W. W. Norton & Company The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory

My son enjoyed this book

This is an impressive work that explains the highly complex non-intuituve string theory in amazingly lucid clear writing style to the general public. Similar to many physics books  which survey classical theories for the readers, Greene offers his own elucidation on relative motion in special relativity and in  warped space in general relatvity that is even more detailed and clear than some physics text books. His transition of how String theory offers a solution to bridge general relatvity and quantum mechanics because of String theory's geometry to cope with quantum undulation at the microscopic scale is very intuitive and helpful. His explanations on how the 3 families of particles in Standard Theory are best explained by just variations of vibrating strings frequency and strength are also relatable and convincing.Greene's use of the garden hose universe to explain the curled up dimensions in string theory and how they are  hidden from and connected to extended dimensions is exceptionally lucid and helpful, making us easy to grasp how 3 extended space dimensions we experience are related to 6 curled up space dimensions, together with time making up 10 dimensions. The 9 dimensions don't just crumbled up in any shape but in a unique 6 dimensional Calabi-Yau shape derived from many researchers calculations. Hence, the universe is made up of the Calabi-Yau shape manifold in curled up 9 dimensional space configuration together with time. The final 11th dimension space is explained by the need of the two dimensional membranes in M theory which is used to resolve the dilemma of 5 version of string theory. Greene further explained that the five versions are just different depiction of string theory with three of which Type 1, Herotic O, and Herotic E being large/small radius duality equivalence of each other and with the rest of the two, Type IIA and Type IIB, having the same reciprocal dualiy. This whole 11 dimensional geometric scheme development is carefully and lucidly written with unmatched clarity over these connected concepts of Kaluza-Klein theory, Calabi-Yau, shapes and M theory.Though Greene does not use the actual equations from perturbation approach and Kaluza-Klein geometry of String theory to flesh out his explanations, it is still not easy to conceptually grasp the concepts of String Theory for anyone who does not have university level education in physics or mathematics. Greene actually warns his readers about the difficulty of the subject despite his best effort. It takes work to get through this work.Another feature I like in any physics books is the anecdote stories of the journey of the physicists doing research. Greene shared his stories of his journey in String theory. The separate research efforts on the mirror symmetry Calabi-Yau shapes for space tearing flop between Greene's group, to include Aspinfall and Morrison, while at Princeton, and Witten is an interesting story. Greene also included various stories of String theory second revolution in 1995.Overall, this book is a brilliantly clear introduction to string theory that is going to be a classic.

Written in 1999, I found this was not for the faint hearted, e.g. my background is the Arts with a life-long fascination with science. When necessary, it is illustrated with quality black-and-white diagrams which help. Brian Greene writes well and, as the title suggests, sees the Universe, not “just as” cut-and-dried science. The more he discovers/explains, the more he recognises the elegance. He writes with the clarity of Richard Dawkins, Jim al Khalili, Jacob Bronowski, appreciating the wonder, seeing the links.The book is divided into five sections, then sub-divided:1. Edge of Knowledge2. Dilemma of Space, Time and Quanta3. Cosmic Symphony4. String Theory and Fabric of Spacetime5. Unification in the Twentieth CenturyFor many, the first sections will be more comfortable reading, the latter being more challenging in which, on occasions, I felt like a twenty-first century Columbus, challenged all the way with new material and ideas. Space and Time in section two become Spacetime in section four and he ponders whether the fabric of the universe can be torn and, if so, what will result.“Einstein’s general relativity says no, the fabric of space cannot tear. The equations of general relativity are firmly rooted in Riemannian geometry … the underlying mathematical formalism requires that the substrate of space is ‘smooth’ …” (P. 263) He then considers the results of irregularities, tears, dents and bumps, a universe in which Einstein’s theory breaks down and quantum physics facilitates this new understanding.For non-physicists, be prepared to read sections more than one but be prepared also for the elegance to emerge as the brain fabric is stretched into new knowledge.Well worth the effort to keep up with Mr Greene.

Exquisitely written and explains the basics of string theory. Good packaging and the book got quality, and I'm in love with this elegant subtle cover page it got.

The author talks about important facts of the general relativity. Next he has an approach to the mirror symmetry. It is interesting the words of Yau, who admits that by mathematical view, the mrror symmetry is only conjectural and probably also in error. It needs to aspect the job of Batyrev for an exact proof. Nevertheless it born several models about the physics of the strings. Greene explicates those arguments with a strong passion and a nice style.