In Search of Time: The Science of a Curious Dimension - Hardcover

Falk, Dan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 031237478X ISBN 13: 9780312374785

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books, 2008

Synopsis

Chronicles the history of time-telling prior to the advent of accurate clocks, offering insight into how humans in earlier historical periods evaluated and experienced time and subsequently developed their civilizations. By the author of Universe on a T-Shirt. 15,000 first printing.

About this title

Review

"Falk's book is what Hawking's [A Brief History of Time] should have been." -- "Ottawa Citizen
""Falk seamlessly combines science with literary and philosophical observations ... and digresses to fascinating topics like root notions of past and future, the vagaries of memory and the behavior of birds at breakfast time. Rounding out his multi-course feast, Falk contrasts Newton's notion of '[a]bsolute, true, and mathematical' time with Einstein's final words in 1955, 'the distinction of past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion, ' to present modern speculations on black holes and the universe's future." -- "Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"Dan Falk is a riveting writer: his latest book is almost unputdownable. He covers an eclectic range of fascinating topics -- from prehistory to the far future. Time is a mysterious commodity: we gain, spend, save and lose it. But everyone should make enough time to read In Search of Time." -- Martin J. Rees, author of Just Six Numbers and Our Final Hour

"From the Hardcover edition."

"Falk's book is what Hawking's "Brief History" should have been."--"The Ottawa Citizen" "In this thoroughly readable, broad-sweeping and thought-provoking book, Falk surveys humanity's attempts to record and understand time, and poses some fascinating questions." --"New Scientist" magazine

"An engaging writer who fearlessly tackles potentially brain-freezing topics." --"San Francisco Chronicle"

"Falk selects, organizes and interprets a mass of lore for our enlightenment and pleasure. We owe him."--"Scientific American""Falk is a great writer."--"BBC Focus "

"Falk seamlessly combines science with literary and philosophical observations...and digresses to fascinating topics like root notions of past and future, the vagaries of memory and the behavior of birds at breakfast time." --"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)

"Dan Falk is a riveting writer: his latest book is almost unputdownable. He covers an eclectic range of fascinating topics--from prehistory to the far future. Time is a mysterious commodity: we gain, spend, save, and lose it. But everyone should make enough time to read In Search of Time." --Martin J. Rees, author of "Just Six Numbers" and "Our Final Hour"

PRAISE FOR UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT:

"Mixing simple explanation and personal profiles with touches of philosophy and whimsy, T-Shirt gives a highly accessible introduction to some tough and important physics." --"American Scientist"

"Crisply written, well researched." --"Sky & Telescope"

"[Falk] has a wonderful gift for finding helpful analogies and for writing about science in a way that is accessible without sounding dumbed down." --"Booklist"

"Falk endorses the idea that the best hope for a so-called theory of everything is in string theory, a difficult area of science that Falk nevertheless deftly unravels for the uninitiated." --"Science News"

"Falk delivers a readable, entertaining, and fresh take on the subject. Most significant, he has achieved something original: more cleverly and cleanly than anything I can recall reading, the book itself unifies the story of the search for unifying principles in science." --"The Globe and Mail"

Falk's book is what Hawking's "Brief History" should have been. "The Ottawa Citizen"

In this thoroughly readable, broad-sweeping and thought-provoking book, Falk surveys humanity's attempts to record and understand time, and poses some fascinating questions. "New Scientist magazine"

An engaging writer who fearlessly tackles potentially brain-freezing topics. "San Francisco Chronicle"

Falk selects, organizes and interprets a mass of lore for our enlightenment and pleasure. We owe him. "Scientific American"

Falk is a great writer. "BBC Focus"

Falk seamlessly combines science with literary and philosophical observations...and digresses to fascinating topics like root notions of past and future, the vagaries of memory and the behavior of birds at breakfast time. "Publishers Weekly (starred review)"

Dan Falk is a riveting writer: his latest book is almost unputdownable. He covers an eclectic range of fascinating topics--from prehistory to the far future. Time is a mysterious commodity: we gain, spend, save, and lose it. But everyone should make enough time to read In Search of Time. "Martin J. Rees, author of Just Six Numbers and Our Final Hour"

Mixing simple explanation and personal profiles with touches of philosophy and whimsy, T-Shirt gives a highly accessible introduction to some tough and important physics. "American Scientist on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT"

Crisply written, well researched. "Sky & Telescope on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT"

[Falk] has a wonderful gift for finding helpful analogies and for writing about science in a way that is accessible without sounding dumbed down. "Booklist on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT"

