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The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory Audiobook
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(4.00) - 26,257 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
"[Greene] develops one fresh new insight after another…In the great tradition of physicists writing for the masses, The Elegant Universe sets a standard that will be hard to beat.” —George Johnson, The New York Times Book Review
In a rare blend of scientific insight and writing as elegant as the theories it explains, Brian Greene, one of the world’s leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding string theory to reveal a universe that consists of 11 dimensions where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter-from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas-is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy.
Green uses everything from an amusement park ride to ants on a garden hose to illustrate the beautiful yet bizarre realities that modern physics is unveiling. Dazzling in its brilliance, unprecedented in its ability to both illuminate and entertain, The Elegant Universe is a tour de force of science writing-a delightful, lucid voyage through modern physics that brings us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works.
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"I'm a professional physicist, working in various areas of molecular physics. I really enjoyed this introduction to sting theory; in the areas I am competent in (quantum mechanics, special and, to a much lesser extent, general relativity) I found the book accurate and entertaining. Of course it not possible to really 'understand' string theory by simply reading a popular science book, but the book nevertheless gave me a clear picture of what we are talking about. My only reservation is that people who don't know much physics or maths might get totally lost and give up on the book pretty quickly. But in general I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in physics and in its big question (the nature of space, time, the origin and the ultimate fate of the universe)."
— Lorenzo (5 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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Finalist for the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction
The Elegant Universe Listener Reviews
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nai saeturn, 3/14/2018
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" Amazing book that blows your mind with all the posibilty modern physics has to offer. "
— Jose, 2/14/2014 -
" there is no better book to explain string theory to the layperson "
— Mark, 12/21/2013 -
" Very cool content and as easy a read as any string theory book can be. Really opened my eyes and gave me new lenses to view the world through. "
— Nancy, 12/12/2013 -
" So far, so good. I am about a third of the way through the book, and I will say not only that Greene's exlplanations are clear, but that he accurately anticipates the questions a layperson such as I will have. Another book I read, by Leonard Mlodinow I think, claimed to be for laypeople, but really it was full of vague explanations and annoying jokes. This book is much better. "
— Jeremiah, 12/1/2013 -
" This is some mind-blowing stuff for those of us without an extensive background in quantum mechanics and astrophysics. Greene explains this pretty well for the lay reader, and I was able to grasp much but not all of what he says. Not quite on a par with "Brief History of Time" by Hawking in terms of bringing a complex subject matter within easy grasp of the lay reader. "
— Gerard, 10/30/2013 -
" If you need to read one of Brian's books, I would choose The Fabric of the Cosmos, but this one is fun too. Deep, but fun. "
— Slade, 10/30/2013 -
" Not nearly as accessible or readable as the reputation would have you believe. The back half is virtually incomprehensible to someone without a significant background in modern physics. "
— Patrick, 10/30/2013 -
" Took some deep thinking to follow all of this, but it is fascinating stuff. Makes me wish I had majored in Physics in college. "
— Dan, 6/23/2013 -
" Great book on modern physics from Einstein and relativity to String Theory and beyond. Greene does a very good job of helping the reader conceptualize some pretty difficult subjects. "
— Nikhil, 4/19/2013 -
" The absolute best book on this topic. Brian Greene can explain the most complex and abstract topics in plain English, truly fascinating. "
— Marc, 3/31/2013 -
" Speaks well to a non-technical person, as I am. Not condescending. Very readable, accessible. I was glad I'd read Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time" first. "
— Gretchen, 1/27/2013 -
" Brian Greene taught me everything I know about string theory! His writing is engaging and he makes astrophysics accessible to non-scientists. Five stars for that epic feat. "
— Andra, 12/12/2012 -
" This book took me a while to get through but was well worth the effort. I will read this one again. "
— Kathleen, 10/29/2012 -
" Excellent. Easy to understand - relatively. "
— Sherry, 8/14/2012 -
" love reaffirming my super UNintelligence....after all these years, still a "naive imp"...wtf "
— misa, 7/15/2012 -
" One of the best "science" books that I have read. Makes me want to go back to school ... "
— Roger, 3/22/2012 -
" Incredible book. He has a nack for explaining the super complicated in a super simple manner. I recommend this to anyone who is even slightly interested in the subject matter. "
— Brett, 2/17/2012 -
" This book made my head hurt but in a good way. Like a brain massage. "
— Chad, 12/15/2011 -
" about halfway through! Good stuff! "
— Carolyn, 11/21/2011 -
" my frist book in reading about the theory of everything. "
— Donald, 10/22/2011 -
" A good introduction to modern science. "
— Ning, 6/22/2011 -
" if is this real...then we should probably re-allocate the meaning of real... "
— George, 5/26/2011 -
" Greene is as good as Hawking at explaining super complicated subjects in a manner that normal people can understand. "
— David, 5/14/2011 -
" Absolutely fantastic !!!! not just good science, a Good read and humorous too. "
— Alan, 5/5/2011 -
" It's very enjoyable. The use of analogy greatly aids in the presentation of the book's content, making the seemingly complex rather intuitive. "
— Cory, 4/29/2011 -
" An amazing popularization of the progress and current state of cosmology. Most of the math is in the end notes, but the concepts are not intuitive and careful reading is required. "
— Terry, 4/22/2011
About Brian Greene
Brian Greene received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his doctorate from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He joined the physics faculty of Cornell University in 1990, was appointed to a full professorship in 1995, and in 1996 joined Columbia University, where he is a professor of physics and mathematics. He has lectured at both a general and a technical level in more than twenty-five countries and is widely regarded for a number of groundbreaking discoveries in superstring theory. He lives in Andes, New York, and New York City.
About Erik Davies
Erik Davies is an accomplished audiobook narrator and voice-over actor. His stage credits include G.R. Point, Unpublished Letters, and Flats Fixed. Some of his television and film appearances include ER, Third Watch, and a starring role in the hit indie comedy High Society: A Pot Boiler. His audiobook narration has won three AudioFile Earphones Awards.