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Leonard Mlodinow
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Euclid's Window : The Story of Geometry from Parallel Lines to Hyperspace Paperback – April 9, 2002

by Leonard Mlodinow (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 468 ratings
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Through Euclid's Window Leonard Mlodinow brilliantly and delightfully leads us on a journey through five revolutions in geometry, from the Greek concept of parallel lines to the latest notions of hyperspace. Here is an altogether new, refreshing, alternative history of math revealing how simple questions anyone might ask about space -- in the living room or in some other galaxy -- have been the hidden engine of the highest achievements in science and technology.
Based on Mlodinow's extensive historical research; his studies alongside colleagues such as Richard Feynman and Kip Thorne; and interviews with leading physicists and mathematicians such as Murray Gell-Mann, Edward Witten, and Brian Greene, Euclid's Window is an extraordinary blend of rigorous, authoritative investigation and accessible, good-humored storytelling that makes a stunningly original argument asserting the primacy of geometry. For those who have looked through Euclid's Window, no space, no thing, and no time will ever be quite the same.
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  1. Print length
    320 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    April 9, 2002
  4. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.9 x 9.25 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0684865246
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0684865249
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Curt Suplee The Washington Post High-spirited, splendidly lucid and often hilarious.

Michael Guillen author of Five Equations That Changed the World How often can you say that a book on math -- on math! -- is a real page-turner? Well, this one is. As engaging as a soap opera, as fascinating as a whodunit, as funny as the Sunday comics, Mlodinow's book is storytelling at its best.

Brian Greene author of The Elegant Universe There is perhaps no better way to prepare for the scientific breakthroughs of tomorrow than to learn the language of geometry, and Euclid's Window makes this task lively and enjoyable.

About the Author

Leonard Mlodinow, Ph.D., was a member of the faculty of the California Institute of Technology before moving to Hollywood to become a writer for numerous television shows ranging from Star Trek: The Next Generation to Night Court. He has also developed many bestselling and award-winning educational CD-ROMs, and delivered technical and general lectures in ten countries. He is currently Vice President, Emerging Technologies and R&D, at Scholastic Inc. He lives in New York City.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Free Press; Reprint edition (April 9, 2002)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0684865246
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0684865249
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.9 x 9.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 468 ratings

About the author

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Leonard Mlodinow

Leonard Mlodinow

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Leonard Mlodinow was born in Chicago, Illinois, received his PhD in theoretical physics from the University of California at Berkeley, and is the author of five best-sellers. His book The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules our Lives was a New York Times Bestseller, Editor's Choice, and Notable Book of the Year, and was short-listed for the Royal Society book award. His book Subliminal won the PEN/Wilson award for literary science writing. His other books include two co-authored with physicist Stephen Hawking -- A Briefer History of Time, and The Grand Design. In addition to his books and research articles, he has taught at Caltech, written for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Forbes magazine, among other publications, and for television series such as McGyver and Star Trek: the Next Generation. www.leonardmlodinow.com

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
468 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Nena
5.0 out of 5 stars well packed and came on time
Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2023
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The book is entertaining, and explains science concepts for a everyday life people with a simple language.
I am not a science person, but I have a little bit of curiosity to understand some Physics concepts with out the deep knowledge of math.
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Lance C. Hibbeler
4.0 out of 5 stars Biographical history of particle physics
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2009
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"Euclid's Window" traces the roots of particle physics, from the initial geometric work of the ancient Greeks, to Descartes attaching algebra to geometry, to Gauss and Riemann realizing that space need not be flat, to Einstein applying these ideas in the theories of relativity, to the particle physics and string theory as we know it today. These are just a few of the mathematicians and scientists discussed. The book is not a history of geometry as the subtitle suggests, as Mlodinow only takes the parts that are relevant to the current physics-based explanation of the world (membrane theory) and the quest for a grand unified theory and how geometry fits into it. The story along the way is very engaging and entertaining, revealing both the life and times of the people that invented the various theories we use today, as well as lucidly explaining the theories themselves (even string theory). I highly recommend the book for both entertainment value and educational value, though I must qualify this statement: Mlodinow makes a few blunders along the way with dates, fills in some details with his own imagination, and interjects his opinion quite frequently. You might walk away from the book thinking that Ed Witten is the next Einstein (not to discredit Professor Witten, as he has made very important contributions). Mlodinow most noticeably leaves out contributions from the ancient Indians and Chinese, and only briefly mentions the Arabs- basically taking a very Europe- and American-centric point of view...take it or leave it, but I can't help but agree that these are the people that took us from the parallel postulate to quarks, gravitons, and so on. Historical context is cherry-picked to support the anti-Christian and anti-antisemite (basically pro-Jewish) opinions of the author, which isn't to say the points aren't valid. As you will discover in reading the book, Christianity killed (literally) the ancient Greek science, and has impeded the return of logical thought and science ever since.

