Description

‘One of the most accomplished and important science writers of our time’ ED YONG
‘Chanda Prescod-Weinstein brings light to our universe’ ROBIN INCE

In The Edge of Space-Time, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein takes readers to the boundaries of the universe, inviting us to spend time at the edge of what we know about space-time – and about ourselves.

Guided by her conviction that science is for everybody, Prescod-Weinstein renders accessible some of the most abstract concepts of theoretical physics and draws on poetry and popular culture – from Queen Latifah to Lewis Carroll to Big K.R.I.T. to Sun Ra and Star Trek – to tell fascinating stories about the fundamental quantum nature of space-time and everything inside of it.

Here we meet the quantum cat that is both dead and alive, learn the difference between dark matter and dark energy, explore the inner workings of black holes and investigate the possibility of a unified theory of quantum gravity.

Through Prescod-Weinstein’s clear-eyed and unique perspective, and informed by her deep knowledge of post-colonial history and Black feminist thought, The Edge of Space-Time argues that physics is an essential way for everyone to look at the universe and presents a compelling case that ‘the edge’ is a powerful vantage point from which to see the big picture. Prescod-Weinstein also shows us how spending time with the cosmos is a vital human activity that enriches all our lives.

Publisher Review

With this extraordinary book, Prescod-Weinstein cements her status as one of the most accomplished and important science writers of our time; as polymath, griot, teacher and more; as the guide to the universe that we don’t deserve but absolutely need. She has given us a book about physics as story and metaphor, as revelation and revolution, as answer and antidote. It’s suffused with gorgeous poetry, full of righteous anger and frequently very, very funny — ED YONG, author of AN IMMENSE WORLD Chanda Prescod-Weinstein brings light to the universe. This is a book of beautiful ideas about our cosmos, but it is a book of poetry too. This is what science books should be, full of love and fascination and a sense of how vital progress is, not just in how we view the universe but how we view each other — ROBIN INCE, comedian, actor and author Lots of books talk about the universe. The Edge of Space-Time talks about the universe from the perspective of a real human living within it – a person with a body, embedded in a community, burdened by history, fuelled by curiosity, sustained by hope. A great read for any human being who lives in the universe — SEAN CARROLL, author of THE BIGGEST IDEAS IN THE UNIVERSE Nothing short of mind-blowing . . . A brilliant book that explores what we can learn about life here on Earth by looking up * * Book Riot * * A lyrical, genre-defying exploration of the universe that dances at the intersection of physics, pop culture and Black intellectual thought, this book invites readers to see the cosmos not just through equations, but through the rhythms of music, the textures of art and the power of storytelling — RUHA BENJAMIN, author of RACE AFTER TECHNOLOGY A cosmologist and particle physicist who also happens to be a great writer with wonderful cross-cultural fluencies, Prescod-Weinstein seems possessed of an off-kilter and roving curiosity ideally suited to answering all the bigger questions about where we are, why we’re here and where, exactly, are we going * * LitHub * * Yet another book by Dr. Prescod-Weinstein that I’ll want to bring up in every conversation! Whatever you thought you would learn about space-time, you’ll get that and so much more from this deft weave of quantum physics and cultural wisdom — MOIYA McTIER, author of THE MILKY WAY Humanity shines through her writing. One feels a mind present on the page, actively working through ideas, producing a text that’s engaging and alive. For readers put off by the overwhelmingly male, white, heteronormative world of physics, here is a warm, impassioned welcome * * Kirkus * * Of course, the most politically audacious book I’ve read in decades would be a book about physics and space. In The Edge of Space-Time, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein shows us that we are here because we have always been there . . . making and reckoning with space. An absolute instant classic and an intergalactic monument. Read this now — KIESE LAYMON, author of HEAVY An enthralling introduction to the universe, The Edge of Space-Time reminds us all that stargazing is the work of generations of physicists and poets, and people both enslaved and free. Dr. Chanda Prescod-Weinstein invites us to imagine grander, queerer theories for our cosmic future and, along the way, achieves the unthinkable: she makes physics accessible and funny. A paean to caring for the unknown and the unknowable, this is a book for anyone in any world — SABRINA IMBLER, author of HOW FAR THE LIGHT REACHES