Reviews
As books encompassing the realm of everything in the universe (universes?) go, this one is relatively short. Its brevity, however . . . its elaborate index (a point I find refreshing), and the fact that it was written by someone so esteemed in the astronomical community, begs the reader to ask why this couldn't be used as a one-semester introductory text. Well-written, clear visuals, great author: a good combination for a first book on the subject., "A must-read book for people who are interested in the philosophical implications of the emerging idea that, possibly, we are not alone." -- Science Books and Films, "As books encompassing the realm of everything in the universe (universes?) go, this one is relatively short. Its brevity, however . . . its elaborate index (a point I find refreshing), and the fact that it was written by someone so esteemed in the astronomical community, begs the reader to ask why this couldn't be used as a one-semester introductory text. Well-written, clear visuals, great author: a good combination for a first book on the subject."-- April S. Whitt, Planetarian, "Rees is one of the great astronomers royal; he is a leading cosmologist, and his skill in writing what may be termed popular science is probably unequaled today. I know of no other author who could present such difficult concepts in so lucid a manner. This is a brilliant book, to be read and enjoyed by all." ---Sir Patrick Moore, Times Higher Education Supplement, [This book] has an informal style and breadth of coverage that make it a joy to read. . . . Rees's explanations are exactly right., "A must-read book for people who are interested in the philosophical implications of the emerging idea that, possibly, we are not alone."-- Science Books and Films, In the instant after the big bang, there was only a one-part-per-billion preponderance of matter over antimatter, just enough to create the universe that created us. Rees, an accomplished scientist with superior writing skills, marvels over the wonder that matter even exists. -- Booklist, "As books encompassing the realm of everything in the universe (universes?) go, this one is relatively short. Its brevity, however . . . its elaborate index (a point I find refreshing), and the fact that it was written by someone so esteemed in the astronomical community, begs the reader to ask why this couldn't be used as a one-semester introductory text. Well-written, clear visuals, great author: a good combination for a first book on the subject." --April S. Whitt, Planetarian, There is a lot of stuff in the universe--the estimated number of stars is 10 followed by 22 zeros. But as to whether there are other planets with life like Earth's, Rees says the chance of two similar ecologies is less than the chance of two randomly typing monkeys producing the same Shakespearean play. -- George F. Will, The Washington Post, "Probably the clearest and most easily understandable account of our Universe available." --Ian Morison, New Scientist, A must-read book for people who are interested in the philosophical implications of the emerging idea that, possibly, we are not alone. -- Science Books and Films, Rees is one of the great astronomers royal; he is a leading cosmologist, and his skill in writing what may be termed popular science is probably unequaled today. I know of no other author who could present such difficult concepts in so lucid a manner. This is a brilliant book, to be read and enjoyed by all., "There is a lot of stuff in the universe--the estimated number of stars is 10 followed by 22 zeros. But as to whether there are other planets with life like Earth's, Rees says the chance of two similar ecologies is less than the chance of two randomly typing monkeys producing the same Shakespearean play." ---George F. Will, The Washington Post, "Ample in scope, this explicit, confident, helpful, modest and good-humored book arises from a recent lecture series spanning astrophysics and cosmology. Using not one full-fledged equation only fresh diagrams and clear, personal prose--Rees, a masterful theorist, brings readers a sheaf of insights."-- American Scientist, "[An] awe-inspiring survey. . . . Rees is not only a world-class cosmologist but one of our best living science writers." ---John Cornwell, Sunday Times, "Rees is one of the great astronomers royal; he is a leading cosmologist, and his skill in writing what may be termed popular science is probably unequaled today. I know of no other author who could present such difficult concepts in so lucid a manner. This is a brilliant book, to be read and enjoyed by all." --Sir Patrick Moore, Times Higher Education Supplement, "In the crowded field of popular writing about the universe, Rees is genuinely in the forefront--an accomplished scientist with the superior writing skills. . . . He exudes the instinctual curiosity we all possess when looking upward, and he focuses that wonderment on the narrow range of cosmological numbers that allow us to ruminate about it all. A wonderfully appealing presentation."