Rating: 
Summary: Math is an infinity of questions, but that is not real
Review: This is a quirky book. It has a lot of really good math and science explanations, but some have been done better by others. There are parts of the book that are unimaginable and need better pictures or extensive math background to understand. I just did not get it, but enjoyed the book otherwise.
This is one book that held my interest for the length of it, even without understanding it all (I like to challenge myself, but do not worry if I do not). It brought up a lot of possibilities of how the universe is built and how it evolves.
Rating: 
Summary: A fascinating and original work
Review: What is the ultimate nature of the universe? Is it finite or infinite? Does it have an edge or a boundary, or any definable shape? Janna Levin attempts to provide answers to these questions in this extraordinary and fascinating effort. The book's unusual style--written as a set of unsent letters to her mother--adds a kind of personal touch that, when combined with the author's free-flowing prose style (which makes shrewd use of metaphor, analogies, and alliteration) makes it a very reader-friendly experience. Adding to the book's intimate nature is Levin's frequent references to her often chaotic and sometimes lonely life as a scientist, especially when referring to the way her increasing knowledge has in some ways distanced her from those she loves. Her theories (which seem to have an equal number of critics and adherents) are largely based on an unusual combination of topology (her specialty) and cosmology into one elegant theory. She suggests that the universe is without an edge, staggeringly immense, but ultimately finite. But does it have a shape? Part of her theory hinges on the study of the study of the distribution of matter and the cosmic background radiation (the "echo" of the Big Bang) throughout the universe, a pattern that may eventually reveal the shape of the universe ( and may give us a greater sense of our place in it). Such a discovery could settle the debate over whether space-time curves back onto itself. If so, could hypothetical travelers move in a straight line through space and eventually come back to where they started? Perhaps topology holds the answer. In addition, Levin also discusses string theory, black holes, time warps, and numerous other theories past and present in her quest (and humankind's, as well) for an ultimate understanding of the universe. This is a well-written, comprehensible book, full of wonder and excitement about our efforts to understand the universe that is as friendly to the layperson as to the experienced. VERY highly recommended. See also: Kip Thorne's "Black Holes and Time Warps," Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time" and "The Universe in a Nutshell," John Gribbin's "Unveiling the Edge of Time," and Tim Ferris' "The Whole Shebang."
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