Time (chronology), time systems and standards Books

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Book SynopsisBest Books of 2016 BOSTON GLOBE * THE ATLANTICFrom the acclaimed bestselling author of The Information and Chaos comes this enthralling history of time travel—a concept that has preoccupied physicists and storytellers over the course of the last century. James Gleick delivers a mind-bending exploration of time travel—from its origins in literature and science to its influence on our understanding of time itself. Gleick vividly explores physics, technology, philosophy, and art as each relates to time travel and tells the story of the concept's cultural evolutions—from H.G. Wells to Doctor Who, from Proust to Woody Allen. He takes a close look at the porous boundary between science fiction and modern physics, and, finally, delves into what it all means in our own moment in time—the world of the instantaneous, with its all-consuming present and vanishing future.

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Book SynopsisThis two-volume publication illustrates the evolutionary history of the pendulum clock from the early Age of Metternich and provides detailed explanations on their engineering. In addition, it contains a catalogue with almost 400 wall and longcase clocks, most of which have never been published, and a unique index with over 14,000 entries on clockmakers from all over the Austrian Empire, including a vast amount of previously unknown masters and workshops. It also includes biographical information on the makers, locations of the workshops, masterpieces and exhibits from trade exhibitions, inventions, characteristic features of the pieces, sales outlets, and the prices of the time. An indispensable compendium on classic longcase and wall clocks of the Austrian Empire and a major reference work for all those with an interest in clocks! Text in German.

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Book SynopsisIn the late fifteenth century, clocks acquired minute hands. A century later, second hands appeared. Tracing debates about the nature of time, causality, and free will, as well as the introduction of modern technologies - telegraphy, photography, cinematography - this title locates the reverberations of this 'perceptual moment' throughout culture.Trade Review"A thoughtful look at the all-too-human perceptual complications facing objective observation." (New Scientist) "This is an interesting, entertaining, and well-written book." (Choice)"

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Book SynopsisIn the late fifteenth century, clocks acquired minute hands. A century later, second hands appeared. Tracing debates about the nature of time, causality, and free will, as well as the introduction of modern technologies - telegraphy, photography, cinematography - this title locates the reverberations of this 'perceptual moment' throughout culture.Trade Review"A thoughtful look at the all-too-human perceptual complications facing objective observation." (New Scientist) "This is an interesting, entertaining, and well-written book." (Choice)"

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Book SynopsisUp until the end of the eighteenth century, the way Ottomans used their clocks conformed to the inner logic of their own temporal culture. This book unravels the complexity of Ottoman temporal culture and tells the story of its transformation. It presents us with a new understanding of the relationship between time and modernity.

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Book SynopsisUntil the nineteenth century all time was local time. The invention of railways and telegraphs, however, created a newly interconnected world where, suddenly, the time differences between cities mattered. This book is an exploration of why we tell time the way we do, demonstrating that organizing a new global time system was no simple task.Trade Review“With the rising interest in doing away with summer time shifts, The Clocks are Telling Us Lies highlights some of the issues with converting back to standard time and provides readers with a better appreciation of how change in times will impact and be received by society. A valuable reference book on a challenging topic.” Randall C. Brooks, vice-president emeritus, Ingenium Canada

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Book SynopsisAn engaging, encyclopedic account of the material world of early modern Britain as told through a unique collection of dated objects The period from 1500 to 1800 in England was one of extraordinary social transformations, many having to do with the way time itself was understood, measured, and recorded. Through a focused exploration of an extensive private collection of fine and decorative artworks, this beautifully designed volume explores that theme and the variety of ways that individual notions of time and mortality shifted. The feature uniting these more than 450 varied objects is that each one bears a specific date, which marks a significant momentfor reasons personal or professional, religious or secular, private or public. From paintings to porringers, teapots to tape measures, the objectsand the stories they telloffer a vivid sense of the lived experience of time, while providing a sweeping survey of the material world of early modern Britain. Distributed for the Yale CenterTrade Review"A change of focus reveals the design, the beauty, the meaning, and often the life stories, of this collection of bric-a-brac."—Historic House“The attention to detail, both in the archival research and the aesthetic presentation, make it a beautiful object and an impressive resource, one that at the present time, especially, stands as a fitting testament to the ongoing human determination to create, to mark time, and to endure.”—Christina J. Faraday, Apollo Magazine "The editors and authors are to be commended for the wonderful book they have written, and for the dedication, sensitivity, and nuance with which they have approached the humble yet delightful objects in their care.”—Francesca Kaes, Journal 18“. . . an ambitious exploration of a subject that has rarely—perhaps never—been addressed by design historians.”—Ellenor Alcorn, Magazine Antiques

