Kindle Edition with Audio/Video
$13.77
Available instantly
Buy new:
-37% $14.49
FREE delivery Thursday, July 11 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$14.49 with 37 percent savings
List Price: $23.00

The List Price is the suggested retail price of a new product as provided by a manufacturer, supplier, or seller. Except for books, Amazon will display a List Price if the product was purchased by customers on Amazon or offered by other retailers at or above the List Price in at least the past 90 days. List prices may not necessarily reflect the product's prevailing market price.
Learn more
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Thursday, July 11 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 8 hrs 49 mins
In Stock
$$14.49 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$14.49
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Returnable Yes
Resolutions Eligible for refund or replacement
Return Window 30 days from delivery
Refund Timelines Typically, an advance refund will be issued within 24 hours of a drop-off or pick-up. For returns that require physical verification, refund issuance may take up to 30 days after drop-off or pick up. Where an advance refund is issued, we will re-charge your payment method if we do not receive the correct item in original condition. See details here.
Late fee A late fee of 20% of the item price will apply if you complete the drop off or pick up after the ‘Return By Date’.
Restocking fee A restocking fee may apply if the item is not returned in original condition and original packaging, or is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to Amazon or seller error. See details here.
Returns
Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt
Returnable Yes
Resolutions Eligible for refund or replacement
Return Window 30 days from delivery
Refund Timelines Typically, an advance refund will be issued within 24 hours of a drop-off or pick-up. For returns that require physical verification, refund issuance may take up to 30 days after drop-off or pick up. Where an advance refund is issued, we will re-charge your payment method if we do not receive the correct item in original condition. See details here.
Late fee A late fee of 20% of the item price will apply if you complete the drop off or pick up after the ‘Return By Date’.
Restocking fee A restocking fee may apply if the item is not returned in original condition and original packaging, or is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to Amazon or seller error. See details here.

Return instructions

Item must be in original condition and packaging along with tag, accessories, manuals, and inserts. Unlock any electronic device, delete your account and remove all personal information.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
Payment
Secure transaction
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$9.99
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
This item shows wear including moderate wear to edges and cover. This item shows wear including moderate wear to edges and cover. See less
FREE delivery July 20 - 29 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or fastest delivery July 19 - 26
$$14.49 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$14.49
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Chaos: Making a New Science Paperback – August 26, 2008

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,980 ratings

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$14.49","priceAmount":14.49,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"14","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"49","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Q3ZI4n5usxq4b20agCRDdmV2%2Bnkt3sL9ZHfmvNUDahW3ua%2FMtmswDDsNOXoVytMbdbk8vsheo0d6dv3KlzZXJa%2B7XSZe3CdM2ES5bD0Jy3ZTCBbysWCeuMOkSAivmzRqID44ZMqqJcc%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$9.99","priceAmount":9.99,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"9","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"99","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"Q3ZI4n5usxq4b20agCRDdmV2%2Bnkt3sL9fIE0hRpvKAJPQkPqUIPa7%2B%2F7KZn1bHMt7Sf9BEW3tLvN2uGt%2BCIaBYJ6yXs3kZ1WYSbEFIMBB2134tfx%2B7V302fiSn6A2WR1HHfi%2F2uU6AL5LaslZTcf%2FELdOh7UbQO1862KKwnaLrG4dcCFCsXH99gyQCfSQsbU","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

The million-copy New York Times bestseller and finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award that reveals the science behind chaos theory

A work of popular science in the tradition of Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan, this 20th-anniversary edition of James Gleick’s groundbreaking bestseller
Chaos introduces a whole new readership to chaos theory, one of the most significant waves of scientific knowledge in our time. From Edward Lorenz’s discovery of the Butterfly Effect, to Mitchell Feigenbaum’s calculation of a universal constant, to Benoit Mandelbrot’s concept of fractals, which created a new geometry of nature, Gleick’s engaging narrative focuses on the key figures whose genius converged to chart an innovative direction for science. In Chaos, Gleick makes the story of chaos theory not only fascinating but also accessible to beginners, and opens our eyes to a surprising new view of the universe.

