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sfletcher26's review against another edition
3.0
An enjoyable lark of a read. Great for dipping in and out of. Ince provides the light relief to Cox's sometimes ponderous text.
cjmrand's review against another edition
3.0
Fun pop science book with a comedy and anecdotal twist, but still packed with equations and fact and everything to keep the reader interested.
acrdoodles's review against another edition
4.0
Though there were many times that I simply couldn't comprehend the science and concepts that were mentioned in this book, I really thoroughly enjoyed it! It was funny, it was incredibly informative and just a joy to read. I loved the illustrations and different ways of arranging the text - it made the experience so much more fun in my opinion. The way Robin Ince and Brian Cox interact with each other is as good in text-form as in real life and their different ways of explaining things are really interesting.
I think the most important thing this book did was to make me more curious about science in general and for that I'm very thankful.
I think the most important thing this book did was to make me more curious about science in general and for that I'm very thankful.
ma_'s review
4.0
I really thought this was a perfect mix of comedy and science. Although many may object to the pictures, large fonts and photos I thought it made the book less daunting. Without it being Brian Cox's fault the science is confusing but they emphasised that it's ok for it to be confusing and Ince's comedic interruptions were a source of comfort and made the book easier to read. When I first saw the title I didn't really understand what they were going to talk about but after reading the book the different chapters really perfectly summarised 'How to Build a Universe'. In particular, I liked the fact it talked about the history of the space race - the progression of science is also important and something you probably won't learn as much about from Hawking's books (although you should attempt to read those too).
drewsstuff's review
5.0
Much like the universe I've just built in the cellar, this book is infinitely enjoyable* and highly illuminating. Until the very end, that is, when the meter ran out and everything went dark. Or it ripped itself apart. Or it collapsed in on itself and, page by page, disappeared up its own semi-colon. To be honest, I don't know what's happened, it's too dark to see anything. And cold. Alternatively, I could be sitting in the freezer.
*enjoyable because I understood almost everything (sometimes after reading chapters more than once), such is the quality and clarity of the explanation.
Still blew my mind though. Happily.
*enjoyable because I understood almost everything (sometimes after reading chapters more than once), such is the quality and clarity of the explanation.
Still blew my mind though. Happily.
leok's review
4.0
I'm a fan of the various programs Brain Cox has been part of, and heard a few of the Infinite Monkey Cage podcasts episodes, so when I saw they had a book, figure what the heck. I'm not sure what I can say about this book, outside of it was interesting. It basically reads like a literal transcript of one of their shows. Chaotic, witty, and jammed packs of sciencey stuff. Overall, I was pleased with the book and would have no issues recommending it to others.
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