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Book SynopsisLucid exploration of central themes from science, philosophy, literature and religious ideas. Accessible and provocative discussion of the imagination and time. Warnock is a leading public figure in the UK.Trade Review“Warnock cites philosophers next to poets, writers of literature next to writers of history, illuminating the ongoing discussion of imagination and the role that imagination plays in the human struggle to understand ourselves and the world around us.” (Resource Center Blog)Table of ContentsPreface. 1. Introduction: The Inner and the Outer World. 2. Imagination and the Idea of Genius. 3. Imaginative Interpretations. 4. The Symbolic. 5. Stories. 6. Personal Identity. 7. Autobiography. 8. The Future. 9. Consequences. Index.

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Book SynopsisThis ground--breaking book addresses transformations in the understanding of time and the generation and degeneration of value at the cutting edge of modernity and postmodernity.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Scott Lash, Andrew Quick and Richard Roberts (Lancaster University, UK). 1. Values in the Timescapes of Nature: Barbara Adam (University of Wales, Cardiff, UK). 2. Angels in the Archive: Lines into the Future in the Work of Jacques Derrida and Miché Serres: Roy Boyne (University College Stockton/University of Durham, UK). 3. Time and Neutrality: Media of Modernity in a Postmodern World: Elizabeth Ermarth (University of Edinburgh, UK). 4. The Time of the Real When Disease is 'Actual': Monica Greco (Goldsmith's College, UK). 5. Times of Value, Deconstruction and Value: Elizabeth Grosz (Monash University, Australia). 6. Being After Time: Towards a Politics of Melancholy: Scott Lash (Lancaster University, UK). 7. Catastrophic Times: Alphonso Lingis (Penn State University, USA). 8. Moving at the Speed of Life: Tim Luke (Virginia Polytechnic University, USA). 9. Le Presentisme ou la Valeur du Cycle: Michel Maffesoli (Sorbonne, France). 10. Time and the Event: Andrew Quick (Lancaster University, UK). 11. Fugit Hora: High Fashion, Television and the Ethics of Style: Hilary Radner (University of Notre Dame, USA). 12. Time, Virtuality and the Goddess: Richard Roberts (University of Lancaster, UK). 13. Time, Baroque Codes and Canonization: Bonaventura de Souza Santos (University of Quimbra, Portugal). 14. Staging the Self by Performing the Other: Global Fantasies and the Migration of the Projective Imagination: Luiz Soares (University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).

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Book SynopsisReveals that some of our most intuitive notions about time are shockingly wrong, and that the real nature of time discovered by Einstein can be rigorously explained without advanced mathematics. This book is suitable for intellectually curious readers of various kinds, including professional physicists.Trade Review"Mermin's premise is that everyone should know about relativity in order to understand the real nature of time... What is remarkable in his approach is his reliance on developing the reader's skills to analyze events in more than one frame of reference. This is the key to understanding relativity: being able to translate with ease from one frame of reference (a moving train) to another (a station)."--Simon Mitton, Times Higher Education Supplement "This is a book full of insight with an engaging style. I recommend it to anyone who has to teach the subject to either [non scientists or undergraduate and graduate students]: it's a brilliant basis for a set of lecture notes."--Derek Raine, Nature "It's About Time is a book that should join the very best systematic popular expositions of science written in the last 50 years."--Peter L. Galison, American Scientist "In this highly readable book, Mermin argues that a working knowledge of relativity requires no more than basic algebra and geometry. He makes a valid point. Special relativity is more fundamental, up-to-date and accurate than Newtonian physics, and Einstein's presence in the classroom may inspire the most uninterested student."--Amanda Gefter, New Scientist "There's a profound difference between knowing about something, and knowing it, and Mermin succeeds at instilling the latter."--Gilbert Taylor, Booklist "Mermin has taught relativity for 40 years and has clearly thought about the best way to teach the subject. It's About Time offers a serious, yet accessible approach to relativity."--Kara shane Colley, MAA Reviews "What makes the book as a whole so enjoyable to read is the steady pace at which the subject unfolds. The author spends as much time on each idea as he considers necessary... Nowhere is the book too intense, and the learning curve for readers has a fairly constant slope... David Mermin [is] a master teacher at work--and instructors will almost certainly include some of the ideas in their own teaching."--Nigel Dowrick, Physics Today "Requiring nothing more than a basic understanding of algebra, [this book] provides the clearest and most insightful treatment of special relativity I've ever encountered... It's About Time brings the practice and foundation of physics together through the question of time."--Arkady Plotnitsky, Foundations of Physics "The reader will find some of the best non-technical description of the special theory of relativity ever written."--Jaume J. Carot, Mathematical Reviews "An excellent book on Einstein's special theory of relativity... I clearly see the strength of this book in lucid, self-contained, lively, down-to-earth, and meticulous presentation... I have no hesitation in saying that this is the best book on the special theory of relativity at a semi-popular level I have ever read."--K. S. Birbhadra, The ObservatoryTable of ContentsPreface: Why Another Relativity Book ix Note to Readers xiv Chapter One: The Principle of Relativity 1 Chapter Two: Combining (Small)Velocities 14 Chapter Three: The Speed of Light 19 Chapter Four: Combining (Any)Velocities 28 Chapter Five: Simultaneous Events;Synchronized Clocks 45 Chapter Six: Moving Clocks Run Slowly;Moving Sticks Shrink 58 Chapter Seven: Looking At a Moving Clock 73 Chapter Eight: The Interval between Events 79 Chapter Nine: Trains of Rockets 89 Chapter Ten: Space-Time Geometry 102 Chapter Eleven: E =M2 144 Chapter Twelve: A Bit about General Relativity 171 Chapter Thirteen: What Makes It Happen? 179 Index 187

