Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #57760 in Books
• Published on: 2000-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
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

Edward Witten, Institute for Advanced Study
Everyone who is curious about the horizons of theoretical physics—past, present, and future—will enjoy this book.

David M. Lee, professor of physics, Cornell University
[A] beautifully crafted account of string theory...a delightful; read for the professional.

Customer Reviews

How science should be presented
"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
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!
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.