The Illustrated Brief History of Time, Updated and Expanded Edition

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Stephen Hawking, one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists in history, wrote the modern classic A Brief History of Time to help nonscientists understand the questions being asked by scientists today: Where did the universe come from? How and why did it begin? Will it come to an end, and if so, how? Hawking attempts to reveal these questions (and where we're looking for answers) using a minimum of technical jargon. Among the topics gracefully covered are gravity, black holes, the Big Bang, the nature of time, and physicists' search for a grand unifying theory. This is deep science; these concepts are so vast (or so tiny) as to cause vertigo while reading, and one can't help but marvel at Hawking's ability to synthesize this difficult subject for people not used to thinking about things like alternate dimensions. The journey is certainly worth taking, for, as Hawking says, the reward of understanding the universe may be a glimpse of "the mind of God." --Therese Littleton

Book Description

In the years since its publication in 1988, Stephen Hawking's A Brief History Of Time has established itself as a landmark volume in scientific writing. It has become an international publishing phenomenon, translated into forty languages and selling over nine million copies. The book was on the cutting edge of what was then known about the nature of the universe, but since that time there have been extraordinary advances in the technology of macrocosmic worlds. These observations have confirmed many of Professor Hawkin's theoretical predictions in the first edition of his book, including the recent discoveries of the Cosmic Background Explorer satellite (COBE), which probed back in time to within 300,000 years of the fabric of space-time that he had projected.

Eager to bring to his original text the new knowledge revealed by these many observations, as well as his recent research, for this expanded edition Professor Hawking has prepared a new introduction to the book, written an entirely new chapter on the fascinating subject of wormholes and time travel, and updated the original chapters.

In addition, to heighten understanding of complex concepts that readers may have found difficult to grasp despite the clarity and wit of Professor Hawking's writing, this edition is enhanced throughout with more than 240 full-color illustrations, including satellite images, photographs made made possible by spectacular technological advance such as the Hubble Space Telescope, and computer generated images of three and four-dimensional realities. Detailed captions clarify these illustrations, enable readers to experience the vastness of intergalactic space, the nature of black holes, and the microcosmic world of particle physics in which matters and antimatter collide.

A classic work that now brings to the reader the latest understanding of cosmology, A Brief History Of Time is the story of the ongoing search for t he tantalizing secrets at the heart of time and space.

Customer Reviews:

This book is a fake!.......2007-10-01

As a physicist I am flabbergasted and slightly depressed by the success of this book. First of all this book presents as if they were equally certain some pieces of orthodox science together with some of the author's dubious speculations. The lay reader is not told which are which. Secondly, the author obviously has no knowledge of the actual history of physics and yet he shamelessly "describes" it to the reader.

Hawking seems to have gathered together all the bad cliches about various physical issues and has taken out all the valuable ideas. He explains nothing, he just asserts that "we physicists know that..., we physicists have demonstrated that...". I cannot see how anyone can actually learn anything about physics from this book, about why we know what we know. And yet, judging from the amount of praise this book receives, it seems that quite a lot of people have fallen under the spell that they have been allowed access to some secret. They haven't and I find this trickery immoral.

Quantum physics and astrophysics are really interesting. They don't deserve to be thrashed in this unashamed manner. If you want to learn something about physics, there are other books which do a much better job, for example Asimov's Atom: Journey Across the Subatomic Cosmos.

Author - a true genius.......2007-09-22

Stephen Hawking is a true genius. Although I don't understand everything he writes, all-in-all this book gives one the understanding of how wonderfully made the universe is.

Fascinating.......2007-08-24

I found this book to be ingenious yet accessible to the average reader, which is what I believe Hawking set out to accomplish. Great food for thought in my opinion.

TERRIBLE digital transfer by "Phoenix Audio".......2007-08-10

It's a great book by Hawking, but this product is just a reproduction of something by Hawking/Jackson that we already know is great. So what sort of job does this product do of delivering one of my favorite audio books? Not a very good one.

The original recording sounds fine, but this production from 2005 sounds like it was converted to a low bit rate at some point during editing, and probably had a poor noise removal job done as well. For the benefit of removing possibly a little weak static in the background, we get to listen to a robotic Jackson for 5 hours. It sounds similar to an early digital cell phone with a choppy feel and many T's and S's muffled.

There really isn't any reason I can see for this to not be a perfect reproduction of earlier digital versions. Old bootlegs floating about the internet sound better. Maybe "Phoenix Audio" should have just grabbed those to print, and left all of that tricky audio work to the more competent civilian sector.

A well written classic.......2007-08-01

I have a stack of these :The First Three Minutes: A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe,Cosmic Code and In Search/big Bang: /, so I can compare and contrast.
There is material on black holes here that isn't covered as well in the others. I still would wish that all these authors would put in more of the real equations and less of the dumbing down. One point is that people not able to understand this kind of book, probably won't understand no matter how simple you make the text. Maybe one should make effective use of your time in writing and concentrate on those who will understand and use the results.

The Illustrated on the Shoulders of Giants: The Great Works of Physics and Astronomy

Average customer rating:

Deeply disappointed.
Physics! History! Math!
LOVELY PICTURES

The Illustrated on the Shoulders of Giants: The Great Works of Physics and Astronomy
Stephen W. Hawking
Manufacturer: Running Press Book Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0762418982
Release Date: 2004-10-12

Book Description

The first edition of this revolutionary look at the scientific discoveries that changed our perception of the world, by the renowned physicist and bestselling author Stephen Hawking, sold over 65,000 copies. Now it's available in a gift-worthy special edition with color photographs and illustrations depicting theoretical models of the planets and their orbits--making Hawking's brilliant insights all the more accessible. This original compilation is based on seven classic works of physics and astronomy which, read in chronological order, trace the evolution of modern science. THE ILLUSTRATED ON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS includes selections from On the Revolution of Heavenly Spheres by Nicolaus Copernicus; Principia by Sir Isaac Newton; The Principle of Relativity by Albert Einstein; Dialogues Concerning Two Sciences by Galileo Galilei with Alfonso De Salvio; plus Harmony of the World by Johannes Kepler. It also includes five important critical essays and an original biography of each physicist, written by Hawking himself.

