From Brian Greene, one of the worlds leading physicists, comes a grand tour of the universe that makes us look at reality in a completely different...
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Mar 22, 2011
Greg
rated it: 
I like to talk shit about science sometimes. Sometimes it's just to push people's buttons and other times it's because of the pop side of science is ridiculous (you know like the studies that get quoted on your web-browsers start-up page, which may even be contradicted a few days from now by some other article, or all those fucking pharmaceutical ad's on TV. Hey, thanks Pfizer for helping make me a drug addict!). I just made a slight at pop-science and that is hypocritical of me, it's really
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14 comments
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(15 people liked it)
Feb 04, 2009
Trevor
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Did you know that Schrödinger’s equation is a perfect anagram of “A Second Herring Quits”? And is a near perfect anagram of “Surely someone’s taking the piss”? The second anagram relies, of course (and almost entirely), on a rather judicious application of Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle – but I do think that one may be more illuminating of how I’m finding some of the quantum mechanical experiments described in this book.
There is part of me that would like to believe that in t More...
There is part of me that would like to believe that in t More...
8 comments
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(7 people liked it)
Dec 13, 2007
Jen
rated it:
Hmmm...I can now talk basics about String Theory and physics at a cocktail party. Get me into anything more than general commentary, discoveries, famous names and famous theories, and I'm completely at a loss. Green is a likable and passionate author, but for readers without a physics knowledge base, his little treatise is tough going, even with all the Simpsons references. I remember the most important concepts, but the intricacies didn't stick with me. This book is best read in segments, pr
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Dec 12, 2008
David
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This is a nice overview of modern physics, including implications of relativity (specific and general), quantum mechanics and string theory, together with a discussion of the implications for cosmology. Some of the interesting items discussed here include the notion that during the "Planck time", ie, 10^(-34) sec or so after the Big Bang, space and time had no meaning, that our 3-D universe may be only an illusion of an underlying 11-dimensional universe, and reality may be coded in a
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3 comments
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(3 people liked it)
Dec 17, 2009
Joe
rated it: 
You probably know more about physics than you think.
See, right there, when your brain registered the p-word, a black hole of anxiety opened up in the pit of your stomach from which nothing can escape. Your underarms began to radiate heat as your mind conjured memories of stuffy high school laboratories. And as your eyes scanned ahead for those dreaded half-English, half-Greek words followed by an equal sign, the probability of you reading on fast approached zero.
But ther More...
See, right there, when your brain registered the p-word, a black hole of anxiety opened up in the pit of your stomach from which nothing can escape. Your underarms began to radiate heat as your mind conjured memories of stuffy high school laboratories. And as your eyes scanned ahead for those dreaded half-English, half-Greek words followed by an equal sign, the probability of you reading on fast approached zero.
But ther More...
2 comments
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(7 people liked it)
Apr 15, 2008
Larry
rated it:
I finally finished Brian Greene's Fabric of the Cosmos and I am more confused than ever about string theory, M-theory and the nature of spacetime.
I feel as though I should read the book again. I guess at least now I am familiar enough with the concepts which confuse me to be able to sound like I know something about general relativity, quantum mechanics and string theory over beers with friends, and that's the important thing, right?
Greene uses lots of pop cultural referenced example More...
I feel as though I should read the book again. I guess at least now I am familiar enough with the concepts which confuse me to be able to sound like I know something about general relativity, quantum mechanics and string theory over beers with friends, and that's the important thing, right?
Greene uses lots of pop cultural referenced example More...
Nov 06, 2009
I GIVE UP
You win this round science book **(shakes fist in anger)**
In fact, after reading this book I've given up on science completely in favor the Nabokovian theory of very young earth creationism: The World Was Created This Morning.
"Theoretically there is no absolute proof that one's awakening in the morning (the finding oneself again in the saddle of one's personality) is not really a quite unprecedented event, a perfectly original birth."
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You win this round science book **(shakes fist in anger)**
In fact, after reading this book I've given up on science completely in favor the Nabokovian theory of very young earth creationism: The World Was Created This Morning.
"Theoretically there is no absolute proof that one's awakening in the morning (the finding oneself again in the saddle of one's personality) is not really a quite unprecedented event, a perfectly original birth."
