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Reality Is Not What It Seems

The Journey to Quantum Gravity

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Reality Is Not What It Seems

By: Carlo Rovelli
Narrated by: Roy McMillan
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About this listen

From the best-selling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics comes a new audiobook about the mind-bending nature of the universe.

Penguin presents the unabridged downloadable audiobook edition of Reality Is Not What It Seems by Carlo Rovelli, read by Roy McMillan.

What are time and space made of? Where does matter come from? And what exactly is reality?

Scientist Carlo Rovelli has spent his whole life exploring these questions and pushing the boundaries of what we know. Here he explains how our image of the world has changed throughout centuries. From Aristotle to Albert Einstein, Michael Faraday to the Higgs boson, he takes us on a wondrous journey to show us that beyond our ever-changing idea of reality is a whole new world that has yet to be discovered.

©2016 Carlo Rovelli (P)2016 Penguin Audio History History & Philosophy Philosophy Physics Science Cosmology Mathematics Black Hole Inspiring Feel-Good Astronomy

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Where does Reality Is Not What It Seems rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the very best.

What did you like best about this story?

Logical, clear and honest about this fascinating area of science.

Have you listened to any of Roy McMillan’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes.

Any additional comments?

Content and performance combine to make this a memorable experience.

Reaching out for understanding

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it's a difficult area, so very satisfying when the penny finally drops.
takes a few listens but worth the effort.

difficult and oh so satisfying

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One of the best introductions to the world at the quantum level, fascinating and involving. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in modern science, and don't be put off by quantum gravity in the title, although quantum world appears to be weird and complex, the author tells the story in a simple and illuminating way, a true masterpiece that inspires thinking and encourages ventures beyond what we perceive as reality.

Simply great

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Very good for somebody who doesn’t have much knowledge in the physics area. Maybe made slightly more complicated by unnecessary hyperbole. However the story is really interesting and it’s always very useful to understand where these theories originate from.

I wouldn’t recommend to somebody who already has a bit of knowledge in the area, perhaps studied a bit further than A-level) as the mathematics isn’t really explained (it’s a fairly basic understanding given). Very chill to listen to however and an enjoyable description of complex ideas made easier to understand :)

Very useful but only introductory

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I’ve listed to this book a few times and will listen again and again, trying to soak in the concepts which are so complex and abstract but beautiful and fascinating. It’s both beautifully read and written and I feel like I’ve grasped general relativity for the first time, still working on quantum loop gravity. My next book will be a Carlo Rovelli

Inspiring

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Great book for anyone, with very good narration! You will not be able to stop listening and you'll ask for more...

An absolutely outstanding book.

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The way in which this book was written inspire and excite one’s heart about the possibilities of our world and universe. Loved it!!!

Absolutely beautiful

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Excellent book. Provides insights at a reasonably digestible level to some of the important questions

Infinity solved

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Beautifully written, so beautiful and touching. From finitely smallest to finitely biggest and finitely so much that we don’t know, everything is connected and interacting.

Almost cried

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Anyone can understand the clear explanation by Carlo Rovelli-- in places riveting, occasionally brilliant.
There are some sections where he goes on too much about the Greeks for me, but overall a cracking good read. I heartily recommend it to anyone.

Quantum Mechanics is not quite what it seems

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