Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your time
Review: Wolfram was perhaps a good scientist 20 years ago, but no longer. With the wealth generated from Mathematica, he has forgotten how to do research and how to write science. I am just wondering how Wllfram's many assistants, which he lists in the book and include many physicists and mathematicians, allowed this book to the publication. They should have adviced candidly their boss how poor this book is.
Rating: 
Summary: A new kind of doorstop x 256
Review: I'd recommend that if you see this book in a library or book store, you spend a few minutes looking at some of the pictures. You'd get pretty much the whole idea of the book, except perhaps for one important thing... Wolfram must be one of the most systematic people about -- figuring out a numbering system his cullular automation rules and working through every one, printing them out, classifying them... many of us may have experimented with one or two, but this fellow has looked at all 256 simple ones and millions more. The book is more intersting for its systematic approach than its results. Probably 256 ways to use it to keep your door open, if you spent 10 years thinking about it.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book, really interesting
Review: This book is geared more towards people with moderate scientific knowledge, but in reality anyone can read it. He tries to gently lead the reader into every new subject and teaches it like you would a course in cellular automata. In the beginning, he tells you about his and other people's experience with Cellular Automata and the use of simple programs to produce extreme complexity, starting with weather data and fractals. Then he moves on to different types of automata he and others have come up with, and shows their intricacies. He then tries to apply this information to two and 3 dimensions, observing that they all look very similar. Then he applies them to nature, and is able to derive some phenomenon and even Einstein's gravity equations from some automata. Then he moves on to universal automata, that seem to be able to emulate any other automata. I have about 100 pages to go, so I can't give away the ending.
Rating: 
Summary: The Future of Life?
Review: I found this book interesting primarily for one reason. It made me wonder whether cellular automata like the ones highlighted in the book or in Conway's Life could actually create "true life". In other words, given enough time on a big enough "playing board" would complex societies of beings develop on par with biological life in terms of their complexity and lifelike behaviors. If so, why can't we see more research directed to this very goal: to create life in a computer -- life that surprises us, that can teach us, creatures that live and dream.
Rating:
Summary: original
Review: This book is a tome. With over a thousand pages, it is immense. The upswing of this is that the author covers every topic from pschology to theoretical physics. Mr. Wolfram has developed an entirely original theory on the physics of the world around us. Whether it is correct or not, only time will tell...but an interesting read either way. I would most closely compare this book to STILL PITYING THE FOOL for anyone who has read that.
Rating:
Summary: get over it!
Review: I find Wolfram's style refreshing (it reminds me of Mandelbrot or Koenderink). As for self publishing, Tufte, who also is self published, for many of the same reasons, seems to be spared the venom of the reviewers. If fact, he is is gernerally praised for his concern with the quality of the final product. I think this book can benifit any person with an interest in the nature of nature. Just lean back, accept the fact that he's smarter than you, and enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Buy It!
Review: This is not an overnight read. Buy it and take your time. You don't have to agree, but how wonderful to have something new to think about! This will have a major impact. Hopefully in my lifetime. Buy it and enjoy. Terrific stuff.
Rating:
Summary: A gift to the (interested and ambitious) masses
Review: What is most amazing to me about Stephan Wolfram's book is that it is so readable. I think it's great that a super gifted guy like Stephan would devote such astonishng effort to sharing his thoughts with interested amatures like me. Most of Wolfram's fellow physicists have never written a word that so respectfully informs non physicists of such exciting new thinking. My imagination was sparked reading this book. I congratulate Wolfram on his valuable accomplishment. I hope he or someone as able as he is soon prepares a briefer paperback version for those too put off bythe mass of this great book. Thanks, Stephan
Rating:
Summary: Hubris run wild
Review: I have thoroughly examined this tome in order to find what new knowledge has resulted from the application of the cellular automata techniques. I have found none. There are no new equations in the area of Relativity or Quantum Theory. There are just endless patterns of black and white squares. One would hope, in view of the author's promotional statements that just one brand new equation - if only a little one, or even a new trivial one, would have resulted from the 10 years of work. Alas, I find none. The author appears to be overwhelmed with the importance of his work and his book. I fail to see why. This book appears to be another example of the well-known law that a book's importance and impact vary inversely with the number of pages and the weight. Not recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating despite overstated claims
Review: Wolfram's book is a great collection of cellular automata examples. The book succeeds simply by displaying interesting
structures and for this reason the book may be better titled: A New Kind of Mathematics. Unfortunately the structures Wolfram has described have yet to be tied to any predictive theory. Wolfram's neglect to explain
any of his mathematical tests, failure to rigourously define complexity and failure to supply a metric for complexity are problems that limit the book to recreational interest at best. When these issues are addressed (a second edition perhaps?) I will yeild the fifth star.
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