The End of Everything

(Astrophysically Speaking)

By: Katie Mack

Narrated by: Gabra Zackman, Katie Mack

A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2020
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY * THE WASHINGTON POST * THE ECONOMIST * NEW SCIENTIST * PUBLISHERS WEEKLY * THE GUARDIAN

From one of the most dynamic rising stars in astrophysics, an “engrossing, elegant” (The New York Times) look at five ways the universe could end, and the mind-blowing lessons each scenario reveals about the most important concepts in cosmology.

We know the universe had a beginning. With the Big Bang, it expanded from a state of unimaginable density to an all-encompassing cosmic fireball to a simmering fluid of matter and energy, laying down the seeds for everything from black holes to one rocky planet orbiting a star near the edge of a spiral galaxy that happened to develop life as we know it. But what happens to the universe at the end of the story? And what does it mean for us now?

Dr. Katie Mack has been contemplating these questions since she was a young student, when her astronomy professor informed her the universe could end at any moment, in an instant. This revelation set her on the path toward theoretical astrophysics. Now, with lively wit and humor, she takes us on a mind-bending tour through five of the cosmos’s possible finales: the Big Crunch, Heat Death, the Big Rip, Vacuum Decay (the one that could happen at any moment!), and the Bounce. Guiding us through cutting-edge science and major concepts in quantum mechanics, cosmology, string theory, and much more, The End of Everything is a wildly fun, surprisingly upbeat ride to the farthest reaches of all that we know.

©2020 Dr. Katie Mack. All rights reserved. (P)2020 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

Loved the content

I really enjoyed the content of this book and the writing was spot on, however i think a different narrator would have made it an easier listen… or an incredibly ingenious marketing ploy… although I could not listen to the audiobook I did go out and get the paperback copy.! Well worth the read.

Unexpectedly profound

I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it’s one of the few if not the only non-fiction book that made me sad to realize it was over. I was attracted to the title by the subject matter: thinking about the beginning and the end of the universe has always been an interesting idea for me. But Katie Mack goes deeper - she spends the end of the book reflecting on why this study matters at all, and ends with a beautiful philosophical reflection.

This book changed my life

I can't adequately describe in words how important this book is to me. I loved it! it's got a Carl Sagan flavor with cutting edge knowledge. I bought the hardbound vers to read and I'm now binge reading it a second time.

Wish the Author had Narrated the Entire Book

I understand Katie Mack is not a professional narrator and she likely has other, more scientific things competing for her time, but I really enjoyed her narration and wish it continued past the first chapter.

That being said, Gabra Zackman did an excellent job, and the book is very good.
I’m going to listen to it again, both because I enjoyed it and because I’m a bit out of my depth astrophysically speaking.

I did not understand everything, but I liked the book

I’m not a scientist. I know only a little about space and cosmology. But now I know a lot more, and have more faith in scientists.

Even though some of this was beyond my comprehension, particularly the first time through, it is an entertaining book and I am planning to read it again in a few months because I know I’ll get more out of it.

Great Book

Great Book! I loved her content that could be understood by a novice and her use of humor and light ironic sarcasm that made it so enjoyable.

Great, watch out for a chapter title mistake

Great book, but don’t get confused by a mistaken title, Big Rep (implying constant repetition ?) when it is actually Big Rip. Makes way more sense of the chapter.

Great story of the modern world

The author combines an in-depth knowledge of the subject and an ability to explain it to laymen exceeding any other I have read, or listened to, which is a lot.

Fascinating overview of our universe

Despite all our knowledge and incredibly accurate and precise measurements there is still so much we don’t know. Based on what is known it seems fairly certain that sometime in very distant future the universe will be no more. This raises interesting questions about whether it makes any sense to try to do anything if the end is a foregone conclusion.

Sad, depressing, hopeful, amazing.

With the world of physics changing so quickly, it’s hard to find future proof books on the (incredibly broad) topic. This one probably isn’t either but it absolutely does brings you up to speed to the 2020 state of the art, and teases what to look out for in the coming months and years.

But unlike many science books, The End of Everything will make you feel things - not all of them pleasant. But power through it and you’ll come out a richer person on the other end.