Evolving Cosmos [Hardcover]

Govert Schilling (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 14, 2005

Science journalist Govert Schilling takes the reader on a whirlwind journey through time by describing the evolution of the cosmos, from the beginning of space and time fourteen billion years ago, to the creation of the Earth and humankind. Ending with a glance into the distant future of the universe, the book's combination of compelling text and breathtaking photographs provides an impressive vision of the place of man in the cosmos. Govert Schilling is a Dutch science writer and astronomy publicist. He is a contributing editor of Sky and Telescope magazine, and regularly writes for the news sections of Science and New Scientist. Schilling is the astronomy writer for de Volkskrant, one of the largest national daily newspapers in The Netherlands, and frequently talks about the Universe on Dutch radio broadcasts. He is the author of more than twenty popular astronomy books, including Flash! (Cambridge, 2002), and hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles on astronomy.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a triumph. Schilling has a deep understanding of his subject and writes with verve and enthusiasm...Schilling deserves to do well with this offering. A beautiful, awe-inspiring book."
New Scientist

"Evolving Cosmos contains all the arguments and amazing facts for an exciting discussion about life, the universe and everything."
Andre Kuipers, ESA Astronaut

"What a deliciously informative, beautiful new work...on a never-ending subject!"
Wim T. Schippers, artist and presenter of the Dutch National Science Quiz

"This is a book to read, re-read, and to cherish."
Frank Deboosere, Dutch TV meteorologist

"...a beautifully illustrated, nontechnical history of the universe."
CHOICE

"...Schilling takes his reader on a well-told and imaginative tour of the universe, starting with the Big Bang."
Astronomy, Robert Burnham

"...a complete package. The poetic tone is consistent and adds to readers' understanding of the science behind the different presented views of the universe...Evolving Cosmos is a delightful and entertaining look into the heavens geared for just about anyone."
Sky & Telescope, Lisa R. Johnston

"What sets this book apart...is its presentation--both in the way it is written and the manner in which it is illustrated. Schilling makes a concerted effort to convey the wonder of the universe to his readers, and achieves this as much through his prose style as he does through his subject matter. ...The truly stunning photos that accompany Schlling's narrative only serve to heighten the sense of wonder."
Adrian Cosgrove
Astronomy & Space, January 2008

Book Description

In this fascinating book, science journalist Govert Schilling takes the reader on a whirlwind journey through time. He describes the evolution of the cosmos, from the beginning of space and time fourteen billion years ago, to the creation of the Earth and mankind. The book ends with a glance into the distant future of the universe, because the here and now are only fleeting moments in its biography. A combination of compelling text and breathtaking photographs provide an impressive vision of the place of man in the cosmos.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 134 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (February 14, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521833256
• ISBN-13: 978-0521833257
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,552,609 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Govert Schilling (1956) is an internationally acclaimed astronomy writer in the Netherlands. He is a contributing editor of Sky & Telescope, and his articles have appeared in Science, New Scientist and BBC Sky at Night Magazine. He wrote over fifty books (in Dutch) on a wide variety of astronomical topics, some of which have been translated into English, including Evolving Cosmos, Flash! The Hunt for the Biggest Explosions in the Universe, The Hunt for Planet X, and Atlas of Astronomical Discoveries. In 2007, the International Astronomical Union named asteroid (10986) Govert after him.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A masterful description of time and space, April 8, 2007

By 

Gerald Petrey (Tucson, AZ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Evolving Cosmos (Hardcover)

Govert Schilling (with an excellent translation into English by David Wray) has managed to explain the entire history of the Universe in some 127 pages and in a most beautiful and poetic way (reminiscent of Carl Sagan). The breadth of his coverage is only matched by his eloquent description which is sure to touch the hearts of scientist and layman alike. With such a vast coverage, he, of course, cannot go into the intricate details of each subject but yet he manages to capture the essence of each topic and hardly misses any important topic that relates to the subject at hand. From the first quantum of time after the Big Bang (just 1 x 10^-43 seconds after) to the end of the Universe in a whimper some 10^100 years later, he describes the important milestones of cosmic evolution - the creation of matter, the first atoms, the separation of the four fundamental forces, the cosmic dark ages, the age of recombination, the first stars and subsequent generations of stars, supernovae, black holes, the synthesis of the heavy elements, the first galaxies, the formation of solar systems, the evolution of life, the ultimate end of human life and of the Sun and Earth, and finally the slow death of the universe itself! Not much is left out. An astonishing number of details are presented in a non mathematical way but yet the poetic beauty of his descriptions fills your mind with pictures that unfold with every page. Speaking of pictures, the book is filled with beautiful color astronomical pictures and paintings on almost every page as well but believe me, the words alone are enough to touch your very soul. If every there was an answer to the age old question, "What is the meaning of life?" - this is it!