Reality Is Not What It Seems

The Journey to Quantum Gravity

By: Carlo Rovelli, Simon Carnell - translator, Erica Segre - translator

Narrated by: Roy McMillan

Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

From the New York Times best-selling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, The Order of Time, and Helgoland, a closer look at the mind-bending nature of the Universe.

What are the elementary ingredients of the world? Do time and space exist? And what exactly is reality? Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli has spent his life exploring these questions. He tells us how our understanding of reality has changed over the centuries and how physicists think about the structure of the Universe today.

In elegant and accessible prose, Rovelli takes us on a wondrous journey from Democritus to Albert Einstein, from Michael Faraday to gravitational waves, and from classical physics to his own work in quantum gravity. As he shows us how the idea of reality has evolved over time, Rovelli offers deeper explanations of the theories he introduced so concisely in Seven Brief Lessons on Physics.

This audiobook culminates in a lucid overview of quantum gravity, the field of research that explores the quantum nature of space and time, seeking to unify quantum mechanics, and general relativity. Rovelli invites us to imagine a marvelous world where space breaks up into tiny grains, time disappears at the smallest scales, and black holes are waiting to explode - a vast universe still largely undiscovered.

©2017 Carlo Rovelli (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“The man who makes physics sexy...the scientist they’re calling the next Stephen Hawking.” (The Times Magazine)

“[Reality Is Not What It Seems] is simultaneously aimed at the curious layperson while also useful to the modern scientist.... Rovelli lets us nibble or gorge ourselves, depending on our appetites, on several scrumptious equations. He doesn’t expect everyone to be a master of the equations or even possess much mathematical acumen, but the equations serve as appetizers for those inclined to get their fill, so to speak.” (Raleigh News & Observer)

“[Reality Is Not What It Seems] is simultaneously aimed at the curious layperson while also useful to the modern scientist.... Rovelli lets us nibble or gorge ourselves, depending on our appetites, on several scrumptious equations. He doesn’t expect everyone to be a master of the equations or even possess much mathematical acumen, but the equations serve as appetizers for those inclined to get their fill, so to speak.” (Raleigh News & Observer)

Amazing and wonderful journey... Wow!

I've got most books exploring reality and wtf's going on and this is among the best... A thoroughly enjoyable and deliciously understandable journey from the beginning to where we are now.

I learned a lot about Loop Quantum Gravity

The author, Carlo Rovelli, is one of the leading physicists who is studying Loop Quantum Gravity. Loop Quantum Gravity is a theory that integrates Quantum Mechanics with General Relativity, creating a so-called "Theory of Everything." Loop Quantum Gravity is exciting but with some pretty wild results. It's reassuring that the book is written by somebody who knows what he's talking about.

I've listened to the heart of this book about six times now. That's how long it's taken me to understand it--even though Rovelli does a remarkable job of clearly explaining. It's just that the theory is so different from our everyday understanding of reality. I have studied many books about Quantum Mechanics and a little about General Relativity. But always from a layperson's viewpoint--not the mathematics of either field. Without this background, I wouldn't have had a chance of any in-depth understanding of the book.

My one complaint is Rovelli's rants about Christianity. Yes, they're couched in the gentile language of a scientist. But they're rants, nevertheless, and somewhat boring. Especially, when hearing them for the sixth time! I learned to fast forward through them. Rovelli puts up a straw-man-view of religion and seems to barely restrain himself from kicking it. For example, he puts the blame for the Dark Ages squarely on the shoulders of the Catholic Church, seeming to have forgotten the little matter of the invasion and destruction of Rome by the Germanic Tribes.That is, Rovelli seems to have forgotten that the Dark Ages resulted from the Fall of the Roman Empire.

Aside from this idiosyncrasy, the book is a gift to us. Rovelli has managed to explain Loop Quantum Gravity with great clarity. I find the theory extremely explanatory and appealing. I look forward to learning more about it and reading more from Rovelli.

Quantum Theory Accessible w/o Math

Deep understandings of the Universe, Quantum Theory, Relativity, Entropy able to be grasped by non-scientists.

The Seams of Reality

A tapestry of the fabric of spacetime and quantum fields sown together to reveal the treads of reality.

Rovelli is a gifted quantum interpreter

After reading this book for the third time and there’s always something new I can glean from it. Ultimately, Carlo Rovelli is a gifted storyteller that helps make complex ideas both entertaining and graspable. His fascination for the beauty and elegance of nature is infectious.

outstanding

completely insightful and thought provoking. thoroughly enjoyed this work ... makes a very strong argument for LQG

Another Mind-Bending Experience from Rovelli

When I reviewed his On the Order of Time, I think I used the word Concert to describe his writing. This is another Symphonic Work, but Reality Is Not What It Seems comes with biographical sketches and footnotes.

He takes us from the words of Anaximander in Miletus, 450 BCE through Democritus, Plato and Lucretius recounting the Theories expounded by Democritus. Following the scientists of the 15th Century through to Copernicus, Newton, Faraday and Maxwell all the way to Einstein, Bohr and the current crop of Quantum Theoretical Physicists in the first half of the book.

This may sound like a boring trip full of names and dates and theories but, trust me, it’s not, because Rovelli’s style is to constantly jump back and forth through Time and Space to tie hundreds of years of Theories together and show you where he’s going along the way.

This is not to say it’s an easy trip any more than following a Beethoven Piano Sonata is easy for the non-pianist. But it is an enlightening trip that you probably want to track with pen and paper. I know that helped me.

While you may not be completely sure how he gets to his final chapters, you may be comforted by his confession that he may not be completely sure of all his steps either.

Where he does arrive though, is a Strange and Beautifully Simple World where he brings together General Relativity, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics and Democritus’ Atom Theory to describe the Current State of Quantum Theory as

“a World that does not exist in Space and does not develop in Time but rather a World made up of interacting Quantum Fields, the swarming of which generates through a dense field of reciprocal interactions: Space, Time, Particles, Waves and Light.”

Democritus’ atomic granules as Quanta only existing in their relation to one another.

He finishes with a brief final chapter explaining and defending the Role of Science in the search for an understanding of Reality. It is well stated and much needed in this time of “Alternative Facts” and Religious fanaticism.

I’ve always believed that Truth and Reality only realize their meaning in Relation. Maybe there’s something to that. In any case I’m pretty sure I’ll be reading this book over again more than once. And I’ll enjoy the Ride. Four stars.

Not for true beginners

Fantastic description of quantum theory, gravity, history, and time. Would recommend to anyone moderately versed in physics and mathematics.

Best Audible book yet

This my 112th Audible book. It now is my favorite book. This is not a topic I had a particular interest in before but the combination of the authors writing and narrator’s reading turns into a can’t-stop book. I can picture this book being made into a blockbuster movie. Masterful explanation, masterfully told.

Anything Rovelli is alway 5-Star, But

Well, anything from Carlo Rovelli is always awesome, but this was a little too technical for the general reader.
Thanks