Customer Reviews:

Deeply disappointed........2007-09-03

In Brief -- This is an illustrated version of "On the Shoulders of Giants". This book is not, however, "On the Shoulders of Giants" with some additional illustrations. There are pretty illustrations, which are largely irrelevant, but they replace more than 80% of the text and most of the useful illustrations that are contained in the original book. Whereas the original contains complete versions of works such as Galileo's Dialogs and Newton's Principia, this book contains only excerpts from these works, augmented with largely useless illustrations, but missing the useful diagrams from the original book.

In more detail -- This book consists of five sections, covering the lives and some of the science of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Newton and Einstein. Each section begins with a brief (10-12 page) discussion of the scientist's life and an outline of his work and its importance. It is followed by a 35-40-page section that contains one or more excerpts from their scientific works. Each chapter is illustrated with paintings or drawings that illustrate the life and times and other general aspects of their work. All well and good, but I was disappointed with this book for several reasons, namely:

1) While Stephen Hawkins name is prominently displayed, it is clear that he had relatively little to do with this book. It is misleading to highlight his name in large type on the spine of the book and only state on the dust jacket that he was an editor and provided commentary. Other editors are mentioned, but not named. Undoubtedly, there were many who purchased the book because of his association with it, not realizing that his actual contributions were limited
2) While there are illustrations, they in no way support the text. This is especially true for the sections that came from Newton's Principia. The Principia is based completely on complex geometric proofs. The ABCs of the text are included, but not the copious diagrams of the original, making these sections virtually useless for someone who wishes to follow Newton's line of reasoning. The same is true for the other sections of the book. Instead of useful diagrams the editors have included things like: photographs of the University of Padua, murky drawings from period books that do not illustrate any of the text, paintings of the Hubble space telescope and the Mariner 10 spacecraft and paintings (photographs in the case of Einstein) of the scientists (which are at least relevant to the historical portions of the text). It is clear that these illustrations were chosen for their artistic appeal and were included to make an illustrated book. It would have been much better if these illustrations actually helped to explain the text. Better still would have been the inclusion of the original diagrams from the books and papers being abstracted.
3) The original, non-illustrated, version of this book is five times longer than this version. It is much longer because contains the complete translations of several of the most critical scientific works ever written. (Because of the numerous illustrations, many of which are half or full page, the text is actually considerably less than 1/5 that of the original version of the book.) Since the illustrations included in this version do nothing to support the clarity of the text, they are a poor tradeoff for the complete works that are provided in the original, non-illustrated, version of this book.
4) Because of the pictures, which are interspersed throughout the book, it was necessary to utilize high gloss paper throughout. This made it difficult for me to read. Since the illustrations are not supportive of the text, their inclusion and the resulting use of high gloss paper made the illustrations, in my opinion, somewhat of a detriment.
5) The original scientific texts are useful for someone who wants to get a flavor of the original, but it is not as illuminating as a good physics text, especially since the diagrams of the original publications are missing.

This book is best suited for someone who wants a coffee table book (albeit a thin one), with some pretty pictures, about 50 pages of historical information and a flavor of what the original texts contained. I am giving the book three stars because of its appeal to this audience. The texts of the excerpts from the original publications are useful, although its usefulness is diminished by lack of the diagrams that were in the original publications. The texts of the scientific works were not, however, completely useless. For instance, I did get a better appreciation of Copernicus's work from this book. He did more than just make a correct guess about the organization of the solar system. The excerpts from his book show that he was a great physicist for his time, and was fully cognizant of the reasons why it was previously assumed that the sun and other planets revolved around a stationary earth, and he made an attempt to logically refute this belief. Also, the complete works in question are very difficult to follow; so brief excerpts are all that many readers would want. This version is thus better suited for them than the much larger, but much more complex, original version of "On the Shoulders of Giants".

Scientists and those interested in the history of science will probably be disappointed because they have read this history in more detail elsewhere and they will find the lack of diagrams a severe deficiency. There are much better histories of science available (for instance, Gribbin's, The Scientists). Those who want the complete versions of the famous books that are included in the original version will also be disappointed in this version. Thus, if you want more of the original science, check out the original version of this book before you buy this one. You will probably find that it is better suited to your needs.

Physics! History! Math!.......2006-12-15

It does not get any better than this. Plus the images are stunning.

LOVELY PICTURES.......2005-01-20

As the historical development of gravitational theory is of interest to me, I bought this book impulsively from Barnes & Noble, while getting a cup of coffee. "Illustrated" it is, and beautifully so, and the concept is interesting. For five brilliant scientists each of whom has contributed to our understanding of celestial dynamics, Hawking provides a brief introduction before presenting translations of representative portions of their work. Although many of the illustrations are works of art, some are not very informative, chosen perhaps for visual appeal rather than pedagogical utility. Specific comments are as follows. Copernicus: excellent short bio and explanation of his contributions. Galileo, ditto. Kepler, ditto. Newton, ditto. Einstein: strangely, the biographical sketch here is thin, many of the figures seem irrelevant, and the technical translation is marred by typographical errors. This is strange, because much effort went into the production of this book, so it would seem appropriate to have had someone with scientific knowledge look over the proofs and mark obvious errors. It is also irritating that many different type styles are used for the equations, giving the impression that the production editor sloppily copied directly from the original papers.

Although I enjoyed reading this book and learned from it, the publishers should clean it up for a second printing.

