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Rating: 
Summary: a cosmic wonder
Review: I always knew the universe was a wonderful place, but who would have imagined that one atom could hold the energy and weight of the visible universe. Awesome man!We are billions of years old and we have eternity in the palm of our hands...literally. This book is a tonic for all those who feel jaded by life or need an injection of the sheer wonder of our universe. After reading this book, I can believe in anything now. Read it and let your soul sing with the joy of eternity. Thankyou you for opening my eyes to this Lawrence Krauss.
Rating:
Summary: The universe is a natural phenomenon. Amen!
Review: I always knew the universe was a wonderful place, but who would have imagined that one atom could hold the energy and weight of the visible universe. Awesome man! We are billions of years old and we have eternity in the palm of our hands...literally. This book is a tonic for all those who feel jaded by life or need an injection of the sheer wonder of our universe. After reading this book, I can believe in anything now. Read it and let your soul sing with the joy of eternity. Thankyou you for opening my eyes to this Lawrence Krauss.
Rating:
Summary: a cosmic wonder
Review: I found this book made me think about the universe in ways I never had before. I will never think of a glass of water the same way again. Recognizing that each atom in my body has had a biography that is not so different from the atom described in this book is remarkable.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Premise, Poor Execution
Review: I must first and foremost give Mr. Krauss his respects: This is one of the most factual, scientifically enlightening books on the microcosmos of atoms that I have ever read. However, I suppose my outward praise ends there. The premise of "Atom" is refreshingly interesting: The history of the universe told, so to speak, from the perspective of of a singular Oxygen atom. However, the execution of such a potentially interesting topic is slagged down by Krauss' seeming ability to make even the exciting uninteresting. Unfortunately, this soporific wonder seems to become so caught up in inundating the reader with facts and statistics (and seemingly never-ending description) that it loses all enthusiasm. It took me a few tries to finally get through this entire book. Unless one is interested in the depth and breadth of the information covered in this book (from linear accelerators such as CERN to the Japanese detection of nanoparticles in gigantic underground caverns), this book will be totally uninteresting. Probably the most painful aspect of reading this book is the knowledge that this could have been a truly remarkable book, instead of a writing for a niche market. This book does not require an extensive background in science, nor does it play off the reader's intelligence. Krauss sets the stage for a romp through the atomic cosmos, leading the reader through the journeys of an Oxyten atom. It is overall interesting and enlightening, but only providing the reader has an underlying knowledge in the subject at hand. If you are truly interested in atomics, then this book is for you: Really. But if it is just a passing phase, then it's best to leave this one be -- it is not a story so much as a stringing together of facts and analysis: Excellent for the atom afficionado, not so excellent for the atom amateur.
Rating:
Summary: The Passion of the Krauss!
Review: Simply put, I found Atom to be one of the most remarkable books I've read. It is difficult to find a physicist who can successfully throw in literary flair when describing scientific processes. When I read The Physics of Star Trek, I knew I had stumbled on a unique and talented author, and Atom did not disappoint. Rather, it blew me away! The first three chapters were somewhat intense, and probably the most "heady." From there, it is a roller coaster ride of cosmic wonders! From the universe as a "primordial baseball" we witness the birth, growth and violent death of a star, then the miracle of rebirth and the scattering of stardust to the eventual creation of life and self-aware entities questioning their place in the universe... The book is dramatic, poetic, romantic, dreamy (but not without Krauss' lighthearted wit)... I couldn't believe I was reading a book about atoms, the evolution of the universe and chemical/biological/geological processes. I was sad when it was over... This book will take you through a profound experience, and allow you to view the world through new and humbled eyes. Lawrence Krauss has captured the legacy of the minutest of things in the grandest of ways, and has succeeded in presenting hard science through wondrous and passionate art.
Rating: 
Summary: Boring and wordy...
Review: The author claims to have spent two years writing the book but included few diagrams, photos, or charts. I was more impressed by Drury's Stepping Stones. But this book has its good points: Its explanation of the physics of the early universe is very accessible. The description of the prehistoric Earth catastrophes is compelling. The section on what we take in with each breath of air or glass of water was very insightful.
Rating: 
Summary: Exciting topic, but long-winded
Review: This was a frustrating book. The subject and its treatment are so delicious that I couldn't put it down, yet the endless recycling of the oxygen atom and his eventually Earth-bound buddies to the End of Time made me want to shoot it. This is truly a book that could have used a few timelines, charts and a Cast of Characters to avoid overwhelming the reader with its never-ending chemical cast.
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