Description

THE PHENOMENAL BESTSELLER FROM THE AUTHOR OF WHITE HOLES

One of the Best Books of the 21st Century according to The Guardian

‘The perfect antidote to the fluff and nonsense around right now. Learn how the world is and how you might just fit in’ Simon Mayo

These seven short lessons guide us, with simplicity and clarity, through the scientific revolution that shook physics in the twentieth century and still continues to shake us today. In this mind-bending overview of modern physics, Carlo Rovelli explains Einstein’s theory of general relativity, quantum mechanics, black holes, the complex architecture of the universe, elementary particles, gravity, and the nature of the mind.

Not since Richard Feynman’s celebrated Six Easy Pieces has physics been so vividly, intelligently and entertainingly revealed.

Translated by Simon Carnell and Erica Segre

Publisher Review

A sensation... The new cult book -- Katie Law * Evening Standard * There's a book I've been carrying around like a small Bible, Seven Brief Lessons on Physics -- Benedict Cumberbatch Absolutely fascinating... explains the entire universe in 79 pages -- Steve Wright * BBC Radio 2 * The man who makes physics sexy... The new Hawking... His writing is luminous. By the time I had finished reading I was in serious awe of the author -- David Aaronovitch * The Times * Honestly I cannot recommend it too strongly... One of the fastest selling science titles of all time because it is so clear -- Jeremy Vine * BBC Radio 2 * The perfect antidote to the fluff and nonsense around right now. Learn how the world is and how you might just fit in -- Simon Mayo * Daily Mirror * The essays in Seven Brief Lessons on Physics arrive like shots of espresso, which you can consume the way the Italians do, quickly and while standing up -- Dwight Garner * New York Times * The most fun physicist to be with -- as well as the greatest explainer of physics -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times * With the publication of his million-selling Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, Carlo Rovelli took his place with Stephen Hawking and Richard Feynman as one of the great popularisers of modern theoretical physics -- Sam Leith * Spectator * A global superstar... Professor Rovelli is making the grammar of the universe accessible to a new generation * Channel 4 News * The physicist transforming how we see the universe * Financial Times * Surely Rovelli deserves the title 'world's most inspiring physics teacher' * Daily Telegraph * An amuse bouche for some of the ideas that are wrapped up in 20th-century astrophysics where it borders on philosophy. Millions have digested this little treat -- Adam Rutherford * Guardian * If you've ever wanted to understand physics better, read Carlo Rovelli's masterful book, Seven Brief Lessons on Physics. One of the world's leading scientists, he explains concepts like relativity, quantum mechanics and black holes with an elegance and clarity that reminded me of Richard Feynman... You will probably find yourself coming back to it again and again -- Fareed Zakaria Wonderfully clear and vivid. Carlo Rovelli manages to convey the mystery of very large things and very small things with brilliant effect -- Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials A sublime read... The triumph of this book is that it educates you, guides you, and brings you bang up to date with the central issues in theoretical physics today... Intriguing, captivating and magical -- Ivor Mason * I Newspaper * If you want to understand what gets physicists out of bed in the morning, there is no better guide than Rovelli... Seven Brief Lessons on Physics is an absorbing, lovely book... This is physics as romantic poetry and, by God, it's beguiling -- Michael Brooks * New Statesman * A startling and illustrative distillation of centuries of science... The book's triumph lies not only in presenting some of the headiest stuff science has produced in so few pages, but also in giving real insight into how science treats those ideas * Economist * There have been plenty of attempts in recent years to explain the basic concepts of physics to us, but few as elegant and concise as Carlo Rovelli's... there's enough food for thought here to last a lifetime -- Nick Rennison * Daily Mail * Sparse, elegant and most of all readable... at the end of it you feel more clever. Rovelli has achieved something unheard of in books about theoretical physics: most of the people who have started his book have also probably finished it -- Tom Whipple * The Times * A surprise bestseller... the most interesting of the year's science books * Daily Telegraph * It is amazing that such a short book can dig to such satisfying depths -- Stephen Curry * Guardian * The slim volume is stereotypically the province of poetry, but this beautifully designed little book shows that science, with its curiosity, its intense engagement with what there really is, its readiness to jettison received ways of seeing, is a kind of poetry too * Financial Times * Rovelli has a rare knack for conveying the top line of scientific theories in clear and compelling terms without succumbing to the lure of elaborate footnotes... a breath of fresh air -- Nicola Davis * Observer * A slim poetic meditation... Rovelli belongs to a great Italian tradition of one-culture science writing that encompasses the Roman poet Lucretius, Galileo, Primo Levi and Italo Calvino. The physics here is comprehensible and limpid, and Rovelli gives it an edge through his clear-eyed humanistic interpretations -- Best science books * Independent * The book to read if you know very little about modern physics but want to begin to grasp its wonder, and the potential it has to enrich our understanding of the universe and our place in it -- Nicholas Lezard * Guardian * Totally gripping. . . full of thought-provoking ideas. . . very beautiful -- Harriet Gilbert * A Good Read Radio 4 * If you only ever read one book on physics, read this. Beautifully written and engaging -- Rowan Coleman, author of We Are All Made of Stars The rare book about physics that can be ingested in a single sitting -- Alexandra Alter * New York Times * Utterly blown away by the concise beauty of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics by Carlo Rovelli. Science as poetry. Awe inspiring -- Michael Bhaskar, author of The Content Machine No one should hold office unless they have read Carlo Rovelli's Seven Brief Lessons on Physics -- Nick Harkaway, author of The Gone-Away World and Angelmaker Brilliant... Rovelli writes with clarity and verve, vividly bringing to life concepts that can often appear incomprehensible, and inviting readers to see the world anew. Few writers, let alone physicists, capture the beauty of nature and the excitement of its discovery in such clear, rich prose... It's hard to imagine a more coherent, inspiring introduction to modern physics. It really is an enchanting little volume * New Scientist * Carlo Rovelli has never been afraid to challenge the status quo -- Morgan Freeman * Science Channel * A love letter to physics. You can't believe everyone isn't reading this, and you want to tell everyone about it... thrilling -- Felicity Ward I loved this book. The final chapter is filled with breathless amazement and humble awe... it's almost trippy -- Harriet Gilbert