To write a book to explain in simple, non-mathematical terms what superstring theory is is not a simple task. In The Elegant Universe Brian Greene, a physicist who works in the area, does a very good job. Superstrings are a theory of particle physics that lays claim to being the ultimate "Theory of Everything", merging Einstein's relativity and quantum mechanics into an understanding of the physics of the very small and very large in the Universe. Hence to understand superstrings relativity, quantum mechanics have to be explained as well. In this Brian Greene does a very good job, giving one of the best explanations of relativity I have read in the process. Superstring theory is still very much in its infancy and The Elegant Universe does not claim that all the problems have been solved, in fact a point is made of pointing out all the present deficiencies of the theory.

Probably not a book for the very beginner but anyone who has read popular accounts of particle physics and relativity should gain a lot from reading this book. In places not an easy read, not for style reasons(which was generally very easy) but simply for the difficulty of some of the concepts involved. Superstring theory may or may not be the theory of everything but this book will certainly tell you what we think we know so far. Definitely recommended but don't expect to read it in a weekend. --Simon Goodwin

How science should be presented, 30 Dec 2008
"The Elegant Universe" is unashamedly hard science. It is an attempt by one of the movers and shakers of string theory to explain what this promising would-be successor to both quantum mechanics and general relativity is all about.

This sort of science is not easy, but the book is very well written and the obvious enthusiasm of the author helps. To my mind this book has one of the clearest explanations of Einstein's general theory of relativity that I have read.

I stayed up all night reading it it, but I suspect that some people might well find themselves lost in some of the more complex aspects. Nonetheless I found it an enjoyable read, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to find out what science is really about.

The best popular science book of the past 20 years - flawless, 15 Dec 2008
I found "A Brief History of Time" a bit too dry (not being as well versed in the requisite mathematics at the time) and "Universe in a Nutshell" too flashy and lacking in depth (being up on the maths by then). Greene's book lands right in the middle: it is absolutely engaging to the non-technical reader and still carries enough meat to satisfy those who can see behind the metaphors.

I first read it after being lent it by my physics teacher (thanks, John Fazakerley!) at the age of 17 and found it totally comprehensible; Greene's explanations are brilliantly conceived and render the often subtle and confusing material completely open to understanding. He is always patient, often using multiple angles when discussing especially esoteric material, and each topic dealt with only made me want to read more. I came away from that first reading carrying a curiosity that lasts to this day.

I re-read TEU around two years ago (being 23 at the time), this time armed with significantly better understanding of the maths hiding behind all the metaphors, and I was again not disappointed, thanks to the substantial appendices that include details of the equations governing the various phenomena. If you have any kind of familiarity with this sort of maths then these appendices really enrich your experience and serve to explain what's going on at its most basic level. I also appreciated how deep the book goes; generic explanations can often skate over the more subtle details (as UiaN did).

The book is presented in a much friendlier way than most of this type, with some really nice little illustrations that pop up at exactly the right time. An interest in physics is thus the only pre-requisite - 10/10

A ripping yarn!, 12 Sep 2008
This book makes me wish I'd carried on studying. Greene has a gift for putting accross a very exoteric subject in accessible language. He avoids hand-waving and bogging you down in technical terms. I couldn't put this book down... which is saying something for a popular science book.

Great Explanation of Superstrings and More!, 23 Aug 2008
I am an engineer by education and experience. Like many engineers I am fascinated with the subject of quantum mechanics, superstrings, hidden dimensions, the quest for the theory of everything, parallel universes and more. Much of it isn't easy to understand, but it sure is fun!

For years I had been hearing about superstrings. I have read In Search of Schrödinger's Cat, Schrödinger's Kittens, books on Einstein's theories, and more. I have also read articles on these subjects, watched several amazing TV shows and movies. Some teased the idea of superstrings, but I never came away with a feeling that the concept had been explained properly.

Brian Green's book the Elegant Universe, and the subsequent PBS show does just that! It gives the best explanation of superstrings I have read (and seen) to date. Green also does a great job explaining parallel universes, hidden dimensions, quest for the ultimate theory and more.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking


Not a "light" read, 18 Jun 2008
Brian Greene has a talent for conveying complex ideas in a way that is easy to understand. He is constantly using word pictures (and sometimes actual pictures) to explain relativity, quantum theory, and other topics that are utterly fascinating but are sometimes difficult to get your brain around. Elegant Universe is not a light read, but for those looking to get a moderate understanding of the subject matter I highly recommend it.

How science should be presented, 30 Dec 2008
"The Elegant Universe" is unashamedly hard science. It is an attempt by one of the movers and shakers of string theory to explain what this promising would-be successor to both quantum mechanics and general relativity is all about.

This sort of science is not easy, but the book is very well written and the obvious enthusiasm of the author helps. To my mind this book has one of the clearest explanations of Einstein's general theory of relativity that I have read.

I stayed up all night reading it it, but I suspect that some people might well find themselves lost in some of the more complex aspects. Nonetheless I found it an enjoyable read, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to find out what science is really about.

The best popular science book of the past 20 years - flawless, 15 Dec 2008
I found "A Brief History of Time" a bit too dry (not being as well versed in the requisite mathematics at the time) and "Universe in a Nutshell" too flashy and lacking in depth (being up on the maths by then). Greene's book lands right in the middle: it is absolutely engaging to the non-technical reader and still carries enough meat to satisfy those who can see behind the metaphors.

I first read it after being lent it by my physics teacher (thanks, John Fazakerley!) at the age of 17 and found it totally comprehensible; Greene's explanations are brilliantly conceived and render the often subtle and confusing material completely open to understanding. He is always patient, often using multiple angles when discussing especially esoteric material, and each topic dealt with only made me want to read more. I came away from that first reading carrying a curiosity that lasts to this day.

I re-read TEU around two years ago (being 23 at the time), this time armed with significantly better understanding of the maths hiding behind all the metaphors, and I was again not disappointed, thanks to the substantial appendices that include details of the equations governing the various phenomena. If you have any kind of familiarity with this sort of maths then these appendices really enrich your experience and serve to explain what's going on at its most basic level. I also appreciated how deep the book goes; generic explanations can often skate over the more subtle details (as UiaN did).

The book is presented in a much friendlier way than most of this type, with some really nice little illustrations that pop up at exactly the right time. An interest in physics is thus the only pre-requisite - 10/10

A ripping yarn!, 12 Sep 2008
This book makes me wish I'd carried on studying. Greene has a gift for putting accross a very exoteric subject in accessible language. He avoids hand-waving and bogging you down in technical terms. I couldn't put this book down... which is saying something for a popular science book.

Great Explanation of Superstrings and More!, 23 Aug 2008
I am an engineer by education and experience. Like many engineers I am fascinated with the subject of quantum mechanics, superstrings, hidden dimensions, the quest for the theory of everything, parallel universes and more. Much of it isn't easy to understand, but it sure is fun!

For years I had been hearing about superstrings. I have read In Search of Schrödinger's Cat, Schrödinger's Kittens, books on Einstein's theories, and more. I have also read articles on these subjects, watched several amazing TV shows and movies. Some teased the idea of superstrings, but I never came away with a feeling that the concept had been explained properly.

Brian Green's book the Elegant Universe, and the subsequent PBS show does just that! It gives the best explanation of superstrings I have read (and seen) to date. Green also does a great job explaining parallel universes, hidden dimensions, quest for the ultimate theory and more.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking


Not a "light" read, 18 Jun 2008
Brian Greene has a talent for conveying complex ideas in a way that is easy to understand. He is constantly using word pictures (and sometimes actual pictures) to explain relativity, quantum theory, and other topics that are utterly fascinating but are sometimes difficult to get your brain around. Elegant Universe is not a light read, but for those looking to get a moderate understanding of the subject matter I highly recommend it.

An excellent book, 29 Sep 2004
An excellent introduction into this fascinating subject. Starting with basic principles (such as what is matter, its constituents, what we mean by energy, and which are the physical forces in the universe), it leads the reader into the latest experiments of particle physics. This transition is done very smoothly, without confusing the reader. The book does not contain unecessary complicated information or mathematics. It is aimed at the non-specialist who has an interest in the subject and wants to comprehend a few things quickly and easily. I found this book very interesting and well written. I highly recommend it.

How science should be presented, 30 Dec 2008
"The Elegant Universe" is unashamedly hard science. It is an attempt by one of the movers and shakers of string theory to explain what this promising would-be successor to both quantum mechanics and general relativity is all about.

This sort of science is not easy, but the book is very well written and the obvious enthusiasm of the author helps. To my mind this book has one of the clearest explanations of Einstein's general theory of relativity that I have read.

I stayed up all night reading it it, but I suspect that some people might well find themselves lost in some of the more complex aspects. Nonetheless I found it an enjoyable read, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to find out what science is really about.

