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Stargazers rejoice! Renowned physicist Alan Lightman and
collaborators, with help from the Hubble telescope, light up the
night sky. A dazzling picture book from MIT Kids Press. There is so
much for Ada to do while visiting her grandparents on an island in
Maine, but no amount of beachcombing and kayaking during the day
can take the place of looking at the bright and beautiful stars at
night. She can hardly wait for the sun to set, but will a thick fog
spoil her stargazing plans? Photographs taken from the Hubble
telescope are seamlessly layered with charming illustrations to
beautifully bring to life this enchanting story of a curious child
and her caring grandfather, who share a love for our incredible
night sky and the mysteries it holds.
In Alan Lightman's new book, a verse narrative, we meet a man who
has lost his faith in all things following a mysterious personal
tragedy. After decades of living "hung like a dried fly," emptied
and haunted by his past, the narrator awakens one morning
revitalized and begins a Dante-like journey to find something to
believe in, first turning to the world of science and then to the
world of philosophy, religion, and human life. As his personal
story is slowly revealed, little by little, we confront the great
questions of the cosmos and of the human heart, some questions with
answers and others without.
In Alan Lightman's new book, a verse narrative, we meet a man who
has lost his faith in all things following a mysterious personal
tragedy. After decades of living "hung like a dried fly," emptied
and haunted by his past, the narrator awakens one morning
revitalized and begins a Dante-like journey to find something to
believe in, first turning to the world of science and then to the
world of philosophy, religion, and human life. As his personal
story is slowly revealed, little by little, we confront the great
questions of the cosmos and of the human heart, some questions with
answers and others without.
A series of engaging essays that explore iconic moments of
discovery and debate in physicists' ongoing quest to understand the
quantum world. The ideas at the root of quantum theory remain
stubbornly, famously bizarre: a solid world reduced to puffs of
probability; particles that tunnel through walls; cats suspended in
zombielike states, neither alive nor dead; and twinned particles
that share entangled fates. For more than a century, physicists
have grappled with these conceptual uncertainties while enmeshed in
the larger uncertainties of the social and political worlds around
them, a time pocked by the rise of fascism, cataclysmic world wars,
and a new nuclear age. In Quantum Legacies, David Kaiser introduces
readers to iconic episodes in physicists' still-unfolding quest to
understand space, time, and matter at their most fundamental. In a
series of vibrant essays, Kaiser takes us inside moments of
discovery and debate among the great minds of the era--Albert
Einstein, Erwin Schrödinger, Stephen Hawking, and many more who
have indelibly shaped our understanding of nature--as they have
tried to make sense of a messy world. Ranging across space and
time, the episodes span the heady 1920s, the dark days of the
1930s, the turbulence of the Cold War, and the peculiar political
realities that followed. In those eras as in our own, researchers'
ambition has often been to transcend the vagaries of here and now,
to contribute lasting insights into how the world works that might
reach beyond a given researcher's limited view. In Quantum
Legacies, Kaiser unveils the difficult and unsteady work required
to forge some shared understanding between individuals and across
generations, and in doing so, he illuminates the deep ties between
scientific exploration and the human condition.
Renowned physicist Alan Lightman, author of Ada and the Galaxies,
turns his focus to light waves in a second story for children.
There’s only one gift Isabel wants for her sixth birthday: a way
to see invisible things. She can hardly think of anything else
until the day of her party arrives! Unwrapping a big box, Isabel
finds a surprise inside – a glass prism – and a dazzling world
of previously invisible colour emerges, lighting up the room around
her. What else could be out there, waiting for her eyes to
discover? In simple, engaging language, complemented by luminous
artwork from bestselling illustrator Ramona Kaulitzki, author and
physicist Alan Lightman unveils the hidden world of light waves –
the ones you can see and the ones you can’t...
A series of engaging essays that explore iconic moments of
discovery and debate in physicists' ongoing quest to understand the
quantum world. The ideas at the root of quantum theory remain
stubbornly, famously bizarre: a solid world reduced to puffs of
probability; particles that tunnel through walls; cats suspended in
zombielike states, neither alive nor dead; and twinned particles
that share entangled fates. For more than a century, physicists
have grappled with these conceptual uncertainties while enmeshed in
the larger uncertainties of the social and political worlds around
them, a time pocked by the rise of fascism, cataclysmic world wars,
and a new nuclear age. In Quantum Legacies, David Kaiser introduces
readers to iconic episodes in physicists' still-unfolding quest to
understand space, time, and matter at their most fundamental. In a
series of vibrant essays, Kaiser takes us inside moments of
discovery and debate among the great minds of the era-Albert
Einstein, Erwin Schroedinger, Stephen Hawking, and many more who
have indelibly shaped our understanding of nature-as they have
tried to make sense of a messy world. Ranging across space and
time, the episodes span the heady 1920s, the dark days of the
1930s, the turbulence of the Cold War, and the peculiar political
realities that followed. In those eras as in our own, researchers'
ambition has often been to transcend the vagaries of here and now,
to contribute lasting insights into how the world works that might
reach beyond a given researcher's limited view. In Quantum
Legacies, Kaiser unveils the difficult and unsteady work required
to forge some shared understanding between individuals and across
generations, and in doing so, he illuminates the deep ties between
scientific exploration and the human condition.
