The Big Bang, Cosmology, and the Dancing Universe

A note of caution: If you venture into the science section of a bookstore, you are bound to find many books on the Big Bang, Cosmology, the Mind of God, etc. Although some of these books are quite good, most of them present the physics in a very sensationalistic fashion, stretching some speculative theories way bevond their limits and presenting them as fact. The list below provides a collection of level-headed yet exciting books.

Steven Weinberg', The First Three Minutes (New York, Basic Books, 1993) An Updated edition of a true classic, this little book retells the early history of die universe in a Frame-by-frame style, starting just after die Bang. It's not light reading, but it is well worth it. In fact, this is the book that made me go into cosmology.

Timothy Ferris, Coming of Age in the Milky Way (William Morrow, 1988) An ambitious book which surveys our changing vision of the cosmos from the Greeks to the late twentieth century. Very well written and accessible, it touches on every topic from astronomy to particle physics following historical approach.

Heinz Pazels, Perfect Symmetry (Simon and Schuster, 1985) A pioneering book about the importance of the concept of symmetry in scientific research, written in a very clear style by one of physics' best writers.

Norris Hetherington, editor, Cosmology: Historical, Literacy, Philosophical, Religious, and Scientific Perspectives (New York, Garland ) 1993) A collection of essays on several aspects of the cosmological theme, written by some of the experts in the field.

Marcelo Gleiser, The Dancing Universe This book is not actually in bookstores yet, because I'm still writing it. It will examine the development of cosmological thought from the creation myths of pre-scientific cultures to modern twentieth-century cosmology, emphasizing the successes and limitations of human creativity. The book should be out in a year.

Marcelo Gleiser