Alwyn Scott
http://personal.riverusers.com/~rover/

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Universe

Average customer rating:

I Agree: This is a Wonderful, Amazing Book
Simply Amazing!!!
Awesome and Awe inspiring
Excellent overview explanations of the universe
Fun and enjoyable book on physics

The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Universe
Ian Ridpath , and Sir Martin Rees
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Astronomy Encyclopedia
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ASIN: 0823025128

Book Description

In the spirit of Stephen Hawking's best-selling A Brief History of Time, The Encyclopedia of the Universe is a riveting sourcebook that provides intriguing insight into the discovery and explanation of the universe. From the theories of the Ancient Greeks and findings of Copernicus and Galileo to today's understanding of black holes, the development of time machines, even the search for extra-terrestrial life, the Encyclopedia brings key scientific concepts and historical events alive.

An innovative organizational scheme of a matrix of book routes makes the Encyclopedia easy to follow. Lively use of color, graphics, and navigational icons presents a logical flow of information that works equally well for science buffs and amateur astronomers, as well as for the serious student. The Encyclopedia also includes a complete guide to the solar system, with star maps, tools, techniques, and projects.

This remarkable reference has a wealth of features that put it in a class of its own. Authored and validated by a high-caliber team of more than a dozen writers and scholars from key astronomical institutions in both the United States and Great Britain, it is undoubtedly the most detailed single-volume, illustrative reference on the universe ever published.

Customer Reviews:

I Agree: This is a Wonderful, Amazing Book.......2005-09-07

I teach astronomy as a volunteer at our high school and at public star parties given by our astronomical society. If this book were just one more "overview" of astronomy (as so many books are), I would warn you away. But it's not - this book is the best I've ever seen. Great fun, comprehensive, exciting illustrations, clear text.. It is 4 years old now in this edition, so it won't have the latest on Mars, or the Shuttle problems, extraterrestial planets, dark energy etc, but it is still great for its coverage of history and concepts, most of which have not changed in 4 years. I will buy the next edition the day it comes out.

Simply Amazing!!!.......2005-03-21

This book is rich with information on the universe in which we live. The text covers just about every major aspect of it...And surpringly offers a great deal of detail on the individual subjects. This detail is something most astronomical books are unfortunately without. A great deal of information plus, overall text structure being wonderful equals Simply Amazing!!

Awesome and Awe inspiring.......2005-01-05

This book is not intimidating but it is still very worthwhile, and if you are interested in this subject it would make a wonderful addition to your own library, and for this price it is hard to make a case against owning it.
The short biographies about the legends in astronomy are interesting and many of the pictures are exquisite. The other reviewers have done an excellent job of describing the contents and layout.

Excellent overview explanations of the universe.......2003-10-05

The 384 pages of this book are very well laid out. It is divided into chapters followed by a reference section. The chapters are 1) history of astronomy (pgs 28-51), 2) laws of physics (pgs 54-91), 3) in search of quantum reality (pgs 94-117), 4) the universe: past, present, & future (pgs 120-148), 5) contents of the cosmos (pgs 152-191), 6) our solar system (pgs 194-232), 7) watching the night sky (pgs 236-299), 8) space exploration (pgs 302-335) and a reference sections (336-383) which includes a glossary, an index and multiple tables with facts and figures.

Each of the chapters is divided into 20 or so articles. Each article is laid out on two facing pages with an introduction and clearly defined subheadings. The articles include supporting diagrams and explanations of personalities, milestones, theories, definitions, practical applications, and extra-science concepts (eg, philosophical, social, historical). The entire book is well illustrated. The writing is clear and aimed at the intelligent layman.

The layout of this encyclopedia allows the user to turn to any two-page article and find a self-contained explanation of a particular topic. The articles are logically sequenced, so that the entire encyclopedia could be read sequentially like a textbook. Within each article are page references to related topics.

It is obvious that many intelligent people put much thought and effort into this book. It is of a quality that you would expect to find in a public library, but the price makes affordable for keep in your home. I first discovered this book in our public library and looked it up in Amazon to buy a copy for myself. I had expected the price to be in the $50-$90 range and was pleasantly surprised to find it much lower.

Highly recommended to anyone interested in the nature and structure of the universe.

Fun and enjoyable book on physics.......2003-09-05

It's amazing that I'm the first person to review this great book. This isn't exclusively an astronomy book; it actually covers almost all of classical and modern physics. There are chapters on everything in our universe from the very small to the very large--from quantum mechanics to classical physics, to the solar system to galactic evolution, the Big Bang, and cosmology. If you've wondered about what quarks really do, or the union that produced the electroweak theory, or the theory of the strong nuclear force, what such particles as W and Z bosons, Higgs bosons, gluons, and so on, really do, the cosmological theories of 11-dimensional string physics and membrane or M-theory, this book is a great place to start. To mention just two of the fascinating things I learned, results from the CERN accelerator in Geneva support the idea that nuclear particles absorb Higgs bosons in order to acquire mass, and that the asymmetry in the distribution between positively charged and negatively charged matter in our universe is thought to provide a direction to time itself.

The chapters are beautifully illustrated and the text is very clear and readable, and the subjects are presented at a level that would be useful for secondary up through the first year of college. Many special features and sections accompany the text, such as sidebars illustrating important concepts or capsule biographies of famous physicists and scientists and their contributions, such as those of Murray Gell-Mann and Richard Feynman, and dozens of others. As if that weren't enough, there is a sizeable section on observational astronomy with star maps, a chapter on planetary astronomy, and even one on space exploration detailing every important manned and unmanned mission into space. Finally, there is a glossary of technical terms, tables of useful astonomical information and physical data, and more. This is a great book to just browse or to read for the wealth of information on just about every topic in modern physics and astronomy.

Universe in a Nutshell/Illustrated Brief History of Time (Boxed Set)
Average customer rating:

If only it was called a novel I would give it 5 stars.

