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Customer Reviews (1)

Introduction to Roy Kerr
Most people have heard about black holes but most people do not who Roy Kerr is and how his work has revolutionized the study of black holes. This little book is a welcome introduction to this little known, private genius! Part scientific biography and part introduction to black holes and the state of the current knowledge about them. It has some rare and interesting photographs of the 1962 relativity conference in Warsaw. We need a full length biography of the man dubbed by the NZ press as the "Man of Mystery", but till that time, thanks to Fulvio Melia for writing this small book. Highly Recommended! ... Read more

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More and more businesses and government agencies are finding software and IT to be crucial to their success and efficiency.  This increased reliance is surfacing many shortcomings in the way software projects are managed.

Software is central to running any business effectively - it's just as important to success as marketing, sales, finance, and operations. This book provides an MBA level of understanding of the key dynamics of software projects and will position executives to improve outcomes. Managing the "Black Hole" is about management, not technology.

Software projects are risky - failures are common. Less than 1/3 of all software projects (purchased or built) are fully successful (on-time, on-budget, with all intended features and functions). The average software project overruns its budget by around 50% and schedule by around 80%. The average project delivers less than 70% of planned features and functions.

Software projects are extremely wasteful - in an average organization only 30-40% of total software cost results in "value-added" - best in class organizations (less than 15%) achieve twice as much value add - 100% more 'bang for the buck'.

This book examines the underlying root causes of failures - the "Seven Deadly Sins" and provides a non-technical introduction to a range of proven remedies - the "Five Redeeming Virtues". The ideas in this book will enable your organization to join the elite few who have taken these lessons to heart.

Leaving the solution to these problems solely in the hands of IT specialists has not proven a successful strategy - top management understanding and engagement are required to improve outcomes!

"Managing the Black Hole provides a substantive yet refreshingly succinct tour of software project risks and remedies. This book explains the most important software project issues without 'geek-speak', using examples and metaphor readily comprehensible to those without extensive technical backgrounds. Gary has captured just the right level of depth and detail for today's busy executives, both inside and outside IT. Anyone dealing with risky software projects, whether 'buying' or 'building', will benefit from this book." -Tony Salvaggio, CEO, Computer Aid, Inc.

About the Author

Gary Gack is an MBA from the Wharton School, a Six Sigma Black Belt, and an ASQ-certified software quality engineer. He provides consulting, training and coaching related to business and software/IT process improvement, with emphasis on "best of breed" integration of proven best practices and models. His primary focus and interest is in helping organizations improve business performance by more effective management of the interface between general managers and software and IT. By working on both sides of the "technology divide" he has helped reduce failures, increase productivity and quality, reduce waste, and control risk.

Customer Reviews (3)

Timely topic well done
A good tome on a somewhat little understood area that affects management of projects in the IT field. Readers can relate their environment and development efforts clearly since Gack has included sufficient illustrative data to make his case. I especially liked the insertion of Executive Summaries in Part Three so that should some senior management, i.e., non-IT, desire not to examine all the detailed discussions they could maintain continuity and understanding of the material. Gack's work may very well be a definitive book on this subject for the foreseeable future.

A Must Read For Executives Dealing With Software
A must read for any C level leader or general manager who feels at the mercy of software development / IT and needs software on time and on cost with sensible business value. This book hits the mark in explaining methods of improving business results from software development projects to those not involved in the day to day world of software.It explains software improvements in terms general leaders can relate to: measurement, feedback, and repeatability and identifies reasons and cures for out of control software costs.I would hand this book out to leaders who unknowingly put software projects in impossible positions with unachievable schedules, impossible costs and lack of stakeholder satisfaction.It also provides technical leaders with language to explain software to executives.

This book is a quick read and worth every minute of it.Gary's combination of business sense and software are apparent throughout.

A Must Read For Business Executives and Owners!
Gary Gack bridges a gap that so few could. A Wharton grad and IT guru, Gary translates "tech-talk" into easy-to-understand business language.If you've ever run a business, you are greatly familiar with the "black hole" that can eat away at profits and not yield results. Read this book and adopt its teachings. Gary has provided you with insight you've never had into your software projects.

~Lee B. Salz
Author of the award-winning book "Soar Despite Your Dodo Sales Manager and the soon-to-be-released book "Stop Speaking for Free...The Ultimate Guide to Making Money with Webinars" ... Read more

Product Description
Do you know:
what might happen if you fall into a black hole?
that the Universe does not have an edge?
that the reason it gets dark at night is proof of the Big Bang?
that cosmic particles time-travel through the atmosphere defying death?
that our past, present and future might all coexist "out there"?

With two remarkable ideas Albert Einstein revolutionized our view of the Universe. His first was that nothing can travel faster than light - the ultimate speed limit. This simple fact leads to the unavoidable conclusion that space and time must be linked together, forever as Spacetime.

With his second monumental insight Einstein showed how Spacetime is warped and stretched by the gravity of all objects in the Universe and even punctured by black holes. But such possible twisting of Spacetime allowed a magic not even Einstein could have imagined: time-travel.

Theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili finally lays science fiction to rest as he opens up Einstein's Universe. Leading us gently and light-heartedly through the dizzying world of our space and time, he ultimately gives us the recipe for a possible time machine, capable of taking us Back to the Future, to Alice's Wonderland or on a trip with the Terminator. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (20)

What they didn't teach us at high school
I've just finished reading this and realize how little modern physics they taught me at high school in the 1980s.

Who can fail to dream of the possibilities of time and space travel? Jim explains the topics clearly and while I can't claim to have got my head around 100% of it, I got the gist and realize how far away we are from seeing time travel. He delves into thought-provoking discussion on the nature and speed of light and a helpful lower dimensional analogy of our universe to try and explain higher dimensions.

There are two topics I would have liked Jim to have spent a few pages on. The first would have been to just show us some of the equations that Einstein and others devised. Yes, I wouldn't have understood them but a picture is worth a thousand words and having referred to the mathematics so frequently as "elegant", it would have been interesting to see what he's on about. Secondly, quantum mechanics is referred to several times without really explaining it at a basic level.

Jim's book came out in 1999. I've now picked up the "Idiot's Guide to String Theory" from the library (2008) and hoping that it will take me the next step.

Fascinating look at quantum physics
This was quite an amazing book, even though he actually doesn't believe in the possibility of time travel (he thinks the only way it would work was if the past, present, and future existed all together as one moment, and he believes that would negate free will. Which it doesn't, of course, so he and I disagree there). But overall, I enjoyed it and learned enough to make my brain buzz with all my newly acquired knowledge and ideas.

I particularly loved this section, on quantum particles:

"If we measure a certain property of an electron...then quantum mechanics will tell us what we are likely to find. However, it tells us nothing about what the electron is doing when it is not observed. This would not be a problem if we could trust electrons (and all other particles) to behave sensibly, but they don't. They will disappear from the place they were last seen and spontaneously reappear somewhere else that should, by rights, be inaccessible to them. They exist in two places at once, they tunnel through impenetrable barriers, travel in two different directions simultaneously, and even have several conflicting properties simultaneously. But the moment you look to see what is going on, the electron will suddenly start behaving itself again and nothing will look out of sorts. However, the unavoidable conclusions we have to draw from the results of our observations is that the electron was most definitely doing something very strange indeed when we weren't looking."

Very Educated Man
Jim Al-Khalili is extremely educated in this field and does a great job of explaining it to the average person.You do not need a strong background in science to understand.This is a great book for anyone interested in physics and astronomy.

Brilliant, educational, engaging, sophisticated, and yet so much fun
Words would never do this book justice, he has surmounted the barrier that many writers face, when they try to get through a difficult idea to the reader. In most cases there is usually a trade off between engaging the reader in an entertaining manner, or providing them with a technical manual. The author here has beautifully managed to draw the reader in from the word "go". Every page in this book brims with knowledge and excitement. It's one of the best I've read on the subject, and I recommend this to everyone who would like to have an intuitive and conceptual understanding of our universe, and the way it works. 5 stars almost don't do it justice.