Falk endorses the idea that the best hope for a so-called theory of everything is in string theory, a difficult area of science that Falk nevertheless deftly unravels for the uninitiated. "Science News on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT"

Falk delivers a readable, entertaining, and fresh take on the subject. Most significant, he has achieved something original: more cleverly and cleanly than anything I can recall reading, the book itself unifies the story of the search for unifying principles in science. "The Globe and Mail on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT""

-Falk's book is what Hawking's Brief History should have been.- --The Ottawa Citizen

-In this thoroughly readable, broad-sweeping and thought-provoking book, Falk surveys humanity's attempts to record and understand time, and poses some fascinating questions.- --New Scientist magazine

-An engaging writer who fearlessly tackles potentially brain-freezing topics.- --San Francisco Chronicle

-Falk selects, organizes and interprets a mass of lore for our enlightenment and pleasure. We owe him.- --Scientific American

-Falk is a great writer.- --BBC Focus

-Falk seamlessly combines science with literary and philosophical observations...and digresses to fascinating topics like root notions of past and future, the vagaries of memory and the behavior of birds at breakfast time.- --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

-Dan Falk is a riveting writer: his latest book is almost unputdownable. He covers an eclectic range of fascinating topics--from prehistory to the far future. Time is a mysterious commodity: we gain, spend, save, and lose it. But everyone should make enough time to read In Search of Time.- --Martin J. Rees, author of Just Six Numbers and Our Final Hour

-Mixing simple explanation and personal profiles with touches of philosophy and whimsy, T-Shirt gives a highly accessible introduction to some tough and important physics.- --American Scientist on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT

-Crisply written, well researched.- --Sky & Telescope on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT

-[Falk] has a wonderful gift for finding helpful analogies and for writing about science in a way that is accessible without sounding dumbed down.- --Booklist on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT

-Falk endorses the idea that the best hope for a so-called theory of everything is in string theory, a difficult area of science that Falk nevertheless deftly unravels for the uninitiated.- --Science News on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT

-Falk delivers a readable, entertaining, and fresh take on the subject. Most significant, he has achieved something original: more cleverly and cleanly than anything I can recall reading, the book itself unifies the story of the search for unifying principles in science.- --The Globe and Mail on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT

"Falk's book is what Hawking's Brief History should have been." --The Ottawa Citizen

"In this thoroughly readable, broad-sweeping and thought-provoking book, Falk surveys humanity's attempts to record and understand time, and poses some fascinating questions." --New Scientist magazine

"An engaging writer who fearlessly tackles potentially brain-freezing topics." --San Francisco Chronicle

"Falk selects, organizes and interprets a mass of lore for our enlightenment and pleasure. We owe him." --Scientific American

"Falk is a great writer." --BBC Focus

"Falk seamlessly combines science with literary and philosophical observations...and digresses to fascinating topics like root notions of past and future, the vagaries of memory and the behavior of birds at breakfast time." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Dan Falk is a riveting writer: his latest book is almost unputdownable. He covers an eclectic range of fascinating topics--from prehistory to the far future. Time is a mysterious commodity: we gain, spend, save, and lose it. But everyone should make enough time to read In Search of Time." --Martin J. Rees, author of Just Six Numbers and Our Final Hour

"Mixing simple explanation and personal profiles with touches of philosophy and whimsy, T-Shirt gives a highly accessible introduction to some tough and important physics." --American Scientist on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT

"Crisply written, well researched." --Sky & Telescope on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT

"[Falk] has a wonderful gift for finding helpful analogies and for writing about science in a way that is accessible without sounding dumbed down." --Booklist on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT

"Falk endorses the idea that the best hope for a so-called theory of everything is in string theory, a difficult area of science that Falk nevertheless deftly unravels for the uninitiated." --Science News on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT

"Falk delivers a readable, entertaining, and fresh take on the subject. Most significant, he has achieved something original: more cleverly and cleanly than anything I can recall reading, the book itself unifies the story of the search for unifying principles in science." --The Globe and Mail on UNIVERSE ON A T-SHIRT

About the Author

Dan Falk has written about science for The Boston Globe, The Globe and Mail, The Walrus, Astronomy, Nature, and New Scientist, and has been a regular contributor to the CBC Radio programs Ideas and Quirks and Quarks. His awards include a Gold Medal for Radio Programming from the New York Festivals and the Science Writing Award in Physics and Astronomy from the American Institute of Physics. His first book, Universe on a T-Shirt, won the 2002 Science in Society Journalism Award from the Canadian Science Writers’ Association. He lives in Toronto, Canada.

Edition details

• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 031237478X
• ISBN 13: 9780312374785
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 329