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24 comments
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(7 people liked it)
Dec 26, 2008
Mike
rated it:
This is a great book that does an excellent job of explaining some of the toughest ideas in modern physics. My only criticism is that Greene can't figure out who his audience is: there's an odd mix of esoterica and the mundane. Most of the esoteric stuff is banished to the footnotes, which are well worth reading--and I suppose I should be happy that it's there at all, since most books on modern science are written with Hawking's Editor's Law in mind: with each equation, your audience shrinks b
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(5 people liked it)
Jun 30, 2008
Art
rated it:
God, where should I start. I was first turned on to this book by Kat. Her brain is much more powerful than mine, so I am now reading it again to try and get my thoughts around a little more of it. It is an excellent book; however, I just lack the background knowledge to fully understand a lot of it. Perhaps I should say, to understand it at any applicable level. I can understand most of the concepts and ideas, I just cannot envision many of them. Still, the little I have been able to absorb h
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(1 person liked it)
Feb 13, 2009
Bettie
rated it:
Unabridged mp3 read. Narrated by Michael Pritchard.
I am on the last hour of this and I can say that it's been enjoyable, what with pop-culture examples and smirky asides. The more one visits material the more the ideas stick and as I am a very weak version of velcro, repetition is welcome. When I was a trainer the benchmark was given that you had to incorporate an essential point six times to make sure the meaning was driven home ... so let me say that I now understand the principle More...
I am on the last hour of this and I can say that it's been enjoyable, what with pop-culture examples and smirky asides. The more one visits material the more the ideas stick and as I am a very weak version of velcro, repetition is welcome. When I was a trainer the benchmark was given that you had to incorporate an essential point six times to make sure the meaning was driven home ... so let me say that I now understand the principle More...
Oct 04, 2011
Campbell
rated it:
This is is a life changing book on a par with Blind Watchmaker.
I was a little daunted by the subject material to begin with, but soon lost my inhibitions - it's not half as bad as I expected and I'm actually finding myself second-guessing some of the directions and explanations that author is taking in explaining the wierdness of the relativistic and quantum worlds. Either I'm not as deeply stupid as I thought or Greene's treatment is perfect for the non-expert reader.
It's More...
I was a little daunted by the subject material to begin with, but soon lost my inhibitions - it's not half as bad as I expected and I'm actually finding myself second-guessing some of the directions and explanations that author is taking in explaining the wierdness of the relativistic and quantum worlds. Either I'm not as deeply stupid as I thought or Greene's treatment is perfect for the non-expert reader.
It's More...
Aug 17, 2010
Parksy
rated it:
Very cool overview of the state of physics and the cosmos to date. In depth, but still quite readable.
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Amazon.com
As a boy, Brian Greene read Albert Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus and was transformed. Camus, in Greene's paraphrase, insisted that the hero triumphs "by relinquishing everything beyond immediate experience." After wrestling with this idea, however, Greene rejected Camus and realized that his true idols were physicists; scientists who strug More...
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Amazon.com
As a boy, Brian Greene read Albert Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus and was transformed. Camus, in Greene's paraphrase, insisted that the hero triumphs "by relinquishing everything beyond immediate experience." After wrestling with this idea, however, Greene rejected Camus and realized that his true idols were physicists; scientists who strug More...
Apr 17, 2010
Dennis
rated it:
Greene, Brian The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality (2004)
An outstanding work
In some respects this book is an extension (and a substantial one) of physicist Brian Greene's well-received The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory (1999) in which he attempted the very difficult task of explaining relativity, quantum mechanics, and string theory to the educated layperson while keeping the mathematics in More...
An outstanding work
In some respects this book is an extension (and a substantial one) of physicist Brian Greene's well-received The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory (1999) in which he attempted the very difficult task of explaining relativity, quantum mechanics, and string theory to the educated layperson while keeping the mathematics in More...
Apr 03, 2009
If there is one subject I struggle with, it's the hard sciences. But Brian Greene's book is written exactly for people like me who probably haven't picked up a science book since high school and are mathmatically handicapped. And given the importance of the research going on, the discoveries so far, and the possibilities that are coming soon that may change our world in some really significant ways, it is also an important book.
