Excellent collection of essays on the current state of cosmology. The only major problem withe collection is the lack of illustrations and diagrams. Proper use of thoughtful illustrations could have made this an exceptional book. ( )

There's some very interesting topics here, but are unfortunately very hard to read. A few chapters, for example, seem to be transcriptions of lectures and as such were meant to be spoken and not read. This is an important difference.

This is a pity, specially because the topics covered are interesting to the reader interested in the landscape of physics in recent years. Otherwise, this book provides an interesting vantage point from where one can see how scientific theories can clash at the edge of knowledge. Good content, poor form for a book. ( )

I have followed Edge.org for a while and had looked forward to reading one of their publications. This book, The Universe, seemed like an excellent opportunity. Unfortunately, I was disappointed in the collection.

The content is good. The book presents various explorations in and explanations on the universe. And there is no doubt this represents some of the best thinkers/scientists on the subject.

But, there was nothing within the book that excited me. As I have noticed with any collection where researchers and scientists are brought together to provide an overview of a subject, there is a lot of redundancy. And it has the same problem so many other research-based writing collections have; it doesn’t particularly grab me as a reader. Now, I recognize that is not the full purpose. But, when edge.org is driving the publication, the reader expects a little more.

That is not to say that this book is particularly boring. Nor does it go over most readers’ heads. But, in spite of the variety of topics (and disagreement on topics), there is a sameness to what is presented here. And, while I didn’t feel like giving up (as in, this was not particularly a slog to read through), neither was I jumping at every chance to dive back in.

There is interesting information here. And there is important information here. But I have seldom run into a book that so squarely belongs in the three-star category. Sure, it was fine, and if you want to read it, feel free. But don’t blame my recommendation if it doesn’t live up to your expectations. ( )

The offerings in this collection provide a look at what some of the worlds leading experts are working on and thinking about in the realm of theoretical physics. The quality of the writing varies widely, as one might expect from a collection of essays by multiple people. The prose ranges from childishly simple to quite technical. A few even exhibit some artistic flair with words. But all are interesting. One, perhaps untended, revelation is a glimpse of egos, and the (mostly) polite clash of egos in cases where scientists do not agree. That can happen when the data needed to confirm or kill a theory isn't available.

( )

Some of the authors of the essays ramble more than just a bit in making their point. Others of the essays are not much more than narcissitic advertising. The essays also are not always on point to the topic of the Universe. As with allbooks of this type, each makes you think. ( )