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Book SynopsisThis anthology provides an overview of the concept of time in the Western philosophic tradition. Using writings dated from the Book of Genesis to the work of 20th century philosophers, this text offers a synoptic view of the changing philosophic notions of time.

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Book SynopsisProminent feminist theorist rethinks the relationship between evolution and the biological body through the study of three key figures--Darwin, Nietzsche, and Bergson.Trade Review“Elizabeth Grosz traces a timely path through the work of three major thinkers. Darwin, Nietzsche, and Bergson, each in his own way, force a rethinking of duration and transformation at the interchange between nature and culture. The Nick of Time suggestively connects their trajectories, drawing them together into a contemporary dialogue on the politics and philosophy of change.”—Brian Massumi, author of Parables for the Virtual: Movement, Affect, Sensation“Elizabeth Grosz’s The Nick of Time: Politics, Evolution and the Untimely is a major work. It achieves a richly nuanced and sweeping reconsideration of temporality in the context of contemporary feminist theory, critical theory, and theories of evolution. The considerations of Darwin, Nietzsche, Bergson, Deleuze, and Irigaray are especially impressive. The Nick of Time is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding how memory, historicity, and politics connect to and are reconfigured by temporality.”—N. Katherine Hayles, author of How We Became Posthuman: Virtual Bodies in Cybernetics, Literature, and Informatics“Superbly written, deftly executed, and wonderfully instructive, The Nick of Time is a first-class piece of writing and thinking. It is unique in that it is interested in ‘philosophy of life’ issues not only for their own sake but also because of Elizabeth Grosz’s wider theoretical and practical commitments, such as feminism and a radical cultural politics.”—Keith Ansell Pearson, author of Germinal Life: The Difference and Repetition of DeleuzeTable of ContentsAcknowledgments vii Abbreviations ix Introduction: To the Untimely 1 Part I. Darwin and Evolution 1. Darwinian Matters: Life, Force, and Change 17 2. Biological Difference 40 3. The Evolution of Sex and Race 64 Part II. Nietzsche and Overcoming 4. Nietzsche's Darwin 95 5. History and the Untimely 113 6. The Eternal Return and the Overman 135 Part III: Bergson and Becoming 7. Bergsonian Difference 155 8. The Philosophy of Life 185 9. Intuition and the Virtual 215 Conclusion: The Future 244 Notes 263 References 297 Index 309

