Kari Byron—former host of the wildly popular, iconic cult classic MythBusters—shows how to crash test your way through life, no lab coat required. Kari Byron’s story hasn’t been a straight line. She started out as a broke artist living in San Francisco, writing poems on a crowded bus on the way to one of her three jobs. Many curve balls, unexpected twists, and yes, literal and figurative … yes, literal and figurative explosions later, and she’s one of the world’s most respected women in science entertainment, blowing stuff up on national television and getting paid for it! In Crash Test Girl, Kari reveals her fascinating life story on the set of MythBusters and beyond. With her signature gusto and roll-up-your-sleeves enthusiasm, she invites readers behind the duct tape and the dynamite, to the unlikely friendships and low-budget sets that turned a crazy idea into a famously inventive show with a rabid fanbase.
The truth is, Mythbusters was never meant to be a science show. But attaching a rocket to a car, riding a motorcycle on water, or lighting 500 pounds of coffee creamer on fire requires a decent understanding of chemistry, physics, and engineering. Thus, the cast and crew brought in the scientific method to work through each problem: Question. Hypothesize. Experiment. Analyze. Conclude. And as Kari came to learn in her own life, not only is the scientific method the best approach for busting myths, it’s also the perfect tool for solving everyday issues, including:
Career · Love · Creativity · Setbacks · Money · Sexuality · Depression · Bravery
Crash Test Girl reminds us that science is for everyone, as long as you’re willing to strap in, put on your safety goggles, hit a few walls, and learn from the results. Using a combination of methodical experimentation and unconventional creativity, you’ll come to the most important conclusion of all: In life, sometimes you crash and burn, but you can always crash and learn.
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Real “Myths”. Real Woman. This memoir from one of the first female “reality tv” stars is an extremely interesting look at both her decade+ working with the (possibly arguably) the show that made her famous… and how she got there and a bit of what has happened since that fateful day in 2014 when she (and later the world) was informed that she would no longer be on that show. And she doesn’t hold back too many punches, usually only being a bit circumspect when it is clear that being more direct could result in legal issues. While some of her work is now directed at getting kids into science, if you’re squeamish about f-bombs… she is known to casually drop a few in this text. But ultimately the tale is that of an extremely interesting life on and off camera and how an artsy/ edgy world traveller from San Fransisco wound up working at M5 Industries and becoming world renowned as a “science girl”. Overall a very much recommended book.
Generally speaking, I tend to love books like Kari Byron’s “Crash Test Girl.” Specifically about this book, I found myself not wanting it to end. But end it had to, and this is a fast read. Fortunately, it packs quite a punch.
My exposure to Ms. Bryon began at the same place as I imagine that it did for most of you: Discovery Channel’s “Mythbusters.” It was hard watching that show without the feeling that I was hanging out with the build team while also learning from them; their personal chemistry was as undeniable as it was engaging. Later in life I had a daughter, and it occurred to me that as she watched old reruns of “Mythbusters” with me, she was far more fixated on anything involving Kari than she was on anything else. I hadn’t thought much about it before, but I realized what a powerful role model Ms. Byron was to her. When I heard about this book’s release, I instantly wanted it.
Framed around Kari’s application of the scientific method for solving life’s challenges, this novel serves not so much as an autobiography as it does a peek into Ms. Byron’s mind and how she analyses the goings-on around her. There’s a great deal of insight as to her process of self-discovery. This book is a peek behind the curtain of a person who for so many of us was just another face on that flickering box. Additionally, it’s a display that Ms. Byron knows that her celebrity status gives her a degree of influence within her fan base, and true to her image, she wishes to do something positive with it. She succeeds.
Judging from some of the comments I’ve read from other reviewers, some of you may be concerned about feminist messages being forced down your throat. This book is for you especially. The expectations of women in the workforce are very different, and it would be insincere for Ms. Byron to write something like this without mentioning it. Ms. Byron handles these topics with tact as well as humor, focusing on her own approach and attitudes toward these things. While pulling back the blanket and revealing it for what it is, her goal is to enlighten rather than inflict guilt: these are the things she’s seen, this is how they made her feel, and this is how she dealt with them. If her approach causes you discomfort, it’s your responsibility to figure out why.
For the rest of us, I can only say that I recommend “Crash Test Girl” very highly. You’ve seen her. You know who she is and what she does. After reading this work, you’ll feel as if you’ve met her. You’ll be happy to have made her acquaintance.