Great book for people who likes science
342818
Still laughing at it's jokes. Great book for people who likes science, science jokes or basically just cool knowledge. Murray is a genius.
598701
This is fun and informative read. A number of kids and parents have enjoyed it. I not only have a set but Ive gifted a number. The illustrations are bright and capture kids attention. Its a great way to introduce youngsters to science concepts as well as women in science.
2212897
I remember receiving beautiful science books as a boy.  They were wonderfully illustrated with drawings, pictures, and questions about space, the future, the past, and the unknown.  They fascinated me and allowed me to begin thinking about important areas of human understanding without having much of it myself.
Dr. Stephen Hawking had a huge unexpected hit with his "Brief History of Time", which I, and millions of others, loved.  He came out with an illustrated version, which many of us also purchased.  This book covers different subjects in the same topic of cosmology.
I think it is a wonderful book that can capture the imagination of inquisitive young people.  It is written engagingly without being condescending.  It takes its reader seriously while finding ways to explain topics in a non-technical way that otherwise could be mind numbingly opaque.  He even brings in time travel and even Star Trek as a means of discussing certain limitations of our understanding of the universe.
Just as the books I read as a young man became outdated by brilliant minds like Dr. Hawking's this one will as well.  However, it can serve a great mind opening purpose for young people and interested adults.  It is not very long, but can spark a lot of thinking and discussion between friends interested in physics and cosmology.  If you are looking for a gift for a bright teenager who likes these topics, this would be a good choice.
1164825
I like that most information presented in this book is backed by science, giving it the strong ability to question and bust common beliefs. Ideas are visualized by stories about fascinating people which made it a very pleasant read.

If you want to learn a lot in a short time, this book is for you.
4835156
I am a high school science teacher and find this book fun and very informative.  I wish all of my reference lab books were this good.  I used to build balloon cars with my students to demonstrate Newton's Laws but there are so many students with latex allergies so I started looking for another project for my students.  This is the one.  If I were to write a book this is how I would write it.
1084584
I've read other books by Capra and this is my favorite. I have recommended it to many people who have an interest in science. Although I took a similar issue, the difference between closed and open systems to my physicist brother, I don't agree with the complaint that he misunderstands the second law of thermodynamics. The law has implications and Capra is assuming several obvious ones. It's like saying, "everything IS connected" after reading about quantum mechanics. I don't doubt that Capra takes liberties with certain scientific facts. It wouldn't be as interesting if he didn't. It's his job to make assumptions about the facts and run with them. It's not surprising that people who have scientific expertise find fault with his treatment of their area. Just consider that he wrote a book titled The Tao of Physics and you'll have an inkling that this book will be taking some great leaps that are not supported by the data. That's what is enjoyable and amazing about this book. The leaps.
3468482
Great book to teach kids about science. It teaches kids that sometimes things don't go as you planned, but keep trying. Love this book!
2114030
One of the best science and history books I have ever read.  The author weaves stories of the characteristics of elements, scientific discovery, and science history in a very entertaining presentation.  Details about individual scientists and the discovery process add to the enjoyment.
1544684
This book is easy to read, but detailed oriented. This book is worth buying, because I was satisfied with its presentations of its contents and/or subjects, as well as the book's structure.

If science is your true love, then I would recommended buying this book!
4575287
This book was reviewed very favorably in a physics journal I read and i checked it out on Amazon. The reviews agreed so I ordered it. It turned out as good as the reviewers said. I'm completely satisfied with my choice. I'm not a scientist but rather a pop science reader. It's a great book for that demographic.
4454251
Knocking on Heaven's Door is a great book for people interested in science but who are not scientists themselves.  It explains in clear terms for ordinary people the excitement of the world of particle physics and why research into this realm is so important.  Lisa Randall explains clearly why larger and larger machines are required to probe to ever smaller scales.  Best of all is the idea that she pointed out time and again of the "effective theory", that science is all about theories that match observed phenomena and that theories must be changed and adapted as new evidence comes to light.
4358181
I read this book for a physics class and I was really scared that I wouldn't understand anything. I also did not know how physics would be applied to things in outer space. I was very happy to find out that it lacked complicated equations and attempted to explain in simple terms things like black holes, the p-brain, galaxies, the possibilities for extraterrestrial life and other physics related topics. Simple language was used for the most part and when more complex things were introduced, many pictures were shown. In fact the pictures make the book. The author has a sense of humor with several jokes that lighten up the reading as well.

One of my favorite parts of the book was probably the first chapter that gives a biography of Einstein. He then references Einstein and Newton throughout the book explaining their different theories and discoveries. The black hole section was also very interesting learning the physics of how they exist and work. Now I understand a little better the physics behind Star Wars and other sci-fi movies.

It was a fun book to read that I would recommend to anyone looking for a lighter physics read where they want to learn a little more about things that they have always heard about, but were afraid to research because they might only find things that were over their head.
3280212
An amazing book, great for science lovers, science teachers and anyone that wants to understand a bit more how science is created, its human factor, the value of theories and how they are created throughout the ages.
1160021
For children who love to know how things work, this book would be a fabulous gift.  I learned a great deal about a lot of things that I knew very little about, even things I use every day such as refrigerators, microwaves, and smart boards.  I had no idea that hover boards and tractor beams are on the verge of becoming reality.  Other topics covered in the book include surfing, roller coasters, escalators, submarines, and rockets.  The amount of knowledge in this book is staggering.  Each topic is covered in six page spreads that include a funny photograph with caption, intriguing questions, diagrams, explanations and fun facts.  Each section also includes a science experiment that the reader can perform that demonstrations a scientific principle associated with the topic being discussed.  A few scientist profiles are mixed in with the different sections.  This is a book that any scientific-minded reader could spend many hours happily engaged with.
3555774
If you are even a little interested in science in general, this is a fascinating look at the materials all around us that make up our world. The author's enthusiasm and love for the subject comes through. He also does a great job of weaving his own personal narrative into the science to make it a much more enjoyable read. It's not dry at all, as one might fear with a book of this nature.
4473327
excellent book! I enjoy reading science books written for the layman yet many of them either scrimp on the science side or on the laymens side. This book however does neither, it is easy for a non-science oriented person to read, yet it explains the subject as fully as possible. I would definitely recommend if your a fan of, say, Mary Roach.
1586146
This is a great book for Science teachers to read to their students, it gets students excited about experiments.  I have not read it to my class yet, but I can't wait to share this book.