Truth Really is stranger than fiction!
If your idea of a physics book is a dryly written text filled with incomprehensible equations, you have clearly never read BLACK HOLES, WORMHOLES AND TIME MACHINES by Jim Al-Khalili. Its a highly entertaining book written with humor and enthusiasm. The author also provides a bit of history about the physicists who develop the theories he so clearly explains. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
This book considers the origins of the Universe, the formation of our solar system and the emergence life on Earth 3.9 billion years ago, leading to the eventual evolution of Homo sapiens some 200,000 years ago in East Africa. It argues in favor of the existence of extraterrestrial intelligent life elsewhere in the Milky Way galaxy and in the cosmos. Creation seeks to reconcile Darwinian evolution with intelligent design theory where possible. Human beings are not descended from modern apes, but bipedal hominids were evolved from a common ancestor some 7 million years ago. Kant's, Wallace's and Darwin's hypothesis that all life shares common ancestors is proved by the convergence of the sciences.Yet, it does not follow that new species originate from natural selection and random mutations, or that life emerged on its own from a prebiotic environment. Darwin's theory of origin of species remains unsubstantiated and is refuted by modern microbiology as a theory of origins.The Universe really is 13.7 billion years old and commenced with the Big Bang. The expansion is still ongoing and galaxies continue to rush away from each other. Earth is some 4.5 billion years old. But what caused the Big Bang? How was the Big Bang organized into the formation of galaxies, star systems and numerous living worlds? What is the role of black holes in galaxy formation? What caused complex life to emerge and evolve on Earth but nowhere else in this sun system --as of NASA's latest discoveries? Why have the Martian Rovers and other spacecraft uncovered no fossils or organic carbon on Mars although salty oceans once covered much of the Red Planet's surface? Why are three-quarters of the Earth's surface covered with liquid water yet liquid water has not been proved to exist on any other body in this sun system including Europa?Science and exploration offer the best hope of answering these questions. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Dare to think
Dr. Umana's Creation:Towards a Theory of All Things, succeeds in doing what has not been done before -- reconciling creationism and intelligent design theory with portions of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.This is a remarkable and original new book, which I encourage everyone to read, scientists and the general public alike.It is a new theory of biological evolution.Dr. Umana draws an important dichotomy in that he endorses, on the one hand,the theory of common descent of species from earlier species, showing that it is proved by the convergence of the sciences.But on the other hand, he shows that Darwinists' notion that new species emerge from natural selection - random or chance incremental mutations over millions of years - is unsubstantiated and refuted by modern microbiology. He demonstrates that the core idea of Darwinism, though an interesting theory in the 1800's, is bad science today.Something else is going on to explain the emergence of life and the origin of species.These are the big issues of our day in the evolution debate, and this is the book we have all been waiting for.
What that "something else" is has never been explained by any scientist or philosopher before Creation.This is the first real effort to show how biological evolution operates in the origin of new species and the emergence of life.Dr. Umana, while agreeing that natural selection is a true force of nature as demonstrated by microevolution (e.g., the development of bacteria to resistance to antibiotics), shows that natural selection cannot explain emergence of new species.One of the author's arguments that caught my attention focused on recent DNA studies as to the evolution of all dog breeds 15,000 years ago in East Asia from a single gene pool of a small group of gray wolves.Dogs in North America did not evolve from North American wolves.Likewise, European dogs did not evolve from European wolves.As Dr. Umana argues, how could this be if natural selection were the explanation for dog evolution?What happened to natural selection in North America or Europe? This latest genetic evidence, among other evidence, disproves Darwin's notion of `natural selection' as the supposed mechanism for the origin of species.This book also analyzes NASA's discoveries on Mars and on other bodies in our solar system to show that life does not just arise one day on its own. Why did life emerge on Earth 3.9 billion years ago, but not on Mars or anywhere else in our solar system?This book offers a new approach in answering these questions.

One of the most intriguing parts of this book is the author's marshalling of the latest NASA findings as to the Big Bang evolution of the cosmos (in his Chapter 1), as scientific evidence to support his theory of evolution.No one has ever analyzed the Big Bang like this before.He also analyzes the crop circle phenomenon, the spate of crop circles being formed all around the world each year, from the latest scientific evidence (Chapter 8), such as the higher germination rates of seeds taken from plants that are found within crop circle formations and the higher radiation levels discovered in crop circles after formation.He demonstrates that something is going on here that cannot be explained away by the supposition of human pranksters.He ties this latest scientific research in with his theory that life emerged not only on earth but elsewhere in the cosmos.

Nothing like this has been done before in terms of the breadth and scope of the scientific phenomena analyzed and explained.It presents the "Big Picture" as to the emergence of life and the origin of species as has never before been done.

Great Book!
Must read. Check it out, give it to your friends! ... Read more

Product Description
This volume was written in 1983 when there was little physical evidence for the existence of black holes. Recent discoveries have only served to reinforce the elegant theory developed here. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

complications of simplicity
"The black holes of nature are the most perfect macroscopic objects there are in the universe: the only elements in their construction are our concepts of space and time. And since the general theory of relativity provides only a single unique family of solutions for their descriptions, they are the simplest objects as well." Well, yes, but somehow these simple object have given rise here to over 3500 numbered equations, one of which occupies nearly two pages. Deriving the unique family of equations for the rotating black hole is not easy, and then there are the questions of the scattering of electromagnetic waves, particles, or gravitational waves by black holes. At the end of a hundred-page chapter on the gravitational perterbations of a Kerr black hole, with 533 numbered equations, we find the note, "Every effort has been taken to present the mathematical developments in this chapter in a comprehensible logical sequence. But the nature of the developments simply does not allow a presentation that can be followed in detail with modest effort: the reductions that are necessary to go from one step to another are often very elaborate and, on occasion, may require as many as ten, twenty, or even fifty pages. . . . The author's derivations (in some 600 legal-size pages and six additional notebooks), have been deposited . . . ." Not for the faint-hearted.

A goldmine of information
First of all let me say that this book is a member of the hypersonic suppository school of presentation.I wish those that attempt to learn the tetrad and Newman-Penrose methods from this book only good luck.That said, this book contains the most extensive treatment of black holes I have seen anywhere.Period.The section in this book on Kerr black holes inspired me to seek and find a physically meaningful interior solution for the Kerr black hole.I have to admit it: the tetrad and Newman-Penrose treatments inspired me to master these techniques.In the long run that is what this book has done - inspired me.Anything by S. Chandrasekhardoes that to me.

