One of the nice things about the Internet today is that authors receive real feedback on everything they write, direct from their readers. It's great to enthuse readers, and so I was pleased to find a happy blog of a reader of The Book of Numbers today:

http://paanchfarzi.blogspot.com/2008/07/book-of-numbers.html

Here's just a little of what this reader wrote:

Last week I read this book "The Book of Numbers" by Peter J. Bentley.It is an extraordinary book written in a very lucid way. Even a layman can understand the intricacies of the complicated theories of the numbers. The book explains all the important numbers ranging from π, e.. to PHI . There origin, discoverer, and the related stories.

...

It has numerous fascinating stories about Scientists and there discoveries.You must read the book and satisfaction is Guaranteed :)

A nice review in New Scientist recently, which is being picked up by several other online and printed media:

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/opinion/mg19926692.300-review- ithe-undercover-scientisti-by-peter-j-bentley.html

Review: The Undercover Scientist, by Peter J. Bentley

PRAY you never have a day as hellish as this. Within 16 hours, the hero of this book gets a computer virus, squirts raw chilli juice in his eye and breaks his toe, little finger and front tooth, among other mishaps. The consolation for us is that every calamity illustrates more science, such as why milk goes putrid, or why diesel ruins petrol cars. None of the science is groundbreaking - everyday wonders get preference - but it makes for novel reading. It's stream-of- consciousness science, as if Leopold Bloom from James Joyce's Ulysses was a clumsy but observant engineer.

From issue 2669 of New Scientist magazine, 13 August 2008, page 45

As I depart for a conference I'm running in Thailand, the book also continues its progress around the world. We now have a deal with a French publisher who also wants to add some "amusing illustrations" which will be interesting to see. The American version (to be called "Why Sh*t Happens") is having a cover designed right now, at the moment with bird's poo being the main feature. The UK paperback is also under preparation, with a slight variation for its cover - looks like the "mad scientist" cartoon will be much bigger.

Another nice letter from a reader in USA. Once again the reader points out the annoying mistakes made by my number-illiterate publishers (those errors certainly provoke a few letters). If I could only hit my editors for every letter like that I receive... The good news is that sales are so good in USA that they are already printing more copies, and I've just ensured the publisher's master copy has been amended, so all future versions should be correct. In the meantime I continue to maintain the list of amendments online for current readers to print and keep with the book:

http://www.peterjbentley.com/amendments.pdf

Anyway this reader was almost a little over-the-top with the praise. It's much appreciated as ever:

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I marvel at the author's concept for the chapters. The level of writing is extraordinary. The illustrations, photos, etc are first rate. I particularly enjoyed the historical aspect. You should consider entering the book into whatever competition(s) for which it qualifies.

Last week Alex Dickson began his "Smooth Bookcase" radio show on Glasgow's Smooth Radio with a summary of my most recent book. This is what he said in his friendly Scottish accent:

...A quick look at a great fun paperback for anyone who has ever split a drink, burned the toast, had a computer crash, slept through the alarm, or made the bath overflow. In other words, all of us.

Peter J Bentley, writing as the undercover scientist, explains why these things happen, medically or technically for instance, in a way that a schoolboy could understand. I mean, there's a lot of talk about running cars or lorries on chipfat, but could you explain in one syllable words how, exactly? Well, he does. And did you know that lightning can and does strike the same place, twice?

I promise you, this is a fun one that is fascinating. Ever got the juice from chilli peppers in your eye? Not pleasant, because the chilli peppers contain a chemical which fools your nerve ends into believing they've been burned. Well he sets out his book in the form of a day when everything goes wrong for you, and he explains all of those everyday accidents and how they happen.

Science, he tells us, governs everything - or to be more specific, there's a set of scientific principles that rules everything around us. He makes it so understandable, and as I said, fun. He points out, as a kind of warning, that if we'd not invented superglue we'd never have been able to stick our fingers together. And if the mp3 playes hadn't come along, we wouldn't be able to drop the entire lifetime music collection down the toilet by accident.

The benefits and the perils of science by Peter Bentley, and his Undercover Scientist, from Random House.