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Book SynopsisA Companion to the Philosophy of Time presents the broadest treatment of this subject yet; 32 specially commissioned articles - written by an international line-up of experts provide an unparalleled reference work for students and specialists alike in this exciting field.Table of ContentsNotes on Contributors xi Acknowledgments xvii Introduction 1Heather Dyke and Adrian Bardon Part I The History of the Philosophy of Time 71 Heraclitus and Parmenides 9Ronald C. Hoy 2 Zeno’s Paradoxes 30Niko Strobach 3 Aristotle on Time and Change 47Andrea Falcon 4 Determinism, Fatalism, and Freedom in Stoic Philosophy 59Ricardo Salles 5 Creation and Eternity in Medieval Philosophy 73Jon McGinnis 6 Newton’s Philosophy of Time 87Eric Schliesser 7 Classical Empiricism 102Lorne Falkenstein 8 Kant and Time-Order Idealism 120Andrew Brook 9 Husserl and the Phenomenology of Temporality 135Shaun Gallagher 10 The Emergence of a New Family of Theories of Time 151John Bigelow 11 The B-Theory in the Twentieth Century 167M. Joshua Mozersky Part II Time as a Feature of the Physical World 183 12 Time in Classical and Relativistic Physics 185Gordon Belot 13 Time in Cosmology 201Chris Smeenk 14 On Time in Quantum Physics 220Jeremy Butterfield 15 Time in Quantum Gravity 242Nick Huggett, Tiziana Vistarini, and Christian Wüthrich 16 The Arrow of Time in Physics 262David Wallace 17 Time and Causation 282Mathias Frisch 18 Time Travel and Time Machines 301Douglas Kutach 19 The Passage of Time 315Simon Prosser 20 Time and Tense 328Heather Dyke 21 Presentism, Eternalism, and the Growing Block 345Kristie Miller 22 Change and Identity over Time 365Dana Lynne Goswick Part III Time as a Feature of Human Experience 387 23 The Perception of Time 389Barry Dainton 24 Transcendental Arguments and Temporal Experience 410Georges Dicker 25 Memory 432Jordi Fernández 26 Time in Mind 444Julian Kiverstein and Valtteri Arstila 27 The Representation of Time in Agency 470Holly Andersen 28 Temporal Indexicals 486John Perry 29 Time – The Emotional Asymmetry 507Caspar Hare 30 Evolutionary Explanations of Temporal Experience 521Heather Dyke and James Maclaurin 31 Time and Freedom 535Robin Le Poidevin 32 Time and Morality 549Krister Bykvist Index 563

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Book SynopsisAn approachable, accessible history of timekeeping and the impact of the increasing precision and accuracy of time on humanity. Western culture has been obsessed with regulating society by the precise, accurate measurement of time since the Middle Ages. In On Time, Ken Mondschein explores the paired development of concepts and technologies of timekeeping with human thought. Without clocks, he argues, the modern world as we know it would not exist. From the astronomical timekeeping of the ancient world to the tower clocks of the Middle Ages to the seagoing chronometer, the quartz watch, and the atomic clock, greater precision and accuracy have had profound effects on human societywhich, in turn, has driven the quest for further precision and accuracy. This quest toward automationwhich gave rise to the Gregorian calendar, the factory clock, and even the near-disastrous Y2K bughas led to profound social repercussions and driven the creation of the modern scientific mindset. Surveying thTrade ReviewThat On Time is interactive is certainly a bonus. Mondschein provides activities, or exercises, to bring alive the abstract concepts and scientific observations he describes in each chapter—a fabulous idea that should be more widely adopted if a subject lends itself to this type of experimentation.—Esther Liberman Cuenca, University of Houston, Victoria, Speculumengaging book—J. Lennart Berggren, The CompendiumTable of ContentsList of IllustrationsForeword, by Neal StephensonAcknowledgmentsChapter 1. Scholars and SpheresChapter 2. Cities and ClocksChapter 3. Savants and SpringsChapter 4. Navigators and RegulatorsChapter 5. Rationalization and RelativityAppendix. Chapter ExercisesGlossaryNotesSuggested Further ReadingIndex