My 2 cents on 2 good books

Explaining the Unexplainable

Good but redundant

Book Report Review

Universe in a Nutshell/Illustrated Brief History of Time (Boxed Set)
Stephen William Hawking
Manufacturer: Bantam Dell Pub Group (Trd)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Illustrated on the Shoulders of Giants: The Great Works of Physics And Astronomy

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A Brief History of Time

ASIN: 0553676431

Book Description

The Universe in a Nutshell
Stephen Hawking's phenomenal, multimillion-copy bestseller, A Brief History of Time, introduced the ideas of this brilliant theoretical physicist to readers all over the world.

Now, in a major publishing event, Hawking returns with a lavishly illustrated sequel that unravels the mysteries of the major breakthroughs that have occurred in the years since the release of his acclaimed first book.

The Universe in a Nutshell
* Quantum mechanics * M-theory * General relativity * 11-dimensional supergravity * 10-dimensional membranes * Superstrings * P-branes * Black holes

One of the most influential thinkers of our time, Stephen Hawking is an intellectual icon, known not only for the adventurousness of his ideas but for the clarity and wit with which he expresses them. In this new book Hawking takes us to the cutting edge of theoretical physics, where truth is often stranger than fiction, to explain in laymen's terms the principles that control our universe.

Like many in the community of theoretical physicists, Professor Hawking is seeking to uncover the grail of science -- the elusive Theory of Everything that lies at the heart of the cosmos. In his accessible and often playful style, he guides us on his search to uncover the secrets of the universe -- from supergravity to supersymmetry, from quantum theory to M-theory, from holography to duality.

He takes us to the wild frontiers of science, where superstring theory and p-branes may hold the final clue to the puzzle. And he lets us behind the scenes of one of his most exciting intellectual adventures as he seeks "to combine Einstein's General Theory of Relativity and Richard Feynman's idea of multiple histories into one complete unified theory that will describe everything that happens in the universe."

With characteristic exuberance, Professor Hawking invites us to be fellow travelers on this extraordinary voyage through space-time. Copious four-color illustrations help clarify this journey into a surreal wonderland where particles, sheets, and strings move in eleven dimensions; where black holes evaporate and disappear, taking their secret with them; and where the original cosmic seed from which our own universe sprang was a tiny nut.

The Universe in a Nutshell is essential reading for all of us who want to understand the universe in which we live. Like its companion volume, A Brief History of Time, it conveys the excitement felt within the scientific community as the secrets of the cosmos reveal themselves.

The Illustrated Brief History of Time
In the years since its publication in 1988, Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time has established itself as a landmark volume in scientific writing. It has also become an international publishing phenomenon, translated into forty languages and selling over nine million copies. The book was on the cutting edge of what was then known about the nature of the universe, but since then there have been extraordinary advances in the technology of observing both the micro- and the macrocosmic world. These observations have confirmed many of Professor Hawking's theoretical predictions in the first edition of his book, including the recent discoveries of the Cosmic Background Explorer satellite (COBE), which probed back in time to within 300,000 years of the universe's beginning and revealed the wrinkles in the fabric of space-time that he had projected.

Eager to bring to his original text the new knowledge revealed by these many observations, as well as his most recent research, for this revised and expanded edition Hawking has prepared a new introduction to the book, revised and updated the original chapters throughout, and written an entirely new chapter on the fascinating subject of wormholes and time travel.

In addition, to heighten understanding of complex concepts that readers may have found difficult to grasp despite the clarity and wit of Hawking's writing, this edition is magnificently enhanced throughout with more than 240 full-color illustrations, including satellite images, photographs made possible by spectacular new technological advances such as the Hubble telescope, and computer- generated images of three- and four-dimensional realities. Detailed captions clarify these illustrations, enabling readers to experience the vastness of intergalactic space, the nature of black holes, and the microcosmic world of particle physics in which matter and antimatter collide.

A classic work that now brings to the reader the latest understanding of cosmology, The Illustrated A Brief History of Time is the story of the ongoing search for the tantalizing secrets at the heart of time and space.

Customer Reviews:

If only it was called a novel I would give it 5 stars........2007-01-09

With all due respect, brilliance is looking at Genesis 1:1. There we have the answer. This book is a huge roundabout way of getting to the first verse of the bible, which the book falls short of doing although the name of God is mentioned in the book. How can a brilliant writer acknowledge God yet miss God's explanation of the issue at hand? Steve, read genesis 1:1.

My 2 cents on 2 good books.......2005-11-30

"Universe in a Nutshell" and "Brief History of Time" are two books worthy of your time if you're even remotely interested in our planet and the universe. These books could never be called light reading. However, they are highly interesting and thought provoking.

Explaining the Unexplainable.......2003-05-24

When I bought Stephen Hawkings first book, the multimillion best seller, A Brief History of Time, I didn't know why I bought it and along with 90% of others, I didn't read it.

There is much speculation about why we all did this. Inquisitivenes of a Physically Impaired Physicist? Egotistical dinner party host who not only chooses great wine, but understands physics as well!

Did the 'upwardly mobile' set all cruelly steal this from Stephen's first book, just as nature was cruelling stealing his mobility.

No. The answer is that we are all secretly fascinated about what is 'out there', where did we come from. What's it all about Stevie?

This second volume, The Universe in a Nutshell attempts to explain the unexplainable with beautiful Salvador Dali-like illustrations, and a style of words which are easy to digest.

Buy the set if you want to be inched closer to the ultimate truth of how we got here, and what are the forces that hold us together. But like an ant in a balloon, dont expect to know who blew up the ballon, or who's watching you through it, as you try to figure it all out. Steven provides some educated guesses, and they provide a wonderful voyage through space and time. Fear not if you don't follow it all - to paraphase the great scientist Heisenberg when talking of quantum mechanics, if you think you've understood it - then you don't really understand it

Good but redundant.......2003-03-16

I bought this set because it was not much more than just purchasing an Ilustrated Brief History of Time. After reading both, it was apparent to me I could have chosen just one and gotten 90% of the information contained in both.

