Alan P. Lightman Livres

The acclaimed author of Einstein’s Dreams tackles "big questions like the origin of the universe and the nature of consciousness ... in an entertaining and easily digestible way” (Wall Street Journal) with a collection of meditative essays on the possibilities—and impossibilities—of nothingness and infinity, and how our place in the cosmos falls somewhere in between. Can space be divided into smaller and smaller units, ad infinitum? Does space extend to larger and larger regions, on and on to infinity? Is consciousness reducible to the material brain and its neurons? What was the origin of life, and can biologists create life from scratch in the lab? Physicist and novelist Alan Lightman, whom The Washington Post has called “the poet laureate of science writers,” explores these questions and more—from the anatomy of a smile to the capriciousness of memory to the specialness of life in the universe to what came before the Big Bang. Probable Impossibilities is a deeply engaged consideration of what we know of the universe, of life and the mind, and of things vastly larger and smaller than ourselves.

Chronicling twenty-four pivotal scientific discoveries of the twentieth century, the book highlights influential figures like Einstein and Watson, showcasing how their work reshaped our understanding of the universe. Lightman offers deep insights into the emotional and intellectual contexts surrounding these breakthroughs, illustrating the human drama behind each discovery. Additionally, he provides a guided tour of the original research papers, making complex scientific concepts accessible and engaging. This work exemplifies exceptional science writing that vividly brings the discovery process to life.

A modern classic, Einstein's Dreams is a fictional collage of stories dreamed by Albert Einstein in 1905, when he worked in a patent office in Switzerland. As the defiant but sensitive young genius is creating his theory of relativity, a new conception of time, he imagines many possible worlds. In one, time is circular, so that people are fated to repeat triumphs and failures over and over. In another, there is a place where time stands still, visited by lovers and parents clinging to their children. In another, time is a nightingale, sometimes trapped by a bell jar.Now translated into thirty languages, Einstein's Dreams has inspired playwrights, dancers, musicians, and painters all over the world. In poetic vignettes, it explores the connections between science and art, the process of creativity, and ultimately the fragility of human existence.

In this provocative national bestseller, first-time novelist Lightman takes us back to 1905 and into the dreams of a young patent clerk named Albert Einstein, just as he was completing his theory of relativity. "Lightman lets the reader in on the workings of a creative scientific mind."

This collection features insights from renowned physicists on the nature of spacetime, time travel, and the future of science. Richard Price introduces spacetime physics, while Stephen Hawking discusses the concept of chronology protection. Igor Novikov explores the possibility of altering the past, and Kip S. Thorne speculates on future scientific advancements. Timothy Ferris addresses the challenges of making science accessible to the public, and Alan Lightman reflects on the intersection of physics and literature, highlighting the role of physicists as storytellers.

New York Times best-selling author Alan Lightman, in collaboration with Olga Pastuchiv, brings galaxies close in a stunning picture-book tribute to the interconnectedness of the natural world. Layering photographs taken from the Hubble telescope into charming and expressive art, illustrator Susanna Chapman zooms in on one child's experiences: Ada knows that the best place for star-gazing is on the island in Maine where she vacations with her grandparents. By day, she tracks osprey in the trees, paddles a kayak, and hunts for shells. But she's most in her element when the sun goes down and the stars blink to life. Will the fog this year foil her plans, or will her grandfather find a way to shine a spotlight on the vast puzzle of the universe . . . until the weather turns?

Explores the emotional and philosophical questions raised by discoveries in science, focusing most intently on the human condition and the needs of humankind. This title offers a collection of essays that shows us our own universe from a series of diverse perspectives.

Exploring the intersection of art and science, this collection showcases Alan Lightman's essays that illuminate the connections between the physical world and human experience. Highlighting themes such as the relationship between a ballerina and physics, the dual paths of scientists, and the nature of discovery, the essays delve into the creative impulses that unite artists and scientists. "Dance for Two" offers a profound and intimate perspective on the shared motivations behind these seemingly disparate fields.

Tired of his quarrelsome relatives in the Void, the protagonist explores the creation of time, space, and matter, leading to the development of stars, planets, consciousness, and intelligent beings facing moral dilemmas.

A WASHINGTON POST NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR • Alan Lightman’s grandfather M.A. was the family’s undisputed patriarch. It was his movie theater empire that catapulted the Lightmans, a Hungarian Jewish immigrant family, to prominence in the South; his triumphs that would both galvanize and paralyze his descendants. In this evocative personal history, the author chronicles his return to Memphis and the stifling home he had been so eager to flee forty years earlier. As aging uncles and aunts retell old stories, Alan finds himself reconsidering long-held beliefs about his larger-than-life grandfather and his quiet, inscrutable father. The result is an unforgettable family saga set against the pulsing backdrop of Memphis—its country clubs and juke joints, its rhythm and blues, its segregated movie theaters, its barbecue and pecan pie—including encounters with Elvis, Martin Luther King Jr., and E. H. “Boss” Crump. Both intensely personal and quintessentially American, Screening Room finely explores the tricks of light that can make—and unmake—a man and his myth. (With black-and-white illustrations throughout.)