What is my protagonist reading?

[sayetsu]

The metaphysics in my fantasy novel incorporates elements of quantum physics like the observer effect and entanglement. I'm writing a scene in which the protagonist is reading as a high-schooler in 2004. What book can I show her reading that would tell the reader she knows some about this stuff?

 

[member 656954]

Easier to just make a title up than trawl through what might have been in 2004. Most readers won't know either way, and even fewer will care.

 

[Klystron]

If she likes old books, try having her read "The First Three Minutes" by Steven Weinberg. Originating from the 1970's, Weinberg's book had an immense influence on popular notions of the Universe. Alternatively, since it is 2004, have her read an online critique crying about the deficits in Weinberg's arguments.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_First_Three_Minutes

The catch for the reader is that the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) results had recently been published but not generally well understood in 1973. Your protagonist could follow and briefly review CMBR discoveries from 1960's until 2004 with emphasis on the metaphysics of galactic formation.

With this example from cosmology you can choose a favorite author in quantum physics and follow entanglement ideas from 1904 to 2004. Keep it simple as @Tghu Verd suggests. Choose a book with which you are familiar with ideas likely known by your 2020 intended audience.

 

[Rive]

What book can I show her reading that would tell the reader she knows some about this stuff?

If you want her to display some actual knowledge then I think it is not a popular science book, but already an university textbook from that time.

 

[Whipley Snidelash]

Hawking?