I first read Illustrated Brief History of Time. Hawking does a great job of explaining complex subjects in simple plain speak which does not feel over your head. His descriptions of Relativity, Quantum Theory, String Theory, and other topics are great and easily understood by someone with a limited science background. Those with a science background, such as myself, my wish for more in depth analysis at times, but that is not the focus of book, it is more an overview. There is a list of further reading books if one is interested.

I then read Universe in a Nutshell. The book started very similar to Brief History and although it was layed out a bit different the content was very similar, in fact some of the illustrations were exactly the same. There was a little more on String Theory in this book, but not enough to justify buying both unless you are a die hard Hawking fan.

Overall, I would recommend buying just one and saving a few bucks to buy one of the other books on the recommended reading list if you want to delve deeper.

Book Report Review.......2003-03-12

Stephen Hawking uses a mixture of humor and wit to explain some of the most difficult concepts of our time. The book contains illustrations that give visual aid to otherwise inconceivable ideas. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. It provides a provocative view of our universe, while encouraging stimulating thoughts of the vast limits of existence. I would encourage readers to brush up a little on their physics so that they don't feel too lost, in which case unless you're a genius physicist you most likely will need to do so.

The Cambridge Illustrated History of Astronomy (Cambridge Illustrated Histories)

Average customer rating:

Not a Finer History of Astronomy Available
Masterpice!
Beautifully written and illustrated
Comprehensive coverage of the history of astronomy

The Cambridge Illustrated History of Astronomy (Cambridge Illustrated Histories)

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521411580

Book Description

Expertly written and lavishly illustrated, The Cambridge Illustrated History of Astronomy offers a unique account of astronomical theory and practice from antiquity to the present day. How did Moslems of the Middle Ages use astronomy to calculate the direction of Mecca from far-flung corners of the Islamic world? Who was the only ancient Greek to suspect that the earth might revolve around the sun? How did Christopher Columbus abuse his knowledge of a lunar eclipse predicted by an astronomical almanac? Packed with anecdotes and intriguing detail, this book describes how we observed the sky and interpreted what we saw at different periods of history; how this influenced our beliefs and mythology; and how great astronomers contributed to what we now know. The result is a lively and highly visual history of astronomy - a compelling read for specialists and non-specialists alike.

Customer Reviews:

Not a Finer History of Astronomy Available.......2007-04-02

Like other works in this series, the Cambridge 'Illustrated History of Astronomy' is both a useful reference work and a visually entertaining table-top book. Combined, those two elements make for an excellent history of the science of astronomy.

The scholarship is top-notch: Michael Hoskin is the editor and a contributor, and other contributors include J.A. Bennett, Owen Gingerich, Clive Ruggles, Christopher Cullen and David Dewhirst--superb scholars all. They cover the history of astronomy from prehistory, through the invention of the telescope and the scientific revolution, to the rise of astrophysics and beyond. Astronomy in non-western cultures (China, India, Islam) is also covered, and makes a welcome addition to the traditional Euro-centric story.

But the illustrations (many in color) really make the book: pictures, graphs, sidebars, frontispieces, manuscript pages, newspaper clippings, paintings, etc. enhance the written portion and make it that much more informative.

In sum, this may be the most useful and enjoyable book on the history of astronomy in print.

Masterpice!.......2000-11-09

When you see a "coffee table" book like this, you sometimes wonder about whether the writing is going to match the pictures, but with people like Michael Hoskin, Christopher Cullen and Owen Gingerich writing the text, you know that this one is going to be a winner even before you open it. Let me just say that the pictures and the desing in fantastic, and that the writing is at a level suitable for the general public without being "dumbed down". Trust me, you're going to enjoy this one!

Beautifully written and illustrated.......2000-06-12

This is the single best history of astronomy I've ever encountered. Not only is the narrative interesting, the pictures--from William Herschel's journal pages describing his discovery of Uranus to full-page illuminations of the Cartesian cosmology--enhance the experience even more than one might expect. At less than ( ), this book is a must for any astronomy buff.

Comprehensive coverage of the history of astronomy.......2000-03-30

An excellent survey with both breadth and depth, covering non-European astronomy (for example the Dresden Codex - a Mayan calendar), the difficulties of the Geo-centric model, the development of the telescope, modern astrophysics, up to the Hubble Space Telescope. Includes a great many sidebars with much peripheral information (I did not know that Herschel was an organist by trade).

Infinite Worlds: An Illustrated Voyage to Planets beyond Our Sun

Average customer rating:

Mind Expanding
reminds me of Bonestall's paintings
Different book than the title might suggest.
nice but flawed
Infinitely enjoyable....

Infinite Worlds: An Illustrated Voyage to Planets beyond Our Sun
Ray Villard , and Lynette R. Cook
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Grand Tour: A Traveler's Guide to the Solar System
Faraway Worlds: Planets Beyond Our Solar System
Centauri Dreams: Imagining and Planning Interstellar Exploration
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Smithsonian Intimate Guide to the Cosmos

ASIN: 0520237102

Book Description

Merely a decade ago there were no known planets orbiting sunlike stars outside our own solar system. In the past ten years, however, fast-paced developments in astronomy have revealed over 140 extrasolar planets--with more discoveries surely on the way. Though it will be years before we have direct images of these far-flung worlds, this lavishly illustrated book gives us an idea of what they might look like. A fascinating exploration of the cosmos written for a wide audience, Infinite Worlds brings together Lynette Cook's internationally renowned astronomical artwork, the latest and most dramatic images from the world's top observatories, and up-to-the-minute scientific findings on subjects ranging from the big bang and stellar evolution to a possible universe filled with countless planets and life forms.
The newly discovered planets are boggling astronomers' minds with their bizarre characteristics, including an unimagined diversity of sizes and orbits. In Lynette Cook's scientifically based illustrations--many newly created for this book--we glimpse the landscapes and atmospheres that might adorn these planets. Ray Villard's text elegantly describes the state of astronomy today, imagines where it will take us in the coming years, ponders the chances of success for the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI), and explores the survivability of life in an evolving and accelerating universe.