The best popular science book of the past 20 years - flawless, 15 Dec 2008
I found "A Brief History of Time" a bit too dry (not being as well versed in the requisite mathematics at the time) and "Universe in a Nutshell" too flashy and lacking in depth (being up on the maths by then). Greene's book lands right in the middle: it is absolutely engaging to the non-technical reader and still carries enough meat to satisfy those who can see behind the metaphors.

I first read it after being lent it by my physics teacher (thanks, John Fazakerley!) at the age of 17 and found it totally comprehensible; Greene's explanations are brilliantly conceived and render the often subtle and confusing material completely open to understanding. He is always patient, often using multiple angles when discussing especially esoteric material, and each topic dealt with only made me want to read more. I came away from that first reading carrying a curiosity that lasts to this day.

I re-read TEU around two years ago (being 23 at the time), this time armed with significantly better understanding of the maths hiding behind all the metaphors, and I was again not disappointed, thanks to the substantial appendices that include details of the equations governing the various phenomena. If you have any kind of familiarity with this sort of maths then these appendices really enrich your experience and serve to explain what's going on at its most basic level. I also appreciated how deep the book goes; generic explanations can often skate over the more subtle details (as UiaN did).

The book is presented in a much friendlier way than most of this type, with some really nice little illustrations that pop up at exactly the right time. An interest in physics is thus the only pre-requisite - 10/10

A ripping yarn!, 12 Sep 2008
This book makes me wish I'd carried on studying. Greene has a gift for putting accross a very exoteric subject in accessible language. He avoids hand-waving and bogging you down in technical terms. I couldn't put this book down... which is saying something for a popular science book.

Great Explanation of Superstrings and More!, 23 Aug 2008
I am an engineer by education and experience. Like many engineers I am fascinated with the subject of quantum mechanics, superstrings, hidden dimensions, the quest for the theory of everything, parallel universes and more. Much of it isn't easy to understand, but it sure is fun!

For years I had been hearing about superstrings. I have read In Search of Schrödinger's Cat, Schrödinger's Kittens, books on Einstein's theories, and more. I have also read articles on these subjects, watched several amazing TV shows and movies. Some teased the idea of superstrings, but I never came away with a feeling that the concept had been explained properly.

Brian Green's book the Elegant Universe, and the subsequent PBS show does just that! It gives the best explanation of superstrings I have read (and seen) to date. Green also does a great job explaining parallel universes, hidden dimensions, quest for the ultimate theory and more.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking


Not a "light" read, 18 Jun 2008
Brian Greene has a talent for conveying complex ideas in a way that is easy to understand. He is constantly using word pictures (and sometimes actual pictures) to explain relativity, quantum theory, and other topics that are utterly fascinating but are sometimes difficult to get your brain around. Elegant Universe is not a light read, but for those looking to get a moderate understanding of the subject matter I highly recommend it.

An excellent book, 29 Sep 2004
An excellent introduction into this fascinating subject. Starting with basic principles (such as what is matter, its constituents, what we mean by energy, and which are the physical forces in the universe), it leads the reader into the latest experiments of particle physics. This transition is done very smoothly, without confusing the reader. The book does not contain unecessary complicated information or mathematics. It is aimed at the non-specialist who has an interest in the subject and wants to comprehend a few things quickly and easily. I found this book very interesting and well written. I highly recommend it.

The unexplainable, unexplained., 13 Aug 2008
I was glad to see some other commentators unhappy with this book. The strange and wonderful behaviour of our universe (on very small scales) can be described mathematically. At these scales however, our macromolecular philosphies fall far short of a common sense description. The really odd thing is why these seeming contradictory mathematical equations yeild such accurate results!
It may well be that no short introduction would ever be capable of doing any justice to the subject, or maybe I'm missing the elegance of the writing through too much ignorance on my part. (I'm not yet fully competent with the maths of the Quantum world, but I'm getting there.)
There are many fine texts on this subject. The Oxford publication Great Physicists gives wonderful inshights into the thinking that led to Quantum physics (and most other aspects of physics) as well as giving explanations of the mathematical logic (illogic?) in a way accessable to all.
Physics is for all and is a lot of fun. There is no way to simplify the maths for Quantum physics and it doesn't make any sense in the conventional way, but don't let that put you off trying some. Good luck.

An excellent introduction to quantum theory, 25 May 2007
There seems to be some mixed reviews regarding J.C. book. Well, personally I feel that it offers a very broad and clear description to the overall structure of quantum physics. The book attempts to arouse the reader's interest through a 'storytelling' of historical facts and explains some of the fundamental problems in quantum theory.

Even as a physicist, I find some aspects of the book quite difficult to comprehend, especially the last part which discusses the philosophical aspects of quantum theory. To non-physicists, this book may seem all the more difficult. But from all the books I have read, this book gives the most simplified description of quantum theory. Highly recommended for readers who want to know what quantum theory is all about and what every physics student has to go through to earn their degree!

Brilliant - and I've read a few books on this subject..., 19 Jan 2005
I have read a quite few 'pop science' books on this subject and this is the most lucid and enjoyable I have read. It encapsulates the main ideas so clearly and for once I understood the central mystery of quantum behaviour.

I don't care about the error that another reviewer got excited about as it doesn't make any material difference to the level of understanding I wanted to get to. And, unlike another reviewer, I find Mr Tomkins both dull and patronising. This book, in contrast, is extremely well written and never patronising.

I was extremely impressed and awed by the mastery of the subject the author has and that was demonstrated by the fact that he could explain the subject to a mathematical cretin like me...

A Misleading Introduction to Quantum Theory, 20 May 2004
Having previously read the Mathematics book in this series (which I highly recommended), I was looking forward to reading this.

First the good points:

This volume is fine for the non-technical reader, but as an added extra for the brave, does contain some nice appendixes giving extra mathematical detail. It is ok as a general introduction to the history of early quantum theory and its main creators, though in part looks like a fanzine for Paul Dirac (a former tutor of the author).

Now the bad:

Any lack of real technical depth is forgivable for a book aimed at the general reader. What is NOT forgiveable is that the author's explanation of the nature of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle is plain wrong. He falls for the classic mistake of thinking this arises from momentum transfer between interacting particles during measurement. Heisenberg himself originally thought this, but later corrected himself. I can't believe the author would repeat this error - although this is a book for the non-technical reader, I still expect it to be technically accurate.

Very short, but not all that lucid, 05 Dec 2002
This is a short book, and that is its only advantage, unfortunately.

Granted, that the author is eminent in this field and was himself a student of the great Paul Dirac. However, this book does not sit easily in a series designed to make a subject approachable to the novice. It has far too much esoteric maths than is good for a book of this genre. An ever stronger criticism is the fact that instead of keeping to basic physics ideas such as the double slit experiment (which this book does well!) and then developing the ideas of atomic structure, and the uncertainty principle, it dwells on things like operators and such like.

If you want a good introduction to Quantum Theory, look no further than the books by George Gamow's "The New World of Mr Tompkins" or "Mr Tomkins in paperback", or, "Uncle Albert and the Quantum Quest".

How science should be presented, 30 Dec 2008
"The Elegant Universe" is unashamedly hard science. It is an attempt by one of the movers and shakers of string theory to explain what this promising would-be successor to both quantum mechanics and general relativity is all about.

This sort of science is not easy, but the book is very well written and the obvious enthusiasm of the author helps. To my mind this book has one of the clearest explanations of Einstein's general theory of relativity that I have read.

I stayed up all night reading it it, but I suspect that some people might well find themselves lost in some of the more complex aspects. Nonetheless I found it an enjoyable read, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to find out what science is really about.

The best popular science book of the past 20 years - flawless, 15 Dec 2008
I found "A Brief History of Time" a bit too dry (not being as well versed in the requisite mathematics at the time) and "Universe in a Nutshell" too flashy and lacking in depth (being up on the maths by then). Greene's book lands right in the middle: it is absolutely engaging to the non-technical reader and still carries enough meat to satisfy those who can see behind the metaphors.

I first read it after being lent it by my physics teacher (thanks, John Fazakerley!) at the age of 17 and found it totally comprehensible; Greene's explanations are brilliantly conceived and render the often subtle and confusing material completely open to understanding. He is always patient, often using multiple angles when discussing especially esoteric material, and each topic dealt with only made me want to read more. I came away from that first reading carrying a curiosity that lasts to this day.

I re-read TEU around two years ago (being 23 at the time), this time armed with significantly better understanding of the maths hiding behind all the metaphors, and I was again not disappointed, thanks to the substantial appendices that include details of the equations governing the various phenomena. If you have any kind of familiarity with this sort of maths then these appendices really enrich your experience and serve to explain what's going on at its most basic level. I also appreciated how deep the book goes; generic explanations can often skate over the more subtle details (as UiaN did).

