Alan Lightman Books

This is a great series. Don't miss any of it. Back order old issues... it's worth it.

Every year these little anthologies deliver a wealth of essays and articles. Whether they are "best" or not is in the eye of the reader, but nearly all of them are always more than worth reading, and some of them can change the way you see the world. Not bad for a few bucks.

I look forward every year to the annual edition of this series and its competitor, Best American Science and Nature Writing. Since there are way too many good magazines published I gave up long ago trying to keep up with them, and this book/series serves two useful functions. First, it provides a delightful sampler of science-related writing of the past year, and, second, it often introduces me to some new writers as well as familiar names. It is the kind of book that has repercussions: I have never failed to follow up by buying additional books, either books by the authors represented or books referred to in the selections (WARNING: This book could be dangerous to your budget!)
The series editor provides a certain stability and may ensure some breadth to the selections, but each volume bears the stam of the interests of the guest editor. Given Alan Lightman's literary bent, it was therefore not surprising to see someone like Diane Ackerman included.
This was probably not the best of the series, but it nonetheless was not one I would want to miss.

Today's science writing is growing more interesting and timely in its presentation. These annual collections are nearly always a delight to own. Each essay presents an issue demanding reflection and sometimes action on the reader's part. Lightman introduces this series with a brief overview of the progression of science writing over the years. He cites such classics as "The Silent Spring" and "The Double Helix" as examples. Stephen Gould's and David Quammen's columns paved the way for a wider audience for science writing, he notes. Enough production of this sort has led the way to a variety of styles, formats and topics. He presents just such a spectrum in this collection. With more than two dozen articles offered by an excellent array of authors, Lightman aptly demonstrates how far science writing has come.

With such a span, the reviewer has the choice of summarising them all [see "Synaptic mogul's fine synopsis, below], or selecting a few favoured examples. Given the range of topics and high quality of the writers, that's no easy chore. Choosing Oliver Sacks to begin the series was a wise choice. Sacks, always an expressive narrator, returns with an account of the "creation" of "new" elements. Another "regular" in this series, Natalie Angier, portrays the work of Jacquiline Barton. A woman of remarkable abilities and dedication to further research in the properties of DNA, Barton may well be making substantial changes in our understanding of "the molecule of life". Another biology specialist, Jennifer Ackerman, offers us a story of the quest to save one endangered species, the North American whooping crane. The method of preserving these magnificent birds may seem bizarre, but past efforts have fallen short of expectations. Ackerman's subject, crane biologist Richard Urbanek, leads a programme in which young cranes never encounter humans. This technique, he avers, will make transforming the chicks into their regular environment more natural, enhancing their chances for survival.

Although atomic physics, cosmology and recovering animals into their natural environments are always enticing reading, most of us remain concerned about human affairs. In dealing with our species and its many aspects, Lightman proves at his best and worst in assembling this collection. A campaign to eradicate polio in India, related by Atul Gawande, portrays the paucity of resources available to the medical workers. While expensive wars continue to impede progress by diverting resources, dedicated technicians strive to overcome the limitations imposed on them. In protecting public health, artificial issues such as "bioterrorism" have diverted attention from more immediate and pressing concerns. Philip Alcabes tots up the funds and personnel used in combating a minimal threat in contrast to the real problems of natural epidemics. He finds the Bush administration's focus a medical boondoggle. A new, more socially challenging topic has emerged in recent years. Some health issues, Robin Marantz Henig reports, may deserve focus on your "ethnic" origins. Certain afflictions appear to attack blacks more often or virulently, than whites. The first "ethnic medicines" are already on the market, with more to follow. Is this "racism" on the part of the pharmaceutical firms, or is it a valid market niche that should be followed by other drugs? And who will determine how they should be prescribed?

Inevitably, "American Science Writing" collections must deal with evolution by natural selection. Darwin's great insight is still subject to challenge in that nation. Lightman turns to one of the great nature writers, David Quammen, to provide a case for the defense [why Darwin needs "defending" is left unsaid]. Quammen, in one of the leading articles here, provides an excellent overview of how natural selection works. Quammen's style clarifies many aspects of evolution and is readable by anybody's standards. The only problem seems to be in bringing those who need to read the article to it.

Natural selection in the animal kingdom must raise the question of where humanity fits in the scheme. Many commentators have resisted the inclusion of our species in the process. In this collection, Lightman inexplicably inserts one of these objectors. David Berlinski's article on evolutionary psychology is less an example of "science writing" and more of an assault on a nascent science. His approach is formulaic by now - decry the lack of "hard evidence" on the roots of human behaviour. Since nearly everything in behavioural studies is by inference and comparison with other species, his complaint is groundless. Unless he's indirectly advocating detailed, controlled experiments on a wide segment of the human population, the chances of providing for his demands is close to nil. Berlinski, who must know of studies in sociobiology and palaeoanthropology, steadfastly ignores these indicators. Why Lightman felt the need for this kind of polemical blather remains a mystery. It can't be from a paucity of available material. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

I am a scientist. U of Michigan. I am 61
I make synthetic gem and laser crystals for a living. I read many scientific journals weekly. I think this series of "The Best American Science Writing" is extremely good with always very up to date topics. An absolutely great selection of articles written by or about top people and topics each year. I use this series to help keep me up to date on everything scientific. I highly recommend the entire series.

