Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos: The Story of the Scientific Quest for the Secret of the Universe (Paperback)

~ (Author) "Few men are handed the keys to heaven, but Allan Sandage was one..." (more)
Key Phrases: doing cosmology, prime focus cage, unbound universe, Mount Wilson, Milky Way, Santa Barbara Street (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Unexpected discoveries, seething rivalries and inspired guesswork are all in a day's work for modern cosmologists, several of whom are profiled here. "Overbye's personal narrative makes complex realms of conflicting theory and observation accessible to the layperson," said PW. Photos.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Modern cosmology--the science of superstrings, wormholes, and Grand Unifications Theories--has been popularized in such recent books as Stephen Hawking's semitechnical A Brief History of Time ( LJ 4/15/88) and David Darling's fanciful Deep Time ( LJ 5/15/89). Overbye, the editor of Discover magazine, focuses on the people who contributed to contemporary theories of the universe. Through interviews and personal anecdotes, Overbye presents an insider's view of the lives, works, and personalities of such legendary figures as Hawking; John Wheeler, the "father of the black hole"; and Alan Guth, architect of the "inflationary universe" concept. This approach depicts science as a human process and, in a sense, brings cosmology with all of its rarefied concepts "down to earth." For more formal biographical and technical information on the work of a greater number of leading cosmologists, see Alan Lightman and Roberta Brawer's Origins: The Lives and Worlds of Modern Cosmologists ( LJ 6/1/90).
- Gregg Sapp, Mon tana State Univ. Lib., Bozeman
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Back Bay Books; 1st Back Bay Pbk. Ed edition (November 2, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316648965
• ISBN-13: 978-0316648967
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #171,137 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent biographical history, July 30, 2000

By	John Rummel (Madison, WI) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A history of cosmology, somewhat dated now, that is structured around biographies of some of the major players. Allan Sandage, Stephen Hawking, Alan Guth, Beatrice Tinsley, James Peebles, Marc Aaronson, etc. I have to tip my hand and say that this is one of my favorite books about astronomy and cosmology. Maybe I like the biographical aspect, or the fact that Overbye is just a great storyteller, and this is one great story. You gain an inside track into the transition of power between Hubble and Sandage. I don't think I really understood the inflation theory until I read Overbye's presentation (better even than Guth's book "The Inflationary Universe). If you like to read biographies of astronomers, this book will be right up your alley. If you like to read about cosmology and astrophysics, you may be distracted by Overbye's approach, but you'll still find the book worthwhile.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow! What a Story!, December 27, 2000

By	John Bernhardt (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

This is the only book I have read where, halfway through, I said, "God, don't let me die suddenly before I finish this book!" The book is so beautifully written, especially the first half. Although I think the Big Bang Theory and Guth's sealing-wax fix to that theory are sadly erroneous, this book gives a dramatic impulse to the story of the develpment of Big Bang cosmology, from Hubble to Sandage. The story as the author presents it is exciting, like a race, and you will not want to put it down. I was concerned by another review, however, that there were inaccuracies in the book. As a layman, I could not detect these, if present. All I know is, whew! What a book! Hats off to Dennis Overbye.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Mystery of the Universe, November 8, 2002

By	Avid Reader (Franklin, Tn) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos is the greatest book every written about the search for ultimate answers about the universe. But the science is secondary to the gallery of scientists who are revealed in all their pettiness, persistence and ultimately greatness. The story of Allan Sandage - from boyhood dreamer to discoverer of mysteries - could be a book in itself. This is a book of almost poetic prose - a real page-turner that I couldn't set down. Get it today