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Summary: A gem, and a must read for techies and non-techies alike.
Review: This is one of those books where, when reading it, you actually feel your brain expanding. I read this back in '99 and I'm still continually referencing it in my thoughts and my conversations with others. Brian Greene uses plain English and fairly easy to understand analogies to explain extraordinarily complex but fascinating issues related to Relativity, Quantum, Speed of Light travel, Gravity, and the general known laws of our physical universe. Many times I audibly groaned while shaking my head, or yelled out when struck by the overwhelming significance of this science. This is a very worthwhile read that is particularly admirable in that it can be read by both techies and non-techies alike... Enjoy...
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Summary: Elegant Universe an Elegant Book
Review: Brian Greene's "Elegant Universe" will come to one day rank among great works of science for the general population like George Gamow's "One Two Three Infinity" and Carl Sagan's "Cosmos." Greene uses his great command of the language to give life to his great understanding of science. This of course means that one's understanding of the frontiers of physics in comprehending superstring theory are only improved. The book wades you in to the shallow end of a very, deep pool.
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Rating:
Summary: super!
Review: Excellent Book for the casual or just sorta interested in physics type of person. was very easy to read and explained the ideas very well!
Rating:
Summary: an excellent introductory book on modern theoretical physics
Review: This is a well-written introduction to modern theoretical physics. The author did an excellent job in reviewing the concepts essential for understanding modern physics, such as relativity theory and quantum mechanics, and in leading readers to string theory, which combines gravity and quantum mechanics into one unified field theory, purported to explain everything in the universe. Although mathematically very attractive, string theory may appear to some people to be a philosophical idea rather than a scientific theory.
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Summary: I finally understand....
Review: _The Elegant Universe_ is the most eluminating popular physics book I've ever read. For years I've struggled (episodically, I grant you) with understanding special relativity, in particular, but after reading the first 50 pages of Brian Greene's book, I think I finally have it. His crystal clear use of language and his enlightening illustrations make it hard for the reader _not_ to "get it." Why does time slow down and space become foreshortened as velocity increases? For the same reason we get wood from trees: Because. It's baked in the cake of our four-dimensional reality. I'm only a third of the way through his book, but I'm already sorry it's going to end.
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Summary: Many holes and contradictions.
Review: This book is a poor portrayal of the current views on science and applications in life. I found M. R. Franks' book entitled The Universe and Multiple Reality to be much more understandable and elegant.
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Summary: Great first and second acts.
Review: Professor Greene gives an excellent introduction to the world of breakthrough science, how it often occurs by reconciling conflicts between two successful but mutually incompatible theories. For example, Einstein reconciled Newton's Mechanics and Maxwellian Electromagnetics with his Special Theory of Relativity. The current Big Question in the physical sciences now is how to obtain a theory akin to "quantum gravity" - i.e., how to reconcile Quantum Mechanics with General Relativity. The book motivates this topic very well, then proceeds to give a very intuitive yet accurate account of the basics of String Theory. Often science journalists are good at metaphor and analogies but do so at the risk of misleading the reader. Because Professor Greene is a leading researcher in the field, he avoids that trap. However, when explaining more recent aspects of the theory, which are more complex and speculative than the basic "elegant" foundation, the book loses clarity. Perhaps it is because the findings are too new, and the scientists themselves still don't really understand the details well enough to explain them to others. Regardless, for understanding the nuances (albeit not the details) of the latest developments of string theory watch the Nova production by the same name, which is also narrated by the author, and which covers recent progress in the theory that is either not in the book at all or is not explained as well in the book. Although it falls short of explaining the entire theory as well as it introduces it, it is nonetheless the best book available now that is accurate yet accessible to the non-scientist reader.
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Summary: Superb and exciting overview of superstring theory
Review: It is fascinating and gratifying to read about the recent progress that young geniuses like Brian Greene (the author) are making in theoretical physics. This book is an exposition on superstring theory, which has the promise of being a "theory of everything", seeking to explain the origin of elementary particles as being different resonant patterns of a string or perhaps a membrane, as well as the unification of the various forces and the evolution of the universe. This subject is extremely difficult mathematically -- it occupies the very highest talent level in physics -- and yet Dr. Greene does an extraordinary job of explaining the essential ideas in non-technical language for the intelligent lay person. The book conveys the excitement about the recent discoveries, and recounts some of Greene's own original work, providing the reader a fascinating glimpse into the creative process. The explanations of relativity and quantum mechanics are among the best non-technical explanations I have read. The need for superstrings (or ultimately M-theory) is well motivated and the basic idea of the theory is well explained. The theory's limitations are discussed forthrightly. I was inspired by the discussions about the future directions of the research and the large questions that remain unanswered. As an experimental physicist who is far removed from these developments, I am admittedly not in a position to judge the true accuracy of the book, but at least it seemed fairly clear. One improvement I could recommend if there is a future edition: Although the author did comment that the experimental confirmation and characterization of supersymmetry would be important, more emphasis of this point may be warranted since the tax paying public will be asked for millions of dollars for a next generation of particle accelerators.
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Summary: Eye-opening Introduction to String Theory
Review: If you have ever found yourself wondering about the seemingly unapproachable mysteries of quantum mechanics and string theory, you need look no further than Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe. An enlightening introduction to the most mysterious branch of knowledge in all the world, this book is written specifically for the lay person and consists of straightforward instruction on the two vastly divergent theories of how the universe works: general relativity and quantum mechanics. It is well written and not dryly academic. It has the potential to become a great piece of popular nonfiction. In this book Greene explains away many of the mysteries of physics, illuminates the uncertain science of quantum mechanics (in which he quotes Richard Feynman by saying that nobody understands quantum mechanics), provides vivid pictures of conceptually impossible ideas to understand (extra dimentions, sub-atomic particles) and adds in some personal tales and anecdotes to make the work also examine how the scientific method works in physics. In short, this is a book that will answer some of your questions if you find physics fascinating but are daunted by equations that take up three blackboards. I would recommend it.
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Summary: 4.5 stars. Fascinating!
Review: In "The Elegant Universe," Brian Greene presents general relativity, quantum mechanics and string theory with great ethusiasm and clear descriptions. Although toward the end of the book, the subject matter becomes a bit more dense, still Greene regularly seeks to provide explanations and examples that the average reader can understand. While one might not grasp everything here, "The Elegant Universe" presents so much fascinating information that my view of the world has changed for the better. Definitely worth a second read!
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