This is a book that every astrophysicist should have. It is an excellent textbook on radiation processes that enables graduate students to learn the essential physical processes of radiation that take place in the universe while at the same time it is also a helpful reference book for the more experienced researcher. It is quite expensive but it is a very good long term investment which will pay on in the future.

This is THE standard text in the field of astrophysical radiation processes. Covers most processes of interest for the astrophysicist, at a depth adequate for graduate students. Well written and understandable. A must buy, despite the very high price.

Thorough, concise, and very readable. Topics are clearly presented, equations are elegantly explained. One of the most useful texts I own.

One of the peculiarities of Astrophysics is that, as a
subject, is difficult to teach. It requires to go deep into
the physics of the objects under study (which span the whole
Universe) but alto to keep a broad view (the so called "Big
Picture") since most of the objects and their histories
cannot be understood if they are isolated from the others.
One of the problems a teacher faces is, hence, how to strike a
balance between these two disparate goals within the limited
time of one or two academic terms.

Rybicki and Lightman success with this book is to take the
physics of astrophysical problems involving radiation from
the general approaches of the physics books to the particular
conditions of most of the cases that astronomy cares about
without leaving rigorousity along the way. With a little
abuse of language: They bring Physics a step closer to
Astronomy.

On the other hand, the area of actual applications that
astronomers use is almost neglected. For example, the
introductory chapters on Radiative Transfer and Black
Body Radiation could have served to motivate a chapter on
theoretical basis of photometry (theoretical approach to
color indices, extinction by dust or other microscopic
particles). This would have given the student a more
realistic flavor of the tools that astrophysicists use
in their everyday (every night?) work. The Problem Sets,
in addition, are claiming for a few numerical
applications to profit from the, now easily available
to students, computer power.

Every serious astrophysics teacher and student should
use this book... and think hard on how to take the
next step from Rybicki and Lightman to the Absolute
Magnitude versus Color Index diagrams.

I received this book as a gift. I wish I had bought it years ago! I'm an amateur astronomer. This book gives the reader the opportunity to hear the world's most reknowned professional astronomers address the universal questions which we all share: Whence came the universe? Whither goes it? The book opens with a brief overview of current cosmological theories and observations. It then poses the same set of fascinating questions to each of 27 working astronomers; both observational and theoretical. They give the reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with the current models. If the "great questions" interest you, I promise you will learn a lot and gain much to ponder for a long time!

What a beautiful little book!

It's like little poems: short little vignettes about time. The idea is that it is a month of Einstein's dreams while he is working on his theory of special relativity -- the theory that states that time slows down as you approach the speed of light, and I don't understand it either. But the book goes through different possibilities with time: time slowing down, time speeding up, time doing both. The future being fixed, the past being changeable, and neither one having anything to do with the present -- acausality. Some very freaky ideas, really, but all of them brought down to human size, described in terms of the life of one person, or a few people, always set in Berne, Switzerland -- I assume where Einstein worked in his patent office before his Nobel. That might have been the only problem, though it was the right thing to do: reading about these people who had very different worlds than ours, yet they are living in our world, sometimes didn't make sense, and was a little jarring. Like the world where nobody has any memory, and so nobody really does anything because they can't go through any sort of process or learn anything or grow from past experiences -- yet they have coffee shops and streets called Bundesgasse and such. Who would make the shops if they couldn't remember who they were a minute ago? But the setting did make it easier to get into the feel of these different worlds. And some of them, I liked: the world where body time was separate from clock time, or the world that had only one clock which they worshiped and hated because it counted the moments of their lives, and thus put a limit on them.

So I loved the book. And now I hate clocks.

I'm finding it difficult to figure out how to describe this book. It lacks a coherent narrative, but instead is a collection of brief essays describing a series of dreams that Einstein might have had as he worked on his Theory of Relativity. And as descriptions of dreams, they work well, with surreal imagery and quirky realities. But there is far more to these descriptions than their surface weirdness. On another level, they reflect the ways we sometimes perceive or think about time, and the ways in which our attitudes about time can impact our lives. In many ways, these "dreams" aren't really about alternate realities or worlds, but are reflections of our own. For a thoughtful reader, there is plenty of deep insight in this book, which should provide plenty of material for reflection. Not quite like anything else I've ever read, but quite satisfying in its own unique way.

In reading EINSTEIN'S DREAMS, I was riveted. Lightman takes the reader on a journey through time. Each short chapter shows how people live in a world governed by different aspects of time. In one story, time is circular; in another story, time is completely subjective; in another story, worlds are governed and moved by clocks; in yet another story, the passage of time is relative to where one lives. Three interludes center around Einstein, helping to enhance the book's effect. I recommend it.

