Rating: 
Summary: A fantastically fun book
Review: Wow, a fantastically fun book. I'm not sure that I agree with all of the theories it contains-I'm not sure the author even does-but they're certainly astounding and the thought processes that went into creating them is truly awe-inspiring. Some of them are not new to me. What is new, however, is the approachable style of the composition. Although formerly a radio astronomer at Cal Tech, at present Marcus Chown is primarily a professional science journalist. His approach to the topic of modern physics and its newer concepts is one of a writer and broadcaster. As he discusses each topic, he quotes the primary researchers in the field like a writer for Discover magazine would, asking pertinent questions and where necessary, explaining the answers. Through these dialogues with renowned scientists, he allows the reader to become more familiar with the personalities of the individuals at the leading edge of theoretical physics as well as with their ideas. He functions as a very knowledgeable and lucid interface between the professional scientist and the curious lay person. Each chapter is primarily dedicated to a specific concept having to do with "reality" and with the nature of the universe. Each chapter reads like a well written novel in that the last paragraph serves as a hook to draw the reader on to the next amazing concept in the succeeding chapter. I found that I couldn't just set aside the book. I read it cover to cover in one sitting and loved every minute of it. For those with an interest in but less of a background in physics, there is a fairly detailed glossary in the back of the book which should help with terms, although most are adequately explained in the body of the text. I think that most individuals can understand the concepts as they are explained. It might be a nice place for the junior high student with a strong interest in a science career to become familiar with physics and physicists. For those who find their appetites wetted for "more,"the bibliography at the back of the book is probably not a very helpful source. Most of the listings are either journal articles that might not be approachable for the average student of the topic or science fiction. Certainly the latter are very good, should one wish to take ones science in a more narrative form. This cast of writers is stellar-no pun intended-and includes Asimov, Clarke, Gunn, Heinlein, and Hoyle, among others. For those who prefer expository style, I'd suggest they check "Just Six Numbers" by Sir Martin Rees, Michio Kaku's "Hyperspace," "Matter Myth" by Gribbin and Davies, and "About Time" by P. C. W. Davies. Each of the latter texts deals more thoroughly with topics addressed in Chown's book by individual chapters.
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