According to the back cover of Stephen Hawking’s A Brief History of Time, the master theoretical physicist wrote his now famous book for “nonscientists everywhere.” Well, as someone who is both a nonscientistÑin fact, as an English major, I think I qualify for a PhD in nonscienceÑand lives in the all-encompassing everywhere, I found the uncommonly thin tome a tad on the confusing side. A tad. Not that I’m doggedly oblivious to the world of scienceÑamong other things, I found Hawking’s personal and historical anecdotes far more informative and memorable than the eye-blearing diagrams and letter-number equationsÑI just don’t understand the jargon, which seems to snowball throughout the book into chapter upon chapter of incomprehensible terminology.
So what could be more welcomed than a simplified simplification? A cut-down version of an already cut-down subject? Unfortunately, even Errol Morris’ talent for slow-motion cutawaysÑin this case, a Roulette wheel, a shattering cup of tee, the inner workings of a clockÑand interesting interview practices can’t save a subject that is both bewildering and subjective.
by Adam Balz | Source: VHS
26 Jul 2008 5:06 PM | Submit Comment