Seven Brief Lessons on Physics

INDEPENDENT, ECONOMIST, TELEGRAPH, GUARDIAN, NEW SCIENTIST, EVENING STANDARD BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2015 THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER Everything you need to know about modern physics, the universe and our place in the world in seven enlightening lessons 'Here, on the edge of what we know, in contact with the ocean of the unknown, shines the mystery and the beauty of the world. And it's breathtaking' These seven short lessons guide us, with simplicity and clarity, through the scientific revolution that shook physics in the twentieth century and still continues to shake us today. In this beautiful and mind-bending introduction to modern physics, Carlo Rovelli explains Einstein's theory of general relativity, quantum mechanics, black holes, the complex architecture of the universe, elementary particles, gravity, and the nature of the mind. In under eighty pages, readers will understand the most transformative scientific discoveries of the twentieth century and what they mean for us. Not since Richard Feynman's celebrated best-seller Six Easy Pieces has physics been so vividly, intelligently and entertainingly revealed.

About the Author :
Carlo Rovelli is a theoretical physicist who has made significant contributions to the physics of space and time. He has worked in Italy and the US, and is currently directing the quantum gravity research group of the Centre de physique théorique in Marseille, France. His Seven Brief Lessons on Physics is an international bestseller translated into forty-one languages.

Review :
A surprise bestseller... the most interesting of the year's science books The new cult book... likely to become this year's stocking-filler sensation Sparse, elegant and most of all readable... at the end of it you feel more clever. Rovelli has achieved something unheard of in books about theoretical physics: most of the people who have started his book have also probably finished it Everyone tells me that this year the book to read is Carlo Rovelli's Seven Brief Lessons on Physics An understanding of the world requires a basic understanding of physics; something which has just become a little easier thanks to a cult book by an Italian academic which is due to be stuffed into an extraordinary number of stockings this Christmas... Not since Stephen Hawking's (admittedly hard-going) Brief History of Time has there been such a consensual success in the science book market There have been plenty of attempts in recent years to explain the basic concepts of physics to us, but few as elegant and concise as Carlo Rovelli's... there's enough food for thought here to last a lifetime A slim poetic meditation... Rovelli belongs to a great Italian tradition of one-culture science writing that encompasses the Roman poet Lucretius, Galileo, Primo Levi and Italo Calvino. The physics here is comprehensible and limpid, and Rovelli gives it an edge through his clear-eyed humanistic interpretations A startling and illustrative distillation of centuries of science... Mr Rovelli moves elegantly between illustrative metaphors, without ever mixing or belabouring any of them... The book's triumph lies not only in presenting some of the headiest stuff science has produced in so few pages, but also in giving real insight into how science treats those ideas The slim volume is stereotypically the province of poetry, but this beautifully designed little book shows that science, with its curiosity, its intense engagement with what there really is, its readiness to jettison received ways of seeing, is a kind of poetry too With luck, Rovelli's charming, lyrical invitation may well achieve Feynman's original goal: to get students excited about the biggest questions in physics, inspiring them to dig in and push right to the heart of the unknown If you want to understand what gets physicists out of bed in the morning, there is no better guide than Rovelli... Seven Brief Lessons on Physics is an absorbing, lovely book... This is physics as romantic poetry and, by God, it's beguiling Rovelli has a rare knack for conveying the top line of scientific theories in clear and compelling terms without succumbing to the lure of elaborate footnotes... a breath of fresh air Rovelli's passion for his chosen field is evident on every page... One can easily imagine perusing these essays while comfortably ensconced in an overstuffed chair by the fire, a snifter of cognac in hand It is amazing that such a short book can dig to such satisfying depths Wonderfully clear and vivid. Carlo Rovelli manages to convey the mystery of very large things and very small things with brilliant effect Utterly blown away by the concise beauty of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli. Science as poetry. Awe inspiring No one should hold office unless they have read Carlo Rovelli's Seven Brief Lessons on Physics Brilliant... In a mere 78 pages, he paints a magnificent fresco, depicting with sweeping brushstrokes the great ideas and discoveries that revolutionised physics and our understanding of the world in the 20th century... Rovelli writes with clarity and verve, vividly bringing to life concepts that can often appear incomprehensible, and inviting readers to see the world anew. Few writers, let alone physicists, capture the beauty of nature and the excitement of its discovery in such clear, rich prose... It's hard to imagine a more coherent, inspiring introduction to modern physics. It really is an enchanting little volume Delightful... The metaphors are vivid, the visions dramatic Carlo Rovelli explains what makes us who we are, how the universe spins around us (or rather, how it doesn't) and most importantly how to put your physicist friends on the back foot by casually dropping an equation into polite conversation Carlo Rovelli has never been afraid to challenge the status quo There is enough food for thought in this stylish tour of modern physics to whet the appetite Plain words can be utterly beautiful when they tell a thrilling story. Carlo Rovelli's words take us on a great adventure as the human mind reaches out to understand the universe. The book is a joy This brief and beautiful introduction to a few key discoveries of modern physics reminds us that the roots of science are curiosity and wonder Intense and extremely beautiful Scientists are poets and their theories appear to capture the meaning of everything