This book gets three stars, but one the stars is a nostalgia star. From age 16 or so, when I first read it, this was my favorite book. Namely because I didn't read very many books at that point in my life. It resonated with my angst- and love-ridden soul because the main character, Bennett Lang, sometimes got to go to bed with women.

Upon reading it now, 10 years after the fact, the book is wanting in a several departments. None of the characters are fleshed out. Dramatic events whose effects could be drastically heightened by proper setting-up fall flat instead. The plot is a sort of brief meander through this character's life, and if there are any overarching themes I missed them.

That's not to say there isn't some good stuff. It's a pleasant and quick read, and there are some nice turns along the way. I wanted to love this book again, but unfortunately it's just sketchy, in the literal sense.

Re-reading this makes me afraid to re-read 'The Perks of Being A Wallflower,' another teen-aged favorite. ( )

A moving portrait of the lifestyle of a theoretical physicst. Probably of limited appeal to those who don't spend their days inside their own minds, but if you are serious about becoming a theoretical physicist, I highly recommend "Good Benito" ( )

I didn't enjoy this novel as much as Lightman's other (Einstein's Dreams), but I did enjoy reading it. I found it interesting to see life, love, and humanity from the point of view of a scientist. ( )