From the Bookshelf of Science and Inquiry…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
No group discussions for this book yet.
What Members Thought
This book is really about the history of the idea of time travel. James Gleick traces the history of the idea of time travel, through literature and films. The earliest stories about time travel paved the way, for they first exposed people to the whole concept. Later stories expanded on the concept, showing the possibility for paradoxes. Gleick also explores the concept of time; it is actually rather difficult to define in a non-circular manner. What is time? This becomes a rather philosophical
...more
It was a somewhat enjoyable disappointment. If you feel like quasi philosophic discourse on the nature of time with very little science thrown in, then it's perfect. Rambling, meandering and erudite, the book cites many authors on the nature of time, yet provides surprisingly little information. Specifically on time travel, it discusses mainly the ideas science fiction authors, many of them scientists themselves, came up with. It treats reading books as a form of time travel, and Gleick mentions
...more
Interesting review of our perception of time and time travel, primarily through popular literature and other media (mostly sci-fi). A very light read and not for those looking for a scientific treatise on time; however, the author nicely ties together the intertwined influences on each other of literature, language, and pop culture and of science in general and theoretical physics in particular.
Aug 30, 2016
Eileen Conner
marked it as want-to-read-2
Sep 17, 2016
Chris Stanford
marked it as to-read
Nov 18, 2016
Charles
is currently reading it
Feb 21, 2017
Eric
marked it as to-read
Mar 27, 2017
KLS
marked it as to-read
Apr 24, 2017
²Ñ²¹²µ²Ôú²õ
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
pop-economics-science
Jan 14, 2018
Franziska Koeppen
marked it as to-read
Feb 17, 2019
Erica
marked it as to-read
Feb 09, 2020
Aasemoon
marked it as to-read
Apr 02, 2023
Holli
marked it as to-read
