Customer Reviews

Beyond Einstein: The Cosmic Quest for the Theory of the Universe

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

If you have even the slightest interest in theoretical physics, astronomy, or cosmology, READ THIS BOOK. Michio Kaku continues with "Beyond Einstein" in the proud tradition of its predecessor, "Hyperspace;" I read it as a sophomore in high school and couldn't put it down, and "Beyond Einstein" was no different. No prior knowledge of physics or mathematics is assumed; all you need is curiosity about how the world around you works. It is well-written and easy to understand, with just enough history to set the reader up for the science. This book will absolutely DAZZLE YOU!

This rambling survey of modern particle physics and cosmology reads well, but ultimately one has to ask, "where's the meat?" Granted, these topics are so esoteric and abstract that trying to relate them to everyday experience is nigh impossible, but a few authors (e.g, Richard Feynman and Steve Adams) have been able to accomplish this. Kaku flits from one subject to another, reciting a canon of gee-whiz observations (such as John Wheeler's suggestion that there may be only one electron in the universe, traveling back and forth in time), but he offers no logical structure upon which these conjectures are based. The book reads more like a collection of fables and fairy tales than a scientific treatment.

BEYOND EINSTEIN could arguably be recommended for those who have never done any reading on particle physics whatsoever, but for those who have already looked into it, the book will probably disappoint.

This isn't Kaku's best book-its one of his earlier efforts and his writing skills have gotten quite a bit better since then. However I still recommend this book. At the time I read it, I was studying electrical engineering in college and one day I ran into a friend in the student union. He started talking about all this physics stuff he was reading and how it was blowing his mind. It was like he had been through a religious conversion. He promised to let me borrow the book and it was Kaku's Beyond Einstein. A very easy read, Kaku got me hooked on physics right away, exposing me to ideas like extra dimensions and grand unified theories of particle physics I had never heard of in my engineering studies. He follows the standard historical treatment, talking about Maxwell, Einstein and the development of quantum mechanics. While it is a bit "breezy", its thoroughly enjoyable reading filled with historical antecdotes and nice descriptions of Einsteins spacetime warps. Then after the big bang he heads into his favorite topic, talking about extra dimensions and string theory. I was so hooked by this I began buying up every pop physics book I could find and soon changed my major from electrical engineering to math/physics. After reading Kaku engineering actually seemed mundane. Anyway, like I said this isn't Kaku's best book because his writing style has matured and he writes a lot better now. But the book is a gem that I recommend to those interested in science.

Although not as well written as, 'Hyperspace,' Michio Kaku has put complicated aspects and terms of cosmology and quests for unified field theories into a simple, easy to follow book by using many similies and metaphores. The book totally avoided explaining the concept of superstring theory, but instead it gave a lot of information that lead up to it. Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Dr. Kaku's new book because it gave lots of information about different theories that lead to superstring theory, such as: special relativity, general relativity, Maxwells theories, Newtons theories etc. The book also grasped the concept of understanding the beginning of the universe before and after the big bang, although not going into it in much scientifical detail. However, the big bang is totally theoretical and hard, infact impossible to explain omnisciently. The book has some diagrams; resultingly, making the comprehension of some ideas much easier. Dr. Kaku is indeed capable of better work, (not that this isn't good) he is by far one of the best autors of the understanding of space, in my opinion the only better autor is Steven Hawking himself. Dr. Kaku is an inspirational role model to me and I hope others agree. His books can be read by anyone from elementary school students to top physicicists, due to the simplification of the terms of thought. The only people that I don't recomend this book to are the people totally interested in the science and detailed decriptions of superstring theory. Otherwise a Must to read!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really liked this book. It found it easier to understand (and less gee-whiz) than Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe (paperback and CD). Kaku and his co-writer presented a very clear description of what hyperspace would look like to four-dimensional creatures such as ourselves. (This was the first clear layman's description I have read.) I only wish I understood better the quantum mechanics that "vanquished" Newton's and Einstein's propositions about gravity in very small spaces; perhaps some drawings would have helped. In addition, perhaps a chart or diagram of basic sub-atomic particles would have helped.

Nevertheless, I was intrigued by the book. Thompson's co-writing makes it intelligible to lay persons such as myself. The one element that Kaku leaves out is whether string or superstring theory is "testable." In dimensions of the size of 10^-18 cm, perhaps we cannot really make testable predictions, as Greene asserts in his book and CD.

As an engineer I like to keep up with things, plus I've always enjoyed Physics. This book easliy brings you up to date with modern Physics, and has many interesting stories about many of the great men and women in Science. It doesn't grind you through lengthy equations and it doesn't cost $50. Highly recommended.

I felt that the book may have overstated it's content, expecting a decent description of superstring theory. This book certainly is lacking in that regard. However after reading the cover, I noticed that it doesn't promise to be that!

On the other hand, the book delivers what its cover promises: 'an exciting exursion into the discoveries that led...' to the theory of superstrings. Well, it may not be too 'exciting', but the author's enthusiasm for the subject is infective, and I found the book enjoyable to read.

To those who are looking for a complete treatment of superstring theory, I cannot reccomend this book, but if you are interested in the path taken to the theory, this may be a worthwhile read.

Beyond Einstein provides a decent historical narrative of the efforts to unify physics: quantum mechanics with general relativity, the 4 forces with each other. It is occasionally repetitious.

The book also attempts an exposition of the pertinent physics. In this, it falls far short, at every point. The exposition is too superficial to carry the historical narrative. For instance, although the reconciliation of quantum mechanics with relativity is of great importance, its essence is nowhere discussed. Simply saying that quantum mechanics is good in the small world and relativity in the large is neither adequate nor quite correct.

The book reads like one of those manuals produced by a technical writer who doesn't really grasp the subject matter. The hope is that the reader won't notice. The fact that the senior author is a physicist who has done research in the field makes Beyond Einstein all the more disappointing.

Beyond Einstein is Michio Kaku's second best book compared to Hyperspace. In this book he mainly writes a hypothesis on: The Superstring, Hyperspace, kaluza-Klein,and GUT. He gives parables to help you comprehend his ideas and better understand this book. Beyond Einstein is an excellent book that will leave you thinking about the physical attributes of modern Theoretical Physics.

This book is a well explained introduction to recent speculation in the field of astronomy and physics, more particularly superstrings and supersymmetry. Here lays his hope to find a 'Theory of the Universe'.
Most of the book tells us the story of 20th century physics (special and general relativity, quantum mechanics).
I missed the swinging style of a John Gribbin for instance. For the content, I prefer the books of John Barrow 'Theories of everything', Martin Rees 'Before the beginning' and Brian Green 'The elegant universe'.
I must say that the book 'Visions' by the same author is of another calibre.