Customer Reviews:

Mind Expanding.......2007-02-10

The text and artwork in this volume are first class. The art is exceptionally beautiful and is only enhanced by the story. Together, they bring together what we know with what is likely and expands that to a universe of pure possibility. There's nothing dry about this marvelous work. Infinite Worlds is noteworthy accomplishment.

reminds me of Bonestall's paintings.......2006-11-05

The images are everything in this book. Not that the text is badly written. Far from it. But the text is clearly subordinate to letting you see the imagination of many talented artists, as they depict worlds in other planetary systems. Speculative, but based on solid science. And astronomers now have detected over 200 worlds. The book explains how from sometimes single pixels, information is teased out about a world. Impressive. We now have detected enough worlds that we can start talking of classifications and statistics across worlds.

What the book clearly leads up to is a desire for more, better images. Well, you will have to wait at least 10 years, as new telescopes are being constructed.

Science fiction readers might compare these paintings to those made decades ago by Chesley Bonestall. His were necessarily more imaginative. But both types can be very evocative.

Different book than the title might suggest........2006-05-17

The title of this book is "Infinite Worlds: An Illustrated Voyage to Planets beyond our Sun". However, only a fraction of the book actually deals with extrasolar planets. I purchased this book based on the assumption that it would be about extrasolar planets. Instead most of the book is based on theories of galaxy formations, birth and death of stars and planets, and theoretical extraterrestrial life. It also describes our Solar System in detail. The artwork is very good although other space artists I have seen on the internet have superior artistic ability than Cook. Overall, though, this is still an interesting book. But potential readers should know that this is not a book about extrasolar planets.

nice but flawed.......2005-09-21

excellent atrwork of the highest standard; would have been nice to have mentioned HD114762, the FIRST extrasolar planet discovered by the center for astrophysics in 1989.

Infinitely enjoyable...........2005-06-22

A very delightful book. The writing by Ray Villard was surprisingly different than most "astro books" by *not* sounding like a textbook. There are many interesting facts and tidbits that I had not heard before that made reading it quite interesting. Lyn's art of course made the book. There are dozens of her trademark-styled images, each illustrating what the writer is saying. I particularly liked Lyn's use of stratus layers in the landscapes. Five of the images must have taken ages to paint with all the layers in there (Greenhouse Earth on pg 49, HD 16141 b and Moon on pg 108, Planet in the Virgo Cluster on pg 190, Terrestrial Planet at 55 Cancri on pg 171, and Planet Near the Siamese Squid Nebula on pg 53). The Siamese Squid image is really eye-catching with it's pink and green layers and Planet at 55 Cancri is a gorgeous painting in brilliant reds and yellows of sunset. Lyn's attention to the way the waves of the lake curve and reflect the light is just amazing, as is the detailed way the shadows of the rocks fall on the water. This is my favorite image of the book. Another very effective painting is HD 177830 b and Moon on pg 117, a beautiful image of a habitable moon orbiting a Saturnian-like panet. Imagine the night view beings on this planet would have! In fact, I found almost every image in the book to be excellent and inspiring. All-in-all, Lyn's done a remarkable job in this book, definitely a "must add" to your astronomical art collection.

The History of Earth: An Illustrated Chronicle of an Evolving Planet

Average customer rating:

Who Knew History Could Be So Fascinating?
Excellent and engaging reading
The best book on natural history you'll ever read. Period.
The tale of our home & its history written for all readers.

The History of Earth: An Illustrated Chronicle of an Evolving Planet
William K. Hartmann
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1563051222

Book Description

This book combines geology, astronomy, evolution, history, cosmology, and painting to tell the complete and vivid history of that elegant marble known as Earth.

Customer Reviews:

Who Knew History Could Be So Fascinating?.......2002-11-09

Usually most history books are as dry as the dust with which they deal. But with THE HISTORY OF EARTH, Hartmann & Miller tackle with vast success a topic that is only marginally understood,at best, by the layman. And make no mistake; this history is for the layman, but one who has a desire to know where we come from and where we may be going. Part of the learning process involves digesting a flood of data and making sense of it. Hartman & Miller use dozens of drawings, pictures, and mattes to bring to life a series of threads that they weave into a coherent whole.

What the authors reveal is a planet that may well stand unique in the universe. The precious element called life arose on earth in such a fortuitous manner that the odds of life having spontaneously arisen in any form were so staggeringly improbable that I marvel that I am here right now to pen these words. Yet, life did arise here, and Miller & Hartmann trace the long sequence of twists and convolutions stretching from the Precambrian right up to the present day. Most readers who go to the trouble of buying this book probably took a course or two in Earth History in school. What this book provides is a much longer and more comprehensible version of the geological timeline that readers have seen but failed to grasp. After finishing this work (I read it as if it were a novel), I concluded that if we here on earth are truly alone in the cosmos, then we had better take full advantage of our having won the Cosmic Lottery. We are not likely to win twice.

Excellent and engaging reading.......1998-12-12

This book was wonderful in that it gave me a valuable and easily understandable introduction to earth science, evolution, plate tectonics and planetary science, to name a few subjects. The only glaring mistake in the book, which I recognised because I am a biologist, is that the author refers to DNA as being made up of amino acids. This is incorrect. Proteins are made of amino acids; DNA and RNA are composed of nucleotides, entities completely different from amino acids. Despite this problem, the book is still excellent reading. I am buying several copies to give as gifts to family.

The best book on natural history you'll ever read. Period........1998-09-08

As a trained engineer and educator, I've scanned, read and studied many books on science. This is far and away the best I've ever seen. As magnificent as the painted illustrations are, they simply match and support the superb quality of the text itself.

Covering the full range of natural history, "The History of Earth" not only explains how the earth and life evolved, but explains how we gained this knowledge, or why we believe it to be so. Where multiple theories exist to explain something, they are each given fair coverage, with the evidence for and against each theory explained.