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Ada and the Galaxies (Paperback)
Alan Lightman, Olga Pastuchiv; Illustrated by Susanna Chapman
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R255
R198
Discovery Miles 1 980
Save R57 (22%)
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Ships in 15 - 20 working days
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Ada and the Galaxies (Hardcover)
Alan Lightman, Olga Pastuchiv; Illustrated by Susanna Chapman
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R526
R414
Discovery Miles 4 140
Save R112 (21%)
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Ships in 15 - 20 working days
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Alan Lightman, the internationally bestselling author of"
Einstein's Dreams, " presents "Mr g, "a celebration of the highs
and lows of existence, on the grandest possible scale: the story of
Creation, as told by God.
Once before time existed, Mr g woke up from a nap and decided to
create the universe. In the shimmering Void, where he lives with
his Aunt Penelope and Uncle Deva, he creates time, space, and
matter. Soon follow stars, planets, animate matter, consciousness,
and intelligent beings with moral dilemmas. But the creation of
space and time has unintended consequences, including the arrival
of Belhor, a clever and devious rival. Belhor delights in needling
Mr g, demanding explanations for the inexplicable, offering his own
opinions on the fledgling universes, and maintaining the necessity
of evil. As Mr g's favorite universe grows, he discovers how an act
of creation can change everything in the world--including the
creator himself.
An extraordinarily accessible, illuminating chronicle of the great
moments of scientific discovery in the 20th century, and an
exploration into the minds of the remarkable men and women behind
them.
We know and read the literary masterpieces; how many of us have had
the opportunity not only to read but understand the masterpieces of
science that describe the very moment of discovery? The last
century has seen an explosion of creativity and insight that led to
breakthroughs in every field of science: from the theory of
relativity to the first quantum model of the atom to the mapping of
the structure of DNA, these discoveries profoundly changed how we
understand the world and our place in it.
Alan Lightman tells the stories of two dozen breakthroughs made by
such brilliant scientists as Einstein, Bohr, McClintock and
Pauling, among others, drawing on his unique background as a
scientist and novelist to reveal the process of scientific
discovery at its greatest. He outlines the intellectual and
emotional landscape of each discovery, portrays the personalities
and human drama of the scientists involved, and explains the
significance and impact of the work. Finally, he gives an
unprecedented and exhilarating guided tour through each of the
original papers.
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Flatland (Paperback, New Ed)
Edwin Abbott; Introduction by Alan Lightman
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R235
R188
Discovery Miles 1 880
Save R47 (20%)
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Ships in 7 - 12 working days
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"Imagine a vast sheet of paper on which Lines, Triangles, Squares, Pentagons, Hexagons, and other figures, instead of remaining fixed in their places, move freely about, on or in the surface, but without the power of rising above or sinking below it...and you will have a pretty correct notion of my country and countrymen." Narrated by A. Square, Flatland is Edwin A. Abbott's delightful mathematical fantasy about life in a two-dimensional world. All existence is limited to length and breadth in Flatland, its inhabitants unable even to imagine a third dimension. Abbott's amiable narrator provides an overview of this fantastic world-its physics and metaphysics, its history, customs, and religious beliefs. But when a strange visitor mysteriously appears and transports the incredulous Flatlander to the Land of Three Dimensions, his worldview is forever shattered. Written more than a century ago, Flatland conceals within its brilliant parody of Victorian society speculations about the universe that resonate in Einstein's theory of relativity as well as the current "string-theory" of nature.
A modern classic, Einstein' s Dreams is a fictional collage of
stories dreamed by Albert Einstein in 1905, when he worked in a
patent office in Switzerland. As the defiant but sensitive young
genius is creating his theory of relativity, a new conception of
time, he imagines many possible worlds. In one, time is circular,
so that people are fated to repeat triumphs and failures over and
over. In another, there is a place where time stands still, visited
by lovers and parents clinging to their children. In another, time
is a nightingale, sometimes trapped by a bell jar.
Now translated into thirty languages, Einstein' s Dreams has
inspired playwrights, dancers, musicians, and painters all over the
world. In poetic vignettes, it explores the connections between
science and art, the process of creativity, and ultimately the
fragility of human existence.
A modern classic, Einstein's Dreams is a fictional collage of
stories dreamed by Albert Einstein in 1905, when he worked in a
patent office in Switzerland. As the defiant but sensitive young
genius is creating his theory of relativity, a new conception of
time, he imagines many possible worlds. In one, time is circular,
so that people are fated to repeat triumphs and failures over and
over. In another, there is a place where time stands still, visited
by lovers and parents clinging to their children. In another, time
is a nightingale, sometimes trapped by a bell jar. Now translated
into thirty languages, Einstein's Dreams has inspired playwrights,
dancers, musicians, and painters all over the world. In poetic
vignettes, it explores the connections between science and art, the
process of creativity, and ultimately the fragility of human
existence.
