pop physics

[rm]

Hey y'all, I'm an idiot at physics (the only science that seriously, seriously stymied me in school, which is a pity, since I rock at math), but want to read some "pop physics" type crap, probably on string theory type stuff. Recommendations?

Comments

[don-negro.livejournal.com]

The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene.

[graene.livejournal.com]

As 'how this world works' digressions, I found the strong theory explanations in the Mars trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson very easy to follow and really enjoyed the books overall. Of course, it's a little hard to know where he diverges from accepted current knowledge into either recent hypotheses or his own imagination, but it all appears to make wonderful sense.

Not quite what you're looking for, I know.

[hangedwoman.livejournal.com]

I can't say what it covers on string theory, but I know quite a few people who love The Dancing Wu Li Masters.

[roy-batty.livejournal.com]

I strongly second the reccomendation for Dancing Wu Li Masters. Not so "pop" nor so "crap", but a classic and engaging primer on quantum physics for non mathematicians/scientists.

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

How quickly does it make the non-scientist brain start melting? I can only get so far with quantum physics before I kind of glaze over and lose track of what I had previously been just about following...

[roy-batty.livejournal.com]

Well, it was written with the non-scientist in mind. Of course, as always YMMV.

[timiathan.livejournal.com]

Everything by Michio Kaku, but Hyperspace in particular. And I'd second the Brian Greene, though I prefer Kaku.

[rm.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to decide between Greene and Kaku (and then betwen Hyperspace and the newer Kaku) book now. Can you tell me what's different either stylistically or as far as content focus?

[reudaly.livejournal.com]

I TOTALLY encourage Greene. He can actually speak layman, so the math is all in the back where it doesn't sneak up and scare ya. Brian Greene is my favorite physicist...

[timiathan.livejournal.com]

It's been awhile since I read them, but I remember Kaku as being more whimsical -- maybe less nuts and bolts, but more daydreaming about what the possibilities could be. Greene was good, too, though. They both do a great job of writing the layspeak, and keeping it all interesting...it's just the Hyperspace seems more memorable.

[(Anonymous)]

Both Greene and Kaku have each developed important elements of string theory, and they tend to lean a little toward their specialities: Kaku is a "let's search for cosmic strings that are light-years long" guy, while Greene is an "let's find the strings that are about 1/10^35 the size of a proton" guy. Kaku tends to use a little more pop culture in his explanations, Greene is a little more reserved.

I've interviewed them both, and I sense the slightest rivalry between them.

[justpat.livejournal.com]

Both Greene and Kaku have each developed important elements of string theory, and they tend to lean a little toward their specialities: Kaku is a "let's search for cosmic strings that are light-years long" guy, while Greene is an "let's find the strings that are about 1/10^35 the size of a proton" guy. Kaku tends to use a little more pop culture in his explanations, Greene is a little more reserved.

I've interviewed them both, and I sense the slightest rivalry between them.

[earthgoat.livejournal.com]

My recommendation seconds Hyperspace

[askeladden.livejournal.com]

Nothing to do with string theory, but the master of pop physics is Richard Feynman. Great prose style and funny as hell.

[kalichan.livejournal.com]

Seconded like whoa. I think Richard Feynman was my second celebrity crush -almost tied with Peter O'Toole.

But I'm just odd.

Also I've got some excellent George Gamow pop physics things you can borrow - but it's mostly Quantum Theory stuff. And I can lend you the Greene as well.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Merci, i shall take you up on that somewhere, as the recommendations are daunting me, and perhaps a bit of borrowed reading will help inform a purchase, or alternatively, quell the need.

[heron61.livejournal.com]

The Life of the Cosmos by Lee Smolin is primarily astronomy & cosmology, but it's a fine book, full of much of the wonders of modern astrophysics.

Not Quite all the Way to String Theory

[senseless.livejournal.com]

But if get's to the fourth Demension...

http://www.scifi.com/scifiction/classics/classics_archive/heinlein/heinlein1.html

[fremen-dancer.livejournal.com]

Not quite entirely about string theory, but The Holographic Universe is absolutely fascinating.