Thorough
I cannot give this book 5 stars because it is written in such a dry fashion that it is terrible reading, certain to put you to sleep. Nonetheless, I recommend it if you are a serious student of relativity because it contains everything you need to know about black holes and the mathematical formalism of relativity in general (i.e. good for study of gravity waves etc). While to read it from cover to cover would be an exercise in torture, it makes an excellent reference book. ... Read more

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Black Holes are still considered to be among the most mysterious and fascinating objects in our universe. Awaiting the era of gravitational astronomy, much progress in theoretical modeling and understanding of classical and quantum black holes has already been achieved.

The present volume serves as a tutorial, high-level guided tour through the black-hole landscape: information paradox and blackhole thermodynamics, numerical simulations of black-hole formation and collisions, braneworld scenarios and stability of black holes with respect to perturbations are treated in great detail, as is their possible occurrence at the LHC.

An outgrowth of a topical and tutorial summer school, this extensive set of carefully edited notes has been set up with the aim of constituting an advanced-level, multi-authored textbook which meets the needs of both postgraduate students and young researchers in the fields of modern cosmology, astrophysics and (quantum) field theory.

Product Description
In addition to the basic information needed to understand what a black hole is, this book also explains what the existence of black holes might mean for the future of our solar system and planet. Scientists' latest findings about the interiors of black holes and our changing understanding of the forces of nature are included in this first-time trade paperback edition. This examination of space and time asks us to contemplate the paradox of a beginning with no beginning and a future with no future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fascinating
I found this book entirely fascinating. Sure, it's old, out of date and, due to the date it was written, somewhat inaccurate, however, it did expand my mind and made me want to learn more about black holes. One of the reasons I wanted to learn more about astronomy. Overall, for a beginner, a good read.

Useless blather?
I read 2 chapters of this silly book, thinking it might contain something about black holes.Maybe there is something about black holes later, but I got turned off real quick by the silly, useless, confusing, pointless, andwhatever other adjective I can come up with to descibe the material in thefirst chapter.The first chapter almost made me stop there, but I thoughtthat I would read at least one more..yuck

Not recommended ... Read more

Product Description
When the far-future evil human empire of Termight begins experimenting with time travel, it unleashes a force that could destroy the entire universe! But Nemesis the Warlock, Deadlocks fellow khaos-worshipper and enemy of Termight, has a plan: the Warriors must travel through the Time Wastes to the central planet of Termight and destroy its technologyand fast! Too bad that Termights legions know the Warriors are coming and have sent an elite force to stop them! ... Read more

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Takes the reader on an imaginary journey to a black hole. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Funny and informative at the same time
This book is a children's introduction to the most awesome (if unseen) inhabitant of the night sky: the black hole! Using simple words and concepts, the book explains where black holes come from, and describes their nature. This is all done using the vehicle of a small boy first talking to an astronomer, and then using his imagination to travel to a black hole wearing a space suit.

My seven-year-old son jumped at this book. I liked that it was pretty easy for him to understand (except that the author repeatedly mentioned "mass" without ever defining the word). The pictures are wonderfully whimsical, while still contributing forcefully to what is being discussed in the text. Overall, I would say that this is a great book for children - funny and informative at the same time.

Real science presented in easy words and great illustrations
What happens to a star when it dies?A small child dons a spacesuit to find out.The gravity of the black hole stretches him out.Another child considers a thimbleful of black hole on a seesaw, outweighing a stack of elephants.

This book is full of hard science.But it is presented in easy words that a child of 4-8 can understand.The bright illustrations are full of motion and lend understanding and excitement to the subject. ... Read more

Product Description
Canonical methods are a powerful mathematical tool within the field of gravitational research, both theoretical and experimental, and have contributed to a number of recent developments in physics. Providing mathematical foundations as well as physical applications, this is the first systematic explanation of canonical methods in gravity. The book discusses the mathematical and geometrical notions underlying canonical tools, highlighting their applications in all aspects of gravitational research from advanced mathematical foundations to modern applications in cosmology and black hole physics. The main canonical formulations, including the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner (ADM) formalism and Ashtekar variables, are derived and discussed. Ideal for both graduate students and researchers, this book provides a link between standard introductions to general relativity and advanced expositions of black hole physics, theoretical cosmology or quantum gravity. ... Read more

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This is a fascinating and enjoyable popular science book on gravity and black holes. It offers an absorbing account on the history of research on the universe and gravity from Aristotle via Copernicus via Newton to Einstein. The author possesses high literary qualities and is celebrated relativist. The physics of black holes constitutes one of the most fascinating chapters in modern science. At the same time, there is a fanciful quality associated with this strange and beautiful entity. The black hole story is undoubtedly an adventure through physics, philosophy, history, fiction and fantasy. This book is an attempt to blend all these elements together.

Customer Reviews (2)

Einstein's Enigma
Lang - Review of Einstein's Enigma

Thank you so much for sending me C. V. Vishveshwara's lively book "Einstein's Enigma," which I have enjoyed reading.As the subtitle "Black Holes in My Bubble Bath" suggests, it is the author's imagination that sets this book apart, making it unique and thoroughly enjoyable.It reminds be a bit of the book "Einstein's Dreams" in that regard.