I first read this my freshman year in college, it's been over 10 years and I still read this book occasionally in wonderment of the artistic visualization of Einstein's theories. Educational, resourceful and a wonderful read. It's fantastical .

Rarely does a Cal Tech-trained physicist become an accomplished contributor to literary magazines like the incomparable Atlantic Monthly. Even rarer still, this one tosses off a thin little collection of whimsical reflections on the world's most famous theoretical physicist in early last-century Bern and it becomes a best seller.

As it should.

Alan Lightman places in Albert Einstein's diurnal and nocturnal wonderings and the lives that intersect with his (though one guesses that Lightman's Einstein might seldom have noticed them) thirty elegant reflections on elastic time and the people who inhabit it. Many people might have carried this project forward once it began, I imagine, but only a physicist would have thought of it.

The typical vignette is two to four pages long, perfect for a brief mental voyage and the chuckle that follows inevitably upon most of them.

Though the book is great fun, there is an earnest seriousness to the reading of it, at least in this reviewer's experience. Lightman makes us think not only about time. His prose is peopled with interesting human beings whose lives seem alternately poignant and absurd as time exercises its effect on them and they on it.

As a result, one finds oneself asking worthwhile questions about life, its speed, its nexus with others (both real and abortive), its meaning, and its importance.

You don't get that in Physics 101 unless you have an extraordinarily good teacher. Alan Lightman might just be one of those.

This book is often recommend by theoretical physicists and mathematicians (most often mathematicians involved in hyperdimensional topology) to their students.

It was written by a Shakespeare scholar in Britain more than 100 years ago. The reason it is recommended by theoretical physicists, etc., is it provides the reader with a framework for understanding and trying to visualize dimensions above or beyond our ordinary four-dimensional world (length, width, heighth, space-time).

It deals with a two dimensional world with two dimensional beings and what happens when a third dimensional being interacts with a two dimensional world and what the two dimensional beings would see. It also does this in terms of a one dimensional being and one dimensional world interacting with a two dimensional world and two dimensional beings (or structures).

This book written with apparently some intent on commenting on Victorian England and its values (with what appeared to me to have some misogynistic comments within it), was otherwise an enjoyable book and really does provide a good analysis on multi-dimensional view points and visualizing or imagining hyper-dimensions.

If you are interested in advanced theoretical physics, hyperdimensional geometry or topology or mathematics, this is a very interesting book and may be useful. If you are just interested in a good unique science fiction story, I would highly recommend this. This is not an (explicit) math or science book - so you won't find any explicit mathematics (i.e., no math is required).

Excellent.

Keep in mind that this book was written over a hundred years ago, and consider the incredible ground it covers with this little tale: geometry (obviously), physics, government, politics, the clash between the sexes, class structures, manners, human nature, psychology, philosophy and even neuroscience (consciousness)! At first reading, it's deceptively simple, but explain it out loud to someone else and you'll find yourself noticing new things. If something doesn't seem to make sense, ask yourself "why?" This story is an allegory, a metaphor for so many things that fall into disjunct categories. There's a reason for the weird; the "bump" is there to make you take notice. Read it, think about it, give it some time and you'll be on your way to understanding the incredible range of this tiny work.

My appreciation of mathematics came late in life, but it finally came. I have neither the aptitude nor the training to be a professional mathematician, but I like to spend a fair amount of time reading books on mathematics. A handful that I recommend are: Darrell Huff's _How to Lie With Statistics_ (1954); David Salsburg's _The Lady Tasting Tea_ (2001); Simon Singh's _The Code Book_ (1999); Robert Osserman's _Poetry of the Universe_ (1995); Reuben Hersh's _What is Mathematics, Really?_ (1997); Bryan Bunch's _The Kingdom of Infinite Number_ (2000); James Gleick's _Chaos: Making a New Science_ (1987); and Douglas R. Hofstater's _Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid_ (1979). The last is fairly stiff reading. But it is beautifully written; and if you read only a fraction of it, your perception of the world is likely to change.

All of which brings us to a Victorian gentleman who gave some attention to the nature of and the limits of our perceptions of the world. Edwin A. Abbott (1836--1926) was a Shakespearean scholar who also took honors in mathematics and theology. In 1884, he published a mathematical fantasy called _Flatland_. It is set largely in a two-dimensional world, populated by sentient lines and shapes. Most denizens appear as lines to one another, though the relative faintness of lines gives a clue to the nature of different shapes. There is a class system built on the relative complexity of shapes: women (Straight Lines), workers and laborers (Isosceles Triangles), the middle class (Equilateral Triangles), professional men and gentlemen (Squares and Pentagons), and the nobility (Hexagons and Many-sided Figures). There is some movement from class to class, but "a woman is always a woman". The houses are also two-dimensional, mostly pentagonal in shape. There is a kind of gravitational pull to the south so that the base of various shapes turn toward the south and their apex angles toward the north. The narrator, "A. Square," has accepted his world at face value. But one day, he encounters a shape that _seems_ to be circular but who _says_ that it is a sphere... And nothing is ever quite the same.

