Being in quarantine, all of us have a lot of free time, so I decided to take up a new hobby. Some people might knit, or crochet, or do puzzles, but I decided to learn how to solve a Rubik’s cube. After I watched a video on how to solve a Rubik’s cube (it took me a few tries, but I eventually got it) I decided to read this book. It’s about the growing sport of speedcubing, or solving Rubik’s cube while timed, and trying to beat records and PBs (Personal Bests).
This book is written by journalist Ian Scheffler. It covers his journey into the world of speedcubing. He first discovers that it is actually possible to solve Rubik’s cube when he meets Toby Mao at the Center for Talented Youth (“a program at college campuses around the country run by Johns Hopkins University”). Mao taught all of the students at CTY how to solve a Rubik’s cube. In Sheffler’s yearbook at the end of the summer, Toby simply wrote “hit Sub-20 Ian.” This book covers Sheffler’s expeditions into the world of cubing, first to simply be able to solve it, then to solve it faster, faster, and eventually, to go Sub-20 (seconds).
This is a really fun book that can be read at any time, or can be accompanied by learning how to cube. It is seriously super fun. Anyone that has patience can pretty much learn to solve Rubik’s Cube. Tell me in the comments below if you like the book, or if it encouraged you to solve a Rubik’s cube. Have fun!
Nora's Summer Reading 