The main character rides a bath bubble into space and time, to visit astronomers of the past such as Tycho, Kepler, Galileo and eventually "Al" Einstein himself, always accompanied by Casanova, an exceedingly clever merging of Cassiopeia A ( a supernova remnant) and nova, or new star.The bubble baths are taken in a talking bathtub, once the kitchen sink in Einstein's house, which is filled with recollections of the "Master's" views on music, time, death, religion and more.

The physics of general relativity, especially for black holes, is there, from the bending of light (twice the Newtonian value) to the various black hole metrics (static, rotating, charged), and admittedly speculative elements are included - like white holes, charged black holes, and primordial black holes.There is an honest confession that observational astronomers tend to disregard theorists who adjust parameters in their theories to fit contradictory observations.

The book contains all kinds of interesting astrophysical concepts, from why the Sun shines to the super-massive black hole at the center of our Galaxy, and there are all sorts of clever quips, like a black holy man and improper time, rather than the proper sort.

The inclusion of three graduate students helps make the text additionally personal, as do the frequent meals prepared at the local tratoria by an Italian chef. Having an Italian wife, who has prepared dishes like fired zucchini flowers, made this aspect especially enjoyable.

I would not say that the black hole was "the undisputed offspring of the general relativity," since the concept of a star that emits no light because of its immense gravity dates back to Newton's time.But this is a minor comment, and I would certainly recommend this book as a rare and entertaining volume, a must read for anyone interested in the subject.

Kenneth R. Lang
Professor of Astronomy
Tufts University

Of Einstein's physics and Italian cuisine
What do Einstein, Black Holes, and Bath Tubs have to do with each other? The relationship between Einstein and black holes is no mystery even to someone, like myself, who is not a specialist in astrophysics. But the bath tubs? The title intrigued me, so I bought the book and read it.
This book is about relativity and black holes, as the title implies. But it is unlike any other book on the subject I have come across so far.

To begin with, in lieu of the lecture-style format common to this kind of books, the author uses two fictional personas, his alter egos George and Alfie, to present the fundamentals of relativity and black hole physics. George, an astrophysicist, and Alfie, a FLOP according to the author, love to discuss physics while eating and drinking at an Italian restaurant. The narrative style of the book is that of a dialogue, in homage to Galileo, perhaps. The casual environment of the restaurant, where most of the dialogues take place, sets the tone for the entire book.
This is a book intended for the non-specialist, interested public. The use of mathematics is kept to a minimum, and many concepts are illustrated with simple and intuitive cartoons-style diagram scribbled on the napkins in the restaurant (where else?, you may ask).

The book follows 2 parallel narrative tracks: the first track is personified by George and his explanations of the physics of relativity and black holes. The second track is introduced and represented by Alfie.
Alfie has an extraordinary memory, and remembers an incredible amount of data and information about anything he reads. Alfie is interested in the human side of science, and represents the wide range of interests and knowledge of Prof. Vishveshwara outside the realm of physics. It is through Alfie's eyes, and dreams, that the reader encounters great physicists of the past, Kepler, Galileo, Einstein, and even such characters as Sherlock Holmes and Alice in Wonderland.
Alfie may be a FLOP, as the book says, but he has magic, and his magic permeates the entire book making it a delightful read, more like fiction than science. And if you are wondering what a FLOP is, I strongly recommend you read the book to find out.
... Read more

Product Description
This timely book is suitable for the general reader wishing to find answers to some of the intriguing questions now being asked about black holes.Although once recognized as the most destructive force in nature, following a cascade of astonishing discoveries, the opinion of supermassive black holes has undergone a dramatic shift.Astronomers are discovering that these objects may have been critical to the formation of structure in the early universe, spawning bursts of star formation, planets, and even life itself.Fulvio Melia is Associate Head of Physics and Professor of Astronomy at the University of Arizona.He is author of Electrodynamics (University of Chicago, 2001), and a forthcoming title, The Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy (Princeton). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Very concise introduction to the field
This is a very concise, well-written review of the research that has been done on supermassive black holes over the past few decades. The book is deliberately targeted at non-specialists; it didn't contain a single equation, as far as I can recall, and is written in a highly accessible style. I have absolutely NO scientific background, I never even took physics, but I found the book pretty easy to follow. Those with significant background in physics might be disappointed with the lack of mathematical exposition, but this book is a great place for novices to begin.

Melia focuses on a number of topics: the nature of supermassive black holes, how they were discovered and how they are detected, theories of how they are formed, their role in galaxy formation, their release of plasma jets, and their ultimate fate. The last chapter also contains a fascinating digression on whether our universe itself is a black hole; I found this to be the most technically challenging part of the book, but it was thought-provoking. I finished the book feeling very excited about the technological advances that are allowing cosmologists to peer deeper and deeper into the cosmos with increasing accuracy. Melia does a great job of explaining the instruments scientists use to detect black holes, and he discusses a number of projects that are likely to be completed in the next few years. Finally, the book contained a number of terrific images that really helped me to follow the narrative. In conclusion, this book is a great place to start for those who want to learn more about these fascinating celestial objects, and at 130+ pages, it is a fairly quick read.

