An excellent review of quantum physics and reality, 15 Oct 2008
This is one of the best books I have read that reviews both classical and quantum physics to explain the nature of physical reality. Although somewhat outdated, it describes all major schools of thoughts (interpretations) of quantum reality in layman's terms with comparisons and numerous references to the work of other authors. Although this is written for a general reader; it requires some knowledge of undergraduate level physics.

The physics of reality revealed by the quantum physics centers on two facts; wave - particle duality of matter, and the results of Thomas Young's double slit experiments. Several schools of thought originated to interpret reality based on this observation; most notable is the Copenhagen interpretation. According to this interpretation, the particle wave spreads throughout the universe, and it could appear anywhere in the universe until it is observed. The very act of observing the wave make wave functions to collapse as a particle at the point of observation (detection), and it will be observed at that location with certainty. But as soon as we stop looking at the wave, then probability wave leaks from that location and spreads to the universe, hence we are unable to predict the path of the wave from one point of detection to the next moment in time. The particles know more about the world than just the immediate locality, which is strange in terms of human perception of day-to-day reality dictated by classical laws of physics. The main contention is the human observer determines if the particle behaves like wave or particle and it is impossible to determine the physical state (wave or particle) prior to the measurements. In essence, matter at the most fundamental level is unreal until it is observed by a human being. The Copenhagen school of thought offers a holistic view of quantum world. Another feature of the quantum world is that wave and particle states are complimentary properties; that is both states can not exist at the same time but matter could be either in one or the other state. This is due to the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle which states that the momentum of a quantum object and its position can not be measured at the same time. This is not measurement problem but due to quantum uncertainty because the position refers to the particle nature as it will have a definite existence, but the momentum is a measure of wave nature of the object moving in a certain direction at a definite speed. Thus complementarities results directly from this principle.

John Gribbin explores the absurdity of Copenhagen interpretation to explain the outcome of a thought (Schrodinger's kittens) experiment to explain quantum entanglement, and whether a human observer is essential to crystallize quantum reality. Bell's inequality and Aspect's experiment show that entangled quantum entities behave as one system no matter which interpretation is used. The instantaneous nature of feedback in the entanglement of quantum particles is explained by Wheeler - Feynman model of electromagnetic radiation, which has two sets of solutions to Maxwell's equations. One set of solutions, the common sense solution describes waves moving outward from an accelerated charged particle and forward in time. The second set of waves describes waves travelling backwards in time and converging on to the charged particle. When proper allowance is made for both sets of waves interacting with all charged particles in the universe most of the complexity cancels out leaving only the familiar common sense (retarded) waves to carry electromagnetic influences from one particle to another. As a result of these interactions each individual charged particle is instantaneously aware of its position in relation to all other charged particles in the universe. The waves must also move backwards in time (advanced waves) so that they provide feedback at the source of wave production so that every particle in the universe is an integral part of the whole electromagnetic web. Wheeler - Feynman theory provides for particle here and now to know about the past and future states of the universe. John Cramer extended these equations to Schrodinger's wave equations. John Cramer's transactional interpretation states this; when an electron vibrates it attempts to radiate by producing a field which is a time-symmetric mixture of retarded wave propagating into the future, and advanced wave going into the past atemporally. In Cramer's words the emitter can be considered to produce an offer wave travelling to the absorber, this in turn returns a confirmation wave backwards to the emitter and the transaction is compete with a handshake. In reality this sequence of events is atemporal it all happens at once. In this, there is no need to assign a special status to the observer. The dramatic success in resolving the puzzles of quantum physics is at the expense of accepting just one idea that the quantum wave can travel backwards through time. On the positive note that it doesn't violate cause-effect reality because cause can not exist if there is no effect in the transactional interpretation. In addition, the freedom of will prevails in physical reality without being bogged down technicality of quantum laws.

1. In Search of Schrodinger's Cat
2. The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality
3. Quantum Reality: Beyond the New Physics
4. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality
5. Einstein's Moon: Bell's Theorem and the Curious Quest for Quantum Reality
6. Quantum Physics: Illusion or Reality? (Canto): Illusion or Reality? (Canto)
7. Science and Ultimate Reality: Quantum Theory, Cosmology, and Complexity

Quantum reality in a technicolour fog, 27 Aug 2008
This book is all over the place. It includes a 'history of light', and entertaining philosophical diversions, but fundamental insights are infrequent. Quantum reality is lost in the technicolour fog.

The author passes over his previously favoured "Many World Interpretation" for Cramer's "transactional" approach. Hardly mainstream physics. Gribbin himself seems half hearted about it. He sets up the kittens' thought experiment, but leaves them hanging on for 150 pages. He gets back to the kittens in the last few pages, but produces a far too hurried explanation of Cramer's "solution" .

It's essential, in a book of this nature, to give the best account of your main opposition. Then you dismantle it using your best arguments against it. Gribbin doesn't do this. He simply dismisses Copenhagen with little argument, and gets on with the "gosh, wow" stuff. The reader deserves to be treated better.

The title suggests this book might explain how quantum mechanics fits into a considered vision of reality. It doesn't deliver.

About the interpretation of quantum mechanics, 05 Nov 2006
This books claims that Transactional's (or Cramer's) interpretation of quantum mechanics has solved all the mysteries of the theory. I'm not sure that the author would hold the same opinion ten years after that (the book is dated 1996).

In fact, there is growing consensus today that the right interpretation is so called "decoherence". For a comparison of interpretations, look for Interpretation_of_quantum_mechanics in Wikipedia

Anyway, as is always the case with Gribbin's books, reading is insightful. The travel is worth the reading, although the final conclusion may be wrong. Only the final chapter (even only part of it) is devoted to explain Cramer's interpretation.

John, we'd very much like to have another book like this, but devoted to the "decoherence" approach!

Mind Blowing, 06 Nov 2005
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat was mind blowing in 1985, now 20 years on much of the theory put forward in Schrodinger's Cat has been proved by experiment. Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality is what science/physics should be, interesting and thought provoking.
John Gribbin doesn't treat the reader as a complete imbecile or as the next Richard Feynman but pitches the book just right with the correct balance of technical details and clear analogies. There's not too many books on quantum theory that you can't put down, but this is without doubt one such book.

this book will blow your bind, 25 Feb 2005
If you have read in search of schodinger's cat then you have to read this. It takes you further than you might want to go (it gets a bit obscure in places but stick with it) it covers a bit of pre history that we already know but at the end it has a punch that will knock you out (if it does not then read the book again)

An excellent review of quantum physics and reality, 15 Oct 2008
This is one of the best books I have read that reviews both classical and quantum physics to explain the nature of physical reality. Although somewhat outdated, it describes all major schools of thoughts (interpretations) of quantum reality in layman's terms with comparisons and numerous references to the work of other authors. Although this is written for a general reader; it requires some knowledge of undergraduate level physics.

The physics of reality revealed by the quantum physics centers on two facts; wave - particle duality of matter, and the results of Thomas Young's double slit experiments. Several schools of thought originated to interpret reality based on this observation; most notable is the Copenhagen interpretation. According to this interpretation, the particle wave spreads throughout the universe, and it could appear anywhere in the universe until it is observed. The very act of observing the wave make wave functions to collapse as a particle at the point of observation (detection), and it will be observed at that location with certainty. But as soon as we stop looking at the wave, then probability wave leaks from that location and spreads to the universe, hence we are unable to predict the path of the wave from one point of detection to the next moment in time. The particles know more about the world than just the immediate locality, which is strange in terms of human perception of day-to-day reality dictated by classical laws of physics. The main contention is the human observer determines if the particle behaves like wave or particle and it is impossible to determine the physical state (wave or particle) prior to the measurements. In essence, matter at the most fundamental level is unreal until it is observed by a human being. The Copenhagen school of thought offers a holistic view of quantum world. Another feature of the quantum world is that wave and particle states are complimentary properties; that is both states can not exist at the same time but matter could be either in one or the other state. This is due to the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle which states that the momentum of a quantum object and its position can not be measured at the same time. This is not measurement problem but due to quantum uncertainty because the position refers to the particle nature as it will have a definite existence, but the momentum is a measure of wave nature of the object moving in a certain direction at a definite speed. Thus complementarities results directly from this principle.

