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  • The Elegant Universe

  • Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory
  • Written by: Brian Greene
  • Narrated by: Erik Davies
  • Length: 15 hrs and 36 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (66 ratings)

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The Elegant Universe cover art

The Elegant Universe

Written by: Brian Greene
Narrated by: Erik Davies
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Publisher's Summary

"[Greene] develops one fresh new insight after another...In the great tradition of physicists writing for the masses, The Elegant Universe sets a standard that will be hard to beat." --George Johnson, The New York Times Book Review

In a rare blend of scientific insight and writing as elegant as the theories it explains, Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding string theory to reveal a universe that consists of 11 dimensions where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter-from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas-is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy.

Green uses everything from an amusement park ride to ants on a garden hose to illustrate the beautiful yet bizarre realities that modern physics is unveiling.

Dazzling in its brilliance, unprecedented in its ability to both illuminate and entertain, The Elegant Universe is a tour de force of science writing-a delightful, lucid voyage through modern physics that brings us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works.

©2003 Brian Greene (P)2008 Random House Audio

What the critics say

"[Greene] writes with poetic eloquence and style.... [He] does an admirable job of translating a wholly mathematical endeavor into visual terms."  -The Washington Post Book World

"[An] important book.... The Elegant Universe presents the ideas and aspirations-and some of the characters-of string theory with clarity and charm."  -Scientific American

"As good as it gets.... [A] thrilling ride through a lovely landscape."  -Los Angeles Times

What listeners say about The Elegant Universe

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great love Mr Greene's work.

Mr. Brian Greene has a wonderful talent to explain complex concepts in a simplified manor.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

20+ years outdated but decent introduction to modern physics

Brian Greene does a decent job of explaining the progress from Einstein’s theories of special and general relativity through to quantum mechanics before delving into the intricacies of string theory, making the repeated points that string theory is part of a natural progression.

I found the string theory section a tough slog, but as a layman I feel I increased my knowledge of these challenging topics (which is really all we can ask from an audio book) but still much was above my comprehension.

My biggest.complaint is the book is over two decades out of date, but even with that, it was still a beneficial and enjoyable experience.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great book

Great book. Great book. Great book. Great book. Great book. Great book. Great book. Great book. Excellent reading. Enjoyed. Good. 5/5

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

No promotion like self promotion

The context of the story is overshadowed my the authors shameless self promotion. Its his idea or nothing, not a good listen.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful book

Although the subject was a difficult one, Brian did a wonderful job trying to explain one of the hardest theories to understand. the narration was beautifully done. I will probably be listening to this book several times.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

An absolutely delightful read/listening

I extremely enjoyed this book. the author has truly made his best effort to present a highly complex subject in a manner that's more comprehensible to general science enthusiasts. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in physics/science/general awareness.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Good content, not so good narration

I downloaded this book as a logical next step after listening to "Einstein's Relativity and the Quantum Revolution" which leaves off right around string theory. I have to say that the narrator of this book, is only slightly more emotive then Siri which, when dealing with a subject like string theory, did not help me to stay engaged for long periods of time. The book does an admirable job of explaining string theory to a math layman like myself, but there are definitely places where I got lost down a Calabi–Yau shaped hole of confusion. #Audible1

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  • Jm
  • 2018-06-07

Great

Fascinating book, good performance. A balanced, thoughtful and accessible overview of a concept that pushes the limits of human understanding.

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