The New York Times bestseller from the author of The Order of Time and Reality Is Not What It Seems, Helgoland, and Anaximander
“One of the year’s most entrancing books about science.”—The Wall Street Journal
“Clear, elegant...a whirlwind tour of some of the biggest ideas in physics.”—The New York Times Book Review
This playful, entertaining, and mind-bending introduction to modern physics briskly explains Einstein's general relativity, quantum mechanics, elementary particles, gravity, black holes, the complex architecture of the universe, and the role humans play in this weird and wonderful world. Carlo Rovelli, a renowned theoretical physicist, is a delightfully poetic and philosophical scientific guide. He takes us to the frontiers of our knowledge: to the most minute reaches of the fabric of space, back to the origins of the cosmos, and into the workings of our minds. The book celebrates the joy of discovery. “Here, on the edge of what we know, in contact with the ocean of the unknown, shines the mystery and the beauty of the world,” Rovelli writes. “And it’s breathtaking.”
This great little book probably took me longer to read than it should have, as I ended up rereading parts of it to make sure I understood what was being said. Physics was one of my favourite subjects in school and I almost ended up studying it at university, but then my life took a different direction. I left school in 1983, so over the years my knowledge of physics has faded. This book helped rekindle a little of that interest that I used to have in physics, which probably isn't a bad thing.
This book covers some of the basics of and recent breakthroughs in physics in seven simple short chapters. It is written in an enjoyable and engaging way, in terms that anyone can understand, without simplifying things too much. It is very accessible and was an enjoyable read. i'm not sure if it has rekindled my interest enough to pick up some longer and more in-depth volumes on physics, but I can see myself at least rereading at some point.
