Synopsis
Greene, a professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University and a specialist in quantum field theory, expounds on string theory, the elusive "key to everything" that ties together large-scale physics with the physics of the small. Using insightful analogies and metaphors, the author explains complicated theories in a refreshingly accessible way. A New York Times Notable Book for 1999.
| Details | | Publication Date: | 2000-02-01 | | Edition Description: | Reissue |
| Size | | Length: | 448 pages | | Height: | 8.3 in | | Width: | 5.3 in | | Thickness: | 1.0 in | | Weight: | 15.2 oz |
Publisher's Note
An accomplished professor of physics and mathematics unravels the complexities of superstring theory for the average reader in a lucid and entertaining account, using analogies from everyday life to explain the elegant underlying principles of the universe. Reissue. (A NOVA mini-series, airing on PBS in January/February 2003, hosted by Brian Greene) (Science & Mathematics)
Industry Reviews
"Greene lays out the theory so clearly and persuasively that you almost come to believe it, and to hope that someday a way will be found to establish whether it is anything more than wishful mathematics....Like all popular science writers, Greene is burdened with the task of having to start from scratch, explaining ideas about relativity and quantum mechanics that were current in the 30's....But with Greene this familiar ground is well worth retreading. Rather than recycling the tired old set pieces science writers too often fall back on, he develops one fresh insight after another....In the great tradition of physicists writing for the masses, THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE sets a standard that will be hard to beat."
New York Times Book Review - George Johnson (02/21/1999)
"THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE is an ambitious, patient, and frequently personal attempt to bring both the beauty and substance of string theory down to Earth for the general public....Even if string theory turns out to be wrong, the ideas it's spun forth thus far are sure to be woven into the ongoing revolution in physics."
Los Angeles Times Book Review - K.C. Cole (03/07/1999)
"Even if the universe turns out to be less elegant than Greene envisions, his book is a rewarding read and a fine introduction to what has been a rather arcane field. Einstein would approve."
Discover - Jeffrey Winters (06/19/1999)
"Greene does an admirable job of translating a wholly mathematical endeavor into visual terms. Throughout his work, He writes with poetic eloquence and style. Yet his desire to reach the general reader may be overly ambitious. His discussions of gauge symmetries and Calabi-Yau geometries will be bests appreciated by the science minded who seek an insider's perspective on the cutting edge of physics."
Washington Post - Marcia Bartusiak (03/07/1999)
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