The book is presented in a much friendlier way than most of this type, with some really nice little illustrations that pop up at exactly the right time. An interest in physics is thus the only pre-requisite - 10/10

A ripping yarn!, 12 Sep 2008
This book makes me wish I'd carried on studying. Greene has a gift for putting accross a very exoteric subject in accessible language. He avoids hand-waving and bogging you down in technical terms. I couldn't put this book down... which is saying something for a popular science book.

Great Explanation of Superstrings and More!, 23 Aug 2008
I am an engineer by education and experience. Like many engineers I am fascinated with the subject of quantum mechanics, superstrings, hidden dimensions, the quest for the theory of everything, parallel universes and more. Much of it isn't easy to understand, but it sure is fun!

For years I had been hearing about superstrings. I have read In Search of Schrödinger's Cat, Schrödinger's Kittens, books on Einstein's theories, and more. I have also read articles on these subjects, watched several amazing TV shows and movies. Some teased the idea of superstrings, but I never came away with a feeling that the concept had been explained properly.

Brian Green's book the Elegant Universe, and the subsequent PBS show does just that! It gives the best explanation of superstrings I have read (and seen) to date. Green also does a great job explaining parallel universes, hidden dimensions, quest for the ultimate theory and more.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking


Not a "light" read, 18 Jun 2008
Brian Greene has a talent for conveying complex ideas in a way that is easy to understand. He is constantly using word pictures (and sometimes actual pictures) to explain relativity, quantum theory, and other topics that are utterly fascinating but are sometimes difficult to get your brain around. Elegant Universe is not a light read, but for those looking to get a moderate understanding of the subject matter I highly recommend it.

An excellent book, 29 Sep 2004
An excellent introduction into this fascinating subject. Starting with basic principles (such as what is matter, its constituents, what we mean by energy, and which are the physical forces in the universe), it leads the reader into the latest experiments of particle physics. This transition is done very smoothly, without confusing the reader. The book does not contain unecessary complicated information or mathematics. It is aimed at the non-specialist who has an interest in the subject and wants to comprehend a few things quickly and easily. I found this book very interesting and well written. I highly recommend it.

The unexplainable, unexplained., 13 Aug 2008
I was glad to see some other commentators unhappy with this book. The strange and wonderful behaviour of our universe (on very small scales) can be described mathematically. At these scales however, our macromolecular philosphies fall far short of a common sense description. The really odd thing is why these seeming contradictory mathematical equations yeild such accurate results!
It may well be that no short introduction would ever be capable of doing any justice to the subject, or maybe I'm missing the elegance of the writing through too much ignorance on my part. (I'm not yet fully competent with the maths of the Quantum world, but I'm getting there.)
There are many fine texts on this subject. The Oxford publication Great Physicists gives wonderful inshights into the thinking that led to Quantum physics (and most other aspects of physics) as well as giving explanations of the mathematical logic (illogic?) in a way accessable to all.
Physics is for all and is a lot of fun. There is no way to simplify the maths for Quantum physics and it doesn't make any sense in the conventional way, but don't let that put you off trying some. Good luck.

An excellent introduction to quantum theory, 25 May 2007
There seems to be some mixed reviews regarding J.C. book. Well, personally I feel that it offers a very broad and clear description to the overall structure of quantum physics. The book attempts to arouse the reader's interest through a 'storytelling' of historical facts and explains some of the fundamental problems in quantum theory.

Even as a physicist, I find some aspects of the book quite difficult to comprehend, especially the last part which discusses the philosophical aspects of quantum theory. To non-physicists, this book may seem all the more difficult. But from all the books I have read, this book gives the most simplified description of quantum theory. Highly recommended for readers who want to know what quantum theory is all about and what every physics student has to go through to earn their degree!

Brilliant - and I've read a few books on this subject..., 19 Jan 2005
I have read a quite few 'pop science' books on this subject and this is the most lucid and enjoyable I have read. It encapsulates the main ideas so clearly and for once I understood the central mystery of quantum behaviour.

I don't care about the error that another reviewer got excited about as it doesn't make any material difference to the level of understanding I wanted to get to. And, unlike another reviewer, I find Mr Tomkins both dull and patronising. This book, in contrast, is extremely well written and never patronising.

I was extremely impressed and awed by the mastery of the subject the author has and that was demonstrated by the fact that he could explain the subject to a mathematical cretin like me...

A Misleading Introduction to Quantum Theory, 20 May 2004
Having previously read the Mathematics book in this series (which I highly recommended), I was looking forward to reading this.

First the good points:

This volume is fine for the non-technical reader, but as an added extra for the brave, does contain some nice appendixes giving extra mathematical detail. It is ok as a general introduction to the history of early quantum theory and its main creators, though in part looks like a fanzine for Paul Dirac (a former tutor of the author).

Now the bad:

Any lack of real technical depth is forgivable for a book aimed at the general reader. What is NOT forgiveable is that the author's explanation of the nature of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle is plain wrong. He falls for the classic mistake of thinking this arises from momentum transfer between interacting particles during measurement. Heisenberg himself originally thought this, but later corrected himself. I can't believe the author would repeat this error - although this is a book for the non-technical reader, I still expect it to be technically accurate.

Very short, but not all that lucid, 05 Dec 2002
This is a short book, and that is its only advantage, unfortunately.

Granted, that the author is eminent in this field and was himself a student of the great Paul Dirac. However, this book does not sit easily in a series designed to make a subject approachable to the novice. It has far too much esoteric maths than is good for a book of this genre. An ever stronger criticism is the fact that instead of keeping to basic physics ideas such as the double slit experiment (which this book does well!) and then developing the ideas of atomic structure, and the uncertainty principle, it dwells on things like operators and such like.

If you want a good introduction to Quantum Theory, look no further than the books by George Gamow's "The New World of Mr Tompkins" or "Mr Tomkins in paperback", or, "Uncle Albert and the Quantum Quest".

Wonderful book, 27 Mar 2008
For a layperson like myself who has no knowledge of the subject of Atomic physics (or any other science subject) and yet was gripped by the BBC series 'Atom', this book was the perfect partner to the series. Piers Bizony has made this mind-boggling subject understandable (almost) and very, very enjoyable.A wonderful book which I read at one sitting and I'm now eager for more.

Excellent stuff!!, 29 Jan 2008
It can be difficult for a layman to find material on Atomic physics which is entertaining, stimulating and which also has enough depth to enable you to walk away and say 'Oh - now I understand!'. Al-Khalili's book is deep enough to enable you to understand the gradual build-up of theory and how everything fit into everything that went before it. The biographies of the lead scientists enable the reader to see how a theory was part of a place and time and how new propositions were made on the basis of the thinking at the time. More importantly there is that sense of wonder, good humour and genuine reflective insight that make the best science books highly accessible but also highly informative. Certainly an excellent choice for the layman (me) and I would expect for those students who feel their lecturers suppose everyone to have walked in the door with ten years previous research experience!

Disappointing, 28 Jan 2008
No justice with the subject.We find more of short biographies of various scientists than the subject itself.A book far below expectation.

Atom....begin with basic building blocks!, 13 Oct 2007
I was hooked on the T.V series, which this book accompanies, and enthralled by the book, which I could not put down.My only disappointment was that the book did not cover the latter parts of the the T.V progamme in its foray into string theory and the cutting edge of contempoary physics. Having an interest in quantum physics, and the philosophy of science, (but not an education in physics to support it)I found that this book offers a coherent and comprehensible history of the development of ideas about the nature of the atom, which serves as an invaluable set of building blocks,from which to fashion a foundation of a better grasp of contemporary theory.I will certainly be buying the book by the same author on Quantum Theory.

How science should be presented, 30 Dec 2008
"The Elegant Universe" is unashamedly hard science. It is an attempt by one of the movers and shakers of string theory to explain what this promising would-be successor to both quantum mechanics and general relativity is all about.

This sort of science is not easy, but the book is very well written and the obvious enthusiasm of the author helps. To my mind this book has one of the clearest explanations of Einstein's general theory of relativity that I have read.

I stayed up all night reading it it, but I suspect that some people might well find themselves lost in some of the more complex aspects. Nonetheless I found it an enjoyable read, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to find out what science is really about.

The best popular science book of the past 20 years - flawless, 15 Dec 2008
I found "A Brief History of Time" a bit too dry (not being as well versed in the requisite mathematics at the time) and "Universe in a Nutshell" too flashy and lacking in depth (being up on the maths by then). Greene's book lands right in the middle: it is absolutely engaging to the non-technical reader and still carries enough meat to satisfy those who can see behind the metaphors.

I first read it after being lent it by my physics teacher (thanks, John Fazakerley!) at the age of 17 and found it totally comprehensible; Greene's explanations are brilliantly conceived and render the often subtle and confusing material completely open to understanding. He is always patient, often using multiple angles when discussing especially esoteric material, and each topic dealt with only made me want to read more. I came away from that first reading carrying a curiosity that lasts to this day.

