The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe | Roger Penrose

The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe | Roger Penrose | Definitely a brain builder

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The Road to Realit...

	The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe Roger Penrose Vintage, 2007 - 1136 pages average customer review:based on 162 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Much

Once again I need to remind potential readers that this is NOT a textbook or a reference work. It is written for the educated layman. It may have errors and omissions but these do not affect the net result. It is also not a coffee-table book, which can be picked up and browsed at leisure. Like all good works it takes effort to assimilate and repays the reader in heaps.

Some find the maths difficult. I can only say this: you will search far and wide before you find a book, which makes the mathematical foundations of the laws of nature as accessible as this. Penrose describes, explains and often illustrates all of the concepts he deals with in a singularly clear and accessible manner. His chapters on quantum mathematics and quantum physics should be published separately. They are a brilliant example of technical clarity.

Someone complained that if you don't understand calculus then you wouldn't be able to understand this book. Not quite correct! If you don't understand (a bit of) calculus then you won't be able to understand the laws of the Universe - with or without this book.

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Definitely a brain builder

Although this book is definitely not for beginners I would recommend this book for someone who is interested in learning more about the inner working of the universe.

Who is this book for?

I concur with what some other reviewers pointed out: who is this book for? Be it a college textbook, it covers too much and probably lacks depth in at least some (if not most) topics; be it a "popular science" book, it contains too much math. If one were to read this book from cover to cover, it would probably take at least 6 months of concentrated work. I don't think I am that "thick-headed", in fact I have a B.S. in physics and a master's in engineering, I can work out the math in this book if I wanted to spend the time. But that is not really what I was looking for in a book like this -- if I wanted to worked out all the math, then I would have gone on to get a Ph.D. in physics (or mathematics) instead. I was more looking for a Asimov type of book.

I have no doubt that Penrose is a celebrated scientist and it pains me to write a review like this. In fact I would have give it two or even one stars if not for the respect for the author. I am really surprised that so many people wrote raving reviews for this book: did they really spend the time to read, not to mention *understand* this book, or they want to tag themselves as a member of the "elite club"?

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