John Gribbin explores the absurdity of Copenhagen interpretation to explain the outcome of a thought (Schrodinger's kittens) experiment to explain quantum entanglement, and whether a human observer is essential to crystallize quantum reality. Bell's inequality and Aspect's experiment show that entangled quantum entities behave as one system no matter which interpretation is used. The instantaneous nature of feedback in the entanglement of quantum particles is explained by Wheeler - Feynman model of electromagnetic radiation, which has two sets of solutions to Maxwell's equations. One set of solutions, the common sense solution describes waves moving outward from an accelerated charged particle and forward in time. The second set of waves describes waves travelling backwards in time and converging on to the charged particle. When proper allowance is made for both sets of waves interacting with all charged particles in the universe most of the complexity cancels out leaving only the familiar common sense (retarded) waves to carry electromagnetic influences from one particle to another. As a result of these interactions each individual charged particle is instantaneously aware of its position in relation to all other charged particles in the universe. The waves must also move backwards in time (advanced waves) so that they provide feedback at the source of wave production so that every particle in the universe is an integral part of the whole electromagnetic web. Wheeler - Feynman theory provides for particle here and now to know about the past and future states of the universe. John Cramer extended these equations to Schrodinger's wave equations. John Cramer's transactional interpretation states this; when an electron vibrates it attempts to radiate by producing a field which is a time-symmetric mixture of retarded wave propagating into the future, and advanced wave going into the past atemporally. In Cramer's words the emitter can be considered to produce an offer wave travelling to the absorber, this in turn returns a confirmation wave backwards to the emitter and the transaction is compete with a handshake. In reality this sequence of events is atemporal it all happens at once. In this, there is no need to assign a special status to the observer. The dramatic success in resolving the puzzles of quantum physics is at the expense of accepting just one idea that the quantum wave can travel backwards through time. On the positive note that it doesn't violate cause-effect reality because cause can not exist if there is no effect in the transactional interpretation. In addition, the freedom of will prevails in physical reality without being bogged down technicality of quantum laws.

1. In Search of Schrodinger's Cat
2. The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality
3. Quantum Reality: Beyond the New Physics
4. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality
5. Einstein's Moon: Bell's Theorem and the Curious Quest for Quantum Reality
6. Quantum Physics: Illusion or Reality? (Canto): Illusion or Reality? (Canto)
7. Science and Ultimate Reality: Quantum Theory, Cosmology, and Complexity

Quantum reality in a technicolour fog, 27 Aug 2008
This book is all over the place. It includes a 'history of light', and entertaining philosophical diversions, but fundamental insights are infrequent. Quantum reality is lost in the technicolour fog.

The author passes over his previously favoured "Many World Interpretation" for Cramer's "transactional" approach. Hardly mainstream physics. Gribbin himself seems half hearted about it. He sets up the kittens' thought experiment, but leaves them hanging on for 150 pages. He gets back to the kittens in the last few pages, but produces a far too hurried explanation of Cramer's "solution" .

It's essential, in a book of this nature, to give the best account of your main opposition. Then you dismantle it using your best arguments against it. Gribbin doesn't do this. He simply dismisses Copenhagen with little argument, and gets on with the "gosh, wow" stuff. The reader deserves to be treated better.

The title suggests this book might explain how quantum mechanics fits into a considered vision of reality. It doesn't deliver.

About the interpretation of quantum mechanics, 05 Nov 2006
This books claims that Transactional's (or Cramer's) interpretation of quantum mechanics has solved all the mysteries of the theory. I'm not sure that the author would hold the same opinion ten years after that (the book is dated 1996).

In fact, there is growing consensus today that the right interpretation is so called "decoherence". For a comparison of interpretations, look for Interpretation_of_quantum_mechanics in Wikipedia

Anyway, as is always the case with Gribbin's books, reading is insightful. The travel is worth the reading, although the final conclusion may be wrong. Only the final chapter (even only part of it) is devoted to explain Cramer's interpretation.

John, we'd very much like to have another book like this, but devoted to the "decoherence" approach!

Mind Blowing, 06 Nov 2005
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat was mind blowing in 1985, now 20 years on much of the theory put forward in Schrodinger's Cat has been proved by experiment. Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality is what science/physics should be, interesting and thought provoking.
John Gribbin doesn't treat the reader as a complete imbecile or as the next Richard Feynman but pitches the book just right with the correct balance of technical details and clear analogies. There's not too many books on quantum theory that you can't put down, but this is without doubt one such book.

this book will blow your bind, 25 Feb 2005
If you have read in search of schodinger's cat then you have to read this. It takes you further than you might want to go (it gets a bit obscure in places but stick with it) it covers a bit of pre history that we already know but at the end it has a punch that will knock you out (if it does not then read the book again)

Excellent book for the basics, 03 Jan 2001
Covers all the basics very well. A bit weak on some of the most recent developments (non-linear optics and laser optics for instance).

An essential for those studying Optics, 11 Mar 2000
This book is an absolute must for all students studying Optics at University level. It is certainly a necessity for those studying Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

The basics are covered simply, but completely, and more advanced topics are covered more qualitatively than quantitatively

Excellent Optics Intro, and also good reference book, 29 Jan 1999
This book is constantly referred to by those who have been practicing in the field of optics for years and years, but also serves as an excellent introduction to optics. The explanations are simple, clear and direct. The explanations in Hecht often settle complicated arguments on esoteric regions of optics, by reducing the argument to first principles and clear, concise descriptions.

An excellent review of quantum physics and reality, 15 Oct 2008
This is one of the best books I have read that reviews both classical and quantum physics to explain the nature of physical reality. Although somewhat outdated, it describes all major schools of thoughts (interpretations) of quantum reality in layman's terms with comparisons and numerous references to the work of other authors. Although this is written for a general reader; it requires some knowledge of undergraduate level physics.

The physics of reality revealed by the quantum physics centers on two facts; wave - particle duality of matter, and the results of Thomas Young's double slit experiments. Several schools of thought originated to interpret reality based on this observation; most notable is the Copenhagen interpretation. According to this interpretation, the particle wave spreads throughout the universe, and it could appear anywhere in the universe until it is observed. The very act of observing the wave make wave functions to collapse as a particle at the point of observation (detection), and it will be observed at that location with certainty. But as soon as we stop looking at the wave, then probability wave leaks from that location and spreads to the universe, hence we are unable to predict the path of the wave from one point of detection to the next moment in time. The particles know more about the world than just the immediate locality, which is strange in terms of human perception of day-to-day reality dictated by classical laws of physics. The main contention is the human observer determines if the particle behaves like wave or particle and it is impossible to determine the physical state (wave or particle) prior to the measurements. In essence, matter at the most fundamental level is unreal until it is observed by a human being. The Copenhagen school of thought offers a holistic view of quantum world. Another feature of the quantum world is that wave and particle states are complimentary properties; that is both states can not exist at the same time but matter could be either in one or the other state. This is due to the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle which states that the momentum of a quantum object and its position can not be measured at the same time. This is not measurement problem but due to quantum uncertainty because the position refers to the particle nature as it will have a definite existence, but the momentum is a measure of wave nature of the object moving in a certain direction at a definite speed. Thus complementarities results directly from this principle.

