The Elegant Universe : Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory

Rating:
Summary: BOOK OF THE YEAR
Review: Superb exposition of a very difficult subject. As a total non-mathematician (I got as far as Algebra 1 in High School...and barely passed) there were a few places that went over my head (altho strangely, I understood most of the NOTES), but overall a must read for anyone even remotely interested in the field. I'd give it 6 stars if I could. Should be, and probably is, required reading in some schools. I still can't figure out what the E=m2c that one recent reviewer mentioned is, tho. I looked and looked all over the book for that formula, but couldn't find it. P~~

Rating:
Summary: Well written; insightful and interesting
Review: After reading a very nice article about Brian Greene in Scientific American, I ventured ahead and bought The Elegant Universe for myself. After sitting down and reading the engaging text and ideas, I really got a sense of superstrings, hidden dimensions, and the task of finding an "universal" (please excuse that poor term!) theory about the universe. The book is written in understandable and articulate language; one does not necessarily have to be a physics/mathematics/cosmology expert to realize the ideas that Mr. Greene is sending across. Yet for the true scholar, there are also some math and scientific details that go beyond the basic teachings cleverly intertwined into the book . By the end of the book, you can get a real feel for the String Theory (or other widely known M-Theory). The fact that it is based not on experiments, but placed "out there" as a possible answer is very intriguing. Being only 15 years old (but having already read essays by Hawking and other physics books), I say that this book is well worth reading and owning.

Rating:
Summary: WOW! Hawking has company
Review: This book is beautifully written for the common person. You need not have an understanding of the mathematics of physics to understand the ideas he is trying to convey. I have read a few physics books in my day and I must say that this one will sit next to Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time" on my bookshelf as one of the best yet. I would recommend this book to anyone with a passing interest in physics/astroomy/cosmology.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK AND NO ERRORS
Review: This is an excellent book, carefully written, artfully conveyed, and certainly has no error regarding Einstein's famous equation. Rather, the reviewer of December 13, Leon C. LaBrecque, has himself misread the text which correctly states "multiply twice by the speed of light" (i.e. carrying out the act of such multiplication twice, which is indeed c-squared). The reviewer has misread this as "multiply by twice the speed of light". Perhaps Leon should read more carefully, being sure not to interchange words, before throwing away wonderful books and writing negative reviews. Such errors surely make all other reviews he should write quite suspect.

Rating:
Summary: E=Mc2 does not mean E=m2c
Review: I find it very difficult to enjoy a book who's description of Einstein's famous formula states that "Energy equals mass times twice the speed of light" If Greene cannot discern the difference between the square of something and 'twice' something, then all other statements made by him are suspect. I threw the book away, lest it contaminate someone else (besides Greene) that didn't know the difference between c2 and 2c.

Rating:
Summary: Get to really know God
Review: This is the best physics type book I've ever read. Even if your unfamiliar with particle physics and relativity, it's all covered in this book. Nothing is more interesting then understanding the most fundamental thing that makes up everything and how it has implications on everything else. If you read this book you'll understand what I meant in the previous sentence. Basically all I can really say is buy this book and discover just how weird the universe, you live in everyday, is.

Rating:
Summary: Calabi Yow!
Review: "Houston, we have a problem." Modern physics has left us with two fundamental blocks in our knowledge of the physical world, relativity and quantum theory. They represent linchpins in any modern conceptual view of the natural world and are thus rooted steadfastly in the core of our physical thought. And guess what?, when we get down to the unfathomably small, their combined power predicts a world that just can NOT be! This is the ball that Prof. Greene drops squarely in our lap....or maybe on top of our head. We can't reject either theory, and yet we also can't deny that together they eventually lead to unavoidable conflict. Something is not right, which means we have to devise a theory that will alleviate this clash without rejecting either of these two fundamental precepts of modern physics. Prof. Greene plots a course and guides we nonprofessionals along a path arguing that the best chance for a solution to this fundamental fogginess rests with String Theory. He devotes the first half of the book to bringing us up to speed with respect to relativity and quantum theory, and then he shifts it into a higher gear by introducing us to String Theory, what it is, how it solves the root problem, and what its ramifications to us are if, indeed, it is correct. The text is written for lay people, but it is still quite a heady beast at times. Plenty of stuff here to grind your teeth over and push your brain dial toward critical mass. As the text rolls on, it becomes evermore clear that one simply can't visualize this proposed physical world in conventional three-dimensional terms, and thus footnotes are also included for those more mathematically adept so as to augment their comprehension. Afterall, how can one possibly visualize a point in space as composed of NINE additional dimensions?! But our common human shortfall here does nothing whatsoever to detract from the awe inspiring picture that Prof. Greene is trying to paint. In fact, this mindboggling view is just more cause for pure amazement regarding our natural world and immense admiration for those few individuals that have the ability to think mathematically. What a treat! What beauty! The pain of my swollen brain hurts so good!

Rating:
Summary: hypnotic symmetries
Review: It seems unnecessary to add my voice to the hundreds of mostly rave reviews here, but I am compelled. I have just finished reading this book, and I plan to read it again after a period of gestation and some more study of relativity and quantum mechanics. I was inspired by this book. Not being a mathemetician or physicist, I could only achive the illusion of comprehension of most of the concepts in this book, but I was greatful to catch a glimpse of the pervasive symmetry of the universe. Even without completely understanding the book, I thoroughly enjoyed contemplating the ideas, and spent many hours doing so.

Rating:
Summary: A very clear introduction
Review: Greene strikes an excellent balance between writing a clear explanation of string theory, from the history of general relativity and quantum mechanics to the most recent developments, between addressing the average reader and the expert. He makes his explanations in the text very clear, using simple analogies, and he saves the mathematical details for the expert reader for the footnotes. His writing is fresh, and he conveys his enthusiasm for and knowledge of the subject. I found the book fascinating and well-executed.

Rating:
Summary: Stimulating stuff
Review: This book is truly a work of art. I have read few other books that can take one's mind on such an intriguing tour into deep science. Rare is the ability to illuminate for the everyday person some of the most abstract thinking in cosmology and physics today. A treat for anyone with a brain that likes to play.