So we don't have complete historic rigor here- I say who cares. Mlodinow has written a story with few geometric sketches and even fewer equations, not a textbook. If you want the usual dry history of "and on April 12, 1652, Hermann von German discovered this phenomena while rowing a boat across a lake," or page after page of equations, then I'm sure there are many other books out there to satisfy your needs. So, take the finer points with a grain of salt (if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is- except for C.F. Gauss) and enjoy the ride of learning about the people behind the math and physics. This is still a great book that I would recommend to those interested in math and/or physics.
4 people found this helpful
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George A. Kresovich
5.0 out of 5 stars The Universe is a strange (and funny) place
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2001
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I loved this book. This book provides an understanding of the importance of the Greeks in the history of human thought that goes far beyond a mere historical description of what they did. I've known for more than thirty years that the Greeks were the fathers of rational and scientific thought (and answered exam questions with a suitably expanded discourse on that theme). But I now have a concrete appreciation for what that means. Mlodinow not only reveals the content of what they thought but also connects their discoveries and theories to later events. He shows how the foundation is connected to the top story (still under construction). Mlodinow is especially adept at presenting theoretical constructs in a way that is accessible to the non-scientist. His portrayal of the individuals who were responsible for the major steps along the way is characterized by a wry outlook that is effective and that contributes to the story he is telling. This is popular science at its best. A specialist might debate a point or two, but the story that is told here is clear and compelling. tThe author's frequent humorous touches add a note of grace to the subject. Simply put, it's fun to read this book.
I highly recommend the book. I think it would be particularly useful as a text for a course in the history of Western thought.
24 people found this helpful
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amacust
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Good Book With An Excellent Epilogue
Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2014
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This is a very good book, much better than I expected. I thought it would be more like a college mathematics text book. Instead it is more like a novel. It is very readable and the subjects flow smoothly from one to another. I found the reading enjoyable and it kept my interest from one chapter to the next. Most of it is not too technical or abstract so it should be understandable to the general public. There are, however, a few sections on math and physics theory that are difficult to comprehend. Those sections kept me alert and added interest to the book. I have a BS degree in mathematics and now I have a new perspective on the classes I took in college. The title of the book is OK, but it does not describe all of the content. There is much more such as the role of prominent men and women and their influence on geometry and mathematics on world history. The Epilogue at the end is very, very good, the best I have ever read.
6 people found this helpful
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Paul Harmon
5.0 out of 5 stars A great history of the most important insight in geometry
Reviewed in the United States on August 5, 2018
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This is a history of the development of geometric thought. It focuses on key figures like Euclid, Descartes, Gauss, Reimann and Einstein. It shows how Gauss's realization that Euclid's model of space was only one possible model and how that insight changed mathematics and then physics. Einstein couldn't have explained relativity if Reimann hadn't already created an appropriate geometry for extratresteral space. I wish there were a few more illustrations, but that's a nit. The author, Mlodinow, was trained as a mathematician and then evolved into a Hollywood writer (Startrek, etc) and this shows in his lively writing style. A very good read for someone who want's to know about the role of modern geomentry in today's intellectual world. (No real math background is required to read this book -- its history book, not mathematics text.)
9 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Kris
5.0 out of 5 stars Love it
Reviewed in Canada on April 17, 2023
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Interesting breakdown of the history
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Unikway
5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative and good read.
Reviewed in India on November 3, 2023
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Speaks about missing link between previous generations practice and compares now what’s happening and what’s wrong now.

A must read and definitely we can take some of the tips and keep them to practice for better life.
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Cliente Amazon
4.0 out of 5 stars trattazione piana, piena di umorismo, ma competete
Reviewed in Italy on September 24, 2021
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ho detto tutto nel titolo sopra scritto
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PG
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating!
Reviewed in France on March 17, 2021
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Fascinating!
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Dr L Karatzas
5.0 out of 5 stars Accessible overview.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2019
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Fantastic exposition of the progress of geometry over the centuries.
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