John Gribbin explores the absurdity of Copenhagen interpretation to explain the outcome of a thought (Schrodinger's kittens) experiment to explain quantum entanglement, and whether a human observer is essential to crystallize quantum reality. Bell's inequality and Aspect's experiment show that entangled quantum entities behave as one system no matter which interpretation is used. The instantaneous nature of feedback in the entanglement of quantum particles is explained by Wheeler - Feynman model of electromagnetic radiation, which has two sets of solutions to Maxwell's equations. One set of solutions, the common sense solution describes waves moving outward from an accelerated charged particle and forward in time. The second set of waves describes waves travelling backwards in time and converging on to the charged particle. When proper allowance is made for both sets of waves interacting with all charged particles in the universe most of the complexity cancels out leaving only the familiar common sense (retarded) waves to carry electromagnetic influences from one particle to another. As a result of these interactions each individual charged particle is instantaneously aware of its position in relation to all other charged particles in the universe. The waves must also move backwards in time (advanced waves) so that they provide feedback at the source of wave production so that every particle in the universe is an integral part of the whole electromagnetic web. Wheeler - Feynman theory provides for particle here and now to know about the past and future states of the universe. John Cramer extended these equations to Schrodinger's wave equations. John Cramer's transactional interpretation states this; when an electron vibrates it attempts to radiate by producing a field which is a time-symmetric mixture of retarded wave propagating into the future, and advanced wave going into the past atemporally. In Cramer's words the emitter can be considered to produce an offer wave travelling to the absorber, this in turn returns a confirmation wave backwards to the emitter and the transaction is compete with a handshake. In reality this sequence of events is atemporal it all happens at once. In this, there is no need to assign a special status to the observer. The dramatic success in resolving the puzzles of quantum physics is at the expense of accepting just one idea that the quantum wave can travel backwards through time. On the positive note that it doesn't violate cause-effect reality because cause can not exist if there is no effect in the transactional interpretation. In addition, the freedom of will prevails in physical reality without being bogged down technicality of quantum laws.

1. In Search of Schrodinger's Cat
2. The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality
3. Quantum Reality: Beyond the New Physics
4. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality
5. Einstein's Moon: Bell's Theorem and the Curious Quest for Quantum Reality
6. Quantum Physics: Illusion or Reality? (Canto): Illusion or Reality? (Canto)
7. Science and Ultimate Reality: Quantum Theory, Cosmology, and Complexity

Quantum reality in a technicolour fog, 27 Aug 2008
This book is all over the place. It includes a 'history of light', and entertaining philosophical diversions, but fundamental insights are infrequent. Quantum reality is lost in the technicolour fog.

The author passes over his previously favoured "Many World Interpretation" for Cramer's "transactional" approach. Hardly mainstream physics. Gribbin himself seems half hearted about it. He sets up the kittens' thought experiment, but leaves them hanging on for 150 pages. He gets back to the kittens in the last few pages, but produces a far too hurried explanation of Cramer's "solution" .

It's essential, in a book of this nature, to give the best account of your main opposition. Then you dismantle it using your best arguments against it. Gribbin doesn't do this. He simply dismisses Copenhagen with little argument, and gets on with the "gosh, wow" stuff. The reader deserves to be treated better.

The title suggests this book might explain how quantum mechanics fits into a considered vision of reality. It doesn't deliver.

About the interpretation of quantum mechanics, 05 Nov 2006
This books claims that Transactional's (or Cramer's) interpretation of quantum mechanics has solved all the mysteries of the theory. I'm not sure that the author would hold the same opinion ten years after that (the book is dated 1996).

In fact, there is growing consensus today that the right interpretation is so called "decoherence". For a comparison of interpretations, look for Interpretation_of_quantum_mechanics in Wikipedia

Anyway, as is always the case with Gribbin's books, reading is insightful. The travel is worth the reading, although the final conclusion may be wrong. Only the final chapter (even only part of it) is devoted to explain Cramer's interpretation.

John, we'd very much like to have another book like this, but devoted to the "decoherence" approach!

Mind Blowing, 06 Nov 2005
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat was mind blowing in 1985, now 20 years on much of the theory put forward in Schrodinger's Cat has been proved by experiment. Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality is what science/physics should be, interesting and thought provoking.
John Gribbin doesn't treat the reader as a complete imbecile or as the next Richard Feynman but pitches the book just right with the correct balance of technical details and clear analogies. There's not too many books on quantum theory that you can't put down, but this is without doubt one such book.

this book will blow your bind, 25 Feb 2005
If you have read in search of schodinger's cat then you have to read this. It takes you further than you might want to go (it gets a bit obscure in places but stick with it) it covers a bit of pre history that we already know but at the end it has a punch that will knock you out (if it does not then read the book again)

Excellent book for the basics, 03 Jan 2001
Covers all the basics very well. A bit weak on some of the most recent developments (non-linear optics and laser optics for instance).

An essential for those studying Optics, 11 Mar 2000
This book is an absolute must for all students studying Optics at University level. It is certainly a necessity for those studying Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

The basics are covered simply, but completely, and more advanced topics are covered more qualitatively than quantitatively

Excellent Optics Intro, and also good reference book, 29 Jan 1999
This book is constantly referred to by those who have been practicing in the field of optics for years and years, but also serves as an excellent introduction to optics. The explanations are simple, clear and direct. The explanations in Hecht often settle complicated arguments on esoteric regions of optics, by reducing the argument to first principles and clear, concise descriptions.

Thankyou Mark Fox for making Quantum Optics accessible and enjoyable!, 21 Oct 2007
I wish this book had been published when I first started as a grad student! Instead there was Loudon's "The Quantum Theory of Light" and Marlan Scully's "Quantum Optics" - both excellent books, but both lose sight of the fundamental physics, and do not really bridge the gap between most physics degrees and the subtle mathematical world of quantum optics. This is a book which really introduces the subject from a concise fundamental physics footing, taking into account that new grad students are not experts in the field - it is enough work for some students to come to terms with a lot of new mathematics, let alone try and understand where many physical approximations creep in - some quantum optics lectures simply introduce expressions without explanation, and this book seems to answer most of them.

A case in point is the quantum treatment of the Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiment, where in the treatement of one of the beamsplitter output ports, a subtraction appears. This book is the only place where I've clearly seen sufficient explanation, in a margin note, that this arises through conservation of energy (actually you are not handed this on a plate, but given a guided problem that shows how it arises, which is a good idea).

And here lies the only complaint about the book, that it uses margin notes. It might sound a strange complaint, perhaps its just me being stupid, but if you've spent a few years reading books and papers where you're used to scanning through single column blocks of text for a vital bit of information, your eyes don't immediately notice an off-set, small block of margin text (in small font, so it looks like a figure caption). A few times I've been caught out searching for explanations in the main body of the text, only to realise after much head scratching that its in the margin notes!

In all, I find this the best book I've ever read - it makes quantum optics enjoyable, simply because of the grass-roots physics. Not everybody in quantum optics is a theorist, some people actually have to do experiments, which is the hardest part of quantum optics.

Thankyou Mark Fox for making Quantum Optics accessible and enjoyable to all!

An excellent review of quantum physics and reality, 15 Oct 2008
This is one of the best books I have read that reviews both classical and quantum physics to explain the nature of physical reality. Although somewhat outdated, it describes all major schools of thoughts (interpretations) of quantum reality in layman's terms with comparisons and numerous references to the work of other authors. Although this is written for a general reader; it requires some knowledge of undergraduate level physics.

The physics of reality revealed by the quantum physics centers on two facts; wave - particle duality of matter, and the results of Thomas Young's double slit experiments. Several schools of thought originated to interpret reality based on this observation; most notable is the Copenhagen interpretation. According to this interpretation, the particle wave spreads throughout the universe, and it could appear anywhere in the universe until it is observed. The very act of observing the wave make wave functions to collapse as a particle at the point of observation (detection), and it will be observed at that location with certainty. But as soon as we stop looking at the wave, then probability wave leaks from that location and spreads to the universe, hence we are unable to predict the path of the wave from one point of detection to the next moment in time. The particles know more about the world than just the immediate locality, which is strange in terms of human perception of day-to-day reality dictated by classical laws of physics. The main contention is the human observer determines if the particle behaves like wave or particle and it is impossible to determine the physical state (wave or particle) prior to the measurements. In essence, matter at the most fundamental level is unreal until it is observed by a human being. The Copenhagen school of thought offers a holistic view of quantum world. Another feature of the quantum world is that wave and particle states are complimentary properties; that is both states can not exist at the same time but matter could be either in one or the other state. This is due to the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle which states that the momentum of a quantum object and its position can not be measured at the same time. This is not measurement problem but due to quantum uncertainty because the position refers to the particle nature as it will have a definite existence, but the momentum is a measure of wave nature of the object moving in a certain direction at a definite speed. Thus complementarities results directly from this principle.

