupled with an obvious love for the material and a healthy dose of humor. . . . The combination of historical anecdote and current research is impressive."
--The New York Times Book Review

"Ouellette explores the concept of identity through scientific, medical, and psychological testing on her journey of self-discovery. She is an expert at communicating tough scientific concepts to broad audiences, and here she uses personal narrative to appeal to her readers as she skillfully recounts her experiences."
--Psychology Today

"Very entertaining . . . It is hard to imagine a more delightful guide to the science of self than Jennifer Ouellette."
--Jim Holt, Prospect

"Tackling 'the science of self' could easily get tedious or even a little boring, but in the capable hands of Jennifer Ouellette, it's nothing but fun. . . . Her ability to make rather advanced theories interesting and relatable makes this a must read for those who have a passion for science but would rather be reading Joan Didion."
--Bust

"An engrossing and often amusing tour of elite labs and edgy research."
--Nature

"Who are we? Who am I? Those are the questions Ouellette tackles in this elegant and very personal inquiry into identity and the science of the self. . . . An entertaining, insightful, and thoughtful reflection on our assumptions about ourselves and the mystery that is at the heart of the human story."
--Booklist (starred review)

"Solid science well infused with readable history, pop culture and personal stories. . . . Ouellette's personal anecdotes reveal a writer with keen intelligence, curiosity, a spirit of adventure and a sense of humor."
--Kirkus Reviews

"A clear, direct tour of the biology of the self . . . from an author with a flair for making complex subjects simple."
--Publishers Weekly