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What Members Thought
This book is really about the history of the idea of time travel. James Gleick traces the history of the idea of time travel, through literature and films. The earliest stories about time travel paved the way, for they first exposed people to the whole concept. Later stories expanded on the concept, showing the possibility for paradoxes. Gleick also explores the concept of time; it is actually rather difficult to define in a non-circular manner. What is time? This becomes a rather philosophical
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It was a somewhat enjoyable disappointment. If you feel like quasi philosophic discourse on the nature of time with very little science thrown in, then it's perfect. Rambling, meandering and erudite, the book cites many authors on the nature of time, yet provides surprisingly little information. Specifically on time travel, it discusses mainly the ideas science fiction authors, many of them scientists themselves, came up with. It treats reading books as a form of time travel, and Gleick mentions
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Interesting review of our perception of time and time travel, primarily through popular literature and other media (mostly sci-fi). A very light read and not for those looking for a scientific treatise on time; however, the author nicely ties together the intertwined influences on each other of literature, language, and pop culture and of science in general and theoretical physics in particular.
Sep 27, 2016
Avi Rozen
marked it as to-read
Nov 08, 2016
Stacy
marked it as to-read
Dec 12, 2016
Deanna
marked it as to-read
Jun 21, 2017
Staci Johnson
marked it as to-read