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Book SynopsisTime is central to our lived experience of the world. Yet, as this book reveals, it is startlingly difficult to reconcile the way we seem to experience time with many of the theories presented to us in physics and metaphysics. This comprehensive and accessible introduction guides the unfamiliar reader through difficult questions at the intersection of the metaphysics and physics of time. It starts with the assumption that physics and metaphysics are inextricably connected, and that each can, and should, shed light on the other. The authors explore a range of views about the nature of time, showing how different these are from the way we typically think about time and our place in it. They consider such questions as: whether time travel is possible, and, if it is, whether we can change the past; whether there is a single moment that is objectively present; whether time flows or is static; and whether, ultimately, time exists at all. An Introduction to the Philosophy of Time will appeal to students of physics and philosophy who want both a comprehensive overview of the area and enough depth to allow for rigorous discussion. The book’s detailed readings and exercises will challenge students and provide a clear roadmap for further study.Trade Review‘The metaphysics of time can be a tough nut to crack. Using down-to-earth language and highlighting important concepts, this highly readable book does an admirable job of giving students the tools they need to understand the field.’Craig Callender, UC San Diego ‘A simply excellent book that deserves to be read and is, I think, the best introduction to the topic of the philosophy of time on the market.’Jonathan Tallant, University of NottinghamTable of ContentsList of Figures Introduction 1. Dynamic and Static Theories of Time 2. The Passage of Time 3. The Experience of Time 4. Time and Physics 5. Temporal Asymmetries 6. Time and Causation 7. Persistence through Time 8. The Paradoxes of Time Travel Conclusion Index

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Book SynopsisHumanists, scientists, and artists collaborate to address the disjunctive temporalities of ecological crisis In 2016, Antarctica’s Totten Glacier, formed some 34 million years ago, detached from its bedrock, melted from the bottom by warming ocean waters. For the editors of Timescales, this event captures the disjunctive temporalities of our era’s—the Anthropocene’s—ecological crises: the rapid and accelerating degradation of our planet’s life-supporting environment established slowly over millennia. They contend that, to represent and respond to these crises (i.e., climate change, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, species extinction, and biodiversity loss) requires reframing time itself, making more visible the relationship between past, present, and future, and between a human life span and the planet’s. Timescales’ collection of lively and thought-provoking essays puts oceanographers, geophysicists, geologists, and anthropologists into conversation with literary scholars, art historians, and archaeologists. Together forging new intellectual spaces, they explore the relationship between geological deep time and historical particularity, between ecological crises and cultural expression, between environmental policy and social constructions, between restoration ecology and future imaginaries, and between constructive pessimism and radical (and actionable) hope. Interspersed among these essays are three complementary “etudes,” in which artists describe experimental works that explore the various timescales of ecological crisis. Contributors: Jason Bell, Harvard Law School; Iemanjá Brown, College of Wooster; Beatriz Cortez, California State U, Northridge; Wai Chee Dimock, Yale U; Jane E. Dmochowski, U of Pennsylvania; David A. D. Evans, Yale U; Kate Farquhar; Marcia Ferguson, U of Pennsylvania; Ömür Harmanşah, U of Illinois at Chicago; Troy Herion; Mimi Lien; Mary Mattingly; Paul Mitchell, U of Pennsylvania; Frank Pavia, California Institute of Technology; Dan Rothenberg; Jennifer E. Telesca, Pratt Institute; Charles M. Tung, Seattle U. Trade Review"[Timescales] brings together reflections from experts in a variety of academic disciplines on the relationships between past, present, and future and what that means for a planet in crisis."—Penn Today

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Book SynopsisHumanists, scientists, and artists collaborate to address the disjunctive temporalities of ecological crisis In 2016, Antarctica’s Totten Glacier, formed some 34 million years ago, detached from its bedrock, melted from the bottom by warming ocean waters. For the editors of Timescales, this event captures the disjunctive temporalities of our era’s—the Anthropocene’s—ecological crises: the rapid and accelerating degradation of our planet’s life-supporting environment established slowly over millennia. They contend that, to represent and respond to these crises (i.e., climate change, rising sea levels, ocean acidification, species extinction, and biodiversity loss) requires reframing time itself, making more visible the relationship between past, present, and future, and between a human life span and the planet’s. Timescales’ collection of lively and thought-provoking essays puts oceanographers, geophysicists, geologists, and anthropologists into conversation with literary scholars, art historians, and archaeologists. Together forging new intellectual spaces, they explore the relationship between geological deep time and historical particularity, between ecological crises and cultural expression, between environmental policy and social constructions, between restoration ecology and future imaginaries, and between constructive pessimism and radical (and actionable) hope. Interspersed among these essays are three complementary “etudes,” in which artists describe experimental works that explore the various timescales of ecological crisis. Contributors: Jason Bell, Harvard Law School; Iemanjá Brown, College of Wooster; Beatriz Cortez, California State U, Northridge; Wai Chee Dimock, Yale U; Jane E. Dmochowski, U of Pennsylvania; David A. D. Evans, Yale U; Kate Farquhar; Marcia Ferguson, U of Pennsylvania; Ömür Harmanşah, U of Illinois at Chicago; Troy Herion; Mimi Lien; Mary Mattingly; Paul Mitchell, U of Pennsylvania; Frank Pavia, California Institute of Technology; Dan Rothenberg; Jennifer E. Telesca, Pratt Institute; Charles M. Tung, Seattle U. Trade Review"[Timescales] brings together reflections from experts in a variety of academic disciplines on the relationships between past, present, and future and what that means for a planet in crisis."—Penn Today

