Now they can be read!

Short lists of the "Enlightener-2012" in the field of humanities:

Sergey Ivanov . “In search of Constantinople. Guide to the Byzantine Istanbul and the surroundings. " M.: Publishing House "Around the World", 2011 ( http: // Premiaprosvetitel.ru/booksautHors/view/?37 (preface + 2 chapters))

Boris Kovalev . "The daily life of the population of Russia during the Nazi occupation." M.: Young Guard, 2011 ( http: // Premiaprosvetitel.ru/booksauthors/view/?29 (entire book))

Alexander Meshcheryakov . "Emperor Meiji and his Japan." M.: Natalis, 2009 ( http: // Premiaprosvetitel.ru/booksautHors/view/?38 (introduction, individual chapters, epilogue))

Leonid Mlechin . “Lenin. Seduction of Russia. " St. Petersburg: Peter, 2012 ( http://premiaprosvetitel.ru/ booksauthors/view/? 40 (entire book))

In the field of natural and exact sciences:

Victor Zuev . “Many -sided virus. Secrets of hidden infections. " M.: AST-Press Book, 2012 ( http: // PremiaProsvetitel.ru/booksautHors/view/?28 (1 and 2 chapter of 4))

Vladimir Reshetnikov . “Why is the sky dark. How the Universe works. " Fryazino: Century 2, 2012 ( http: // PremiaProsvetitel.ru/booksautHors/view/?36 (2 chapters))

Vl Adimir Surdin . "Intelligence of distant planets." M.: Fizatlit, 2011 ( http://premiaprosvetitel.ru/booksauthors/view/?42 (entire book, 1-7 chapter))

Henr their Erlich . “Gold, bullet, saving poison. 250 years of nanotechnology. " M.: Hummingbird, ABC-Atticus, 2012 ( http://premiaprosvetitel.ru/booksauthors/ view/? 30 (1 chapter))

According to tradition, at the end of September, the names of the authors and the names of books included in two short-list of the Enlightener Prize were announced. The Books of Byzantinist Sergey came to the final of one of the main awards of Russia in the field of popular science literature Ivanova , historian Boris Kova Leva , Japanist Alexander Meshcheryakova , journalist Leonid Mlechin , Astrophysikov Vladimir R Echetnikov and Vladimir Ra Surdin , microbiologist Victor Zueva and chemist Henry Ha Erlich . The finalists' announcement took place on September 26, 2012 at the Moscow Polytechnic Museum.

For two autumn months, the jury will have to choose two prize winners - one in each category. The awarding ceremony of the laureates will be held on November 15, 2012 at the Moscow Polytechnic Museum. Such an unofficial "Enlightener Day" is held on the third Thursday of November. Prize winners will receive a cash reward in the amount of 720 thousand rubles, finalists - 120 thousand each. Cash certificate of 130 thousand rubles. The publishers of books of laureates will also be awarded to promote books in the market.

Recall that this year the jury of the award was headed by the Director General of the Polytechnic Museum Boris Saltykov , who replaced the academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Yuri Ryzhov. In addition to him, the examination of books is carried out by physicist and translator Alexei Semikhatov , poet and teacher of mathematics Eugene Bunimovich , biologist and journalist Ilya Kolmanovsky , linguist Maxim Krongauz . Linguist Vladimir Plungan and paleontologist Alexander Markov They entered the jury as the laureates of the "Enlightener" of 2011.

When I turned to familiar scientists and scientific journalists with a request to regain books from fresh shorts, the most common answer was “alas, I didn’t read” or “some books are interesting to me, and if I had them, maybe I wrote something about them.” The search for books brought me to the website of the Enlightener Prize. It turned out that this year, for the convenience of readers, all finalist books are available in the form of entire books or individual chapters.

I will give two short lists of the 2012 Enlightener Awards with information about which parts of books are available for reading in the linen. Maybe one of our readers will want to write a review of one of the books for us? Texts in Word (no more than 8-9 thousand signs with spaces) are accepted at konkurs@trvscience.ru . The best reviews will be published in our newspaper.

Natalia Demina

Reading Books of the finalists ...

Sergey Popov , member Redsovet TRV - science , astrophysicist , doct . physical .- Mat . sciences , commented Books from Short - sheets So :

From the books of the short list, I read two: “Why is the sky dark” by V. Reshetnikov and “gold, bullet, saving poison” by G. Erlich. Both books could be very good, but in published form, it seems to me, the first wins strongly. The deficiencies of the second are mainly related to poor editing.

The author is sometimes excusable to allow small flaws that the editors traditionally catch. Here we can read: “ ... thirty -year Sergey Vavilova , Bu Black president Academy sciences USSR And Laureate Nobe Levskaya Prizes By Physics " (p. 80). This mistake does not seem harmless to me, as it says that the fact-tkening was absent and the fairly famous things to the editor did not catch his eye.

In fact, then we read: “ ... and Bill Gates , who believed that 20 kilobytes​ - maximum volume Operational memory , which once​​ It will be required Personal users computers ... " . These “20 kilobytes” are striking everyone who remembers at least something about their first packs. Finally, I suggest the reader to think about what the equality of 203 = 8000 means.

Dmitry Bayuk , cand . physical .- Mat . sciences , deputy . main editor magazine "Questions History of natural science And technology " , scientific journalist :

I will root for Vladimir Surdin - it is time for him to give this award, although the last time he went out in an inappropriate, in my opinion, format. And I'm also sure that Giving S.A. Ivanov will be a big mistake for the entire project. Despite the fact that he wrote the first book 15 years ago, and this one, for everyone in the world, the fact of awarding the prize of the same and the same author with an interval of two years will mean either that the “enlightener” gives the prize “his own”, or that the circle of authors who could be given a bonus, so narrow that it actually does not make sense. In the jury, I would even advise Sergei Arkadyevich to wait a couple of years and not to set up his book yet.