John Gribbin explores the absurdity of Copenhagen interpretation to explain the outcome of a thought (Schrodinger's kittens) experiment to explain quantum entanglement, and whether a human observer is essential to crystallize quantum reality. Bell's inequality and Aspect's experiment show that entangled quantum entities behave as one system no matter which interpretation is used. The instantaneous nature of feedback in the entanglement of quantum particles is explained by Wheeler - Feynman model of electromagnetic radiation, which has two sets of solutions to Maxwell's equations. One set of solutions, the common sense solution describes waves moving outward from an accelerated charged particle and forward in time. The second set of waves describes waves travelling backwards in time and converging on to the charged particle. When proper allowance is made for both sets of waves interacting with all charged particles in the universe most of the complexity cancels out leaving only the familiar common sense (retarded) waves to carry electromagnetic influences from one particle to another. As a result of these interactions each individual charged particle is instantaneously aware of its position in relation to all other charged particles in the universe. The waves must also move backwards in time (advanced waves) so that they provide feedback at the source of wave production so that every particle in the universe is an integral part of the whole electromagnetic web. Wheeler - Feynman theory provides for particle here and now to know about the past and future states of the universe. John Cramer extended these equations to Schrodinger's wave equations. John Cramer's transactional interpretation states this; when an electron vibrates it attempts to radiate by producing a field which is a time-symmetric mixture of retarded wave propagating into the future, and advanced wave going into the past atemporally. In Cramer's words the emitter can be considered to produce an offer wave travelling to the absorber, this in turn returns a confirmation wave backwards to the emitter and the transaction is compete with a handshake. In reality this sequence of events is atemporal it all happens at once. In this, there is no need to assign a special status to the observer. The dramatic success in resolving the puzzles of quantum physics is at the expense of accepting just one idea that the quantum wave can travel backwards through time. On the positive note that it doesn't violate cause-effect reality because cause can not exist if there is no effect in the transactional interpretation. In addition, the freedom of will prevails in physical reality without being bogged down technicality of quantum laws.

1. In Search of Schrodinger's Cat
2. The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality
3. Quantum Reality: Beyond the New Physics
4. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality
5. Einstein's Moon: Bell's Theorem and the Curious Quest for Quantum Reality
6. Quantum Physics: Illusion or Reality? (Canto): Illusion or Reality? (Canto)
7. Science and Ultimate Reality: Quantum Theory, Cosmology, and Complexity

Quantum reality in a technicolour fog, 27 Aug 2008
This book is all over the place. It includes a 'history of light', and entertaining philosophical diversions, but fundamental insights are infrequent. Quantum reality is lost in the technicolour fog.

The author passes over his previously favoured "Many World Interpretation" for Cramer's "transactional" approach. Hardly mainstream physics. Gribbin himself seems half hearted about it. He sets up the kittens' thought experiment, but leaves them hanging on for 150 pages. He gets back to the kittens in the last few pages, but produces a far too hurried explanation of Cramer's "solution" .

It's essential, in a book of this nature, to give the best account of your main opposition. Then you dismantle it using your best arguments against it. Gribbin doesn't do this. He simply dismisses Copenhagen with little argument, and gets on with the "gosh, wow" stuff. The reader deserves to be treated better.

The title suggests this book might explain how quantum mechanics fits into a considered vision of reality. It doesn't deliver.

About the interpretation of quantum mechanics, 05 Nov 2006
This books claims that Transactional's (or Cramer's) interpretation of quantum mechanics has solved all the mysteries of the theory. I'm not sure that the author would hold the same opinion ten years after that (the book is dated 1996).

In fact, there is growing consensus today that the right interpretation is so called "decoherence". For a comparison of interpretations, look for Interpretation_of_quantum_mechanics in Wikipedia

Anyway, as is always the case with Gribbin's books, reading is insightful. The travel is worth the reading, although the final conclusion may be wrong. Only the final chapter (even only part of it) is devoted to explain Cramer's interpretation.

John, we'd very much like to have another book like this, but devoted to the "decoherence" approach!

Mind Blowing, 06 Nov 2005
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat was mind blowing in 1985, now 20 years on much of the theory put forward in Schrodinger's Cat has been proved by experiment. Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality is what science/physics should be, interesting and thought provoking.
John Gribbin doesn't treat the reader as a complete imbecile or as the next Richard Feynman but pitches the book just right with the correct balance of technical details and clear analogies. There's not too many books on quantum theory that you can't put down, but this is without doubt one such book.

this book will blow your bind, 25 Feb 2005
If you have read in search of schodinger's cat then you have to read this. It takes you further than you might want to go (it gets a bit obscure in places but stick with it) it covers a bit of pre history that we already know but at the end it has a punch that will knock you out (if it does not then read the book again)

Excellent book for the basics, 03 Jan 2001
Covers all the basics very well. A bit weak on some of the most recent developments (non-linear optics and laser optics for instance).

An essential for those studying Optics, 11 Mar 2000
This book is an absolute must for all students studying Optics at University level. It is certainly a necessity for those studying Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

The basics are covered simply, but completely, and more advanced topics are covered more qualitatively than quantitatively

Excellent Optics Intro, and also good reference book, 29 Jan 1999
This book is constantly referred to by those who have been practicing in the field of optics for years and years, but also serves as an excellent introduction to optics. The explanations are simple, clear and direct. The explanations in Hecht often settle complicated arguments on esoteric regions of optics, by reducing the argument to first principles and clear, concise descriptions.

Thankyou Mark Fox for making Quantum Optics accessible and enjoyable!, 21 Oct 2007
I wish this book had been published when I first started as a grad student! Instead there was Loudon's "The Quantum Theory of Light" and Marlan Scully's "Quantum Optics" - both excellent books, but both lose sight of the fundamental physics, and do not really bridge the gap between most physics degrees and the subtle mathematical world of quantum optics. This is a book which really introduces the subject from a concise fundamental physics footing, taking into account that new grad students are not experts in the field - it is enough work for some students to come to terms with a lot of new mathematics, let alone try and understand where many physical approximations creep in - some quantum optics lectures simply introduce expressions without explanation, and this book seems to answer most of them.

A case in point is the quantum treatment of the Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiment, where in the treatement of one of the beamsplitter output ports, a subtraction appears. This book is the only place where I've clearly seen sufficient explanation, in a margin note, that this arises through conservation of energy (actually you are not handed this on a plate, but given a guided problem that shows how it arises, which is a good idea).

And here lies the only complaint about the book, that it uses margin notes. It might sound a strange complaint, perhaps its just me being stupid, but if you've spent a few years reading books and papers where you're used to scanning through single column blocks of text for a vital bit of information, your eyes don't immediately notice an off-set, small block of margin text (in small font, so it looks like a figure caption). A few times I've been caught out searching for explanations in the main body of the text, only to realise after much head scratching that its in the margin notes!

In all, I find this the best book I've ever read - it makes quantum optics enjoyable, simply because of the grass-roots physics. Not everybody in quantum optics is a theorist, some people actually have to do experiments, which is the hardest part of quantum optics.

Thankyou Mark Fox for making Quantum Optics accessible and enjoyable to all!

Clearly the Best Fourier Optics Book, 17 Apr 1999
Joseph Goodman has done a stellar job of clearly presenting concepts AND mathematical background. There is an excellent mix of straightforward theory and practical uses of Fourier Optics. The chapter problems are very challenging but insightful. This is the best optics book I have ever read.

A classic made better., 21 Apr 1998
Joe Goodman is rightly famous for his clear writing, teaching and thinking. I especially appreciate the clear boundaries that he draws around the segments of his subject: it is clear what is known & unknown, what is easy & what is hard. This book is worth having and studying as an example of how to write a textbook, not only for its subject matter.

An excellent review of quantum physics and reality, 15 Oct 2008
This is one of the best books I have read that reviews both classical and quantum physics to explain the nature of physical reality. Although somewhat outdated, it describes all major schools of thoughts (interpretations) of quantum reality in layman's terms with comparisons and numerous references to the work of other authors. Although this is written for a general reader; it requires some knowledge of undergraduate level physics.