I re-read TEU around two years ago (being 23 at the time), this time armed with significantly better understanding of the maths hiding behind all the metaphors, and I was again not disappointed, thanks to the substantial appendices that include details of the equations governing the various phenomena. If you have any kind of familiarity with this sort of maths then these appendices really enrich your experience and serve to explain what's going on at its most basic level. I also appreciated how deep the book goes; generic explanations can often skate over the more subtle details (as UiaN did).

The book is presented in a much friendlier way than most of this type, with some really nice little illustrations that pop up at exactly the right time. An interest in physics is thus the only pre-requisite - 10/10

A ripping yarn!, 12 Sep 2008
This book makes me wish I'd carried on studying. Greene has a gift for putting accross a very exoteric subject in accessible language. He avoids hand-waving and bogging you down in technical terms. I couldn't put this book down... which is saying something for a popular science book.

Great Explanation of Superstrings and More!, 23 Aug 2008
I am an engineer by education and experience. Like many engineers I am fascinated with the subject of quantum mechanics, superstrings, hidden dimensions, the quest for the theory of everything, parallel universes and more. Much of it isn't easy to understand, but it sure is fun!

For years I had been hearing about superstrings. I have read In Search of Schrödinger's Cat, Schrödinger's Kittens, books on Einstein's theories, and more. I have also read articles on these subjects, watched several amazing TV shows and movies. Some teased the idea of superstrings, but I never came away with a feeling that the concept had been explained properly.

Brian Green's book the Elegant Universe, and the subsequent PBS show does just that! It gives the best explanation of superstrings I have read (and seen) to date. Green also does a great job explaining parallel universes, hidden dimensions, quest for the ultimate theory and more.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking


Not a "light" read, 18 Jun 2008
Brian Greene has a talent for conveying complex ideas in a way that is easy to understand. He is constantly using word pictures (and sometimes actual pictures) to explain relativity, quantum theory, and other topics that are utterly fascinating but are sometimes difficult to get your brain around. Elegant Universe is not a light read, but for those looking to get a moderate understanding of the subject matter I highly recommend it.

An excellent book, 29 Sep 2004
An excellent introduction into this fascinating subject. Starting with basic principles (such as what is matter, its constituents, what we mean by energy, and which are the physical forces in the universe), it leads the reader into the latest experiments of particle physics. This transition is done very smoothly, without confusing the reader. The book does not contain unecessary complicated information or mathematics. It is aimed at the non-specialist who has an interest in the subject and wants to comprehend a few things quickly and easily. I found this book very interesting and well written. I highly recommend it.

The unexplainable, unexplained., 13 Aug 2008
I was glad to see some other commentators unhappy with this book. The strange and wonderful behaviour of our universe (on very small scales) can be described mathematically. At these scales however, our macromolecular philosphies fall far short of a common sense description. The really odd thing is why these seeming contradictory mathematical equations yeild such accurate results!
It may well be that no short introduction would ever be capable of doing any justice to the subject, or maybe I'm missing the elegance of the writing through too much ignorance on my part. (I'm not yet fully competent with the maths of the Quantum world, but I'm getting there.)
There are many fine texts on this subject. The Oxford publication Great Physicists gives wonderful inshights into the thinking that led to Quantum physics (and most other aspects of physics) as well as giving explanations of the mathematical logic (illogic?) in a way accessable to all.
Physics is for all and is a lot of fun. There is no way to simplify the maths for Quantum physics and it doesn't make any sense in the conventional way, but don't let that put you off trying some. Good luck.

An excellent introduction to quantum theory, 25 May 2007
There seems to be some mixed reviews regarding J.C. book. Well, personally I feel that it offers a very broad and clear description to the overall structure of quantum physics. The book attempts to arouse the reader's interest through a 'storytelling' of historical facts and explains some of the fundamental problems in quantum theory.

Even as a physicist, I find some aspects of the book quite difficult to comprehend, especially the last part which discusses the philosophical aspects of quantum theory. To non-physicists, this book may seem all the more difficult. But from all the books I have read, this book gives the most simplified description of quantum theory. Highly recommended for readers who want to know what quantum theory is all about and what every physics student has to go through to earn their degree!

Brilliant - and I've read a few books on this subject..., 19 Jan 2005
I have read a quite few 'pop science' books on this subject and this is the most lucid and enjoyable I have read. It encapsulates the main ideas so clearly and for once I understood the central mystery of quantum behaviour.

I don't care about the error that another reviewer got excited about as it doesn't make any material difference to the level of understanding I wanted to get to. And, unlike another reviewer, I find Mr Tomkins both dull and patronising. This book, in contrast, is extremely well written and never patronising.

I was extremely impressed and awed by the mastery of the subject the author has and that was demonstrated by the fact that he could explain the subject to a mathematical cretin like me...

A Misleading Introduction to Quantum Theory, 20 May 2004
Having previously read the Mathematics book in this series (which I highly recommended), I was looking forward to reading this.

First the good points:

This volume is fine for the non-technical reader, but as an added extra for the brave, does contain some nice appendixes giving extra mathematical detail. It is ok as a general introduction to the history of early quantum theory and its main creators, though in part looks like a fanzine for Paul Dirac (a former tutor of the author).

Now the bad:

Any lack of real technical depth is forgivable for a book aimed at the general reader. What is NOT forgiveable is that the author's explanation of the nature of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle is plain wrong. He falls for the classic mistake of thinking this arises from momentum transfer between interacting particles during measurement. Heisenberg himself originally thought this, but later corrected himself. I can't believe the author would repeat this error - although this is a book for the non-technical reader, I still expect it to be technically accurate.

Very short, but not all that lucid, 05 Dec 2002
This is a short book, and that is its only advantage, unfortunately.

Granted, that the author is eminent in this field and was himself a student of the great Paul Dirac. However, this book does not sit easily in a series designed to make a subject approachable to the novice. It has far too much esoteric maths than is good for a book of this genre. An ever stronger criticism is the fact that instead of keeping to basic physics ideas such as the double slit experiment (which this book does well!) and then developing the ideas of atomic structure, and the uncertainty principle, it dwells on things like operators and such like.

If you want a good introduction to Quantum Theory, look no further than the books by George Gamow's "The New World of Mr Tompkins" or "Mr Tomkins in paperback", or, "Uncle Albert and the Quantum Quest".

Wonderful book, 27 Mar 2008
For a layperson like myself who has no knowledge of the subject of Atomic physics (or any other science subject) and yet was gripped by the BBC series 'Atom', this book was the perfect partner to the series. Piers Bizony has made this mind-boggling subject understandable (almost) and very, very enjoyable.A wonderful book which I read at one sitting and I'm now eager for more.

Excellent stuff!!, 29 Jan 2008
It can be difficult for a layman to find material on Atomic physics which is entertaining, stimulating and which also has enough depth to enable you to walk away and say 'Oh - now I understand!'. Al-Khalili's book is deep enough to enable you to understand the gradual build-up of theory and how everything fit into everything that went before it. The biographies of the lead scientists enable the reader to see how a theory was part of a place and time and how new propositions were made on the basis of the thinking at the time. More importantly there is that sense of wonder, good humour and genuine reflective insight that make the best science books highly accessible but also highly informative. Certainly an excellent choice for the layman (me) and I would expect for those students who feel their lecturers suppose everyone to have walked in the door with ten years previous research experience!

Disappointing, 28 Jan 2008
No justice with the subject.We find more of short biographies of various scientists than the subject itself.A book far below expectation.

Atom....begin with basic building blocks!, 13 Oct 2007
I was hooked on the T.V series, which this book accompanies, and enthralled by the book, which I could not put down.My only disappointment was that the book did not cover the latter parts of the the T.V progamme in its foray into string theory and the cutting edge of contempoary physics. Having an interest in quantum physics, and the philosophy of science, (but not an education in physics to support it)I found that this book offers a coherent and comprehensible history of the development of ideas about the nature of the atom, which serves as an invaluable set of building blocks,from which to fashion a foundation of a better grasp of contemporary theory.I will certainly be buying the book by the same author on Quantum Theory.

Very good, 23 Nov 2008
This was one of the few books I enjoyed reading for my physics undergraduate course, back in the late 90s. It's well written, clear and goes in to plenty of detail, without being written in a needlessly academic style. Recommended.

Krane - Komprehensive and Klear!, 13 Feb 2002
Krane's book covers everything you need to know (and more) for an undergraduate nuclear physics course. The layout is clear and the subject material is explained well. There are also plenty of good diagrams using real experimental data, although these can sometimes be hard to understand. There is also a fair bit on experimental setups which may or may not be useful - depends on your course. Krane not only covers nuclear physics but also has good chapters on particle physics - mesons, Feynman diagrams, quarks...you name it, it's in Krane!