-- Booklist, "There is a lot of stuff in the universe--the estimated number of stars is 10 followed by 22 zeros. But as to whether there are other planets with life like Earth's, Rees says the chance of two similar ecologies is less than the chance of two randomly typing monkeys producing the same Shakespearean play." --George F. Will, The Washington Post, In the crowded field of popular writing about the universe, Rees is genuinely in the forefront‹an accomplished scientist with the superior writing skills. . . . He exudes the instinctual curiosity we all possess when looking upward, and he focuses that wonderment on the narrow range of cosmological numbers that allow us to ruminate about it all. A wonderfully appealing presentation., "Rees is one of the great astronomers royal; he is a leading cosmologist, and his skill in writing what may be termed popular science is probably unequaled today. I know of no other author who could present such difficult concepts in so lucid a manner. This is a brilliant book, to be read and enjoyed by all."-- Sir Patrick Moore, Times Higher Education Supplement, "As books encompassing the realm of everything in the universe (universes?) go, this one is relatively short. Its brevity, however . . . its elaborate index (a point I find refreshing), and the fact that it was written by someone so esteemed in the astronomical community, begs the reader to ask why this couldn't be used as a one-semester introductory text. Well-written, clear visuals, great author: a good combination for a first book on the subject." ---April S. Whitt, Planetarian, "In the crowded field of popular writing about the universe, Rees is genuinely in the forefront--an accomplished scientist with the superior writing skills. . . . He exudes the instinctual curiosity we all possess when looking upward, and he focuses that wonderment on the narrow range of cosmological numbers that allow us to ruminate about it all. A wonderfully appealing presentation." -- Booklist, Rees is one of the great astronomers royal; he is a leading cosmologist, and his skill in writing what may be termed popular science is probably unequaled today. I know of no other author who could present such difficult concepts in so lucid a manner. This is a brilliant book, to be read and enjoyed by all. -- Sir Patrick Moore, Times Higher Education Supplement, "[This book] has an informal style and breadth of coverage that make it a joy to read. . . . Rees's explanations are exactly right." --William G. Unruh, Science, [An] awe-inspiring survey. . . . Rees is not only a world-class cosmologist but one of our best living science writers. -- John Cornwell, Sunday Times, "In the instant after the big bang, there was only a one-part-per-billion preponderance of matter over antimatter, just enough to create the universe that created us. Rees, an accomplished scientist with superior writing skills, marvels over the wonder that matter even exists." -- Booklist (Top 10 Sci-Tech Books of 2001), "Our very own Astronomer Royal blasts off into space, in velvety, friendly prose. His musings on the possibilities of alien life and of time travel, the necessity to colonise space, and a vision of the far future make for a pleasingly concise and always intriguing tour d'horizon." --Steven Poole, The Guardian, Rees provides a nice summary of how we got here, how the universe began and how it might end. . . . Lay readers will appreciate Rees' clear, uncomplicated prose, even when dealing with tough stuff that leaves most physicists tongue-tied. Most welcome of all, he explains how scientists know what they claim to know., "Our very own Astronomer Royal blasts off into space, in velvety, friendly prose. His musings on the possibilities of alien life and of time travel, the necessity to colonise space, and a vision of the far future make for a pleasingly concise and always intriguing tour d'horizon." ---Steven Poole, The Guardian, [This book] has an informal style and breadth of coverage that make it a joy to read. . . . Rees's explanations are exactly right. -- William G. Unruh, Science, "[An] awe-inspiring survey. . . . Rees is not only a world-class cosmologist but one of our best living science writers."-- John Cornwell, Sunday Times, Rees provides a nice summary of how we got here, how the universe began and how it might end. . . . Lay readers will appreciate Rees' clear, uncomplicated prose, even when dealing with tough stuff that leaves most physicists tongue-tied. Most welcome of all, he explains how scientists know what they claim to know. -- K.C. Cole, Los Angeles Times, Probably the clearest and most easily understandable account of our Universe available. -- Ian Morison, New Scientist, "Ample in scope, this explicit, confident, helpful, modest and good-humored book arises from a recent lecture series spanning astrophysics and cosmology. Using not one full-fledged equation only fresh diagrams and clear, personal prose--Rees, a masterful theorist, brings readers a sheaf of insights." -- American Scientist, "In the instant after the big bang, there was only a one-part-per-billion preponderance of matter over antimatter, just enough to create the universe that created us. Rees, an accomplished scientist with superior writing skills, marvels over the wonder that matter even exists."-- Booklist (Top 10 Sci-Tech Books of 2001), "[This book] has an informal style and breadth of coverage that make it a joy to read. . . . Rees's explanations are exactly right." ---William G. Unruh, Science, There is a lot of stuff in the universe‹the estimated number of stars is 10 followed by 22 zeros. But as to whether there are other planets with life like Earth's, Rees says the chance of two similar ecologies is less than the chance of two randomly typing monkey producing the same Shakespearean play., "Probably the clearest and most easily understandable account of our Universe available."