The physics of reality revealed by the quantum physics centers on two facts; wave - particle duality of matter, and the results of Thomas Young's double slit experiments. Several schools of thought originated to interpret reality based on this observation; most notable is the Copenhagen interpretation. According to this interpretation, the particle wave spreads throughout the universe, and it could appear anywhere in the universe until it is observed. The very act of observing the wave make wave functions to collapse as a particle at the point of observation (detection), and it will be observed at that location with certainty. But as soon as we stop looking at the wave, then probability wave leaks from that location and spreads to the universe, hence we are unable to predict the path of the wave from one point of detection to the next moment in time. The particles know more about the world than just the immediate locality, which is strange in terms of human perception of day-to-day reality dictated by classical laws of physics. The main contention is the human observer determines if the particle behaves like wave or particle and it is impossible to determine the physical state (wave or particle) prior to the measurements. In essence, matter at the most fundamental level is unreal until it is observed by a human being. The Copenhagen school of thought offers a holistic view of quantum world. Another feature of the quantum world is that wave and particle states are complimentary properties; that is both states can not exist at the same time but matter could be either in one or the other state. This is due to the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle which states that the momentum of a quantum object and its position can not be measured at the same time. This is not measurement problem but due to quantum uncertainty because the position refers to the particle nature as it will have a definite existence, but the momentum is a measure of wave nature of the object moving in a certain direction at a definite speed. Thus complementarities results directly from this principle.

John Gribbin explores the absurdity of Copenhagen interpretation to explain the outcome of a thought (Schrodinger's kittens) experiment to explain quantum entanglement, and whether a human observer is essential to crystallize quantum reality. Bell's inequality and Aspect's experiment show that entangled quantum entities behave as one system no matter which interpretation is used. The instantaneous nature of feedback in the entanglement of quantum particles is explained by Wheeler - Feynman model of electromagnetic radiation, which has two sets of solutions to Maxwell's equations. One set of solutions, the common sense solution describes waves moving outward from an accelerated charged particle and forward in time. The second set of waves describes waves travelling backwards in time and converging on to the charged particle. When proper allowance is made for both sets of waves interacting with all charged particles in the universe most of the complexity cancels out leaving only the familiar common sense (retarded) waves to carry electromagnetic influences from one particle to another. As a result of these interactions each individual charged particle is instantaneously aware of its position in relation to all other charged particles in the universe. The waves must also move backwards in time (advanced waves) so that they provide feedback at the source of wave production so that every particle in the universe is an integral part of the whole electromagnetic web. Wheeler - Feynman theory provides for particle here and now to know about the past and future states of the universe. John Cramer extended these equations to Schrodinger's wave equations. John Cramer's transactional interpretation states this; when an electron vibrates it attempts to radiate by producing a field which is a time-symmetric mixture of retarded wave propagating into the future, and advanced wave going into the past atemporally. In Cramer's words the emitter can be considered to produce an offer wave travelling to the absorber, this in turn returns a confirmation wave backwards to the emitter and the transaction is compete with a handshake. In reality this sequence of events is atemporal it all happens at once. In this, there is no need to assign a special status to the observer. The dramatic success in resolving the puzzles of quantum physics is at the expense of accepting just one idea that the quantum wave can travel backwards through time. On the positive note that it doesn't violate cause-effect reality because cause can not exist if there is no effect in the transactional interpretation. In addition, the freedom of will prevails in physical reality without being bogged down technicality of quantum laws.

1. In Search of Schrodinger's Cat
2. The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality
3. Quantum Reality: Beyond the New Physics
4. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality
5. Einstein's Moon: Bell's Theorem and the Curious Quest for Quantum Reality
6. Quantum Physics: Illusion or Reality? (Canto): Illusion or Reality? (Canto)
7. Science and Ultimate Reality: Quantum Theory, Cosmology, and Complexity

Quantum reality in a technicolour fog, 27 Aug 2008
This book is all over the place. It includes a 'history of light', and entertaining philosophical diversions, but fundamental insights are infrequent. Quantum reality is lost in the technicolour fog.

The author passes over his previously favoured "Many World Interpretation" for Cramer's "transactional" approach. Hardly mainstream physics. Gribbin himself seems half hearted about it. He sets up the kittens' thought experiment, but leaves them hanging on for 150 pages. He gets back to the kittens in the last few pages, but produces a far too hurried explanation of Cramer's "solution" .

It's essential, in a book of this nature, to give the best account of your main opposition. Then you dismantle it using your best arguments against it. Gribbin doesn't do this. He simply dismisses Copenhagen with little argument, and gets on with the "gosh, wow" stuff. The reader deserves to be treated better.

The title suggests this book might explain how quantum mechanics fits into a considered vision of reality. It doesn't deliver.

About the interpretation of quantum mechanics, 05 Nov 2006
This books claims that Transactional's (or Cramer's) interpretation of quantum mechanics has solved all the mysteries of the theory. I'm not sure that the author would hold the same opinion ten years after that (the book is dated 1996).

In fact, there is growing consensus today that the right interpretation is so called "decoherence". For a comparison of interpretations, look for Interpretation_of_quantum_mechanics in Wikipedia

Anyway, as is always the case with Gribbin's books, reading is insightful. The travel is worth the reading, although the final conclusion may be wrong. Only the final chapter (even only part of it) is devoted to explain Cramer's interpretation.

John, we'd very much like to have another book like this, but devoted to the "decoherence" approach!

Mind Blowing, 06 Nov 2005
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat was mind blowing in 1985, now 20 years on much of the theory put forward in Schrodinger's Cat has been proved by experiment. Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality is what science/physics should be, interesting and thought provoking.
John Gribbin doesn't treat the reader as a complete imbecile or as the next Richard Feynman but pitches the book just right with the correct balance of technical details and clear analogies. There's not too many books on quantum theory that you can't put down, but this is without doubt one such book.

this book will blow your bind, 25 Feb 2005
If you have read in search of schodinger's cat then you have to read this. It takes you further than you might want to go (it gets a bit obscure in places but stick with it) it covers a bit of pre history that we already know but at the end it has a punch that will knock you out (if it does not then read the book again)

Excellent book for the basics, 03 Jan 2001
Covers all the basics very well. A bit weak on some of the most recent developments (non-linear optics and laser optics for instance).

An essential for those studying Optics, 11 Mar 2000
This book is an absolute must for all students studying Optics at University level. It is certainly a necessity for those studying Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

The basics are covered simply, but completely, and more advanced topics are covered more qualitatively than quantitatively

Excellent Optics Intro, and also good reference book, 29 Jan 1999
This book is constantly referred to by those who have been practicing in the field of optics for years and years, but also serves as an excellent introduction to optics. The explanations are simple, clear and direct. The explanations in Hecht often settle complicated arguments on esoteric regions of optics, by reducing the argument to first principles and clear, concise descriptions.

Thankyou Mark Fox for making Quantum Optics accessible and enjoyable!, 21 Oct 2007
I wish this book had been published when I first started as a grad student! Instead there was Loudon's "The Quantum Theory of Light" and Marlan Scully's "Quantum Optics" - both excellent books, but both lose sight of the fundamental physics, and do not really bridge the gap between most physics degrees and the subtle mathematical world of quantum optics. This is a book which really introduces the subject from a concise fundamental physics footing, taking into account that new grad students are not experts in the field - it is enough work for some students to come to terms with a lot of new mathematics, let alone try and understand where many physical approximations creep in - some quantum optics lectures simply introduce expressions without explanation, and this book seems to answer most of them.

A case in point is the quantum treatment of the Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiment, where in the treatement of one of the beamsplitter output ports, a subtraction appears. This book is the only place where I've clearly seen sufficient explanation, in a margin note, that this arises through conservation of energy (actually you are not handed this on a plate, but given a guided problem that shows how it arises, which is a good idea).