You can expect from this book a good introduction to nuclear, 21 Jun 2001
The basic guideline of this book is clarity. It is deserves most attention to introduce basic ideas of nuclear physics: nuclei's properties and forces are treated well, facing the main properties, then introducing the basic models and decays' rules. Later, it explains the principles of reactors, and at last a readable introduction to particle physics. All topics are treated from an experimental point of view, with abundant data, and of course, figures. Don't look for complicated maths or advanced topics. You can expect from this book a good introduction to nuclear physics. I liked it much than Segre's one; they are thinked for the same audience, but I think the basic facts are here clearer for a student. No previous quantum mechanics knowledge is needed, too (if needed, are in the first and second chapters). Of course, it is thought for undergraduate physics or engineers.

How science should be presented, 30 Dec 2008
"The Elegant Universe" is unashamedly hard science. It is an attempt by one of the movers and shakers of string theory to explain what this promising would-be successor to both quantum mechanics and general relativity is all about.

This sort of science is not easy, but the book is very well written and the obvious enthusiasm of the author helps. To my mind this book has one of the clearest explanations of Einstein's general theory of relativity that I have read.

I stayed up all night reading it it, but I suspect that some people might well find themselves lost in some of the more complex aspects. Nonetheless I found it an enjoyable read, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to find out what science is really about.

The best popular science book of the past 20 years - flawless, 15 Dec 2008
I found "A Brief History of Time" a bit too dry (not being as well versed in the requisite mathematics at the time) and "Universe in a Nutshell" too flashy and lacking in depth (being up on the maths by then). Greene's book lands right in the middle: it is absolutely engaging to the non-technical reader and still carries enough meat to satisfy those who can see behind the metaphors.

I first read it after being lent it by my physics teacher (thanks, John Fazakerley!) at the age of 17 and found it totally comprehensible; Greene's explanations are brilliantly conceived and render the often subtle and confusing material completely open to understanding. He is always patient, often using multiple angles when discussing especially esoteric material, and each topic dealt with only made me want to read more. I came away from that first reading carrying a curiosity that lasts to this day.

I re-read TEU around two years ago (being 23 at the time), this time armed with significantly better understanding of the maths hiding behind all the metaphors, and I was again not disappointed, thanks to the substantial appendices that include details of the equations governing the various phenomena. If you have any kind of familiarity with this sort of maths then these appendices really enrich your experience and serve to explain what's going on at its most basic level. I also appreciated how deep the book goes; generic explanations can often skate over the more subtle details (as UiaN did).

The book is presented in a much friendlier way than most of this type, with some really nice little illustrations that pop up at exactly the right time. An interest in physics is thus the only pre-requisite - 10/10

A ripping yarn!, 12 Sep 2008
This book makes me wish I'd carried on studying. Greene has a gift for putting accross a very exoteric subject in accessible language. He avoids hand-waving and bogging you down in technical terms. I couldn't put this book down... which is saying something for a popular science book.

Great Explanation of Superstrings and More!, 23 Aug 2008
I am an engineer by education and experience. Like many engineers I am fascinated with the subject of quantum mechanics, superstrings, hidden dimensions, the quest for the theory of everything, parallel universes and more. Much of it isn't easy to understand, but it sure is fun!

For years I had been hearing about superstrings. I have read In Search of Schrödinger's Cat, Schrödinger's Kittens, books on Einstein's theories, and more. I have also read articles on these subjects, watched several amazing TV shows and movies. Some teased the idea of superstrings, but I never came away with a feeling that the concept had been explained properly.

Brian Green's book the Elegant Universe, and the subsequent PBS show does just that! It gives the best explanation of superstrings I have read (and seen) to date. Green also does a great job explaining parallel universes, hidden dimensions, quest for the ultimate theory and more.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking


Not a "light" read, 18 Jun 2008
Brian Greene has a talent for conveying complex ideas in a way that is easy to understand. He is constantly using word pictures (and sometimes actual pictures) to explain relativity, quantum theory, and other topics that are utterly fascinating but are sometimes difficult to get your brain around. Elegant Universe is not a light read, but for those looking to get a moderate understanding of the subject matter I highly recommend it.

An excellent book, 29 Sep 2004
An excellent introduction into this fascinating subject. Starting with basic principles (such as what is matter, its constituents, what we mean by energy, and which are the physical forces in the universe), it leads the reader into the latest experiments of particle physics. This transition is done very smoothly, without confusing the reader. The book does not contain unecessary complicated information or mathematics. It is aimed at the non-specialist who has an interest in the subject and wants to comprehend a few things quickly and easily. I found this book very interesting and well written. I highly recommend it.

The unexplainable, unexplained., 13 Aug 2008
I was glad to see some other commentators unhappy with this book. The strange and wonderful behaviour of our universe (on very small scales) can be described mathematically. At these scales however, our macromolecular philosphies fall far short of a common sense description. The really odd thing is why these seeming contradictory mathematical equations yeild such accurate results!
It may well be that no short introduction would ever be capable of doing any justice to the subject, or maybe I'm missing the elegance of the writing through too much ignorance on my part. (I'm not yet fully competent with the maths of the Quantum world, but I'm getting there.)
There are many fine texts on this subject. The Oxford publication Great Physicists gives wonderful inshights into the thinking that led to Quantum physics (and most other aspects of physics) as well as giving explanations of the mathematical logic (illogic?) in a way accessable to all.
Physics is for all and is a lot of fun. There is no way to simplify the maths for Quantum physics and it doesn't make any sense in the conventional way, but don't let that put you off trying some. Good luck.

An excellent introduction to quantum theory, 25 May 2007
There seems to be some mixed reviews regarding J.C. book. Well, personally I feel that it offers a very broad and clear description to the overall structure of quantum physics. The book attempts to arouse the reader's interest through a 'storytelling' of historical facts and explains some of the fundamental problems in quantum theory.

Even as a physicist, I find some aspects of the book quite difficult to comprehend, especially the last part which discusses the philosophical aspects of quantum theory. To non-physicists, this book may seem all the more difficult. But from all the books I have read, this book gives the most simplified description of quantum theory. Highly recommended for readers who want to know what quantum theory is all about and what every physics student has to go through to earn their degree!

Brilliant - and I've read a few books on this subject..., 19 Jan 2005
I have read a quite few 'pop science' books on this subject and this is the most lucid and enjoyable I have read. It encapsulates the main ideas so clearly and for once I understood the central mystery of quantum behaviour.

I don't care about the error that another reviewer got excited about as it doesn't make any material difference to the level of understanding I wanted to get to. And, unlike another reviewer, I find Mr Tomkins both dull and patronising. This book, in contrast, is extremely well written and never patronising.

I was extremely impressed and awed by the mastery of the subject the author has and that was demonstrated by the fact that he could explain the subject to a mathematical cretin like me...

A Misleading Introduction to Quantum Theory, 20 May 2004
Having previously read the Mathematics book in this series (which I highly recommended), I was looking forward to reading this.

First the good points:

This volume is fine for the non-technical reader, but as an added extra for the brave, does contain some nice appendixes giving extra mathematical detail. It is ok as a general introduction to the history of early quantum theory and its main creators, though in part looks like a fanzine for Paul Dirac (a former tutor of the author).

Now the bad:

Any lack of real technical depth is forgivable for a book aimed at the general reader. What is NOT forgiveable is that the author's explanation of the nature of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle is plain wrong. He falls for the classic mistake of thinking this arises from momentum transfer between interacting particles during measurement. Heisenberg himself originally thought this, but later corrected himself. I can't believe the author would repeat this error - although this is a book for the non-technical reader, I still expect it to be technically accurate.

Very short, but not all that lucid, 05 Dec 2002
This is a short book, and that is its only advantage, unfortunately.

Granted, that the author is eminent in this field and was himself a student of the great Paul Dirac. However, this book does not sit easily in a series designed to make a subject approachable to the novice. It has far too much esoteric maths than is good for a book of this genre. An ever stronger criticism is the fact that instead of keeping to basic physics ideas such as the double slit experiment (which this book does well!) and then developing the ideas of atomic structure, and the uncertainty principle, it dwells on things like operators and such like.

If you want a good introduction to Quantum Theory, look no further than the books by George Gamow's "The New World of Mr Tompkins" or "Mr Tomkins in paperback", or, "Uncle Albert and the Quantum Quest".

Wonderful book, 27 Mar 2008
For a layperson like myself who has no knowledge of the subject of Atomic physics (or any other science subject) and yet was gripped by the BBC series 'Atom', this book was the perfect partner to the series. Piers Bizony has made this mind-boggling subject understandable (almost) and very, very enjoyable.A wonderful book which I read at one sitting and I'm now eager for more.