_Flatland_ quickly became a classic. Several sequels and companion stories to the novel were written over the years by other hands, but one of the best is that of Dionys Burger, a Dutch physicist. It was originally published in 1957 as _Bolland_ and was translated as _Sphereland_ in 1965. Burger's novel relates how the natives of Flatland discover that their land is really curved. They then discover the Einsteinian properties that it contains. Burger relates how triangles can become greater than 180 degrees, how mongrel dogs can become pedegreed through three-dimensional trickery, how a brave Line explorer defied the courts to reveal new truths about the nature of space, and what geometric fairy tales can reveal about the nature of the world.

I hear the dry thunder of voices of the Mathematically Challenged rolling across the Waste Land: "We could _never_ understand!" And I say unto you: "Oh, yes you can." You don't need advanced training in math to grasp the concepts-- and they are presented in a painless, charming, and entertaining manner. So read these books and be refreshed by the rain.

Burger's book modernizes _Flatland's_ portrayal of women (Straight Lines). Here is Abbot's treatment in his novel:

Nor must it be for a moment supposed that our Women are destitute of affection. But unfortunately the passion of the moment predominates, in the Frail Sex, over every other consideration. This is, of course, a necessity arising from their unfortunate conformation. For as they have no pretensions to an angle, being inferior in this respect to the very lowest of the Isosceles, they are consequently wholly devoid of brainpower, and have neither reflection, judgement nor forethought, and hardly any memory. (15)

In a foreward to the novel, Isaac Asimov asserts that Abbott "may have participated in these now-antiquated social views" (ix). Perhaps. But I think that Asimov misses an ironic bite in this passage. I suspect that Abbott was less blinded by the prejudices of his day than his narrator, A. Square. In Burger's book, women still are the bottom social class. But they are better educated, more responsible, and less hysterically emotional. The social classes in Burger's novel (which takes place some time after the action in _Flatland_) have become a bit more fluid.

I hesitate to recommend a book because it is good for other people. That sort of praise is the kiss of death as far as most readers are concerned. But sometimes you just can't avoid mentioning that characteristic. These two fantasies are good for you. But they are also great fun. There is not a stuffy bone in either one of these beasts.

In Flatland, we are reminded that it is hard to convince people of something, when they have no terms of reference with which to make sense of what we're saying. It is a great reminder to us that, when we are talking to people from other religions or belief systems, it will be very hard for them to understand us. We have to really bend over backwards to translate our message into something that they can latch onto and understand. Fine. But here is the problem: Today, people are using this film to convey a very different message. They try to leave the impression that anyone who disagrees with their agenda (political, environmental, gender, whatever) is (1) wrong, (2) too poorly armed to ever understand them, and (3) therefore not worth trying to reason with. The result of this line of "thought" is that they will simply have to impose their wisdom on the Others. This leads to having government health care, whether you want it or not; using politically correct language, whether your want to or not; for your own good! So, the only problem with the Flatland story is that it fails to remind us that most people who go against the crowd are simply wrong. Sure, everyone laughed at Einstein and he turned out to be right. But everyone also laughed at millions of clowns who were simply nuts. The idea that anyone who is different is therefore right, is wrong. The idea that there is no point in reasoning with your adversaries, is also wrong. Please read or watch this story and enjoy it, but when your boss says, "I want us all to see this film so that we have a common language ..." RUN!

This has always been a favorite of mine, so I wanted to christen my kindle with it. I imagine most people who will buy it for the kindle have probably already read it. If you like a mixture of Gulliver's Travels, Geometry and social commentary, it is worth the small amount of money. Of course you can get it for free since it was written in the late 1800's, but the Gutenberg version doesn't have good diagrams - they are all ASCII. I couldn't find diagrams in the versions available on AMAZON except the Oxford World's Classics edition, so that is the one I recommend. The diagrams are important for the geometry aspect and are excellent in this version.

This is a very enlightening read. It takes you into the mind of a absolutely brilliant man to see his "ideas and opinions", sorry for the pun.

Honestly, i wasnt expecting a collection of his letters/speeches/lectures..etc but it was a nice surprise. It's much better than having some author display how they 'assumed' he thought.

The book can be tough to read at times (keep in mind he is a genius) but you can always search for certain topics that interest you. Everything from his theories of relativity and brownian motion to his family life are covered, so every reader could find something to relate to.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in first-hand ideas about Einstein or anyone looking to expand their mind.

Einstein is good for more than complicated equations. This book shows that he is able to balance the logical and the philosophical. Even though this was written decades ago, Einstein's take on America and world is spot-on. Much of what he warned could happen has happened. Deep.

