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mattbgold's review against another edition
2.0
I rank Rovelli's previous two books among my all-time favorites, each of them were powerhouses of conceptual abstraction and communication, expertly bridging the gap between the esoteric frontiers of contemporary theoretical physics and human intuition. This one though added nothing new to the conversation - the "relational interpretation" of quantum mechanics put forth here is barely given more than a single sentence description, I actually think this interpretation is better described in his 2014 book on quantum gravity: Reality is Not What it Seems. I also felt that the writing itself was awkward in places, particularly where he explains the "weirdness" of quantum mechanics (why not use the double-slit example?).
Perhaps the focus of the book was less on physics and more on philosophy, but the philosophy felt like scarcely more than a series of namedrops. Competing interpretations of quantum mechanics, such as the popular "many worlds" theory, were unfairly dismissed without dedicating more time to exploring exactly how quantum phenomena such as wave-function collapse are described from the perspective of the relational interpretation.
When compared to the author's earlier works this book seems rushed and a bit shallow. If Rovelli ever does write a serious book-length exploration/defense of the relational interpretation, like Sean Carrol did for many-worlds, I would be first in line to dive in.
Perhaps the focus of the book was less on physics and more on philosophy, but the philosophy felt like scarcely more than a series of namedrops. Competing interpretations of quantum mechanics, such as the popular "many worlds" theory, were unfairly dismissed without dedicating more time to exploring exactly how quantum phenomena such as wave-function collapse are described from the perspective of the relational interpretation.
When compared to the author's earlier works this book seems rushed and a bit shallow. If Rovelli ever does write a serious book-length exploration/defense of the relational interpretation, like Sean Carrol did for many-worlds, I would be first in line to dive in.
thereadingpotato's review against another edition
4.0
In Helgoland, Carlo Rovelli takes an accessible approach to understanding quantum theory- how it was first developed, has changed over time and is now understood. Weaving in history and philosophy, the connection between quantum theory and our daily lives is continuously evident.
This book was a pleasant surprise. As someone who changed their college major just to avoid taking any physics classes, I was apprehensive before I began reading. However, Rovelli writes in an approachable way that is enjoyable for those that know little to none about physics (like me) and for those that are experts in the field. He manages to maintain an engaging and informative tone without being too dense or complicated.
I particularly enjoyed hearing about the journey of scientific discovery. Far from reading like a textbook, it read more like a series of events and people that continuously interacted and philosophically combatted to find the truth about our world. From Schrodinger and Bohr to Lenin and Einstein, there are several familiar names that come up through the development of quantum theory, and I loved hearing how they were all interconnected.
One of the most emphasized ideas in this book is the fact that everything is relational, meaning everything that we see is perceived based upon its relation to something else. The interconnectedness of our world, and the fact that there is still so much we do not know or understand was something that definitely interested me.
Overall, a comprehensive look at quantum theory that is ideal for those that enjoy books about science, particularly scientific discovery, physics and philosophy.
Thank you to Riverhead Books for this #gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
This book was a pleasant surprise. As someone who changed their college major just to avoid taking any physics classes, I was apprehensive before I began reading. However, Rovelli writes in an approachable way that is enjoyable for those that know little to none about physics (like me) and for those that are experts in the field. He manages to maintain an engaging and informative tone without being too dense or complicated.
I particularly enjoyed hearing about the journey of scientific discovery. Far from reading like a textbook, it read more like a series of events and people that continuously interacted and philosophically combatted to find the truth about our world. From Schrodinger and Bohr to Lenin and Einstein, there are several familiar names that come up through the development of quantum theory, and I loved hearing how they were all interconnected.
One of the most emphasized ideas in this book is the fact that everything is relational, meaning everything that we see is perceived based upon its relation to something else. The interconnectedness of our world, and the fact that there is still so much we do not know or understand was something that definitely interested me.
Overall, a comprehensive look at quantum theory that is ideal for those that enjoy books about science, particularly scientific discovery, physics and philosophy.
Thank you to Riverhead Books for this #gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
gongyo64's review against another edition
5.0
La narrazione di una visione nuova della realtà. La vera visione della realtà. Destabilizzante, entusiasmante, terrorizzante, affascinante.
greglhoward's review against another edition
2.0
I've always had an interest in how to interpret quantum mechanics. The book starts out strong, and is written at about the right level (I wouldn't have minded a bit more math). But after the first few chapters where the main ideas are presented and defended, the rest of the book is overly speculative and not really about quantum mechanics. It felt a lot like filler so that this was a book and not an essay.
lladams_9000's review against another edition
5.0
This book has changed my perspective on what it means to be a part of this universe. The word relativity takes on a profound meaning; quantum entanglement becomes a ubiquitous term; the realization that nature already has the answer we’re just attempting to observe and record it at these different levels. This makes me want to peruse Quantum Mechanics even more as I fall in love with the works of the turn of the century minds that continue to lead us into the future.
nlbullock1's review against another edition
3.0
I appreciated the author’s explanation of quantum mechanics and the science behind it (although much of it is challenging to understand), but I was less enamored of his attempts to tie the science to a particular philosophy or set of philosophies. On those topics, it’s safe to say that he an I do not agree.
jeffreyisaacpincus's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
weirdenergies's review against another edition
Helgoland was a great, simple, fairly surface level introduction into complex topics in quantum physics. Albeit a short and sweet read, it was enriched with the history behind these theories, and this really set it apart from other books I’ve read on the topic!
I recommend this to anyone who’s interested in learning a bit about quantum mechanics - especially if you’re just about to start it at uni!
Thank you to Penguin for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review (and the jar of honey too)!
I recommend this to anyone who’s interested in learning a bit about quantum mechanics - especially if you’re just about to start it at uni!
Thank you to Penguin for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review (and the jar of honey too)!
gubz's review against another edition
5.0
“In the end, the youthful curiosity that drew me toward physics, like a child following a magic flute, has led me to finding more enchanted castles than I could’ve dreamed of.”