Darn good
O.k., so I didn't know what to expect, but I bought the book because I had heard that the 2005 Annual Issue of Astronomy magazine had chosen it as one of the best astronomy books of the year. I would have to agree with their choice.Melia introduces supermassive black holes in a novel fashion.Sure, we first came to know of their existence because of the weird behavior of some galaxies.But he shows how in the past few decades, they've come to represent a totally new and dominant category of objects throughout the universe.It now seems that many of them were here long before galaxies formed, and it looks like they were responsible for the formation of galaxies and structure in the universe. But the most amazing thing of all is what observational cosmology is now telling us.Is it true that the universe itself may be a giant black hole?Melia's book has the best discussion of this that I have yet seen. After reading this, I feel like I'm right on the edge of what astrophysicists know.

Great Show!
Last week I was fortunate to hear Prof. Melia speak on the subject of his two new books, this title, and "The Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy" and was so impressed I rushed out to get copies of both. I was not disappointed. Both books are very well written, and beautifully produced, with color images throughout. His style is similar to that with which he presented the subject at our amateur astronomy meeting---clear, lively, and thoughtful.
I am recommending these to all my friends and relatives. They're the best astronomy books I've read in years, and am looking forward to reading more from him in the years to come!

Great Show!
Last week I was fortunate to hear Prof. Melia speak on the subject of his two new books, this title, and "The Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy," and was so impressed I rushed out to get copies of both.I was not disappointed.Both books are very well written, and beautifully produced, with color images throughout. His style is similar to that with which he presented the subject at our amateur astronomy meeting---clear, lively, and thoughtful.
I am recommending these to all my friends and relatives.They're the best astronomy books I've read in years, and am looking forward to reading more from him in the years to come! ... Read more

Product Description
This volume on black holes can be seen as a sequel toPhysics of Black Holes, published by Kluwer AcademicPublishers in 1989. The authors are recognised experts in their field,and have many years' experience in teaching courses on generalrelativity and black holes. The present work covers practically all aspects of black hole physicsand its astrophysical applications. Among the topics treated in depthare: spacetime of stationary black holes, general theory of blackholes, black hole perturbations, black hole numerics, black holeelectrodynamics, black holes in unified theories of gravity, quantumblack holes, final states of evaporating black holes and theinformation loss puzzle. Special attention is paid to the role ofblack holes in astrophysics and observational evidence of black holeexistence. Many exotic subjects linked with black holes, such as whiteholes, wormholes, and time machines are discussed in detail. Numerousappendices cover mathematical aspects of general relativity and blackholes and quantum field theory in curved space time. This makes thebook practically self-contained. Extensive references provide thereader with a guide to the literature in this field. Audience: This book will be of interest to researchers andpostgraduate students whose work involves relativity and gravitation,statistical physics, thermodynamics, active galactic nuclei andstellar physics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Frolov and Novikov's Black Hole Physics
I referenced these authors and also Klapdor-Kleingrothaus and Zuber (see my review of their book) in my paper on Quantum Gravity delivered before Professor Kursunoglu's Orbis Scientiae Quantum Gravity conference inDecember, 1999 (see my review of Kursunoglu).The Editor has summarizedthe book in his usual excellent way, and here I should just add that thereis much material in this book not covered in others, includingrelationships with 2+1 dimensional quantum gravity (see my review ofCarlip, black holes inside monopoles, dilatons, quantum hair, etc. Everyone should buy this book and, if necessary, hire a consultant or tutorto translate it into more simple English. ... Read more

Product Description
BLACK HOLES A TRAVELER'S GUIDE

Clifford Pickover's inventive and entertaining excursion beyond the curves of space and time.

"I've enjoyed Clifford Pickover's earlier books . . . now he has ventured into the exploration of black holes. All would-be tourists are strongly advised to read his traveler's guide." —Arthur C. Clarke.

"Many books have been written about black holes, but none surpass this one in arousing emotions of awe and wonder towards the mysterious structure of the universe." —Martin Gardner.

"Bucky Fuller thought big.Arthur C. Clarke thinks big, but Cliff Pickover outdoes them both." —Wired.

