| Physics has the reputation, not entirely undeserved, of being a difficult subject. Books about physics are often avoided, and that’s too bad, because the questions that engage physicists are of interest to anyone with curiosity about the universe we live in.
The story of physics, as played out in the lives of physicists, inventors, and entrepreneurs, is deeply human and belies the stereotype of the scientist as guided only by strict rationality and objective reason. rogress in physics involves a lot of art as well as science. The way physics really happens cannot be found in the pages of professional journals alone.
In an astonishing performance, Jennifer Ouellette manages to weave all these elements together in a fascinating blend of history, science, and literary allusion. She takes the broadest possible view of physics, writing about milestones like the publication of Newton’s Principia, but also about the invention of the roller coaster, and the quantum mysteries of Schrödinger’s cat.As someone who was trained in English literature and has pursued a successful career as a science writer and editor, she brings an unusual set of talents to the creation of a unique work. |
