The Accidental Universe

The World You Thought You Knew

By: Alan Lightman

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot

Length: 3 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

From the acclaimed author of Einstein's Dreams and Mr. g comes a meditation on the unexpected ways in which recent scientific findings have shaped our understanding of ourselves and our place in the cosmos.

With all the passion, curiosity, and precise yet lyrical prose that have marked his previous books, Alan Lightman here explores the emotional and philosophical questions raised by discoveries in science, focusing most intently on the human condition and the needs of humankind. He looks at the difficult dialogue between science and religion, the conflict between our human desire for permanence and the impermanence of nature, the possibility that our universe is simply an accident, the manner in which modern technology has separated us from direct experience of the world, and our resistance to the view that our bodies and minds can be explained by scientific logic and laws. And behind all of these considerations is the suggestion - at once haunting and exhilarating - that what we see and understand of the world is only a tiny piece of the extraordinary, perhaps unfathomable whole.

©2014 Alan Lightman (P)2014 Blackstone Audio

A scientist and a lucid communicator!

Loved this book. Well written, dealt with profound issues in a clear and coherent way, well narrated.

As spiritual as science gets

ok, maybe spiritual was the wrong word to use, maybe ... well ... I dunno. maybe spiritual was the right word. In any case, it hit home. As a scientist myself, I've found my head in many similar states of wonder and confusion.
I really enjoyed it.

Always enjoy Lightman’s Take

Beautiful perspectives on our Knowledge of the Real World by the Poet Laureate of Today’s Physics. Probably the most accessible of the “popular” Physics writers for the Layman.

I particularly enjoyed his chapters on The Disembodied Universe and The Spiritual Universe, though I didn’t agree completely with his views on the happy co-existence of Science and Religion. Four Stars ****

Wow, not bad

This about the third time I’m not brutally let down by the Plus Catalog, this is not bad at all.

Enlightening.

A wonderful and enlightening look at the word of science. The poetic approach to the world around us and as science continues to increase our knowledge their of.

Another wonderful Alan Lightman book

So good … don’t hesitate because it is ten years old … the insights are not dated and actually help us feel our place in the universe more palpably. This is a series of beautiful essays on different ways to understand the universe of which we are a part.

Thoughtful review of the invisible

An elegant and easy to absorb review of our expanding knowledge of what lies invisible and often overwhelmingly incomprehensible to our senses.

The underlying premise lies in how we limited humans incorporate this exponential explosion of capabilities without losing our humanity.

Every college student should be exposed to this book.

This Book Owns

Wasn’t sure what to expect from this one, but was surprised to find something so lovely and concise. This will reset your feeling of awe and wonder, and you can bang it out in a single afternoon.

Fascinating

I think this quote by Einstein sums up this book: "The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science." ― Albert Einstein,

Couldn’t figure out what it was about

It wasn’t a complicated book I just couldn’t figure out what the narrative storyline was supposed to be about. My HS English teacher would not approve.