But most important, the book is accessible to all adults as well as to children. I began reading it (with some side explanation) to our kids when they were 7 and 10, and they loved it.

The book begins with an explanation of the formation of the Earth and Moon, describes the likely origins of life on our planet, and explains the changing environment and how that led to the origin of life. This is followed by in-depth treatment of the evolution of the diverse lifeforms leading to today's species, and excellent coverage of recent and current geological phenomena. The book concludes with a projection of the likely future of the earth over the next billion years or so.

I cannot praise this work highly enough. If you only buy one science book for you or your kids, this is the one you want.

The tale of our home & its history written for all readers........1998-08-29

This is, and remains, one of the best books I have ever read about the long history of our Earth. Beginning from the brief introduction of the history of geology and the creation of the solar system, to its predicted end, this is a clearly written, beautifully illustrated book.

It is clear enough to educate and involve the novice, while sufficiently technical and detailed for the experienced geologist. While now seven years old, much of the contents are still resonant today, and many of the theories presented are borne out today.

It's storytelling style and willingness to cover all the details and controversies of an issue, from the Great Dying, to the formation of the moon make this a terrific and interesting read. Combined with the book The Discoverers, you can paint for yourself a wonderful portrait of our world and our civilization. Enjoy.

Illustrated Brief History of Time
Average customer rating:

A beautiful sci-fi-esque trip through reality.

Illustrated Brief History of Time
Stephen W. Hawking
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Universe in a Nutshell

A Briefer History of Time

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

ASIN: 0553937715
Release Date: 1997-10-01

Customer Reviews:

A beautiful sci-fi-esque trip through reality........2007-05-23

Stephen Hawking is one of the greatest minds on Earth right now, and it's a rare treat to find such a mind that is also such an eloquent communicator. This book brings fantastically complex physics down to an easily digestable (and very yummy) level with practical examples, analogies, and pictures. I had to read it for my physics class, but had so much fun reading it that I asked my teacher to recommend a similar book that I could read for fun. The book blends the historical development of the subject with the scientific reality as we know it today, and Hawking is not afraid to admit errors (even his own!) in past theories. I respect a person who can admit their wrongs and turn it into a learning experience. This is easily the best treatment of the subject I've found yet (quantum physics is something of a hobby for me... proud to be a geek!) and I recommend it to anyone who's curious about the nature of the Universe or the amazing things being discovered right now.

Average customer rating:

Much better with Andrewes illustrations
Entertaining insight in longitude problemsolving
One way to describe persistence: William Harrison
A Novel Couldn't Read Better
A Book That Should Be Read

The Illustrated Longitude
Dava Sobel
Manufacturer: Walker & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love
Longitude
The Riddle of the Compass: The Invention that Changed the World
The Planets
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time

ASIN: 0802713440

Amazon.com

Dava Sobel's Longitude tells the story of how 18th-century scientist and clockmaker William Harrison solved one of the most perplexing problems of history--determining east-west location at sea. This lush, colorfully illustrated edition adds lots of pictures to the story, giving readers a more satisfying sense of the times, the players, and the puzzle. This was no obscure, curious difficulty--without longitude, ships often found themselves so far off course that sailors would starve or die of scurvy before they could reach port. When a nationally-sponsored contest offered a hefty cash prize to the person who could develop a method to accurately determine longitude, the race was on. In the end, the battle of accuracy--and wills--fought between Harrison and arch-rival Maskelyne was ruthless and dramatic, worthy of a Hollywood feature film. Longitude's story is surprising and fascinating, offering a window into the past, before Global Positioning Satellites made it look easy. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

A fully illustrated edition of the international best-seller Longitude.

The Illustrated Longitude recounts in words and images the epic quest to solve the greatest scientific problem of the eighteenth and three prior centuries: determining how a captain could pinpoint his ship's location at sea. All too often throughout the ages of exploration, voyages ended in disaster when crew and cargo were either lost at sea or destroyed upon the rocks of an unexpected landfall. Thousands of lives and the fortunes of nations hung on a resolution to the longitude problem.

To encourage a solution, governments established prizes for anyone whose method or device proved successful. The largest reward of £20,000-- truly a king's ransom-- was offered by Britain's Parliament in 1714. The scientific establishment-- from Galileo to Sir Isaac Newton-- had been certain that a celestial answer would be found and invested untold effort in this pursuit. By contrast, John Harrison imagined and built the unimaginable: a clock that told perfect time at sea, known today as the chronometer. Harrison's trials and tribulations during his forty-year quest to win the prize are the culmination of this remarkable story.

The Illustrated Longitude brings a new and important dimension to Dava Sobel's celebrated story. It contains the entire original narrative of Longitude, redesigned to accompany 183 images chosen by William Andrewes-- from portraints of every important figure in the story to maps and diagrams, scientifc instruments, and John Harrison's remarkable sea clocks themselves. Andrewes's elegant captions and sidebars on scientific and historical events tell their own story of longitude, paralleling and illuminating Sobel's memorable tale.

Customer Reviews:

Much better with Andrewes illustrations.......2007-09-24

I met William Andrewes at a talk about his longitude dial. Never read Dava Sobel before and found the text week or at least week without the illustrations. The history in these documents and images of paintings made this book a don't put it down event. I've even used some of the history noted in public talks on astronomy. Highly recommended. I've shared it with several colleagues.

John S.

Entertaining insight in longitude problemsolving.......2007-08-27

An easy to read and enjoyable (hi)story about the efforts that have been made in the past centuries to find an way of navigating at sea. Every aspect finding the longitude has been covered. The book contains a lot of pictures and graphics that deepens out some (technical) background issues. It provides just enough details so that the subject is well understood, but no too much, making is suitable for every interested reader.
So, if you are interested in navigating, reading this book gives you an good insight in the amount of work people have done in the past to make that possible.