In a nutshell, Greene delivers what we know and More...
In a nutshell, Greene delivers what we know and More...
Oct 07, 2009
Kris
rated it:
Brian Greene tells us about the major discoveries in physics that have come into play in the last century. Written for the layman, Greene explains clearly how our understanding of the physical world, though general relativity and quantum mechanics, has progressed since Newton first established his classic laws of motion.
Our understanding of physics today primarily sits in two theories. General Relativity, which accurately explains really big phenomena. And, Quantum Mechanics, which a More...
Our understanding of physics today primarily sits in two theories. General Relativity, which accurately explains really big phenomena. And, Quantum Mechanics, which a More...
Jan 28, 2010
Jay
rated it:
Did Greene plagiarise a section of his book? More on that later.
Oh, god, I'm surprised I finished it. For the most part, I enjoy theoretical physics. I'm not sure if I believe everything that theoretical physics proposes (but then again, I'm not one for blindly allowing myself to be pulled along by an entity I can't see), but I enjoy it nonetheless. And I wanted to enjoy this book, I really did. Greene offers some thought provoking ideas, and he even mentions at one point the author More...
Oh, god, I'm surprised I finished it. For the most part, I enjoy theoretical physics. I'm not sure if I believe everything that theoretical physics proposes (but then again, I'm not one for blindly allowing myself to be pulled along by an entity I can't see), but I enjoy it nonetheless. And I wanted to enjoy this book, I really did. Greene offers some thought provoking ideas, and he even mentions at one point the author More...
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Sep 25, 2010
Chris
rated it:
You know how fun it is to get your brain scrambled watching cosmology shows on basic cable. Now imagine how great it would feel to have a strong understanding of the logic behind all of those brain busters without needing any special math background.
Greene does a fantastic job simplifying and allegorizing special and general relativity, entropy, the arrow of time, and quantum physics. All the while he shares his huge excitement over new discoveries and the potential of his field.
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Greene does a fantastic job simplifying and allegorizing special and general relativity, entropy, the arrow of time, and quantum physics. All the while he shares his huge excitement over new discoveries and the potential of his field.
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Jun 16, 2009
Eric
rated it:
After slowly progressing through An Elegant Universe, in which Greene described string theory to a mass audience, The Fabric of the Cosmos seems much more basic in comparison. But this is sensible considering that the primary focus of Cosmos covers the slightly less complicated topic of the nature of empty space. And compared wrapping one's head around the totality of string theory, this does pass for light reading. Greene covers most of the noteworthy accomplishments in defining empty space,
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Jun 22, 2011
Rico
rated it:
The Fabric of the Cosmos
This was a natural follow-up to The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory. Many of the same topics are discussed - which made a portion of this book redundant. I considered it a nice refresher.
The depth of material in this book was more significant than the first and actually ran into a topic or two that were beyond my understanding - even after trying to do the math. Very entertaining none-the- More...
This was a natural follow-up to The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory. Many of the same topics are discussed - which made a portion of this book redundant. I considered it a nice refresher.
The depth of material in this book was more significant than the first and actually ran into a topic or two that were beyond my understanding - even after trying to do the math. Very entertaining none-the- More...
Feb 05, 2009
If the idea that time may travel in more than one direction hurts your brain, there's hope for you yet. Greene, author of The Elegant Universe and professor at Columbia University, designed this dazzling overview of physical reality for general readers (and kindly gives ample notice when he's about to delve into physics-speak). Using humorous examples from everyday life, from Larry King and Homer Simpson to earthworms, Greene animates thorny questions of space, time, and reality. Although he str
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Feb 07, 2012
Paul 'Pezski'
rated it:
Glancing at the reviews for Brian Greene's overview of how we view the stuff of which our universe is made, it seems that some people base their rating and opinion on how much they agree with the science, or how credible they find it. While I have read a fair few popular science books – especially in the areas of physics and cosmology, areas I find utterly fascinating and about which I am perplexed that anyone can not be astounded and beguiled – I have to assume that I am reading a fair explanat
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May 27, 2011
Sebastian
rated it:
the fabric of the cosmos tackles one of the most fundamental questions in science...how does the physical world work? to attempt to answer this question, greene covers several major areas of physics - classical mechanics, entropy and time, special/general relativity, quantum mechanics, and finally string/m-theory...the book is extremely well written and does not read like a typical dry science text book...greene explains very complex and non-intuitive ideas in a manner that is accessible to all
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Jul 06, 2009
Mrs_M
rated it:
When I read the Elegant Universe, I was dumbfounded. Brian Greene takes something so everpresent and turns it into an eloquent dance of curiosity. This book, The Fabric of the Cosmosis no different.