The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now

Frequently bought together

$14.49
Get it as soon as Thursday, Jul 11
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
$12.97
Get it as soon as Thursday, Jul 11
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
+
$17.88
Get it as soon as Thursday, Jul 11
In Stock
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Details
Added to Cart
spCSRF_Control
Choose items to buy together.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize

“Fascinating . . . almost every paragraph contains a jolt.”
The New York Times

“Taut and exciting . . . a fascinating illustration of how the pattern of science changes.”
The New York Times Book Review

“Highly entertaining . . . a startling look at newly discovered universal laws.”
Chicago Tribune

“An awe-inspiring book. Reading it gave me that sensation that someone had just found the light switch.”
—Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Chaos is a feast.” The Washington Post Book World

About the Author

James Gleick was born in New York City in 1954. He worked for ten years as an editor and reporter for The New York Times, founded an early Internet portal, the Pipeline, and has written several books of popular science, including The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood, which won the PEN/E. O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, and Time Travel: A History. He lives in Key West and New York.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0143113453
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Books; First Edition (August 26, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780143113454
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0143113454
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1160L
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 1.3 x 5.5 x 8.4 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 2,980 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
James Gleick
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

James Gleick was born in New York and began his career in journalism, working as an editor and reporter for the New York Times. He covered science and technology there, chronicling the rise of the Internet as the Fast Forward columnist, and in 1993 founded an Internet startup company called The Pipeline. His books have been translated into more than twenty-five languages.

His home page is at http://around.com, and on Twitter he is @JamesGleick.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
2,980 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book eminently readable, well organized, and interesting. They also say the storyline is interesting and not overwhelmed with math or bios/facts. Opinions are mixed on the level of detail, with some finding it a very readable introduction to the field and excellent popular account, while others say it lacks practical insight into complexity.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

94 customers mention "Storyline"91 positive3 negative

Customers find the storyline interesting, approachable, and fun. They also say the book provides a good introduction to Chaos Theory for a non-technical audience. Readers also say that the author is one of the best science writers of our generation.

"...All that said, I enjoyed the book, learned something, and walked away with at least a slight understanding of what all the chaos fuss is about...." Read more

"...From the engaging accounts of key figures to the clear explanation of concepts like sensitivity to initial conditions, Gleick manages to maintain..." Read more

"...It presented a very good history of chaos theory and its development from quirky art into a legitimate branch of science...." Read more

"This book is a great introduction to the scientists that pioneered chaos theory...." Read more

44 customers mention "Readability"32 positive12 negative

Customers find the book very readable, clear, and understandable. They also say the author is excellent, the book is well structured, and the material seems interesting.

"...science writer James Gleick has put it all together in this highly readable "biography" of the theory...." Read more

"...It's well-written and easy to read...." Read more

"...My main reservation is that it is a long and wandering story. It's seldom that I ask myself so often in reading one book, "Shall I quit here?"..." Read more

"...This is a great read. It’s well structured and fun. It’s also a great addition for technical readers as a secondary source for information." Read more

5 customers mention "Illustrations"5 positive0 negative

Customers find the illustrations in the book add a lot to the step-by-step explanations.

"...The book has many illustrations of fractals, some of which are in full color...." Read more

"...Gleick meticulously explains chaos theory and uses images and video illustrations effectively...." Read more

"...The illustrations add a lot, especially given the step-by-step explanations for the trajectory represented by each graph and the gradual building-..." Read more

"...learn from this book and probably 8th graders also...the illustrations are clear, the sources clearly explained...i would buy it again!" Read more

40 customers mention "Level of detail"23 positive17 negative

Customers are mixed about the level of detail. Some find the book very readable and accessible to non-math inclined readers, with detailed and accurate descriptions of the people who pioneered the field. They also say it's a great way to initiate oneself to fractal phenominae. However, some find the narrative interesting but not providing practical insight into complexity and its ramifications. They mention the book takes a little digging and the writing is messy at times.