Excellent stuff!!, 29 Jan 2008
It can be difficult for a layman to find material on Atomic physics which is entertaining, stimulating and which also has enough depth to enable you to walk away and say 'Oh - now I understand!'. Al-Khalili's book is deep enough to enable you to understand the gradual build-up of theory and how everything fit into everything that went before it. The biographies of the lead scientists enable the reader to see how a theory was part of a place and time and how new propositions were made on the basis of the thinking at the time. More importantly there is that sense of wonder, good humour and genuine reflective insight that make the best science books highly accessible but also highly informative. Certainly an excellent choice for the layman (me) and I would expect for those students who feel their lecturers suppose everyone to have walked in the door with ten years previous research experience!

Disappointing, 28 Jan 2008
No justice with the subject.We find more of short biographies of various scientists than the subject itself.A book far below expectation.

Atom....begin with basic building blocks!, 13 Oct 2007
I was hooked on the T.V series, which this book accompanies, and enthralled by the book, which I could not put down.My only disappointment was that the book did not cover the latter parts of the the T.V progamme in its foray into string theory and the cutting edge of contempoary physics. Having an interest in quantum physics, and the philosophy of science, (but not an education in physics to support it)I found that this book offers a coherent and comprehensible history of the development of ideas about the nature of the atom, which serves as an invaluable set of building blocks,from which to fashion a foundation of a better grasp of contemporary theory.I will certainly be buying the book by the same author on Quantum Theory.

Very good, 23 Nov 2008
This was one of the few books I enjoyed reading for my physics undergraduate course, back in the late 90s. It's well written, clear and goes in to plenty of detail, without being written in a needlessly academic style. Recommended.

Krane - Komprehensive and Klear!, 13 Feb 2002
Krane's book covers everything you need to know (and more) for an undergraduate nuclear physics course. The layout is clear and the subject material is explained well. There are also plenty of good diagrams using real experimental data, although these can sometimes be hard to understand. There is also a fair bit on experimental setups which may or may not be useful - depends on your course. Krane not only covers nuclear physics but also has good chapters on particle physics - mesons, Feynman diagrams, quarks...you name it, it's in Krane!

You can expect from this book a good introduction to nuclear, 21 Jun 2001
The basic guideline of this book is clarity. It is deserves most attention to introduce basic ideas of nuclear physics: nuclei's properties and forces are treated well, facing the main properties, then introducing the basic models and decays' rules. Later, it explains the principles of reactors, and at last a readable introduction to particle physics. All topics are treated from an experimental point of view, with abundant data, and of course, figures. Don't look for complicated maths or advanced topics. You can expect from this book a good introduction to nuclear physics. I liked it much than Segre's one; they are thinked for the same audience, but I think the basic facts are here clearer for a student. No previous quantum mechanics knowledge is needed, too (if needed, are in the first and second chapters). Of course, it is thought for undergraduate physics or engineers.

Not for beginners, 06 Mar 2001
This book, although beautifully written is definetly one which assumes a vast amount of prior knowledge. I myself am a student of particle physics and all though the book discusses some extremely interesting concepts, its is not advanced enough to progress one's knowledge. Thus it is too advanced for beginners, but too basic for proffessionals, there is a small group of people who may find this well worth reading, but as i said, a small group.

How science should be presented, 30 Dec 2008
"The Elegant Universe" is unashamedly hard science. It is an attempt by one of the movers and shakers of string theory to explain what this promising would-be successor to both quantum mechanics and general relativity is all about.

This sort of science is not easy, but the book is very well written and the obvious enthusiasm of the author helps. To my mind this book has one of the clearest explanations of Einstein's general theory of relativity that I have read.

I stayed up all night reading it it, but I suspect that some people might well find themselves lost in some of the more complex aspects. Nonetheless I found it an enjoyable read, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to find out what science is really about.

The best popular science book of the past 20 years - flawless, 15 Dec 2008
I found "A Brief History of Time" a bit too dry (not being as well versed in the requisite mathematics at the time) and "Universe in a Nutshell" too flashy and lacking in depth (being up on the maths by then). Greene's book lands right in the middle: it is absolutely engaging to the non-technical reader and still carries enough meat to satisfy those who can see behind the metaphors.

I first read it after being lent it by my physics teacher (thanks, John Fazakerley!) at the age of 17 and found it totally comprehensible; Greene's explanations are brilliantly conceived and render the often subtle and confusing material completely open to understanding. He is always patient, often using multiple angles when discussing especially esoteric material, and each topic dealt with only made me want to read more. I came away from that first reading carrying a curiosity that lasts to this day.

I re-read TEU around two years ago (being 23 at the time), this time armed with significantly better understanding of the maths hiding behind all the metaphors, and I was again not disappointed, thanks to the substantial appendices that include details of the equations governing the various phenomena. If you have any kind of familiarity with this sort of maths then these appendices really enrich your experience and serve to explain what's going on at its most basic level. I also appreciated how deep the book goes; generic explanations can often skate over the more subtle details (as UiaN did).

The book is presented in a much friendlier way than most of this type, with some really nice little illustrations that pop up at exactly the right time. An interest in physics is thus the only pre-requisite - 10/10

A ripping yarn!, 12 Sep 2008
This book makes me wish I'd carried on studying. Greene has a gift for putting accross a very exoteric subject in accessible language. He avoids hand-waving and bogging you down in technical terms. I couldn't put this book down... which is saying something for a popular science book.

Great Explanation of Superstrings and More!, 23 Aug 2008
I am an engineer by education and experience. Like many engineers I am fascinated with the subject of quantum mechanics, superstrings, hidden dimensions, the quest for the theory of everything, parallel universes and more. Much of it isn't easy to understand, but it sure is fun!

For years I had been hearing about superstrings. I have read In Search of Schrödinger's Cat, Schrödinger's Kittens, books on Einstein's theories, and more. I have also read articles on these subjects, watched several amazing TV shows and movies. Some teased the idea of superstrings, but I never came away with a feeling that the concept had been explained properly.

Brian Green's book the Elegant Universe, and the subsequent PBS show does just that! It gives the best explanation of superstrings I have read (and seen) to date. Green also does a great job explaining parallel universes, hidden dimensions, quest for the ultimate theory and more.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking


Not a "light" read, 18 Jun 2008
Brian Greene has a talent for conveying complex ideas in a way that is easy to understand. He is constantly using word pictures (and sometimes actual pictures) to explain relativity, quantum theory, and other topics that are utterly fascinating but are sometimes difficult to get your brain around. Elegant Universe is not a light read, but for those looking to get a moderate understanding of the subject matter I highly recommend it.

An excellent book, 29 Sep 2004
An excellent introduction into this fascinating subject. Starting with basic principles (such as what is matter, its constituents, what we mean by energy, and which are the physical forces in the universe), it leads the reader into the latest experiments of particle physics. This transition is done very smoothly, without confusing the reader. The book does not contain unecessary complicated information or mathematics. It is aimed at the non-specialist who has an interest in the subject and wants to comprehend a few things quickly and easily. I found this book very interesting and well written. I highly recommend it.

The unexplainable, unexplained., 13 Aug 2008
I was glad to see some other commentators unhappy with this book. The strange and wonderful behaviour of our universe (on very small scales) can be described mathematically. At these scales however, our macromolecular philosphies fall far short of a common sense description. The really odd thing is why these seeming contradictory mathematical equations yeild such accurate results!
It may well be that no short introduction would ever be capable of doing any justice to the subject, or maybe I'm missing the elegance of the writing through too much ignorance on my part. (I'm not yet fully competent with the maths of the Quantum world, but I'm getting there.)
There are many fine texts on this subject. The Oxford publication Great Physicists gives wonderful inshights into the thinking that led to Quantum physics (and most other aspects of physics) as well as giving explanations of the mathematical logic (illogic?) in a way accessable to all.
Physics is for all and is a lot of fun. There is no way to simplify the maths for Quantum physics and it doesn't make any sense in the conventional way, but don't let that put you off trying some. Good luck.

An excellent introduction to quantum theory, 25 May 2007
There seems to be some mixed reviews regarding J.C. book. Well, personally I feel that it offers a very broad and clear description to the overall structure of quantum physics. The book attempts to arouse the reader's interest through a 'storytelling' of historical facts and explains some of the fundamental problems in quantum theory.

Even as a physicist, I find some aspects of the book quite difficult to comprehend, especially the last part which discusses the philosophical aspects of quantum theory. To non-physicists, this book may seem all the more difficult. But from all the books I have read, this book gives the most simplified description of quantum theory. Highly recommended for readers who want to know what quantum theory is all about and what every physics student has to go through to earn their degree!