One way to describe persistence: William Harrison.......2007-05-25

As an "electronic geographer" (geographic information systems... computerized mapping... operator and manager), I was immediately attracted to Sobel's story upon it's original publication in 1995. Technically, navigationally, and economically speaking this is, as others have stated, a truly epic and civilization-changing story that is well and readably told by Sobel. On the first read I was awestruck to learn that craftsmen of the 18th century could make timepieces of the accuracy that Harrison achieved. Then further amazed to learn they were made portable and durable enough to withstand the rigors of years of service at sea. As I read Sobel's original book my curosity about what these amazing pieces of incredible craftsmenship (art?) LOOKED LIKE was a continual distraction. The "Illustrated Longitude" delightfully sates the curosity that Sobel's text so pleasantly gives rise to.

A Novel Couldn't Read Better.......2007-02-22

Sobel's original volume came in an un-illustrated format. I had scarcely ever heard about the history behind the "longitude problem," as it was called during the period. When the book was recommended to me by a good friend, I was initially hesitant, thinking that it might be a dull read.

I read the original book in a day. It was one of the best-written page-turners I had ever come across -- almost akin to the readability of Walter Lord's "A Night to Remember," or "Day of Infamy." My only complaint was that the book had no pictures of any sort to speak of.

This new, illustrated volume fixes that only complaint. This book is a must-have.

A Book That Should Be Read .......2007-01-03

I am at present still reading the book. It is only now that I have had the time to do so. If you wish my review later, then I would be pleased to provde this.

Thank you.

The Illustrated Theory of Everything: The Origin and Fate of the Universe

Average customer rating:

Caveat Emptor
Advanced astrophysics for dummies
Early work of Hawking's he didn't want published now
makes a person think

The Illustrated Theory of Everything: The Origin and Fate of the Universe
Stephen W. Hawking
Manufacturer: New Millennium
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Universe in a Nutshell
A Brief History of Time
Illustrated on the Shoulders of Giants: The Great Works of Physics And Astronomy
The Nature of Space and Time
NOVA - Physics: The Elegant Universe and Beyond

ASIN: 1932407073

Book Description

In physicist Stephan Hawking's brilliant opus, A Brief History Of Time, he presented us with a bold new look at our universe, how it began, and how our old views of physics and tired theories about the creation of the universe were no longer relevant. In other words, Hawking gave us a new look at our world, our universe, and ourselves.

Now, available for the first time in a deluxe full-color edition with never-before-seen photos and illustrations, Hawking presents an even more comprehensive look at our universe, its creation, and how we see ourselves within it. Imagine sitting in a comfortable room listening to Hawking discuss his latest theories and place them in historical context with science's other great achievements-it would be like hearing Christopher Columbus deliver the news about the new world.

Customer Reviews:

Caveat Emptor.......2007-06-12

True, the book does not represent Hawking's latest views, but for those wishing to wade into the shallow end of Hawking's writing this is not bad.

Coming in at a short 112 pages, this heavily illustrated book gives one a opportunity to at least familiarize themselves with issues that Hawking gives much more detailed treatment to in his other works: A brief history of time, Black holes and Baby Universes and On the Shoulders of Giants.

One good for instance is his chapter on the arrow of time. In it Hawking observes that there is not only one but several arrows of time. Though he only talks about cosmic expansion, gravitation and the perceptual arrows of time (and not Kaon decay or the quantum arrow of time which may be the master arrow), one still gets the idea that there are physical reasons for why time assumes a directionality.

Another example is his final chapter on the quest for a theory of everything. Though now -- particularly with waning enthusiasm for string theory -- there is reasoned speculation that maybe there may never be a theory of everything, his chapter stills reflects how many view still view the search.

And finally, his chapter on black hole radiation harkens back to the research that originally put him on the map, his 1974 finding that black holes do indeed radiate and even given enough time will decay.

All together, Hawking's book shows the lucid explanatory power of one who both knows and knows how to explain.

So yes, by all means, read this book, but don't stop here and read the rest of his books too.

Advanced astrophysics for dummies.......2006-07-16

The general consensus is that the three greatest physicists of all time are Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. Unfortunately, Hawking is often known more for his lack of physical prowess than for his prowess in physics. He possesses a brilliant mind, and is also very effective at the writing of popular science. Hawking has an uncanny ability to make the incredibly complex ideas of astrophysics understandable to people who have difficulty balancing an algebraic equation.
Hawking is once again at the top of his game with this book. It is a collection of the seven popular lectures that he presented to the public. Their titles are:

*) Ideas about the universe
*) The expanding universe
*) Black holes
*) Black holes ain't so black
*) The origin and fate of the universe
*) The direction of time
*) The theory of everything

Each is fairly short; the ideas are explained without the reference to equations. There are many illustrations that give a visual explanation of concepts such as the curvature of space, the expansion and contraction of the universe and the direction of time.
If you have an interest in the fate of the universe but always felt that advanced astrophysics was beyond you, then this is the book for you. It doesn't explain everything, but it does show you the best current theories of how the universe started, how it is constructed and how it appears that it will end.

Early work of Hawking's he didn't want published now.......2004-08-07

On his website, http://www.hawking.org.uk/info/iindex.html, Hawking says that he wrote this years ago, it does not reflect his latest views (contrary to the cover blurb), and that he did not endorse its publication. I just wanted to pass this information along. There's a lot more reviews mentioning this for an earlier edition of this book, without "illustrated" in the title, so if you want to buy the book look at those first. Setting aside the misinformation in the advertising (for which I'm giving it one star), and the change in Hawking's views, it's a reasonable book.

makes a person think.......2004-08-04

I like reading alot and if you do too then go ahead an d read this one. Many times I will get a book that goes way over my head in terminology. This book is easy to comprehend and makes you think about "what if's", and "could this really be". Sort of like X-files meets reality. A must have for any one who believs in an outer existence.

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