And here lies the only complaint about the book, that it uses margin notes. It might sound a strange complaint, perhaps its just me being stupid, but if you've spent a few years reading books and papers where you're used to scanning through single column blocks of text for a vital bit of information, your eyes don't immediately notice an off-set, small block of margin text (in small font, so it looks like a figure caption). A few times I've been caught out searching for explanations in the main body of the text, only to realise after much head scratching that its in the margin notes!

In all, I find this the best book I've ever read - it makes quantum optics enjoyable, simply because of the grass-roots physics. Not everybody in quantum optics is a theorist, some people actually have to do experiments, which is the hardest part of quantum optics.

Thankyou Mark Fox for making Quantum Optics accessible and enjoyable to all!

Clearly the Best Fourier Optics Book, 17 Apr 1999
Joseph Goodman has done a stellar job of clearly presenting concepts AND mathematical background. There is an excellent mix of straightforward theory and practical uses of Fourier Optics. The chapter problems are very challenging but insightful. This is the best optics book I have ever read.

A classic made better., 21 Apr 1998
Joe Goodman is rightly famous for his clear writing, teaching and thinking. I especially appreciate the clear boundaries that he draws around the segments of his subject: it is clear what is known & unknown, what is easy & what is hard. This book is worth having and studying as an example of how to write a textbook, not only for its subject matter.

Brilliant, 19 Aug 2004
For any senior undergraduate or first-year physics/materials science graduate needing an introduction to optical properties of solids, this is the book for you. Don't go near the standard texts (at least not until you've read this one) as I think they are too complex for the introductory reader. This is really clearly written, giving you a good overview and a solid understanding of the basics of the subject without getting bogged down in mathematics. If I was teaching a final year solid-state class, this is the book I would use. The book has plenty of illustrations and examples and is very user-friendly. Thankfully (unlike some) the author has kept all explanations concise and clear. I found I could go ahead and perform experiments and get meaningful results based on what I had learnt in this book. Get it! You will be glad you did!

An excellent review of quantum physics and reality, 15 Oct 2008
This is one of the best books I have read that reviews both classical and quantum physics to explain the nature of physical reality. Although somewhat outdated, it describes all major schools of thoughts (interpretations) of quantum reality in layman's terms with comparisons and numerous references to the work of other authors. Although this is written for a general reader; it requires some knowledge of undergraduate level physics.

The physics of reality revealed by the quantum physics centers on two facts; wave - particle duality of matter, and the results of Thomas Young's double slit experiments. Several schools of thought originated to interpret reality based on this observation; most notable is the Copenhagen interpretation. According to this interpretation, the particle wave spreads throughout the universe, and it could appear anywhere in the universe until it is observed. The very act of observing the wave make wave functions to collapse as a particle at the point of observation (detection), and it will be observed at that location with certainty. But as soon as we stop looking at the wave, then probability wave leaks from that location and spreads to the universe, hence we are unable to predict the path of the wave from one point of detection to the next moment in time. The particles know more about the world than just the immediate locality, which is strange in terms of human perception of day-to-day reality dictated by classical laws of physics. The main contention is the human observer determines if the particle behaves like wave or particle and it is impossible to determine the physical state (wave or particle) prior to the measurements. In essence, matter at the most fundamental level is unreal until it is observed by a human being. The Copenhagen school of thought offers a holistic view of quantum world. Another feature of the quantum world is that wave and particle states are complimentary properties; that is both states can not exist at the same time but matter could be either in one or the other state. This is due to the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle which states that the momentum of a quantum object and its position can not be measured at the same time. This is not measurement problem but due to quantum uncertainty because the position refers to the particle nature as it will have a definite existence, but the momentum is a measure of wave nature of the object moving in a certain direction at a definite speed. Thus complementarities results directly from this principle.

John Gribbin explores the absurdity of Copenhagen interpretation to explain the outcome of a thought (Schrodinger's kittens) experiment to explain quantum entanglement, and whether a human observer is essential to crystallize quantum reality. Bell's inequality and Aspect's experiment show that entangled quantum entities behave as one system no matter which interpretation is used. The instantaneous nature of feedback in the entanglement of quantum particles is explained by Wheeler - Feynman model of electromagnetic radiation, which has two sets of solutions to Maxwell's equations. One set of solutions, the common sense solution describes waves moving outward from an accelerated charged particle and forward in time. The second set of waves describes waves travelling backwards in time and converging on to the charged particle. When proper allowance is made for both sets of waves interacting with all charged particles in the universe most of the complexity cancels out leaving only the familiar common sense (retarded) waves to carry electromagnetic influences from one particle to another. As a result of these interactions each individual charged particle is instantaneously aware of its position in relation to all other charged particles in the universe. The waves must also move backwards in time (advanced waves) so that they provide feedback at the source of wave production so that every particle in the universe is an integral part of the whole electromagnetic web. Wheeler - Feynman theory provides for particle here and now to know about the past and future states of the universe. John Cramer extended these equations to Schrodinger's wave equations. John Cramer's transactional interpretation states this; when an electron vibrates it attempts to radiate by producing a field which is a time-symmetric mixture of retarded wave propagating into the future, and advanced wave going into the past atemporally. In Cramer's words the emitter can be considered to produce an offer wave travelling to the absorber, this in turn returns a confirmation wave backwards to the emitter and the transaction is compete with a handshake. In reality this sequence of events is atemporal it all happens at once. In this, there is no need to assign a special status to the observer. The dramatic success in resolving the puzzles of quantum physics is at the expense of accepting just one idea that the quantum wave can travel backwards through time. On the positive note that it doesn't violate cause-effect reality because cause can not exist if there is no effect in the transactional interpretation. In addition, the freedom of will prevails in physical reality without being bogged down technicality of quantum laws.

1. In Search of Schrodinger's Cat
2. The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality
3. Quantum Reality: Beyond the New Physics
4. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality
5. Einstein's Moon: Bell's Theorem and the Curious Quest for Quantum Reality
6. Quantum Physics: Illusion or Reality? (Canto): Illusion or Reality? (Canto)
7. Science and Ultimate Reality: Quantum Theory, Cosmology, and Complexity

Quantum reality in a technicolour fog, 27 Aug 2008
This book is all over the place. It includes a 'history of light', and entertaining philosophical diversions, but fundamental insights are infrequent. Quantum reality is lost in the technicolour fog.

The author passes over his previously favoured "Many World Interpretation" for Cramer's "transactional" approach. Hardly mainstream physics. Gribbin himself seems half hearted about it. He sets up the kittens' thought experiment, but leaves them hanging on for 150 pages. He gets back to the kittens in the last few pages, but produces a far too hurried explanation of Cramer's "solution" .

It's essential, in a book of this nature, to give the best account of your main opposition. Then you dismantle it using your best arguments against it. Gribbin doesn't do this. He simply dismisses Copenhagen with little argument, and gets on with the "gosh, wow" stuff. The reader deserves to be treated better.

The title suggests this book might explain how quantum mechanics fits into a considered vision of reality. It doesn't deliver.

About the interpretation of quantum mechanics, 05 Nov 2006
This books claims that Transactional's (or Cramer's) interpretation of quantum mechanics has solved all the mysteries of the theory. I'm not sure that the author would hold the same opinion ten years after that (the book is dated 1996).

In fact, there is growing consensus today that the right interpretation is so called "decoherence". For a comparison of interpretations, look for Interpretation_of_quantum_mechanics in Wikipedia

Anyway, as is always the case with Gribbin's books, reading is insightful. The travel is worth the reading, although the final conclusion may be wrong. Only the final chapter (even only part of it) is devoted to explain Cramer's interpretation.

John, we'd very much like to have another book like this, but devoted to the "decoherence" approach!

Mind Blowing, 06 Nov 2005
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat was mind blowing in 1985, now 20 years on much of the theory put forward in Schrodinger's Cat has been proved by experiment. Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality is what science/physics should be, interesting and thought provoking.
John Gribbin doesn't treat the reader as a complete imbecile or as the next Richard Feynman but pitches the book just right with the correct balance of technical details and clear analogies. There's not too many books on quantum theory that you can't put down, but this is without doubt one such book.

this book will blow your bind, 25 Feb 2005
If you have read in search of schodinger's cat then you have to read this. It takes you further than you might want to go (it gets a bit obscure in places but stick with it) it covers a bit of pre history that we already know but at the end it has a punch that will knock you out (if it does not then read the book again)

Excellent book for the basics, 03 Jan 2001
Covers all the basics very well. A bit weak on some of the most recent developments (non-linear optics and laser optics for instance).