If your purpose is simply reading Einstein's articles on issues like world politics, morality, peace, human beings, etc. than this is the book for you. Personally, I wanted the best of his articles, articles that you really want to read because of their specific nature or subject. This is not such a book. Simply a collection of articles.

I like the book, but didn't realize the print would be so small! I can hardly read it.

Einstein's ideas about religion are here in his own words so you don't have to trust does who want to distort them to their own convenience.

These book is writen in a very easy to understand way because as Einstein himself stated "if something can be explained then it can be explained clearly.

The ideas he clearly explains are brilliant and they are about a lot of the things he was interested in his life.

A wonderful book from Lightman -- it's literature at its best! Alan writes with such grace, and lightness. Chapter transitions and character development are great, and the story moves with ease and fluidity.

His style here is quite unique from his other novels. This is absoulutely his finest work.

Highly recommended!

I've read all of Lightman's previous novels but, except for Einstein's Dreams, I haven't been too impressed. I was tempted to skip this one. I'm glad I didn't.

Reunion is the story of a college professor/poet named Charles who goes back to his thirtieth college reunion. While there, he experiences a vivid flashback to his senior year in college when he was in love with a ballerina named Juliana. Through the flashback we get to experience this brief, fiery affair from beginning to end. It is a wonderful experience.

It is not a wonderful experience in the way one might expect, however. Really, it is a rather ordinary love affair of a 22-year-old complete with the intense range of emotions from passion and doubt to jealously and joy. And it is in its ordinariness that this novel is so special. Because, excepting the end where a few surprises muddle the works, its ordinariness allows Lightman an extraordinary truthfulness.

Charles is perhaps a more real character than any I've read. I felt I understood this man--his reactions to his current lover, his former classmates, his memories. I felt that he was having the same kind of emotional experiences that I have had. And though Charles' story is his own, his emotions are universal. This is a very difficult effect to produce and Lightman does it brilliantly here.

Of course, this is a brief novel but, in this case, perhaps that is best. The quick read helps convey the intensity of the experience, particularly the flashbacks. And though the protagonist is a man, I think the universality of the emotions will speak to any reader. I highly recommend this book.

Lightman is a much better writer than I might have imagined from his science background! He writes a sad story that most of us can relate to in someway or another. The story is not highly original at the end (the climax I mean), but still a sharp tale about lost loves. Sad but well worth the read.

Alan Lightman's fourth novel, "Reunion", is a nostalgic journey through memories of faded youth.

Charles reluctantly attends his school reunion. Now aged fifty-two, he feels confident with his financially comfortable life, despite his carefully ignored emotional emptiness. The reunion is not merely a meeting of aging ex-students, with all their petty competitiveness and subtle dislike of each other, but of Charles with his own recollections of ballerina Juliana, whose driving ambition allowed little room for anything outside of dance classes, a trait characteristic of all dancers.

Reliving his memories of the girl he'd loved passionately, Charles is not only forced to admit to himself that his familiar version of events has veered from the original, but also that the loss of Juliana has shadowed his adulthood. With "Reunion", we are given a middle-aged man's grief for lost youth, for lost love, and also for the loss of any real thirst for life.

Sensitive, introspective and melancholy, "Reunion" weaves a thoughtful consideration of the road not taken.

Is it possible for a person to love without wanting love back? Is anything so pure? Or is love, by its nature, a reciprocity, like oceans and clouds, an evaporating of seawater and a replenishing by rain? ~Alan Lightman

Einstein's Dreams is a delicate taste of the banquet of intimacy in Reunion. I am never sure if Alan Lightman's books are novels or the deepest expressions of his romantic nature. After reading Einstein's Dreams I knew there was more to discover and here it is in all its intimate beauty.

The first few pages left me in a high state of amusement. How I understand that love of words as he wishes to be reading a book while lost in the world of a woman. Yet, what would the world be without romantic seduction and the seduction of words? In Reunion, the two dance together, intertwined in poetry and longing.

Detailed accounts of action and reaction fill the pages as Alan Lightman's mind breathes every nuance of life, every consideration. Amidst the contemplations, humor mingles with memories and astute observations. I kept thinking: "I feel all my life past was a beautiful prison from which I unwillingly escaped."

Alan Lightman revels in the sense of adventure he creates through imaginative descriptions of all that occurred or could have occurred. Are memories how we imagine life could have been or how life actually occurred?

Does it matter? Alan's recollections are worth reading twice. He creates ambience and nostalgia in one sentence. Nostalgia for rain drenched sidewalks I have never walked on and musty libraries I wish to visit or return to hours later in memory. His powers of observation flow into a complete unveiling of appearances and private passions.

Reunion is an escape into a world of imaginative observation. Even Alan Lightman's recollections of college and college roommates become an introduction to his main character's inclinations. We follow hearts through secret pains and pleasures. As Charles, a middle-aged professor, decides to attend his thirtieth college reunion, he remembers his senior year. He wanders with his twenty-two-year-old self in 1960 and the entire book become a journey to a past he so desperately wants to relive in memory.