"...1. Simple and determined (in every detail) systems can behave in an extremely complicated way, apparently random and almost unpredictable...." Read more

"...3-stars for the prose. Gleick's writing doesn't flow and is often hard to follow...." Read more

"...Gleick makes the subject matter accessible to a more general audience, which is respectable, but also writes in a way that can hold the attention of..." Read more

"...It's well-written and easy to read. But it doesn't offer enough detailed information for those of us who really want to delve into this subject..." Read more

6 customers mention "Content"3 positive3 negative

Customers are mixed about the content. Some say it's the best book on Chaos, while others say it lacks up-to-date information.

"...It turns out that Chaos has strong ties to Biology, Astronomy, Geology and, yes, even Meteorology...." Read more

"...The book may be a bit dated now, but not being an expert, I find it hard to point out specific items that should be added or updated...." Read more

"...It`s the best introduction to chaos theory to non scientists that one can ask for...." Read more

"Good basic knowledge, but not up-to-date. Also the author rambles way too much." Read more

A Fascinating Journey into Chaos and Revolutionary Science
5 Stars
A Fascinating Journey into Chaos and Revolutionary Science
"Chaos: Making a New Science" is a book that captivated me from the very first page. James Gleick takes us on a fascinating journey through chaos, exploring a science that challenges our conventional perceptions.Gleick demonstrates his mastery by making complex scientific concepts accessible to the average reader. His skill in interweaving human stories with scientific discoveries creates a compelling narrative.As you progress through the pages, you are immersed in the fascinating history of the emergence of chaos theory. From the engaging accounts of key figures to the clear explanation of concepts like sensitivity to initial conditions, Gleick manages to maintain interest without sacrificing scientific rigor.What makes this book stand out even more is its timeless relevance. Although written in the 1980s, the ideas and principles presented remain foundational in modern science.In summary, "Chaos" not only provides a masterful exploration of chaos and the new science that emerged from it but also invites the reader to question and redefine their understanding of the world around us. Highly recommended for those seeking an engaging and enriching read in the realm of science.
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2015
When I walk along the streets on a fine day, I see clouds and trees and the boundaries formed by blue skies and mountains. And also, I see buildings. After I read this book, I enjoy walking even more. The images of man-made structures are composed of regular shapes like lines, rectangles, and circles. But the images of nature seem to be fundamentally different. The shapes of nature are irregular and far more diverse, and are also more beautiful. The waves at the sea shore and the sounds of seagull purify and heal my mind. What makes nature so special that man cannot imitate it perfectly? Chaos theory can give an answer for the question. It claims the following:

When a complex system in nature evolves in time, it does according to universal rules.

For examples, consider a jellyfish and the ink dropping in water. Although one is a living being and the other is not, about shapes, they are quite similar. The lightening paths and the shapes of some trees are also such examples. The universal rules have some features breaking the common sense.

1. Simple and determined (in every detail) systems can behave in an extremely complicated way, apparently random and almost unpredictable.

2. Different systems can behave in the same way, caring not at all for the details of a system's constituent atoms.

3. Butterfly effect: small change in initial condition can give rise to qualitatively different results.

Moreover, if we try to analyze the complex system using geometry, then we come to encounter fractal geometry, not ordinary Euclidean geometry in which main objects are lines, rectangles, and circles. Shapes in fractal geometry again resemble shapes in natural phenomenon like clouds, trees, sea shore, etc. Chaos theory is really charming.

Chaos theory emerged around 1960s. The meteorologist Edward Lorentz is recognized as the father of this theory. He found the butterfly effect and investigated the problem of how far aperiodicity is responsible for unpredictability. The author, James Gleick, successfully teaches us what chaos theory is. As a journalist, he interviewed many original inventors of chaos theory. Beyond simply listing materials from chaos references and interviews with inventors, he wrote another great book about chaos. Almost half of the story is about mathematics. Reading the book, I felt ashamed when I found that he fully understand modern mathematics although he is not a professional mathematician.

