Beyond Weird

By: Philip Ball

Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley

Length: 9 hrs and 20 mins

Publisher's summary

"Anyone who is not shocked by quantum theory has not understood it."

Since Niels Bohr said this many years ago, quantum mechanics has only been getting more shocking. We now realize that it's not really telling us that "weird" things happen out of sight, on the tiniest level, in the atomic world: Rather, everything is quantum. But if quantum mechanics is correct, what seems obvious and right in our everyday world is built on foundations that don't seem obvious or right at all - or even possible.

An exhilarating tour of the contemporary quantum landscape, Beyond Weird is a book about what quantum physics really means - and what it doesn't. Science writer Philip Ball offers an up-to-date, accessible account of the quest to come to grips with the most fundamental theory of physical reality, and to explain how its counterintuitive principles underpin the world we experience.

©2018 Philip Ball (P)2018 Tantor

Great

Once you get used to the distinctly British verbal convolution, the book is exceptional, deep, clear, candid, and eye opening.

great book, bad narration

the narrator is bad, weird, retarded, robotic, worse than a computer voice. the book es exceptionaly good.

linking

a lot of information that I did not grasp completely but the writer's ability to convey complicated concepts in a more understandable way was grate

Does not practice what is preached

The author starts by explaining the title is not to imply quantum physics is more than weird, but instead we should see beyond the apparent weirdness to an underlying simplicity. Great! He also points out quantum theory demands that we do not apply it to trajectories or paths and even discussing particles except in relation to a measurement should be avoided. Great again! Unfortunately, the author then proceeds to discuss paths and particle pointing out again and again the weirdness this discussion leads to. He even seems to equate the word “quantum” with “weirdness”. The author continues this until the last few pages, when he returns to the point of the title, that we really do need to see and speak beyond weirdness. It seems the author does not practice what he preaches.

Ball also makes other common blunders that muddy the water. For example, he talks of the chunking of energy instead of action. Energy, in general, is not quantized, but action always is. He claims interference only occurs with waves (continuous) – while interference also happens with many discrete repeating patters like window-screens, spider-webs, or nylon stocking. Artificial limitations like this do not help us see beyond the weirdness.

I had hoped this would be a text that talked beyond the weirdness but that is not the case. Other than the prolog and epilog it is just yet another discussion of quantum weirdness without clear direction.

See instead Einstein’s Unfinished Revolution (especially the last chapters).

The narration was understandable, but tone seemed stilted at times, and other times passages seemed rushed without inflection.

Great Book! Listened Straight Through

Covered many unresolved questions I had about Quantum Physics. it covered Its origins, its puzzles, its personalities, and its possible future. it presented a truer and most comprehensive view of what Quantum Physics is , and what it isn't better than any book, paper, or article I have read in the past. it did so with humor and without being condescending.
it flowed quickly, and smoothly with no dead spots. it stayed on topic, and held me interested throughout. Every explanation or description was clear and measured. And every paragraph was informative. It did not need any filler. The book covers the pro's and cons from every thing from Relativity to The Many Worlds Interpretation. This is my ne Goto book for physics!

better questions for quantum mechanics

fascinating perspectives from which to view quantum mechanics - from more understandable and logically consistent viewpoints - than I have ever come across

Every sentence sounds like a title

I found the information of the book well explained but the reading style of the narrator made it difficult to finish. Each sentence sounds of absolute importance and that threw me off, making it difficult to distinguish the central point of the argument from a one-off comment.

Best explanation ever

An amazing and compelling story. Precise but accessible and fascinating. Quantum physics really is beyond weird!

Good

Was as expected probably listen again in the coming months. they say I must have 15 words to post a review.

Beyond Weird is a great read.

A lucid explanation of the elusive truths of quantum physics for the lay person to understand. It is well written with understandable explanations as well as being entertaining and holds one’s interest.