I am so in love with the writing in this book, I hardly mind that a person named Charles wanders in the pages and is in love with a beautiful dancer. I want to know more about how Alan Lightman views the world. His characters seem to me a backdrop for his heart's revelations. This is an obsession with love and life itself and I love the way the writing style changes and keeps your full attention. At times you are reading a novel, at times a memory and at times you have become so seduced by sentence structure, you are lost in a world of words and you are in love.

~The Rebecca Review

Well-written and insightful essays on the influence of our human-ness on our creation and use of technology. Interesting portraits of some of the world's leading scientists, and a thoughtful study of how technology has changed the experience of being human.

Lightman tells his experience from 1950's to the 1990's in these thrilling yet scientific stories. He starts when he was a teen sitting around the house making projects like a spark-generating induction coil from movies like "Frankenstein" and getting his poetic writing from his role models. Later on in the story he shows his emotion when he was almost finshed with the project about Einstein's theory when someone from across the world got there first. At that time Lightman understands that the answer to the prombles in science was already there it's just needs to be found. In the late years of this book he starts to write again in a whole collection of essays talking about other scientist and the work they were credit with. If at all you get to read this book it in time would inhance your intellagance about poetic writing and most of all science. This book would be one of the top ten list if you were going into any field of science or writing.

Alan Lightman is one of those rare individuals who has a solid background in both physics and the humanities. As a result, he has been able to write this very enjoyable collection of essays dealing with the human context of science, especially physics. None of the essays are ultra profound, but they're still insightful enough to make worthwhile reading, especially considering that the amount of literature in this genre is fairly limited. This book reminds me of "Feynman's Rainbow" by Leonard Mlodinow, which I also found to be very enjoyable and, like Mlodinow's book, Lightman's book is a quick read.

As other reviewers have noted, the specific essay topics are a mixed bag including autobiography, biography, the relationship between math and physics, the nature and experience of scientific inquiry, and other broader topics such as the influence of technology in human life.

As indicated in my title, if you have at least a popular-level familiarity with modern physics, and can also appreciate the humanities, I predict that you will find this book to be quite enjoyable, and perhaps also somewhat enlightening. I enjoyed reading the book, and I expect that I will read it again in the future.

Comprised of essays from different years, this is an excellent book for those about to embark on studies in the sciences, or for those who like finding out what drives people to do what they do. The writings fall into two categories: the autobiographical pieces where Lightman tells us about how and why he became a physicist then novelist, and the others, which are essentially short bios of different figures in the sciences, like Einstein or Richard Feynman. I enjoyed the former more, mostly because the reader feels close to the author's enthusiasm, his sense of discovery and enlightenment. The distinctions Lightman makes between the Arts and the Sciences are also revealing, especially in discussions of the individual and of `naming'. This book is highly recommended.

This clearly and at times beautifully written work often takes on the character of intellectual autobiography. Lightman tells of his youthful enthusiasm for Science, his work under his mentors William Gerace, Robert Naumann, Martin Rees, and Kip Thorne. He writes about the process of work in science in fascinating intellectual portraits of Einstein, Feynmann, Teller and the astronomer Vera Rubin. He extends the analysis in writing about the way Metaphor can be vital in scientific discovery and explanation. He writes a chapter on how 'Words' in Science provide clear 'naming'( denotative meaning) while in Literature they are more hidden and multiple( Connotative meaning) He in one startling chapter tells how at the age of thirty- five he realized that his best scientific work was behind him, and followed his youthful plan to become a writer-novelist. In this chapter he contrasts the often frustrating , difficult problem of solving scientific problems with the day-to-day seemingly simpler satisfaction of the novelist. And here he indicates that nothing can quite compete with the creative joy of answering a scientific question definitely and precisely- and in so doing knowing one has an answer which is universal. And this in comparison to the always somewhat unclear result of one's own literary efforts.
Lightman's love for science and his genuine interest in the work of others, and their personal struggle give this book an extra dimension of intensity in feeling.
His excitement and enthusiasm with creative work is best indicated in the chapter which gives its title to the work. He cites Einstein," The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious.It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science"
Lightman then provides his understanding of Einstein's words.
" I don't think he meant that science is full of unpredictable or unknowable supernatural forces.I believe that he meant a
sense of awe, a sense that there are things larger than us, that we do not have all the answers at this moment. A sense that we can stand right at the edge between known and unknown and gaze into that cavern and be exhilirated rather than frightened.
Now he adds his own autobiographical confession.
" Just as Einstein suggested I have experienced that beautiful mystery both as a scientist and as a novelist. As a physicist, in the infinite mystery ofphysical nature.As a novelist , in the infinite mystery of human nature and the power of words to portray some of that mystery."
An exhilirating work.