"The book is fun, zany, in-your-face, and refreshingly addictive." —Times Higher Education Supplement.Amazon.com Review
Clifford Pickover, an extraordinarily prolific and polymathicresearch scientist at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, hasconsistently been one of the most creative writers about computergraphics, scientific visualization, and mathematical models of naturaland physical systems. This latest offering is classic Pickover in itswealth of information, ideas, bold speculations and and propositions-- including proposed "hands-on" experiments with blackholes -- which just may turn out to be plausible. Recommended. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Engrossing and Entertaining
I enjoyed this book.It was easy to get into and hard to put down.Don't get discouraged by the equations.I skipped over the calculation as all that interested me was the concepts which the author did well to get across.There was perhaps only a couple of sections I re-read and mainly because I was trying refresh them in my mind to relate them to sections later in the book.As a bonus there's also a cheesy little sidestory that while not exactly rife with tiwsts and turns does well to get across basic concepts in an amusing manner before delving into the knitty gritty of it.If you enjoy studying black holes buy this book.If you don't enjoy studying balck holes, well it'll look good on your coffe table with it's snazzy cover:)

Happy trails....
The term "black hole" was coined by the Princeton physicist John Archibald Wheeler.What, exactly, a black hole is (if there even is such a thing) has been a source of debate and confusion for decades.CliffordPickover inserts you as the main character of this book.You are on aspaceship (complete with aliens) way the heck in the future & your shipis near a black hole.So, you & your friends decide to do a close(literally) study of the cosmic anomaly.

The story is entertaining &has many didactic features.Pickover also inserts some humor so as to makethe book enjoyable as opposed to a dense treatise of rather complexmathematical concepts.Also, at the end of each chapter is a sectioncalled "The science behind the science fiction."It is adetailed account of what we presently know (or think we know) about thenotions which were presented in the narrative.

And, the concepts aremany.We learn of various weird things that happen in & near a blackhole, such as time slowing, the "shrinking" of one's perspectivedue to the singularity & the mind-numbing gravitational power which isprojected by black holes.....a gravity field so immense that the escapevelocity exceeds light speed.We learn how black holes were predicted byEinstein's theory of Relativity as well as how the many principles ofquantum mechanics come into the picture when one is attempting tounderstand the nature of singularities.

Much of this book is speculation,but it is educated speculation.The conjectures on what happens inside ofa singularity, as well as the possiblity of wormholes which lead to otheruniverses & dimensions is exciting & based on our best availablecurrent knowledge of the cosmos.As an added bonus, there is a chapter inthe back of the book in which many of the world's leading cosmologistsanswer questions posed by the author on various topics about & relatedto black holes.There are also computer animation pictures of some of themore dazzling geometrical effects that are generated by black holes.Foranyone who is planning to visit a black hole anytime soon, this book is amust.

GET THE BOOK AND BEGIN YOUR OWN TRAVEL!
For over five years I've been a fond of classic physics, cuantic physics, cosmology and astrophysics. I've read the books of some of the greatest writers of these branches of science, among which I remember StephenHawking, Paul Davies, Roger Penrose, Albert Einstein, etc. All of thesebooks are very complete if we talk about the information exposed by them,but they have a common characteristic (I don't know whether is a defect infact), is highly recommendable to have a certain level of scientificknowledge in order to make good use of its content. The book featured byClifford A. Pickover "Black Holes: A traveler's guide" is totallydifferent to those that I've read before. Is a complete, funny and,overcoat, is easily understandable by anybody. At the beginning of eachchapter there are presented dialogs (between the reader and an alien calledMr. Plex) with the purpose of giving the main idea of what is coming upnext. In the same way, almost all chapters make reference to simpleformulas that describe the most relevant aspects about the behavior ofblack holes. Besides the main subject (black holes), the author took chargeof showing in a briefly manner another "not less important"subjects of astrophysics and cosmology. I had never understood many of theformulas presented until I read this book. When you begin to read it, youbegin a journey to the marvelous structure of one of the strangest and mostfascinating things in the whole universe, a black hole. Is the best bookthat I've ever seen about this topics and I believe that somebodydifficultly overcome the clear, precise and funny style of writing ofClifford A. Pickover. GET THE BOOK AND BEGIN YOUR OWN TRAVEL!

Good Book for General Readers
This book is full of useful information about black holes that is presented in a fun manner.The dialog at the beginning of each chapter makes the reader understand the topic fairly easily.The equations wereadded for a more scientific approach, but you don't have to understand themto understand the theories.This book is very good for readers interestedin Black Holes, but not the physics of them.I would not suggest this bookto people who have studied physics or astrophysics if they are looking fora mathematical explanation of Black Holes.It often repeats itself becauseit is guided towards people with an interest in the subject but are notreally interested in the math and physics of it all.

Overall it is anexcellent overview of Black Holes, and a joy to read!

Edutainment at its best!!!!
This is an excellent book to give to anyone how are new to the subject of the physics concerning black holes. Thanks to this book I am able to explain how black holes work in a simple and clear way. I like how theauthor uses you and Mr. Plex to educate the reader about black holes. It'sa trip! This is most likely the best (and most fun) book on black holesI've ever read. ... Read more

Product Description
Book Two in the best-selling Uncle Albert science/adventure series. Uncle Albert and his intrepid niece, Gedanken, make some astonishing discoveries when they set out on their next mission: to investigate the universe...Discover, in this adventure story set in deepest space, black holes that swallow up everything, tape measures that shrink when you take them downstairs, speeded-up time, and how it is that you are made of stardust. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great buy
My granddaughter reads anything and everything. Her mom suggested this series for Christmas. It arrived on time and in perfect condition. ... Read more