Brilliant - and I've read a few books on this subject..., 19 Jan 2005
I have read a quite few 'pop science' books on this subject and this is the most lucid and enjoyable I have read. It encapsulates the main ideas so clearly and for once I understood the central mystery of quantum behaviour.

I don't care about the error that another reviewer got excited about as it doesn't make any material difference to the level of understanding I wanted to get to. And, unlike another reviewer, I find Mr Tomkins both dull and patronising. This book, in contrast, is extremely well written and never patronising.

I was extremely impressed and awed by the mastery of the subject the author has and that was demonstrated by the fact that he could explain the subject to a mathematical cretin like me...

A Misleading Introduction to Quantum Theory, 20 May 2004
Having previously read the Mathematics book in this series (which I highly recommended), I was looking forward to reading this.

First the good points:

This volume is fine for the non-technical reader, but as an added extra for the brave, does contain some nice appendixes giving extra mathematical detail. It is ok as a general introduction to the history of early quantum theory and its main creators, though in part looks like a fanzine for Paul Dirac (a former tutor of the author).

Now the bad:

Any lack of real technical depth is forgivable for a book aimed at the general reader. What is NOT forgiveable is that the author's explanation of the nature of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle is plain wrong. He falls for the classic mistake of thinking this arises from momentum transfer between interacting particles during measurement. Heisenberg himself originally thought this, but later corrected himself. I can't believe the author would repeat this error - although this is a book for the non-technical reader, I still expect it to be technically accurate.

Very short, but not all that lucid, 05 Dec 2002
This is a short book, and that is its only advantage, unfortunately.

Granted, that the author is eminent in this field and was himself a student of the great Paul Dirac. However, this book does not sit easily in a series designed to make a subject approachable to the novice. It has far too much esoteric maths than is good for a book of this genre. An ever stronger criticism is the fact that instead of keeping to basic physics ideas such as the double slit experiment (which this book does well!) and then developing the ideas of atomic structure, and the uncertainty principle, it dwells on things like operators and such like.

If you want a good introduction to Quantum Theory, look no further than the books by George Gamow's "The New World of Mr Tompkins" or "Mr Tomkins in paperback", or, "Uncle Albert and the Quantum Quest".

Wonderful book, 27 Mar 2008
For a layperson like myself who has no knowledge of the subject of Atomic physics (or any other science subject) and yet was gripped by the BBC series 'Atom', this book was the perfect partner to the series. Piers Bizony has made this mind-boggling subject understandable (almost) and very, very enjoyable.A wonderful book which I read at one sitting and I'm now eager for more.

Excellent stuff!!, 29 Jan 2008
It can be difficult for a layman to find material on Atomic physics which is entertaining, stimulating and which also has enough depth to enable you to walk away and say 'Oh - now I understand!'. Al-Khalili's book is deep enough to enable you to understand the gradual build-up of theory and how everything fit into everything that went before it. The biographies of the lead scientists enable the reader to see how a theory was part of a place and time and how new propositions were made on the basis of the thinking at the time. More importantly there is that sense of wonder, good humour and genuine reflective insight that make the best science books highly accessible but also highly informative. Certainly an excellent choice for the layman (me) and I would expect for those students who feel their lecturers suppose everyone to have walked in the door with ten years previous research experience!

Disappointing, 28 Jan 2008
No justice with the subject.We find more of short biographies of various scientists than the subject itself.A book far below expectation.

Atom....begin with basic building blocks!, 13 Oct 2007
I was hooked on the T.V series, which this book accompanies, and enthralled by the book, which I could not put down.My only disappointment was that the book did not cover the latter parts of the the T.V progamme in its foray into string theory and the cutting edge of contempoary physics. Having an interest in quantum physics, and the philosophy of science, (but not an education in physics to support it)I found that this book offers a coherent and comprehensible history of the development of ideas about the nature of the atom, which serves as an invaluable set of building blocks,from which to fashion a foundation of a better grasp of contemporary theory.I will certainly be buying the book by the same author on Quantum Theory.

Very good, 23 Nov 2008
This was one of the few books I enjoyed reading for my physics undergraduate course, back in the late 90s. It's well written, clear and goes in to plenty of detail, without being written in a needlessly academic style. Recommended.

Krane - Komprehensive and Klear!, 13 Feb 2002
Krane's book covers everything you need to know (and more) for an undergraduate nuclear physics course. The layout is clear and the subject material is explained well. There are also plenty of good diagrams using real experimental data, although these can sometimes be hard to understand. There is also a fair bit on experimental setups which may or may not be useful - depends on your course. Krane not only covers nuclear physics but also has good chapters on particle physics - mesons, Feynman diagrams, quarks...you name it, it's in Krane!

You can expect from this book a good introduction to nuclear, 21 Jun 2001
The basic guideline of this book is clarity. It is deserves most attention to introduce basic ideas of nuclear physics: nuclei's properties and forces are treated well, facing the main properties, then introducing the basic models and decays' rules. Later, it explains the principles of reactors, and at last a readable introduction to particle physics. All topics are treated from an experimental point of view, with abundant data, and of course, figures. Don't look for complicated maths or advanced topics. You can expect from this book a good introduction to nuclear physics. I liked it much than Segre's one; they are thinked for the same audience, but I think the basic facts are here clearer for a student. No previous quantum mechanics knowledge is needed, too (if needed, are in the first and second chapters). Of course, it is thought for undergraduate physics or engineers.

Not for beginners, 06 Mar 2001
This book, although beautifully written is definetly one which assumes a vast amount of prior knowledge. I myself am a student of particle physics and all though the book discusses some extremely interesting concepts, its is not advanced enough to progress one's knowledge. Thus it is too advanced for beginners, but too basic for proffessionals, there is a small group of people who may find this well worth reading, but as i said, a small group.

Wonderful book, 27 Mar 2008
For a layperson like myself who has no knowledge of the subject of Atomic physics (or any other science subject) and yet was gripped by the BBC series 'Atom', this book was the perfect partner to the series. Piers Bizony has made this mind-boggling subject understandable (almost) and very, very enjoyable.A wonderful book which I read at one sitting and I'm now eager for more.

Excellent stuff!!, 29 Jan 2008
It can be difficult for a layman to find material on Atomic physics which is entertaining, stimulating and which also has enough depth to enable you to walk away and say 'Oh - now I understand!'. Al-Khalili's book is deep enough to enable you to understand the gradual build-up of theory and how everything fit into everything that went before it. The biographies of the lead scientists enable the reader to see how a theory was part of a place and time and how new propositions were made on the basis of the thinking at the time. More importantly there is that sense of wonder, good humour and genuine reflective insight that make the best science books highly accessible but also highly informative. Certainly an excellent choice for the layman (me) and I would expect for those students who feel their lecturers suppose everyone to have walked in the door with ten years previous research experience!

Disappointing, 28 Jan 2008
No justice with the subject.We find more of short biographies of various scientists than the subject itself.A book far below expectation.

Atom....begin with basic building blocks!, 13 Oct 2007
I was hooked on the T.V series, which this book accompanies, and enthralled by the book, which I could not put down.My only disappointment was that the book did not cover the latter parts of the the T.V progamme in its foray into string theory and the cutting edge of contempoary physics. Having an interest in quantum physics, and the philosophy of science, (but not an education in physics to support it)I found that this book offers a coherent and comprehensible history of the development of ideas about the nature of the atom, which serves as an invaluable set of building blocks,from which to fashion a foundation of a better grasp of contemporary theory.I will certainly be buying the book by the same author on Quantum Theory.

How science should be presented, 30 Dec 2008
"The Elegant Universe" is unashamedly hard science. It is an attempt by one of the movers and shakers of string theory to explain what this promising would-be successor to both quantum mechanics and general relativity is all about.

This sort of science is not easy, but the book is very well written and the obvious enthusiasm of the author helps. To my mind this book has one of the clearest explanations of Einstein's general theory of relativity that I have read.

I stayed up all night reading it it, but I suspect that some people might well find themselves lost in some of the more complex aspects. Nonetheless I found it an enjoyable read, and would recommend it to anyone who wants to find out what science is really about.

The best popular science book of the past 20 years - flawless, 15 Dec 2008
I found "A Brief History of Time" a bit too dry (not being as well versed in the requisite mathematics at the time) and "Universe in a Nutshell" too flashy and lacking in depth (being up on the maths by then). Greene's book lands right in the middle: it is absolutely engaging to the non-technical reader and still carries enough meat to satisfy those who can see behind the metaphors.

I first read it after being lent it by my physics teacher (thanks, John Fazakerley!) at the age of 17 and found it totally comprehensible; Greene's explanations are brilliantly conceived and render the often subtle and confusing material completely open to understanding. He is always patient, often using multiple angles when discussing especially esoteric material, and each topic dealt with only made me want to read more. I came away from that first reading carrying a curiosity that lasts to this day.