This book made me dream and think about my life and me. Thought me the magic of writng and the reasons behind it..." For one's delight, to give the same pleasure to others, to go back and find meaning in what we wrote or simply dismiss it..." The essay format made it a simple and enjoyable reading and made me look for more of his work. I read Einstein's Dreams, although I was dissapointed his writing style pull me to look for this book, this one is a great one. Einstein's Dreams left me waiting for a conclusion or a dialog with "The Great One"

These 24 essays, written during the past 15 years, were chosen because, on retrospection, they pleased the author. They are sure to please the reader, too. Their stage is the ever-fascinating interface between science and the arts.

Have you ever pondered that the upward force generated by the churning electrons and protons in the molecules of the stage floor opposes and exactly counterbalances the downward force that the weight of the ballerina exerts on the floor? Or that as she completes her leap, the earth's orbit readjusts itself by a trillionth of an atom's width? Lightman has pondered these and other matters, and describes all in graceful, accurate and compelling prose.

Several events in the book, like the building of a bomb shelter, appear in a fictional setting in Lightman's novel "Good Benito," leading me to wonder if other chapters of his first novel are autobiographical, also.

Several humorous essays describe imaginary visits by Newton, Einstein, and others to Lightman's twilight zone. These visits always end with an unexpectd twist, leaving this reader gasping for reality--and for more.

One of Lightman's many perceptive messages can be found on p. 95 where he says, "Science offers little comfort to anyone who asks to leave behind a personal message in his work." Of course, this impersonality is undoubtedly the key to the great success of science. But in bringing his own wry and perceptive slant to 'writing' about science, Lightman is able to have his cake and eat it too, conveying an entertaining message which is both scientifically informative and yet gratifyingly personal.

Last weekend, I was wandering through my local bookstore when I chanced upon Alan P. Lightman's collection of essays DANCE FOR TWO. I remembered reading Lightman's EINSTEIN DREAMS and GOOD BENITO in college over 10 years ago, when I picked them up from the student bookstore because I liked the way the books felt in my hand, and, after reading them, I liked the way Lightman's prose stuck in my memory.

So I added DANCE FOR TWO to my stack of purchases and read it over the last two nights. I was not disappointed.

DANCE FOR TWO is a collection of 24 short essays that Lightman has published over the last 15 years in various magazines and journals. Each essay is written in a economical, nearly austere, style that is reminiscent of the clear, autumn days on the East Coast that must have influenced Lightman. Though the prose is spare and distilled, the essays themselves are strangely moving. In reading, "Smile", a boy-meets-girl story reduced to the mechanics of the eye, ear, and brain, I got choked up when I read the ending lines "All of this is known. What is not known is why, after about a minute, the man walks over to the woman and smiles." I still don't know why I got choked up.

Unfortunately, like any collection of short works, some of the essays that would be quite enjoyable on their own pale in comparisons to the more beautiful siblings. While most of the essays here are excellent, one or two only rise to the merely good.

The subject of these essays is ostensibly about the role of science in everyday human experience, and Lightman does a masterful job of communicating sometimes complex topics into common language. But, as the title of the collection suggests, a dualistic theme pervades throughout the book. In particular, Lightman is constantly comparing and contrasting science and art, finding the hidden creative and human aspects in the hard sciences, as well as craft and objective nature of art. Lightman also explores other dualistic notions.

In his essay "Students and Teachers", Lightman explores the two seemingly opposite roles and finds their hidden connections. In his fable "Mirage", Lightman explores the difference between theorizing on the world and having the courage to act on those theories when he creates a city in Persia where the inhabitants seem enringed by distant fortress walls. In "Flash of Light," Lightman discusses the difference between theoretical science and experimental science by examining a humorous episode in his attempt at experimental science. In "Seasons", Lightman contrasts the certainty provided by the world of physics with the messiness and uncertainty of the political climate on college campuses during the Vietnam War. In "Pas De Dux", Lightman explores the effect of the dancer on the earth she dances upon. The ending paragraph of this essay is quite beautiful. "For an ending, the ballerina does a demi-plie and jumps two feet in the air. The Earth, balancing her momentum, responds with its own sauté and changes orbit by one ten-trillionth of an atom's width. No one notices, but it is exactly right."

But perhaps the biggest dualistic theme threading its way throughout this book is the relationship between the reader and the writer. In his Introduction, Lightman warns us that "writing is a selfish and self-centered profession," and he remarks on the pleasure he receives on going through his old works and being surprised at the small fraction that is pleasing. But while Lightman may be performing this task egotistically, one gets the texture of humility throughout all of his essays. Lightman, rather than being proud of his writing ability, seems more amazed by it, as if his writing ability was another type of natural phenomena outside of the author to be studied and measured if it can. And if it cannot be subjected to the tools of science, then it should at least be appreciated for the beauty it provides.

And that seems exactly right.

