Cosmology & Physics Books: Recommended Reads

[student007]

Hello, I am a non-science student with a huge interest in cosmology and modern physics. I've read Micheal Greene's "Elegant Universe" and "Fabric of the Cosmos" a couple of times, and I loved them. What else do you recommend? (I know about Stephen Hawking's 2 books, and I hope to read them sometime soon). Anyone else have any suggestions?

 

[Daverz]

How much math can you handle?

 

[chroot]

The paperback novel-type books really aren't going to teach you much. At most, they're going to be good entertainment. If you really want to study cosmology, you should look into university-level textbooks on the subject.

- Warren

 

[neutrino]

Gravity from the Ground Up by Bernard Schutz. I have just flipped through the book, and I think it was written mainly for people whose strong point is not differential geometry but who have not forgotten their high-school non-calculus maths. Of course, cosmology forms only a part of the book, general relativity being the main theme.

 

[hellfire]

Take look to the threads in the subforum Book Reviews, in Career & Academic Guidance. A very interesting book, without formulas but very accurate, is Steven Weinberg's "The First Three Minutes: A Modern View of the Origin of the Universe".

 

[George Jones]

A good compromise is https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/052166148X/?tag=pfamazon01-20, by Edward Harrison.

This book, in places, uses a little elementary calculus.

 

[chronon]

I've written some cosmology related articles on my website, and have made lists of suggested reading to accompany them. These can be found at Stretchy space and Cosmological Horizons

 

[Chronos]

I like pedagogical treatments of extraordinarily difficult subjects, like cosmology. I agree you have to learn a great deal of math to grasp the deep issues, but, the popular press is a great way to capture the attention of kids who will someday take it to the next level.