An essential for those studying Optics, 11 Mar 2000
This book is an absolute must for all students studying Optics at University level. It is certainly a necessity for those studying Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

The basics are covered simply, but completely, and more advanced topics are covered more qualitatively than quantitatively

Excellent Optics Intro, and also good reference book, 29 Jan 1999
This book is constantly referred to by those who have been practicing in the field of optics for years and years, but also serves as an excellent introduction to optics. The explanations are simple, clear and direct. The explanations in Hecht often settle complicated arguments on esoteric regions of optics, by reducing the argument to first principles and clear, concise descriptions.

Thankyou Mark Fox for making Quantum Optics accessible and enjoyable!, 21 Oct 2007
I wish this book had been published when I first started as a grad student! Instead there was Loudon's "The Quantum Theory of Light" and Marlan Scully's "Quantum Optics" - both excellent books, but both lose sight of the fundamental physics, and do not really bridge the gap between most physics degrees and the subtle mathematical world of quantum optics. This is a book which really introduces the subject from a concise fundamental physics footing, taking into account that new grad students are not experts in the field - it is enough work for some students to come to terms with a lot of new mathematics, let alone try and understand where many physical approximations creep in - some quantum optics lectures simply introduce expressions without explanation, and this book seems to answer most of them.

A case in point is the quantum treatment of the Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiment, where in the treatement of one of the beamsplitter output ports, a subtraction appears. This book is the only place where I've clearly seen sufficient explanation, in a margin note, that this arises through conservation of energy (actually you are not handed this on a plate, but given a guided problem that shows how it arises, which is a good idea).

And here lies the only complaint about the book, that it uses margin notes. It might sound a strange complaint, perhaps its just me being stupid, but if you've spent a few years reading books and papers where you're used to scanning through single column blocks of text for a vital bit of information, your eyes don't immediately notice an off-set, small block of margin text (in small font, so it looks like a figure caption). A few times I've been caught out searching for explanations in the main body of the text, only to realise after much head scratching that its in the margin notes!

In all, I find this the best book I've ever read - it makes quantum optics enjoyable, simply because of the grass-roots physics. Not everybody in quantum optics is a theorist, some people actually have to do experiments, which is the hardest part of quantum optics.

Thankyou Mark Fox for making Quantum Optics accessible and enjoyable to all!

Clearly the Best Fourier Optics Book, 17 Apr 1999
Joseph Goodman has done a stellar job of clearly presenting concepts AND mathematical background. There is an excellent mix of straightforward theory and practical uses of Fourier Optics. The chapter problems are very challenging but insightful. This is the best optics book I have ever read.

A classic made better., 21 Apr 1998
Joe Goodman is rightly famous for his clear writing, teaching and thinking. I especially appreciate the clear boundaries that he draws around the segments of his subject: it is clear what is known & unknown, what is easy & what is hard. This book is worth having and studying as an example of how to write a textbook, not only for its subject matter.

Brilliant, 19 Aug 2004
For any senior undergraduate or first-year physics/materials science graduate needing an introduction to optical properties of solids, this is the book for you. Don't go near the standard texts (at least not until you've read this one) as I think they are too complex for the introductory reader. This is really clearly written, giving you a good overview and a solid understanding of the basics of the subject without getting bogged down in mathematics. If I was teaching a final year solid-state class, this is the book I would use. The book has plenty of illustrations and examples and is very user-friendly. Thankfully (unlike some) the author has kept all explanations concise and clear. I found I could go ahead and perform experiments and get meaningful results based on what I had learnt in this book. Get it! You will be glad you did!

Concise, informative and very useful, 07 Jan 2003
I bought "Modern Optics" as a recommended text for an optics course. This is not a book on geometrical optics, it deals with electromagnetics. What I love about this book is that is it full of information, not once has it left my desk since I purchased it. It cost only a fraction of some of my other textbooks but it is worth all of them put together (nearly).

Topics covered include light propagation, interference, thin-film layers, diffraction, holography, lasers, ray optics and many more. For such a small book, it packs a large punch.

An Interesting Book on Optics, 04 Nov 2002
I originally purchased this book with the intention of learning really basic optical theory, but was confronted with a lot of mathematics and equations. Although this book seems to be a very good treatment of optics for those with a strong mathematical background, I would not suggest it as a text for those without a mathematical background and wishing a very basic introduction as I did.

The book is, however, very informative and has many clear diagrams.

An excellent review of quantum physics and reality, 15 Oct 2008
This is one of the best books I have read that reviews both classical and quantum physics to explain the nature of physical reality. Although somewhat outdated, it describes all major schools of thoughts (interpretations) of quantum reality in layman's terms with comparisons and numerous references to the work of other authors. Although this is written for a general reader; it requires some knowledge of undergraduate level physics.

The physics of reality revealed by the quantum physics centers on two facts; wave - particle duality of matter, and the results of Thomas Young's double slit experiments. Several schools of thought originated to interpret reality based on this observation; most notable is the Copenhagen interpretation. According to this interpretation, the particle wave spreads throughout the universe, and it could appear anywhere in the universe until it is observed. The very act of observing the wave make wave functions to collapse as a particle at the point of observation (detection), and it will be observed at that location with certainty. But as soon as we stop looking at the wave, then probability wave leaks from that location and spreads to the universe, hence we are unable to predict the path of the wave from one point of detection to the next moment in time. The particles know more about the world than just the immediate locality, which is strange in terms of human perception of day-to-day reality dictated by classical laws of physics. The main contention is the human observer determines if the particle behaves like wave or particle and it is impossible to determine the physical state (wave or particle) prior to the measurements. In essence, matter at the most fundamental level is unreal until it is observed by a human being. The Copenhagen school of thought offers a holistic view of quantum world. Another feature of the quantum world is that wave and particle states are complimentary properties; that is both states can not exist at the same time but matter could be either in one or the other state. This is due to the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle which states that the momentum of a quantum object and its position can not be measured at the same time. This is not measurement problem but due to quantum uncertainty because the position refers to the particle nature as it will have a definite existence, but the momentum is a measure of wave nature of the object moving in a certain direction at a definite speed. Thus complementarities results directly from this principle.

John Gribbin explores the absurdity of Copenhagen interpretation to explain the outcome of a thought (Schrodinger's kittens) experiment to explain quantum entanglement, and whether a human observer is essential to crystallize quantum reality. Bell's inequality and Aspect's experiment show that entangled quantum entities behave as one system no matter which interpretation is used. The instantaneous nature of feedback in the entanglement of quantum particles is explained by Wheeler - Feynman model of electromagnetic radiation, which has two sets of solutions to Maxwell's equations. One set of solutions, the common sense solution describes waves moving outward from an accelerated charged particle and forward in time. The second set of waves describes waves travelling backwards in time and converging on to the charged particle. When proper allowance is made for both sets of waves interacting with all charged particles in the universe most of the complexity cancels out leaving only the familiar common sense (retarded) waves to carry electromagnetic influences from one particle to another. As a result of these interactions each individual charged particle is instantaneously aware of its position in relation to all other charged particles in the universe. The waves must also move backwards in time (advanced waves) so that they provide feedback at the source of wave production so that every particle in the universe is an integral part of the whole electromagnetic web. Wheeler - Feynman theory provides for particle here and now to know about the past and future states of the universe. John Cramer extended these equations to Schrodinger's wave equations. John Cramer's transactional interpretation states this; when an electron vibrates it attempts to radiate by producing a field which is a time-symmetric mixture of retarded wave propagating into the future, and advanced wave going into the past atemporally. In Cramer's words the emitter can be considered to produce an offer wave travelling to the absorber, this in turn returns a confirmation wave backwards to the emitter and the transaction is compete with a handshake. In reality this sequence of events is atemporal it all happens at once. In this, there is no need to assign a special status to the observer. The dramatic success in resolving the puzzles of quantum physics is at the expense of accepting just one idea that the quantum wave can travel backwards through time. On the positive note that it doesn't violate cause-effect reality because cause can not exist if there is no effect in the transactional interpretation. In addition, the freedom of will prevails in physical reality without being bogged down technicality of quantum laws.

