The Particle at the End of the Universe

This layman's book on particle physics is be easy to follow but not simplistic. Jonathan Hogan's narration exactly matches this approach. His tone is conversational, with an occasional gee-whiz kind of enthusiasm that is the hallmark of a good scientist. But make no mistake, this book is deep and at times dense. It requires concentration. So while the reading is easy to follow, the material remains complex and requires a base of knowledge not every listener will have. The author does offer up enough basics that his discussion of the Higgs boson--the key to understanding why matter exists--makes sense even to the relatively uninitiated. Listeners who complete the journey will have a better understanding of the subject. R.C.G. (c) AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine

May 1, 2013

While the print version of this book was very well received, the audiobook will likely have a smaller audience. Carroll (California Inst. of Technology) explains the concept of the Higgs Boson particle wonderfully; he also describes the search for the "God Particle" in an interesting manner that willhold the attention of the listener. Narrator Jonathan Hogan supports this writing with a calm, conversational reading style. VERDICT While the material is well presented, the prime drawback of this audiobook is the 10.75-hour listening time that will hold the attention of only those truly interested in the topic. ["A readable and well-researched chronicle of this century's biggest event in physics, with some explanation of the science itself," read the review of the Dutton hc, LJ 1/13.--Ed.]--Eric D. Albright, Hirsh Health Sciences Lib., Tufts Univ., Boston

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