Dav's Rating System:
5 stars - Loved it, and kept it on my bookshelf.
4 stars - Liked it, and gave it to a friend.
3 stars - OK, finished it and gave it to the library.
2 stars - Not good, finished it, but felt guilty and/or cheated by it.
1 star - I want my hour back! Didn't finish the book.

many, if not most, scientists beleive in evolution and that science is the leading force of this universe. Alan Lightman so simply proves it not so. Through everyday circumstances he displays a larger force at work, a demonstration rarely seen, heard, or read. My career is in the science field and the internal battle between science and religion is constant in my life. Now I read 'Smile' and 'In His Image' when I question that. All of these essays are brilliant and insightful. I recommend this book not only to my friends, but my librarian as well.

Brilliantly written stories whose themes revolve around science and scientists and their interactions with art, society, history and life in general. Gives science a human touch, makes it more personal and approachable to anyone. Makes us think about the universe around us and the lives we lead and how everything untimately ties together. I liked it even more the second time I read it.

Well compiled collection of essays about technology and its impact in the world. This book was required for a class but I found the essays very thought-provoking. I will definitely read all the remaining essays when I have the opportunity to do so.

This is a supurb book. Science and technology threaten to recreate both nature outside and nature within--our minds, our bodies, society, and the physical world. This book takes a balanced look at these contentious topics--with essays from a wide range of luminaries--raising questions that are sure to become more important over the next few years.
The book is ideally suited for undergraduate courses in science and society, sociology, and policy. It also makes for an entertaining read for scientists and citizens who are concerned about the future of humanity.

"Living with the Genie" is an excellent, important, timely, thought provoking book on human's complex relationship with science and technology. As with any collection of essays, the quality level varies, with a few essays really standing out, although not one of them is bad. The main theme here is not pro-or anti-technology per se, but simply that rapid technological and scientific progress has huge implications for humans, so we'd better give the issue some serious thought. The overarching question, as alluded to by the title, is how we live with the "genie" of rapid technological change, now that it's out of the bottle.

Perhaps my favorite essay is the one by Richard Powers, which actually had me rather rattled. Even at the end of Powers' piece, I couldn't decide if what he described really happened to him, or if it was the basis for a new, Matrix-like sci-fi plot on Artificial Intelligence run amok. In addition to Powers, the chapter by Ray Kurzweil is also fascinating, although a bit repetitive if you've read Kurzweil's book, "The Age of Spiritual Machines." Still, Kurzweil's musings are fascinating, as he ponders whether or not the combination of robotics, biotechnology, and nanotech might be the doom of us all, or whether instead it might lead to a new age in which humans evolve into a hybrid man-machine species like the Borg in Star Trek.

Other chapters in the book present further riffs on various aspects of technology and science. D. Michelle Addington writes an intriguing, if somewhat confusing, chapter on one particular technology -- HVAC -- to illustrate how "our technological world is constructed by our beliefs and not necessarily by progress or science." Lori Andrews discusses genetic engineering of humans and a world in which "people may be treated as products." Gregor Wolbring contributes a well executed chapter on technology and the concept of "disability." Philip Kitcher discusses the types of science that "should be done." Christina Desser's chapter provides a literary meditation on technology and human "connectedness." Finally, Alan Lightman discusses the feeling that technology is intruding into the most private aspects of life, interfering even with the ability to think quietly, to "waste time," and to connect (that word again) with one's soul.

All in all, this is a fine collection of essays, well worth reading in today's world of tremendous technological promise -- and threat.

This is a thoughtful and thought-provoking collection of essays of the pros and cons of science and technology, from an interesting range of scientists. Unlike many books on this subject, it's a fast read, because it's beautifully written. You can hear the wise voices of the authors. We should listen to them.

Many critics of writings on the relationship between society and its technologies presume that any "negative" assessment (that a technology is inappropriate, that it is moving too fast, that it is too expensive, etc.) indicates the authors are anti-technology Luddites, or just too dense to "get it." It would not surprise me if this happens with this collection of essays as well, and that is unfortunate, as the feeling one takes away at the end of the book is anything but negative in regard to technology and society.

Each of the essays is individually valuable (and quite well-written; some are quite nuanced and require careful reading), but I found them most powerful taken as a whole: science, technology, engineering, innovation...these are good: both good as values in themselves and good for society as a whole. The message that the authors are collectively trying to communicate is that technology (and thus its creators, scientists and engineers) is *part of* the social fabric, not something outside or overarching. The authors ask us to think critically about the use of specific technologies in society, and about the processes we use to shepherd these technologies into everyday use. This is not a reaction to feeling powerless in the face of technology. It is a positive, proactive approach to outlining what kinds of technologies might best let us realize our potentials, both as inviduals and as society as a whole; and to begin to attack the more difficult problem of determining when a problem can be technologically solved, and when it requires other kinds of expertise.

While the questioning of invention, development, and introduction of new technologies per se into everyday use might never be acceptable to those with an absolute belief that technology, science, engineering, etc., are "good", for everyone else, this kind of questioning should be thought of as a net positive: by introducing the right kinds of technology at the right time in the right place, all technologies are potentially more useful and more readily acceptable. For anyone who has been thinking about the fascinating, complex relationship between society and technology, this book will have you both nodding in agreement and questioning long-held views.