Now, I want to say about some bad points of the book. In several places, its explanation is vague. For example, the author explains the work of Barnsley through several pages. He does it with comparison to the game of throwing coins. But even though I could understand the analogy, I couldn't understand anything of the work of Barnsley. There are several places like that. I think it's because the author tried to contain as much contents as possible in an appropriate sized book. Another example of vagueness is about turbulence. Turbulence is regarded as one of the most difficult problems in physics before the chaos theory emerges. The effort to understand turbulence was one of the major impetuses that produced chaos theory. The book describes how chaos theory contributed to understand turbulence. But even though I finished the book, I couldn't understand in what concrete sense - by concreteness I mean clarity of explanation accessible to general audience - chaos theory were helpful.

But the bad points are few compared with the merits of the book. It deals with almost all major inventors and historical events in the early history of chaos theory so that readers, after reading the book, may safely say they learned a lot about chaos theory. That's a good point. For example, the following were really new ideas to me:

1. Chaotic aspects of a living organism can serve as self-defending system.

2. Some sudden irregular movement of organism of eye muscles and sudden blockage of blood vessels possibly happen without any external reason, but with only its internal rule of movements.

3. Mode locking phenomenon: I am not sure that this is also a chaos phenomenon. Some firefly congregates in trees during mating periods, thousands at one time, blinking in a fantastic harmony. A radio receiver to lock in on signals even when there are small fluctuations in their frequency. Moon always faces the earth.

4. Renormalization theory: In particle physics, when we compute equations according to old quantum mechanics, many times we encounter infinity. In nature, every quantity must be finite. So this is absurd. Renormalization is a technique developed from 1940s to 1970s to avoid this problem. After reading the book, I come to know that renormalization is closely related to chaos theory.

If you read the book, you will find great intellectual amazement. I can guarantee you that the amazement will exceed that of when you first learn relativity or quantum mechanics.
32 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2012
I was prepared to hate this book, and it sat on my Kindle for about a year before I finally read it. I am an Electrical Engineer, a group not normally enamored with mathematicians, since Engineering is, almost by definition, the avoidance of pure math.

I ended up loving the book. Probably proof right there that Chaos exists.

While the book is certainly "technical", it is well within the range of anyone who is not afraid of math and willing to spend a little time considering what it says. I ended up spending about a week or so reading the book, a long time for me, because it takes time to digest some of the material and understand what it is saying.

A very good example is Gleick's discussion of a common mathematical formula x(next)=rx(1-x). This formula, where R is a constant governs many common phenomena, including biological populations. (r is a constant, and x represents a level of population from 0 to 1). Just looking at the equation, you would expect it to be fairly well behaved, probably some sort of exponential or sinusoidal looking function with a nice regular period to it. In fact, as Gleick suggests, if you spend a few minutes playing with the equation in a spreadsheet, you see that it is anything but a neat, orderly function. Depending on the starting conditions and the value of the constant (scaling function R) that you use, the graph takes on numerous random shapes.

In other words, even for populations with can be modeled with a simple formula, the math predicts that there will be occasional booms and crashes INDEPENDENT of any external influences. To put it another way, bald eagle populations might crash every once in a while, seemingly at random, whether anyone invents DDT or not- just because of the chaotic nature of how the universe works. (I am not trying to defend DDT, just using it as an example).

I found this to be a startling revelation. It certainly goes against my engineering mindset, where things work the way they do, first time, every time, and randomness is really caused by some error or external force you don't quite understand. Chaos theory proposes that randomness is inherent in nature, and even the most carefully controlled conditions may result in unexpected results.

No doubt Gleick has just scratched the surface, and watered down the math to the point where an average person could have a glimpse of concepts that trained mathematicians spend their careers on. From that standpoint, the book is a success. I walked away with an understanding of what chaos really means, how it influences real-world events, and why those fractal images aren't just pretty pictures, but actually have real meaning.