I re-read TEU around two years ago (being 23 at the time), this time armed with significantly better understanding of the maths hiding behind all the metaphors, and I was again not disappointed, thanks to the substantial appendices that include details of the equations governing the various phenomena. If you have any kind of familiarity with this sort of maths then these appendices really enrich your experience and serve to explain what's going on at its most basic level. I also appreciated how deep the book goes; generic explanations can often skate over the more subtle details (as UiaN did).

The book is presented in a much friendlier way than most of this type, with some really nice little illustrations that pop up at exactly the right time. An interest in physics is thus the only pre-requisite - 10/10

A ripping yarn!, 12 Sep 2008
This book makes me wish I'd carried on studying. Greene has a gift for putting accross a very exoteric subject in accessible language. He avoids hand-waving and bogging you down in technical terms. I couldn't put this book down... which is saying something for a popular science book.

Great Explanation of Superstrings and More!, 23 Aug 2008
I am an engineer by education and experience. Like many engineers I am fascinated with the subject of quantum mechanics, superstrings, hidden dimensions, the quest for the theory of everything, parallel universes and more. Much of it isn't easy to understand, but it sure is fun!

For years I had been hearing about superstrings. I have read In Search of Schrödinger's Cat, Schrödinger's Kittens, books on Einstein's theories, and more. I have also read articles on these subjects, watched several amazing TV shows and movies. Some teased the idea of superstrings, but I never came away with a feeling that the concept had been explained properly.

Brian Green's book the Elegant Universe, and the subsequent PBS show does just that! It gives the best explanation of superstrings I have read (and seen) to date. Green also does a great job explaining parallel universes, hidden dimensions, quest for the ultimate theory and more.

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide To: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking


Not a "light" read, 18 Jun 2008
Brian Greene has a talent for conveying complex ideas in a way that is easy to understand. He is constantly using word pictures (and sometimes actual pictures) to explain relativity, quantum theory, and other topics that are utterly fascinating but are sometimes difficult to get your brain around. Elegant Universe is not a light read, but for those looking to get a moderate understanding of the subject matter I highly recommend it.

An excellent book, 29 Sep 2004
An excellent introduction into this fascinating subject. Starting with basic principles (such as what is matter, its constituents, what we mean by energy, and which are the physical forces in the universe), it leads the reader into the latest experiments of particle physics. This transition is done very smoothly, without confusing the reader. The book does not contain unecessary complicated information or mathematics. It is aimed at the non-specialist who has an interest in the subject and wants to comprehend a few things quickly and easily. I found this book very interesting and well written. I highly recommend it.

The unexplainable, unexplained., 13 Aug 2008
I was glad to see some other commentators unhappy with this book. The strange and wonderful behaviour of our universe (on very small scales) can be described mathematically. At these scales however, our macromolecular philosphies fall far short of a common sense description. The really odd thing is why these seeming contradictory mathematical equations yeild such accurate results!
It may well be that no short introduction would ever be capable of doing any justice to the subject, or maybe I'm missing the elegance of the writing through too much ignorance on my part. (I'm not yet fully competent with the maths of the Quantum world, but I'm getting there.)
There are many fine texts on this subject. The Oxford publication Great Physicists gives wonderful inshights into the thinking that led to Quantum physics (and most other aspects of physics) as well as giving explanations of the mathematical logic (illogic?) in a way accessable to all.
Physics is for all and is a lot of fun. There is no way to simplify the maths for Quantum physics and it doesn't make any sense in the conventional way, but don't let that put you off trying some. Good luck.

An excellent introduction to quantum theory, 25 May 2007
There seems to be some mixed reviews regarding J.C. book. Well, personally I feel that it offers a very broad and clear description to the overall structure of quantum physics. The book attempts to arouse the reader's interest through a 'storytelling' of historical facts and explains some of the fundamental problems in quantum theory.

Even as a physicist, I find some aspects of the book quite difficult to comprehend, especially the last part which discusses the philosophical aspects of quantum theory. To non-physicists, this book may seem all the more difficult. But from all the books I have read, this book gives the most simplified description of quantum theory. Highly recommended for readers who want to know what quantum theory is all about and what every physics student has to go through to earn their degree!

Brilliant - and I've read a few books on this subject..., 19 Jan 2005
I have read a quite few 'pop science' books on this subject and this is the most lucid and enjoyable I have read. It encapsulates the main ideas so clearly and for once I understood the central mystery of quantum behaviour.

I don't care about the error that another reviewer got excited about as it doesn't make any material difference to the level of understanding I wanted to get to. And, unlike another reviewer, I find Mr Tomkins both dull and patronising. This book, in contrast, is extremely well written and never patronising.

I was extremely impressed and awed by the mastery of the subject the author has and that was demonstrated by the fact that he could explain the subject to a mathematical cretin like me...

A Misleading Introduction to Quantum Theory, 20 May 2004
Having previously read the Mathematics book in this series (which I highly recommended), I was looking forward to reading this.

First the good points:

This volume is fine for the non-technical reader, but as an added extra for the brave, does contain some nice appendixes giving extra mathematical detail. It is ok as a general introduction to the history of early quantum theory and its main creators, though in part looks like a fanzine for Paul Dirac (a former tutor of the author).

Now the bad:

Any lack of real technical depth is forgivable for a book aimed at the general reader. What is NOT forgiveable is that the author's explanation of the nature of Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle is plain wrong. He falls for the classic mistake of thinking this arises from momentum transfer between interacting particles during measurement. Heisenberg himself originally thought this, but later corrected himself. I can't believe the author would repeat this error - although this is a book for the non-technical reader, I still expect it to be technically accurate.

Very short, but not all that lucid, 05 Dec 2002
This is a short book, and that is its only advantage, unfortunately.

Granted, that the author is eminent in this field and was himself a student of the great Paul Dirac. However, this book does not sit easily in a series designed to make a subject approachable to the novice. It has far too much esoteric maths than is good for a book of this genre. An ever stronger criticism is the fact that instead of keeping to basic physics ideas such as the double slit experiment (which this book does well!) and then developing the ideas of atomic structure, and the uncertainty principle, it dwells on things like operators and such like.

If you want a good introduction to Quantum Theory, look no further than the books by George Gamow's "The New World of Mr Tompkins" or "Mr Tomkins in paperback", or, "Uncle Albert and the Quantum Quest".

Wonderful book, 27 Mar 2008
For a layperson like myself who has no knowledge of the subject of Atomic physics (or any other science subject) and yet was gripped by the BBC series 'Atom', this book was the perfect partner to the series. Piers Bizony has made this mind-boggling subject understandable (almost) and very, very enjoyable.A wonderful book which I read at one sitting and I'm now eager for more.

Excellent stuff!!, 29 Jan 2008
It can be difficult for a layman to find material on Atomic physics which is entertaining, stimulating and which also has enough depth to enable you to walk away and say 'Oh - now I understand!'. Al-Khalili's book is deep enough to enable you to understand the gradual build-up of theory and how everything fit into everything that went before it. The biographies of the lead scientists enable the reader to see how a theory was part of a place and time and how new propositions were made on the basis of the thinking at the time. More importantly there is that sense of wonder, good humour and genuine reflective insight that make the best science books highly accessible but also highly informative. Certainly an excellent choice for the layman (me) and I would expect for those students who feel their lecturers suppose everyone to have walked in the door with ten years previous research experience!

Disappointing, 28 Jan 2008
No justice with the subject.We find more of short biographies of various scientists than the subject itself.A book far below expectation.

Atom....begin with basic building blocks!, 13 Oct 2007
I was hooked on the T.V series, which this book accompanies, and enthralled by the book, which I could not put down.My only disappointment was that the book did not cover the latter parts of the the T.V progamme in its foray into string theory and the cutting edge of contempoary physics. Having an interest in quantum physics, and the philosophy of science, (but not an education in physics to support it)I found that this book offers a coherent and comprehensible history of the development of ideas about the nature of the atom, which serves as an invaluable set of building blocks,from which to fashion a foundation of a better grasp of contemporary theory.I will certainly be buying the book by the same author on Quantum Theory.

Very good, 23 Nov 2008
This was one of the few books I enjoyed reading for my physics undergraduate course, back in the late 90s. It's well written, clear and goes in to plenty of detail, without being written in a needlessly academic style. Recommended.

Krane - Komprehensive and Klear!, 13 Feb 2002
Krane's book covers everything you need to know (and more) for an undergraduate nuclear physics course. The layout is clear and the subject material is explained well. There are also plenty of good diagrams using real experimental data, although these can sometimes be hard to understand. There is also a fair bit on experimental setups which may or may not be useful - depends on your course. Krane not only covers nuclear physics but also has good chapters on particle physics - mesons, Feynman diagrams, quarks...you name it, it's in Krane!

You can expect from this book a good introduction to nuclear, 21 Jun 2001