He tells how to build a time machine in the world of physics, how to travel through a black hole, how quantum physics directs the arrow of time, etc. Basically, Brian Green is into reality and he takes you there, outside of your own version limited by your senses and into what is real acr More...
He tells how to build a time machine in the world of physics, how to travel through a black hole, how quantum physics directs the arrow of time, etc. Basically, Brian Green is into reality and he takes you there, outside of your own version limited by your senses and into what is real acr More...
Aug 11, 2009
Christi
rated it:
Comparing to Stephen Hawkings 'Universe in a Nutshell'. Both go into history of theoretical thot on time, space, universe and how even the questions have changed. I am looking for the similarities and differences in their teachings. When I learned to fly I had about 1/2 dozen flight instructors. What they taught that was the same - rules/laws that one ignores to ones peril. that which was different - style, aspects that one could change and modify to one's own ends. I have always had the s
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Nov 03, 2007
Jay
rated it:
If there's any accessibility to be found in modern theoretical physics, this is the old college try. Well written, involving, and leads to reckless amounts of navel gazing.
Perfect for procrastinating because you feel smarter when you've finished a chunk, which feels more important than the dishes, the laundry, etc.
Perfect for procrastinating because you feel smarter when you've finished a chunk, which feels more important than the dishes, the laundry, etc.
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Dec 17, 2009
I've barely made a dent in this book. The introduction is dry because the author has to give you the tools you need to understand what he explores in this book. I can't wait to get into the meat and potatoes of this book. I've always felt that time was not this finite linear concept but more like an onion with many layers.
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Oct 26, 2010
Ivan
rated it:
Ха-ха! Вот тут вы и попались. Не пугайтесь, так выглядит мир глазами специалиста по теории струн. Недавно мой друг спросил меня, почему не существует простого и понятного изложения квантовой механики. В переводе такой вопрос означает "Почему весь мир не находится у меня в голове?" Эта книга является лучшей на сегодня попыткой сопоставить видение реальности с переднего края теоретической физики с современной философской картиной мира.
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Dec 12, 2011
bup
rated it:
This book should be required reading for anyone who lives in the universe. This generation's Carl Sagan wrote it. He may even be a better 'educator of the general masses' than Sagan was.
Greene writes for the non-expert who wants to understand - not just be told, and accept, the analogies - but who wants to be persuaded and actually shown that the universe is the way theoretical physics is the way it is. (Unlike some physics authors I could mention).
He asks the questions I More...
Greene writes for the non-expert who wants to understand - not just be told, and accept, the analogies - but who wants to be persuaded and actually shown that the universe is the way theoretical physics is the way it is. (Unlike some physics authors I could mention).
He asks the questions I More...
Jul 15, 2010
You are surrounded by space on all sides and immersed in time 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But, do you really understand it? Is it really 4-dimensional or merely our perception of an 11-dimensional reality? Brian Greene, one of the world’s leading physicists, thinks that he knows and he explains it all to you. Using super-strings and M-theory, Greene tries to close the gap between quantum mechanics and Einstein’s general theory of relativity. Granted that probably is not very interesting for m
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Oct 18, 2010
Steve
rated it:
Fabric of the Cosmos delves into some pretty challenging and mind-bending subject matter, covering a lot of ground, and doing so extensively. It comes as a relief, then, that Brian Greene's explanations are without question the clearest I have read. Don't be put off if, like me, you didn't study physics at school - this book takes you through it right from the start, one step at a time, from Newtonian physics all the way through relativity and quantum mechanics right up to the threshold of curre
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