The Accidental Universe

Scientific discoveries have become part of popular culture over the past quarter-century, and this audiobook explores the effects that this new knowledge has had on our world. Lightman discusses religion and philosophy while positing that we might, indeed, live in a world that's accidental. Bronson Pinchot brings his clear, commanding voice to this book and sounds suitably authoritative. He reads slowly enough to allow listeners to follow the author's argument and pauses effectively to let it sink in. However, the book can be ponderous, and and Pinchot doesn't overcome the material. He can't quite keep the story moving under the weight of the science, interesting as it is, and his energy sometimes flags. The result is an interesting thesis in need of more vigor. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

Starred review from September 30, 2013
In his brief but engrossing latest essay collection, theoretical physicist and novelist Lightman (Einstein’s Dreams) offers insight into the ways that recent scientific discoveries shape our understanding of ourselves and our world. Each of the seven essays here explores the philosophical fallout from a particular corner of research. The titular lead essay examines the concept of the multiverse, and the potential implications of its existence, in light of the dark energy that keeps our universe from collapsing. “The Spiritual Universe” examines the often uneasy relationship between science and religion, while other pieces explore entropy, the vast scale of space, and unpredictable humanity’s role in a universe built on physical laws and composed of forces, light, and particles we can’t see. Lightman is one of the few physicists who can name-check the Dalai Lama, astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, Dostoevsky, and dark energy in the same work, while deftly guiding readers through discussions of modern physics and philosophy. Here he has composed a thoughtful, straightforward collection of essays that invite readers to think deeply about the world around them. Agent: Jane Gelfman, Gelfman Schneider Literary Agents Inc.