The Universe in a Nutshell by Stephen William Hawking Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Universe in a Nutshell
Book Review: A Good Introduction
Summary: 4 Stars
Quantum mechanics. String Theory. General Relativity. These are not topics for the casual science buff, nor will they be readily grasped with one reading of this ambitious text. In his Introduction, Mr. Hawking concedes that compiling a text to serve as an introduction to the fascinating yet complex theories of modern astrophysics was no simple feat. Whether or not he succeeded is for the reader to decide, and will be determined mostly by whether or not they have any background in science, and how willing they are to commit to the material. I would assert that this book is beyond the scope of anyone without at least a rudimentary understanding of basic physics, higher mathematics, and astronomy. In the end, regardless, this book can serve as no more than an introduction that hopefully sparks an interest in the great questions of our universe and a desire to learn more.Book Review: A Hawking Disappointment
Summary: 2 Stars
After reading and enjoying Hawking's 'Tour de Force' in "A Brief History of Time", this book is a real let-down. The text does not really explain anything, but merely references developments and theories which are pertinent to the subject. What the book lacks in Hawking's generally fascinating expositions, is somewhat compensated by the great graphic illustrations, making this book more of a coffee-table decoration than a good read.Book Review: A Landmark in Science Education!
Summary: 5 Stars
In his book, The Universe In A Nutshell, acclaimed astrophysicist Stephen Hawking presents some of the most complex ideas of modern science in a way that is as enjoyable as it is informative. The book is also copiously illustrated in order to provide the reader with a better understanding of concepts that are better explained with pictures rather than words.Hawking is a naturally gifted teacher and his gifts as a professor shine through even the most difficult theories. Hawking most important asset as a writer, however, is not his towering intellect, but his excellent sense of humor. Throughout the book, Hawking uses interesting antidotes that help to explain the topic at hand while keeping the reading interesting and involving. Through his excellent use of humor, Hawking provides abstract facts and figures in a way that is instantly accessible to everyone.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Universe In A Nutshell. Anyone with an interest in physics, science, or just curious about the world in which they live should give this book a try. Not only can it be enjoyed as an informative and entertaining read, but this publication can be placed alongside the encyclopedia as a reference to almost any science-related questions. It is this reusable value that makes this text well worth the price of the purchase.
Book Review: A Mandala of the Universe
Summary: 4 Stars
Stephen Hawking is a phenomenon of our age. We are all familiar with his tragic form: confined by Lou Gehrig's disease to a wheelchair, unable to move, his great mind reduced to communicating through the medium of an unearthly computerized voice. Just as we sometimes believe the blind are gifted with second sight or uncanny musical ability, most of us can't help suspecting that Hawking has been compensated for his disability by being granted a special insight into the true nature of our Universe, that he has somehow seen privileged to see the face of God. Such notions were no doubt behind the incredible success of his first book, "A Brief History of Time" (1988). Considering the difficulty of the subject matter, which can best be expressed through complex mathematical formula, and the fact that it was the first book of its kind to top bestseller lists around the world, this work soon became notorious as the most unread book of all time.
With the release of "The Universe in a Nutshell," the great physicist has descended from the Mount Sinai of scientific wisdom with a fresh set of tablets engraved with the secrets of the Universe. Keen to avoid the mistakes of the first work, this book is markedly more accessible, less text heavy, and extremely well illustrated, with half the book consisting of various diagrams that enable the reader to get the gist of such advanced concepts as 11-dimensional supergravity, multi-dimensional spacetime, p-branes, string theory, and time loops, to mention a few.
Most of the concepts presented here are pure mathematical constructs that have little chance of being empirically proven or disproven for some time yet. They therefore exist as a kind of Buddhist mandala, helping us to contemplate, without fully understanding, the immense mystery of our Universe.
With a style reminiscent of the science writer Isaac Asimov, the book succeeds in being a lot more readable. Inevitably this has brought charges of 'dumbing down' and oversimplification. "The Universe in a Nutshell" nevertheless remains a challenging and entertaining read, and ideal as the kind of book you want to leave lying around at home to give visitors an idea of just how deep and intellectual you really are (even if you aren't).
Book Review: A Quantum Physics Picture Book
Summary: 4 Stars
This is not a book for the timid or for those who have not read other and simpler books on quantum theory. The illustrations are excellent and contribute to your understanding of what is being discussed but even so the concepts are not simple to grasp. Like many of the other reviewers I have a technical background in engineering and have read widely in the area of physics and quantum theory. Nevertheless this book is a challenge and I cannot honestly say that I grasped all of it. In fact my criticism of the book is that it presumes considerable knowledge by the reader and some of the theories seem farfetched. The fact that an equation can be made to work simply by making convenient assumptions does not constitute proof from my perspective. I was amused by Hawkings indirect hit on evolution when he points out that intelligence does not appear to be necessary for life and thus life on other planets is problematic. That section alone was worth the price of admission.
Nevertheless, Hawking again demonstrates his humor and his personality clearly shines through. His ideas and concepts are challenging and without doubt he has contributed more to cosmology than almost anyone else. I enjoyed reading the book, I liked the pictures, I think I may have even understood some of it. If you are interested in cosmology and quantum theory this is a good book. I only gave it four stars because it is not as easy to understand as his "Brief History of Time".