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The Matchbox That Ate a Forty-Ton Truck: What Everyday Things Tell Us About the Universe First Edition Edition

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Marcus Chown (Author)
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Marcus Chown (Author)
7 customer reviews
ISBN-13: 978-0865479227
ISBN-10: 0865479224
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Product Details

  • Hardcover: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Faber & Faber; First Edition edition (May 11, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0865479224
  • ISBN-13: 978-0865479227
  • Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1.1 x 8.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,382,828 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

For the interested and initiated in physics who want to learn more
By Glenn on August 23, 2014
Format: Hardcover
I thoroughly enjoyed this book for its history of science ideas and the way it connects them with the people. It is science for the lay person. A good deal of attention and thought is required, and a high school science education is almost a necessary prerequisite to really appreciate and enjoy it. What it does not do, is it does not develop the lives of the scientists very much, it is not chock full of everyday examples as the reviews might lead you to believe (there is one everyday example per chapter), and the last chapter does not live up to the scientific integrity of the rest of the book. The last chapter is about the possibilities of alien life. It (the last chapter) seemed to me more like a philosophical discussion among 20-year-olds who had seen several science fiction movies and wanted to talk about the what-ifs of alien life. If you want a great overview of some key points of physics and how we got to them, this is a wonderful book!
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6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Fun read, analogies don't illuminate
By Harvey Woodmeadow on January 30, 2011
Format: Hardcover
I find it interesting that an author who lays a claim to having skill with coming up with useful analogies between the physics and everyday things can do so with such ineptness. It's particularly unfortunate in this case, because the book is actually enjoyable to read, and touting the analogies sets the reader up for disappointment.

That said, Chown does present an up-to-date view of the current understanding of the universe, as well as providing lots of interesting historical information, with respect to the development of our current understanding as well as the people involved. I learned the names of at least a half-dozen scientists that I'd never even heard of, and yet who were pivotal in advancing the art and science of physics. Not just minor players, but major contributors without whom science would not be where it is today.

In addition, Chown writes in a "voice" that is very pleasant and easy to read. His enthusiasm for the subject is obvious and helps engage the reader. I would definitely categorize the book as a "page-turner". :)

It's just too bad that the book is littered with analogies such as the one presented in the title. The book elaborates on that analogy in the leaf notes as well as in the very first pages, so I'm not giving anything away when I complain that comparing the miracle of one solid object being ejected from another solid object a tiny fraction its size (that's right...in spite of the book's title, the analogy in the book is actually about the truck being produced by the matchbox, not consumed) with the real-world phenomena of some non-material effect (electromagnetic radiation) being produced by some material object (electrons) smacks of sensationalism rather than illumination.Read more ›
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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
A good introduction to the science of physics and how it's done
By Atheen on July 18, 2010
Format: Hardcover
"The Matchbox that Ate a Forty-ton Truck," by Marcus Chown, partakes more heavily of simile than of prestidigitation, especially in Part One on atoms. The book is a charming view of what common observations of the world around us tells or implies about the realities of physics. However, as one might expect from a volume that purports to explain particle physics, solar physics and the Big Bang theory in 216 pages, a lot is left out of the story.

I felt a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of descriptive illustrations in Part One. At times I was more caught up in the visualization of these than I was in discovering the underlying principle the author was discussing by their use. If nothing else, the experience made it much clearer to me why professional physicists prefer to think and communicate in formulae rather than in words; at some point in time word descriptions simply become too ponderous.

The remaining two parts were very clever. Part Two presents the research on the creation of the elements, carrying the reader through the thinking process that ultimately brought understanding, not only of chemical origins, but of solar anatomy and physiology. Part Three discusses the development of the Big Bang theory and some of the issues that have arisen because of it--the need for a theory of quantum gravity being one of them.

My favorite part of the entire book is the last chapter, "Earth's Full, Go Home." Here the author presents the range of speculation about intelligent life in the universe and why, putative UFOs aside, we have yet to have incontrovertible evidence of extraterrestrial life. Some of the more recent suggestions are quite interesting.Read more ›
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
A Phenomenal Look at Why Ordinary Things Are Truly Extraordinary
By Paul Halpern on May 19, 2010
Format: Hardcover
Marcus Chown has a marvellous gift for rendering cutting-edge science extremely accessible and entertaining. His latest work, "The Matchbox that Ate a Forty-Ton Truck," is a brilliant excursion through everyday life, showing what we might learn about the universe from things we see around us, including our own reflections in window glass, the variety of chemical elements, darkness at night and so forth. From simple phenomena, Chown transports readers on spectacular journeys through the realms of quantum physics, cosmology and other topics in modern science, explaining difficult concepts in a clear, methodical fashion. He weaves each tale with fascinating and humorous anecdotes about pivotal figures such as Fred Hoyle, Wolfgang Pauli and many other scientific luminaries, as well as literary references to Blake, Whitman, Poe and others. "Matchbox" will truly ignite your interest in science! Highly recommended!

-Paul Halpern
Author, Collider: The Search for the World's Smallest Particles
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