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IAU Symposium 267 assesses the diverse observational and theoretical attempts to answer the complex question of how quasars physically evolve and how their evolution is tied to those of the host galaxies in which they are found. The emerging theme is that quasars are not only tracers of the evolution of galaxies; they are agents of that evolution. The central black holes in galaxies grow by accretion during a quasar-like phase. However, the accretion process itself eventually produces energetic feedback in the form of intense radiation, massive outflows, and jets, which heat and perhaps remove entirely the interstellar medium of the host galaxy, effectively shutting down star formation. These up-to-date reviews of this dynamic field have particular appeal to newcomers to the field or anyone interested in the 'big picture' of how galaxies and black holes evolve over cosmic time. ... Read more

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This textbook fills a gap in the existing literature on general relativity by providing the advanced student with practical tools for the computation of many physically interesting quantities. The context is provided by the mathematical theory of black holes, one of the most successful and relevant applications of general relativity. Topics covered include congruences of timelike and null geodesics, the embedding of spacelike, timelike and null hypersurfaces in spacetime, and the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of general relativity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent At What It's Meant To Do
As the book title suggests, this is not an introduction to general relativity.However, with a basic understanding of general relativity and differential geometry, this book can be a very rewarding read.There are many other text books that cover the same material, but only superficially.This book fills in the gaps and provides the details that are indispensable for anyone doing research in the field or just seeking a deep understanding of general relativity.Explanations are concise and clear, with a logic that is sound and well-organzied.The chapter on the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of general relativity is the best I have seen in any book published so far; it provides the details that Wald and Carroll either neglect or gloss over in their textbooks.I only wish the book covered a few more topics.With only 250 pages, it can stand the addition of a few more chapters, perhaps on modified theories of gravity, initial value formulation, or advanced methods for solving the Einstein field equations. ... Read more

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"Mr. Barry is the funniest man in America and we should encourage him."
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
At long last, Dave Barry, the dean of everything, lets you in on the deepest, darkest mysteries of life and answers your hysterical home purchase questions like they've never been answered before.
Amazon.com Review
Time for Q & A with Dave Barry about that age-old question:"What do I need to know before I buy a house?":

Q: What's the best way to determine a realistic price range?"
A: Take your total annual family income, including coinsthat have fallen behind the bureau, and any projected future revenueyou may have been notified about via personalized letters from Mr. EdMcMahon stating that you may have already won 14 milliondollars. Then, multiply by something other than 6.

Q: Is there a secret to having a beautiful lawn?
A: Yes and no. If you fail to feed, fertilize, and water yourlawn, it will die. However, if you feed, fertilize, and water yourlawn, it will die.

Q: How can I avoid spending money on do-it-yourselfhomeowner's projects?
A: Find a contractor. Their silent motto is "We Never Show Up."The Romans lived among ruins. You must too.

Q: What do 1) "charming" and 2) "newly renovated" mean in house ads?
A: That's easy! 1) Rooms the size of nasal spray cartons, and2) that the walls havebeen pretty well scraped clean in the room where the demonic beingsfrom another dimension came through the TV set and caused the previousoccupant's heads to explode.

I've been avoiding buying a house for years, and after reading thisbook, I am convinced I have made the right decision. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Funniest Dave Barry book ever written
Dave Barry is always funny, but in this book, he is mind-bogglingly hilarious.I couldn't stop laughing, and when I tried to read my favorite parts to friends, I couldn't get the words out for all the hilarity.If you've ever had to go through a move, you will appreciate Barry's insights and observations. This book is classic Dave Barry.I've had my copy for at 20 years, and I still laugh at the jokes.Money well spent for the decades of enjoyment.

Thanks Dave -- finaly a guide to home buying I understand!
Dave hits the nail on the head with this refreshing view of not only how to buy, but maintain, and eventually sell your home.

When I prepared to have a baby join our family, I turned to Dave Barry's "Baby's andother hazzards of sex" to help me make that adjustment.

Thank themaker that Dave was also there for me when we got ready to buy our firsthome!

If you are thinking about buying a home, YOU NEED THIS BOOK!Itexplains that it doesn't really matter who all those people are who show upat the closing...but that it's your responsibility to keep writing out thechecks as long as someone is in line.

There are hillariously practicaltips to searching for, buying, and maintaining your home.Dave presentshints and suggestions that will help you to appear knowledgeable whilelooking at houses, how to get into serious debt, and even about challengesyou will face while redecorating.

He even has the audacity to suggestthat it's possible to redecorate "for under $650,000."Come onDave!Everyone knows that's impossible!

And when you are all done fixingup, being worn down, and you are ready to sell your home, he also presentshints on how to fool someone into buying your "blackhole."

Great stuff through and through!5 stars for humor and reallife applicability!

A must read for first time home buyers
One of the funniest books I've ever read or heard about.I laughed so hard that I couldn't continue reading ! ... Read more

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