1. In Search of Schrodinger's Cat
2. The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality
3. Quantum Reality: Beyond the New Physics
4. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality
5. Einstein's Moon: Bell's Theorem and the Curious Quest for Quantum Reality
6. Quantum Physics: Illusion or Reality? (Canto): Illusion or Reality? (Canto)
7. Science and Ultimate Reality: Quantum Theory, Cosmology, and Complexity

Quantum reality in a technicolour fog, 27 Aug 2008
This book is all over the place. It includes a 'history of light', and entertaining philosophical diversions, but fundamental insights are infrequent. Quantum reality is lost in the technicolour fog.

The author passes over his previously favoured "Many World Interpretation" for Cramer's "transactional" approach. Hardly mainstream physics. Gribbin himself seems half hearted about it. He sets up the kittens' thought experiment, but leaves them hanging on for 150 pages. He gets back to the kittens in the last few pages, but produces a far too hurried explanation of Cramer's "solution" .

It's essential, in a book of this nature, to give the best account of your main opposition. Then you dismantle it using your best arguments against it. Gribbin doesn't do this. He simply dismisses Copenhagen with little argument, and gets on with the "gosh, wow" stuff. The reader deserves to be treated better.

The title suggests this book might explain how quantum mechanics fits into a considered vision of reality. It doesn't deliver.

About the interpretation of quantum mechanics, 05 Nov 2006
This books claims that Transactional's (or Cramer's) interpretation of quantum mechanics has solved all the mysteries of the theory. I'm not sure that the author would hold the same opinion ten years after that (the book is dated 1996).

In fact, there is growing consensus today that the right interpretation is so called "decoherence". For a comparison of interpretations, look for Interpretation_of_quantum_mechanics in Wikipedia

Anyway, as is always the case with Gribbin's books, reading is insightful. The travel is worth the reading, although the final conclusion may be wrong. Only the final chapter (even only part of it) is devoted to explain Cramer's interpretation.

John, we'd very much like to have another book like this, but devoted to the "decoherence" approach!

Mind Blowing, 06 Nov 2005
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat was mind blowing in 1985, now 20 years on much of the theory put forward in Schrodinger's Cat has been proved by experiment. Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality is what science/physics should be, interesting and thought provoking.
John Gribbin doesn't treat the reader as a complete imbecile or as the next Richard Feynman but pitches the book just right with the correct balance of technical details and clear analogies. There's not too many books on quantum theory that you can't put down, but this is without doubt one such book.

this book will blow your bind, 25 Feb 2005
If you have read in search of schodinger's cat then you have to read this. It takes you further than you might want to go (it gets a bit obscure in places but stick with it) it covers a bit of pre history that we already know but at the end it has a punch that will knock you out (if it does not then read the book again)

Excellent book for the basics, 03 Jan 2001
Covers all the basics very well. A bit weak on some of the most recent developments (non-linear optics and laser optics for instance).

An essential for those studying Optics, 11 Mar 2000
This book is an absolute must for all students studying Optics at University level. It is certainly a necessity for those studying Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

The basics are covered simply, but completely, and more advanced topics are covered more qualitatively than quantitatively

Excellent Optics Intro, and also good reference book, 29 Jan 1999
This book is constantly referred to by those who have been practicing in the field of optics for years and years, but also serves as an excellent introduction to optics. The explanations are simple, clear and direct. The explanations in Hecht often settle complicated arguments on esoteric regions of optics, by reducing the argument to first principles and clear, concise descriptions.

Thankyou Mark Fox for making Quantum Optics accessible and enjoyable!, 21 Oct 2007
I wish this book had been published when I first started as a grad student! Instead there was Loudon's "The Quantum Theory of Light" and Marlan Scully's "Quantum Optics" - both excellent books, but both lose sight of the fundamental physics, and do not really bridge the gap between most physics degrees and the subtle mathematical world of quantum optics. This is a book which really introduces the subject from a concise fundamental physics footing, taking into account that new grad students are not experts in the field - it is enough work for some students to come to terms with a lot of new mathematics, let alone try and understand where many physical approximations creep in - some quantum optics lectures simply introduce expressions without explanation, and this book seems to answer most of them.

A case in point is the quantum treatment of the Hanbury Brown-Twiss experiment, where in the treatement of one of the beamsplitter output ports, a subtraction appears. This book is the only place where I've clearly seen sufficient explanation, in a margin note, that this arises through conservation of energy (actually you are not handed this on a plate, but given a guided problem that shows how it arises, which is a good idea).

And here lies the only complaint about the book, that it uses margin notes. It might sound a strange complaint, perhaps its just me being stupid, but if you've spent a few years reading books and papers where you're used to scanning through single column blocks of text for a vital bit of information, your eyes don't immediately notice an off-set, small block of margin text (in small font, so it looks like a figure caption). A few times I've been caught out searching for explanations in the main body of the text, only to realise after much head scratching that its in the margin notes!

In all, I find this the best book I've ever read - it makes quantum optics enjoyable, simply because of the grass-roots physics. Not everybody in quantum optics is a theorist, some people actually have to do experiments, which is the hardest part of quantum optics.

Thankyou Mark Fox for making Quantum Optics accessible and enjoyable to all!

Clearly the Best Fourier Optics Book, 17 Apr 1999
Joseph Goodman has done a stellar job of clearly presenting concepts AND mathematical background. There is an excellent mix of straightforward theory and practical uses of Fourier Optics. The chapter problems are very challenging but insightful. This is the best optics book I have ever read.

A classic made better., 21 Apr 1998
Joe Goodman is rightly famous for his clear writing, teaching and thinking. I especially appreciate the clear boundaries that he draws around the segments of his subject: it is clear what is known & unknown, what is easy & what is hard. This book is worth having and studying as an example of how to write a textbook, not only for its subject matter.

Brilliant, 19 Aug 2004
For any senior undergraduate or first-year physics/materials science graduate needing an introduction to optical properties of solids, this is the book for you. Don't go near the standard texts (at least not until you've read this one) as I think they are too complex for the introductory reader. This is really clearly written, giving you a good overview and a solid understanding of the basics of the subject without getting bogged down in mathematics. If I was teaching a final year solid-state class, this is the book I would use. The book has plenty of illustrations and examples and is very user-friendly. Thankfully (unlike some) the author has kept all explanations concise and clear. I found I could go ahead and perform experiments and get meaningful results based on what I had learnt in this book. Get it! You will be glad you did!

Concise, informative and very useful, 07 Jan 2003
I bought "Modern Optics" as a recommended text for an optics course. This is not a book on geometrical optics, it deals with electromagnetics. What I love about this book is that is it full of information, not once has it left my desk since I purchased it. It cost only a fraction of some of my other textbooks but it is worth all of them put together (nearly).

Topics covered include light propagation, interference, thin-film layers, diffraction, holography, lasers, ray optics and many more. For such a small book, it packs a large punch.

An Interesting Book on Optics, 04 Nov 2002
I originally purchased this book with the intention of learning really basic optical theory, but was confronted with a lot of mathematics and equations. Although this book seems to be a very good treatment of optics for those with a strong mathematical background, I would not suggest it as a text for those without a mathematical background and wishing a very basic introduction as I did.

The book is, however, very informative and has many clear diagrams.

Molecular Spectroscopy rules!!!!!, 24 Jan 2001
When a lecturer recommends a book, it usually spends many months gathering dust on my bookshelf and I end up wondering who paid the lecturer to recommend it in the first place. However, this book, I wholeheartedly recommend myself, as a student. It was recommended by my lecturer BUT!! it is easy to read, easy to understand, maybe not easy to remember, but that is due to my lack of functioning memory cells and not the authors skill.

...It looks boring, blue and green on the outside....but it's awesome. Buy it right now, even if you're not studying chemistry, just to impress your mates.