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Book SynopsisModern physics has revealed the universe as a much stranger place than we could have imagined. The puzzle at the centre of our knowledge of the universe is time. Michael Lockwood takes the reader on a fascinating journey into the nature of things. He investigates philosophical questions about past, present, and future, our experience of time, and the possibility of time travel. And he provides the most careful, lively, and up-to-date introduction to the physics of time and the structure of the universe. He guides us step by step through relativity theory and quantum physics, introducing and explaining the ground-breaking ideas of Newton and Boltzmann, Einstein and Schroedinger, Penrose and Hawking. We zoom in on the behaviour of molecules and atoms, and pull back to survey the expansion of the universe. We learn about entropy and gravity, black holes and wormholes, about how it all began and where we are all headed. Lockwood''s aim is not just to boggle the mind but to lead us towards Trade ReviewReview from previous edition Michael Lockwood's book The Labyrinth of Time: Introducing the Universe has just appeared. I highly recommend it. It's a wonderful overview of the physics and philosophy of time, crafted extremely carefully and engagingly (yet without compromising any content) for the lay reader, superbly produced and illustrated. Oh, and it's true. * Professor David Deutsch, author of The Fabric of Reality *Michael Lockwood's book...is a model of balance and clarity....Lockwood's style is clear and straightforward * Paul Davies, Times Higher Education Supplement *Table of Contents1. Two Concepts of Time ; 2. Time and Space: a Marriage is Arranged ; 3. Taking Space-Time Seriously ; 4. From Flat to Curved Space-Time ; 5. Weaving the Cosmic Tapestry ; 6. Closed Timelike Curves: Science Fact or Science Fiction? ; 7. Classical Time Travel: the Toils of Paradox ; 8. Hamilton's Legacy: Physical Systems and their State Spaces ; 9. Time Asymmetry and the Second Law ; 10. Entropy, Electrodynamics and the Role of Gravity ; 11. 'Drawn Through Life Backwards' ; 12. The Unyielding Past ; 13. The Emergence of Order ; 14. From Quantum Leaps to Schrodinger's Cat ; 15. Schrodinger's Time Traveller ; 16. Space, Time, and Quantum Gravity: Physics at the Frontier ; 17. The Time of Our Lives ; 18. Epilogue

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book Synopsis“Now” is a simple yet elusive concept.Trade Review"Mind-blowing ideas demand to be shared.…[Muller] posits a theory that seems at once plausible and—surprisingly, for a book with equations—one worth not spoiling." -- Time"Richard Muller is a leading physicist, but he’s also intellectually restless. That’s a potent combination, with the power to generate transformative ideas about ourselves and our relationship to the universe. In Now: The Physics of Time, Muller hypothesizes how time itself might be created or destroyed. Maybe it’s right. Maybe it’s wrong. But along the way he’s given you a master class in what time is and how and why we perceive it the way we do." -- Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and host of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey"Muller has taken a remarkably fresh and exciting approach to the analysis of time. With his usual clarity and wit, he proceeds from solidly established principles—each a fascinating story in its own right—but when he gets to the meaning of the flow of time and now, he forges a new path. I expect controversy!" -- Saul Perlmutter, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics"Can science shed light on time’s dark mysteries? Richard Muller thinks it can, making his case in this clear, evocative, and wide-reaching investigation of how nature may generate the flow of time. Must-reading for all concerned with the why behind when." -- Timothy Ferris, author of Coming of Age in the Milky Way"A provocative, strongly argued book on the fundamental nature of time. As an experimental cosmologist who has initiated some of the most important experiments of our time, Muller knows well where the limits of science are, and he keeps us interested by his ability to work close to that edge." -- Lee Smolin, author of Time Reborn"The strength of this book lies in Muller’s experience as a lecturer and teacher, which has enabled him to describe and explain difficult concepts with simplicity.… [Now] provides a concise master class in understanding the essentials of physics." -- Science"Time spent with Muller will transform readers' understanding of time itself.…A mind-expanding venture to the frontiers of science—and beyond!" -- Booklist (starred review)"The kind of mind-expanding read that will give you something to think about late at night. Muller's passion for his topic shines through on every page." -- The Independent