-- Ian Morison, New Scientist, In the crowded field of popular writing about the universe, Rees is genuinely in the forefront--an accomplished scientist with the superior writing skills. . . . He exudes the instinctual curiosity we all possess when looking upward, and he focuses that wonderment on the narrow range of cosmological numbers that allow us to ruminate about it all. A wonderfully appealing presentation. -- Booklist, Winner of the 2001 Peter Gruber Foundation Cosmology Prize Winner of the 2002 New York Book Show Award, Our very own Astronomer Royal blasts off into space, in velvety, friendly prose. His musings on the possibilities of alien life and of time travel, the necessity to colonise space, and a vision of the far future make for a pleasingly concise and always intriguing tour d'horizon., As books encompassing the realm of everything in the universe (universes?) go, this one is relatively short. Its brevity, however . . . its elaborate index (a point I find refreshing), and the fact that it was written by someone so esteemed in the astronomical community, begs the reader to ask why this couldn't be used as a one-semester introductory text. Well-written, clear visuals, great author: a good combination for a first book on the subject. -- April S. Whitt, Planetarian, In the crowded field of popular writing about the universe, Rees is genuinely in the forefront--an accomplished scientist with the superior writing skills. . . . He exudes the instinctual curiosity we all possess when looking upward, and he focuses that wonderment on the narrow range of cosmological numbers that allow us to ruminate about it all. A wonderfully appealing presentation., Ample in scope, this explicit, confident, helpful, modest and good-humored book arises from a recent lecture series spanning astrophysics and cosmology. Using not one full-fledged equation only fresh diagrams and clear, personal prose--Rees, a masterful theorist, brings readers a sheaf of insights. -- American Scientist, "Rees provides a nice summary of how we got here, how the universe began and how it might end. . . . Lay readers will appreciate Rees' clear, uncomplicated prose, even when dealing with tough stuff that leaves most physicists tongue-tied. Most welcome of all, he explains how scientists know what they claim to know." ---K.C. Cole, Los Angeles Times, "Probably the clearest and most easily understandable account of our Universe available." ---Ian Morison, New Scientist, "There is a lot of stuff in the universe--the estimated number of stars is 10 followed by 22 zeros. But as to whether there are other planets with life like Earth's, Rees says the chance of two similar ecologies is less than the chance of two randomly typing monkeys producing the same Shakespearean play."-- George F. Will, The Washington Post, "[An] awe-inspiring survey. . . . Rees is not only a world-class cosmologist but one of our best living science writers." --John Cornwell, Sunday Times, [An] awe-inspiring survey. . . . Rees is not only a world-class cosmologist but one of our best living science writers., "[This book] has an informal style and breadth of coverage that make it a joy to read. . . . Rees's explanations are exactly right."-- William G. Unruh, Science, "Rees provides a nice summary of how we got here, how the universe began and how it might end. . . . Lay readers will appreciate Rees' clear, uncomplicated prose, even when dealing with tough stuff that leaves most physicists tongue-tied. Most welcome of all, he explains how scientists know what they claim to know." --K.C. Cole, Los Angeles Times, Our very own Astronomer Royal blasts off into space, in velvety, friendly prose. His musings on the possibilities of alien life and of time travel, the necessity to colonise space, and a vision of the far future make for a pleasingly concise and always intriguing tour d'horizon. -- Steven Poole, The Guardian, There is a lot of stuff in the universe--the estimated number of stars is 10 followed by 22 zeros. But as to whether there are other planets with life like Earth's, Rees says the chance of two similar ecologies is less than the chance of two randomly typing monkeys producing the same Shakespearean play., "Our very own Astronomer Royal blasts off into space, in velvety, friendly prose. His musings on the possibilities of alien life and of time travel, the necessity to colonise space, and a vision of the far future make for a pleasingly concise and always intriguing tour d'horizon."-- Steven Poole, The Guardian, "Rees provides a nice summary of how we got here, how the universe began and how it might end. . . . Lay readers will appreciate Rees' clear, uncomplicated prose, even when dealing with tough stuff that leaves most physicists tongue-tied. Most welcome of all, he explains how scientists know what they claim to know."-- K.C. Cole, Los Angeles Times, In the instant after the big bang, there was only a one-part-per-billion preponderance of matter over antimatter, just enough to create the universe that created us. Rees, an accomplished scientist with superior writing skills, marvels over the wonder that matter even exists., Ample in scope, this explicit, confident, helpful, modest and good-humored book arises from a recent lecture series spanning astrophysics and cosmology. Using not one full-fledged equation only fresh diagrams and clear, personal prose--Rees, a masterful theorist, brings readers a sheaf of insights., A must-read book for people who are interested in the philosophical implications of the emerging idea that, possibly, we are not alone.