First time in paperbackA journey of healing in the high Himalayas
in the tradition of The Snow Leopard and The Solace of Open
SpacesBeautifully written and rich in climbing lore, natural
history, Indian mythology, and observations about local culture.A
stirring meditation on the solace of high places and the appeal of
Himalayas.
"A joyful and dazzling exploration of our universe" Booklist
Stargazers rejoice at this beautiful, accessible and fascinating
story about our incredible night sky, with stunning pictures from
the Hubble telescope! There is so much for Ada to do while visiting
her grandparents on an island in Maine, but no amount of
beachcombing and kayaking during the day can take the place of
looking at the bright and beautiful stars at night. She can hardly
wait for the sun to set, but will a thick fog spoil her stargazing
plans? Photographs taken from the Hubble telescope are seamlessly
layered with charming illustrations to beautifully bring to life
this enchanting story of a curious child and her caring
grandfather, who share a love for our incredible night sky and the
mysteries it holds. "A joyful and dazzling exploration of our
universe" Booklist, starred review "An insanely gorgeous and
thought-provoking book" Books Up North "Luminous" The Bookseller
"Young readers will delight in seeing our universe's
interconnectedness, and, later, when Ada's family dashes outside to
spin in starlight, they will recognize the inextricable bonds among
loved ones... Astonishing artwork shines." Kirkus Reviews, starred
review "Chapman [artwork] draws power from glowing light sources,
creating night skies that glitter and seawater that sparkles."
Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Alan Lightman brings a light touch to heavy questions. Here is
a book about nesting ospreys, multiple universes, atheism,
spiritualism, and the arrow of time. Throughout, Lightman takes us
back and forth between ordinary occurrences--old shoes and entropy,
sailing far out at sea and the infinite expanse of space.
"In this slight volume, Lightman looks toward the universe and
captures aspects of it in a series of beautifully written essays,
each offering a glimpse at the whole from a different perspective:
here time, there symmetry, not least God. It is a meditation by a
remarkable humanist-physicist, a book worth reading by anyone
entranced by big ideas grounded in the physical world."
--Peter L. Galison, Joseph Pellegrino University Professor, Harvard
University
Ideas and Opinions contains essays by eminent scientist Albert Einstein on subjects ranging from atomic energy, relativity, and religion to human rights, and economics. Previously published articles, speeches, and letters are gathered here to create a fascinating collection of meditations by one of the world's greatest minds.
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Ghost (Paperback)
Alan Lightman
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R463
R401
Discovery Miles 4 010
Save R62 (13%)
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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A stunning new novel about an ordinary man's encounter with the
extraordinary, from the author of "Einstein's Dreams."
David Kurzweil, a quiet man with modest ambitions, was taking a
break at his new job, when he saw something out of the corner of
his eye. Something no science could explain. Suddenly David's life
is changed, and he soon finds himself in the middle of a wild
public controversy over the existence of the supernatural. As David
searches for an explanation, we embark on a provocative exploration
of the delicate divide between the physical and the spiritual,
between science and religion as only Alan Lightman could provide.
Combining a beautiful narrative with provocative ideas, "Ghost"
investigates timeless questions that continue to challenge the
truth as we know it.
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Reunion (Paperback)
Alan Lightman
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R455
R398
Discovery Miles 3 980
Save R57 (13%)
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Ships in 10 - 15 working days
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The "New York Times has called Alan Lightman "highly original and imaginative." Each of his novels is a new exploration of that imagination, utterly unlike the others. Einstein's Dreams, an international best-seller, was a whimsical and provocative tone poem about time. The Diagnosis, hailed by the Washington Post as a "major accomplishment" and a finalist for the National Book Award, was a disturbing examination of our obsession with speed, information, and money, and the resulting poverty of our spiritual lives. Lightman's new novel, Reunion, is a delicate and haunting story of how we shape our identity through memory. Charles is a middle-aged professor at a minor liberal-arts college, a once promising poet, admiring of passion but without passion himself. Without knowing why, he decides to attend his thirtieth college reunion. And there, he magically witnesses a replay of his senior year. Drawn back into his memories, Charles watches his tender and romantic twenty-two-year-old self embark on an all-consuming love affair with a beautiful dancer. As the two young people struggle to find themselves amidst the social and political chaos of the late 1960s, the older Charles recalls contradictory versions of his past, ultimately confronting for the second time a series of devastating events that would forever change his life. Written with crystalline prose, at once precise and mysterious, Reunion explores the pain of self-examination, the clay-like nature of memory, and the impossible hopefulness of youth. "From the Hardcover edition.
From the bestselling author of Einstein’s Dreams comes this harrowing tale of one man's struggle to cope in a wired world, even as his own biological wiring short-circuits. As Boston’s Red Line shuttles Bill Chalmers to work one summer morning, something extraordinary happens. Suddenly, he can't remember which stop is his, where he works, or even who he is. The only thing he can remember is his corporate motto: the maximum information in the minimum time.
Bill’s memory returns, but a strange numbness afflicts him. As he attempts to find a diagnosis for his deteriorating illness, he descends into a nightmarish tangle of inconclusive results, his company’s manic frenzy, and his family’s disbelief. Ultimately, Bill discovers that he is fighting not just for his body but also for his soul.
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