The Whole Shebang: A State-of-the-Universe(s) Report

I love Ferris' books. The first one I read was The Red Limit and I liked the way he managed to explain a lot of complicated stuff in a simple manner. But I have read many books on the topic with similar comments for various authors (like Briane Green). What makes Ferris different is his candid writing style, which makes the reader feel as if s/he were reading the transcript of a lecture rather than a book.

Moreoever, in The Whole Shebang, Ferris skirts the ideas of philosophy and religion. A book on the genesis of the Universe would be incomplete without considering philosophical thoughts; and that's why I like this book more than those of other scientists, who refuse to delve into the realm of philosophy.

All in all, if one wants to read show more about the theories on the origins of the Universe, this book would and should be in the to-read list. The simplicity and yet the depth of the book will definitely astonish any serious reader. show less

Thoroughly enjoyable summary of our knowledge of the universe. Ferris is an excellent science writer.

Ferris, Timothy. The Whole Shebang. Simon & Schuster, New York, 1997. Amazingly easy to read. My only complaint is that there is little material in the book that I didn't already know---although T.F. can hardly be blamed for my background! However, it's amazing how effortless he made the explanations seem. I particularly enjoyed his section on quantum weirdness (new material for me). I wish he'd gone into more detail into the physics of some of the theories---however, I realize that isn't appropriate for a general audience.

A great follow up to books like Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time. Anyone who enjoys that book is sure to enjoy this as well. The stuff on quantum weirdness is just absolutely mindblowing!

A State-of-the-Universe Report