Chacham's Journal: Verbiage: A book on the Standard Model and related ramblings

I'm not sure i can stand it anymore. I *must* have a book that explains the Standard Model without focusing on math. I want it to say "According to what is currently held to be true, there are four forces in the universe (that we know of), here's what they are, here's why they are different, and let's go step by step until it actually means something."

So, being a friend of mine (news of me actually having a friend was mentioned elsewhere) is getting his doctorate in Geophysics very soon, i figured he's be a good person to ask. He sent me an email, amongst it reccomending Why Things Are the Way They Are.

I looked at the sample and the book seem to get right into it, which is good, but also seems to ask questions and get the Standard Model as an answer. A rather backwards way. A comment by IndyAndy mentioned another book, Deep Down Things : The Breathtaking Beauty of Particle Physics. The sample on this book makes him seem rather wordy, but ostensibly, the approach is "here's four forces, ready to listen?"

It seems like the book to get. Though i'm really looking for good suggestions. That is, a good book that explain the Standard Model starting from the four forces, if it uses math it is to show what's there, not to explain it, and is less on speculation or preaching Science than to say what the current findings are. In short, i want to know "what" not necessarily "why".

This IndyAndy person says on his page "I love reading Physics & Jungian Lit and books on tape/CD for my 90 mile a day commute.". Oh my, i like this guy already. And then later "I've dabbled in Wing Chun Gung-Fu". I almost did. I know two friends that were taking Wing Chung, and i even came during their training hours, but that day other people were there, and i just couldn't do it. Hmm.. besides, i'm not sure i could call anyone "sea food". :)

On another note, i was talking about good books in with someone at the office, and he mentioned the second edition of the classic "K&R": The C Programming Language. Hmm.. of course why didn't *i* think of that. Everntually, perhaps, there's The Art of Computer Programming, but that may be some time in coming. He said that he'd bring the (first edition of the) K&R on Tuesday, when he comes for the weekly team meeting, so i ought to take a look at it then. Which also means i'll probably be ordering some books shortly thereafter. And maybe buy another book from my wishlist while i'm at it.

So many books, so little money.