The only criticisms I have of the book are its attempt to relate chaos and the works of philosophers (Goethe) and artists. While I am sure there is a high-level connection to be made, I found the comparisons tedious. Also, because the book is a very limited overview, it can get a little jumpy and choppy. It is really more of a series of essays than a complete narrative. Finally, in some cases I found the mathematical simplifications overdone, and it took a while to realize what Gleick was talking about simply because it was so oversimplified.

All that said, I enjoyed the book, learned something, and walked away with at least a slight understanding of what all the chaos fuss is about. If you are at all interested in how the world works, some of the ideas put forward will amaze you. And while chaos theory is very much about the math behind it, don't let is scare you off. If you understood the first chapter of your algebra book, you are well on your way.
49 people found this helpful
Report
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2024
The media could not be loaded.
 "Chaos: Making a New Science" is a book that captivated me from the very first page. James Gleick takes us on a fascinating journey through chaos, exploring a science that challenges our conventional perceptions.
Gleick demonstrates his mastery by making complex scientific concepts accessible to the average reader. His skill in interweaving human stories with scientific discoveries creates a compelling narrative.
As you progress through the pages, you are immersed in the fascinating history of the emergence of chaos theory. From the engaging accounts of key figures to the clear explanation of concepts like sensitivity to initial conditions, Gleick manages to maintain interest without sacrificing scientific rigor.
What makes this book stand out even more is its timeless relevance. Although written in the 1980s, the ideas and principles presented remain foundational in modern science.
In summary, "Chaos" not only provides a masterful exploration of chaos and the new science that emerged from it but also invites the reader to question and redefine their understanding of the world around us. Highly recommended for those seeking an engaging and enriching read in the realm of science.
Customer image
5.0 out of 5 stars A Fascinating Journey into Chaos and Revolutionary Science
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2024
"Chaos: Making a New Science" is a book that captivated me from the very first page. James Gleick takes us on a fascinating journey through chaos, exploring a science that challenges our conventional perceptions.
Gleick demonstrates his mastery by making complex scientific concepts accessible to the average reader. His skill in interweaving human stories with scientific discoveries creates a compelling narrative.
As you progress through the pages, you are immersed in the fascinating history of the emergence of chaos theory. From the engaging accounts of key figures to the clear explanation of concepts like sensitivity to initial conditions, Gleick manages to maintain interest without sacrificing scientific rigor.
What makes this book stand out even more is its timeless relevance. Although written in the 1980s, the ideas and principles presented remain foundational in modern science.
In summary, "Chaos" not only provides a masterful exploration of chaos and the new science that emerged from it but also invites the reader to question and redefine their understanding of the world around us. Highly recommended for those seeking an engaging and enriching read in the realm of science.
Images in this review
Customer image Customer image Customer image
Customer imageCustomer imageCustomer image

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
S. da Silva
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible book
Reviewed in Canada on April 6, 2024
The content is expansive but the author does an incredible job of making it as digestible as possible. Highly suggest watching Rob Sapolskis lecture on Chaos on YouTube through Stanford University afterwards.
Priscilla
5.0 out of 5 stars Precisa pesquisar enquanto le
Reviewed in Brazil on August 24, 2023
Sou leiga no assunto e precisei pesquisar enquanto leio, o que não é ruim. É uma leitura mais densa, e dá a atividade o cunho de estudo mais do que hobby. E eu achando que seria como os livros do Hawking hahahaha
4 people found this helpful
Report
Andie
5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente !
Reviewed in Mexico on February 10, 2023
Un clavado a los orígenes de la teoría del caos, y de sus fundadores !!!
One person found this helpful
Report
José-Pedro Cladera
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesantísimo.
Reviewed in Spain on March 30, 2024
Después de leerlo, he reeleído varias partes de lo interesante que resulta. No imaginaba que el tema diera tanto de sí y tan bueno.
halfluke
5.0 out of 5 stars The most popular book on chaos theory, and for a good reason.
Reviewed in Italy on December 25, 2023
As the author says, there are 3 revolutions in the science of the 20th century: relativity, quantum mechanics, and chaos. The latter is the most recent of the three and not as well known as the other two. This book helps fill the gap.