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Book SynopsisFrom the celebrated author of the best-selling Physics for Future Presidents comes “a provocative, strongly argued book on the fundamental nature of time” (Lee Smolin).Trade Review"Mind-blowing…[Muller] posits a theory that seems at once plausible and—surprisingly, for a book with equations—one worth not spoiling." -- Time"[A] concise master class in understanding the essentials of physics." -- Lisa Jardine-Wright - Science"Muller has taken a remarkably fresh and exciting approach to the analysis of time. With his usual clarity and wit, he proceeds from solidly established principles—each a fascinating story in its own right—but when he gets to the meaning of the flow of time and now, he forges a new path. I expect controversy!" -- Saul Perlmutter, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics"Can science shed light on time’s dark mysteries? Richard Muller thinks it can, making his case in this clear, evocative, and wide-reaching investigation of how nature may generate the flow of time. Must-reading for all concerned with the why behind when." -- Timothy Ferris, author of Coming of Age in the Milky Way"Richard Muller is a leading physicist, but he’s also intellectually restless. That’s a potent combination, with the power to generate transformative ideas about ourselves and our relationship to the universe. In Now: The Physics of Time, Muller hypothesizes how time itself might be created or destroyed. Maybe it’s right. Maybe it’s wrong. But along the way he’s given you a master class in what time is and how and why we perceive it the way we do." -- Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and host of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey"A provocative, strongly argued book on the fundamental nature of time. As an experimental cosmologist who has initiated some of the most important experiments of our time, Muller knows well where the limits of science are, and he keeps us interested by his ability to work close to that edge." -- Lee Smolin, author of Time Reborn"The kind of mind-expanding read that will give you something to think about late at night. Muller's passion for his topic shines through on every page." -- Dennis Green - The Independent"Entertaining and at times refreshingly idiosyncratic…Richard Muller’s new theory deserves a serious look, and his book presents important lessons in physics and beyond." -- Martin Bojowald - Physics Today"A thoughtful, thought-provoking and accessible book that blends concepts from relativity, thermodynamics and quantum theory to elucidate how physics got where it is, and the missteps that might have led it there." -- Richard Webb - New Scientist

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Book SynopsisOne of Smithsonian Magazine's Ten Best History Books of 2021 A captivating, surprising history of timekeeping and how it has shaped our world.Trade Review"Abundantly clever.... Lovely and engaging ... with myriad fascinations on every page." -- Simon Winchester - New York Times Book Review"Fascinating.... A valuable intellectual journey at a moment ripe for contemplation." -- Michael O'Donnell - Wall Street Journal"Insightful, globe-spanning." -- James Gleick - New York Review of Books"Fascinating.... with [Rooney’s] book in hand, and an eye on the world that sustains us, we might just save ourselves." -- Jonathon Keats - Forbes"People say time is money, but David Rooney knows better. In this information-packed swoop through history and into the future, he exposes time’s many identities along with the hidden agendas of clocks. Time is knowledge. Time is power. Time is faith. Time is destiny." -- Dava Sobel, author of Longitude"Not merely an horologist’s delight, but an ingenious meditation on the nature and symbolism of time-keeping itself. From the medieval hourglass to the Doomsday Clock, from Jaipur to Jodrell Bank, from GMT to GPS, Rooney ticks off time in a highly entertaining series of historical tales and parables which also give pause for thought and sometimes alarming reflections. I will never hear the pips, or ask ‘what’s the time?’ in quite the same way again. A striking success." -- Richard Holmes, author of The Age of Wonder"About Time is an utterly dazzling book, the best piece of history I have read for a long time. From sundials in ancient Rome to astronomical, water-driven, mechanical, and atomic timepieces used throughout history and across cultures, Rooney has written the definitive book on these remarkable objects that give order to everyday life. It is a moving and beautifully written book that even takes us 5,000 years into the future with plutonium clocks ticking away beneath our feet. There will be many puns about this as a timely book; in fact, it is timeless." -- Jerry Brotton, author of A History of the World in Twelve Maps"The measurement of time is a convenience, a jailor, a tyrannical device. David Rooney’s delightful and discursive work anatomizes that tyranny. Page after page offers up instances of time’s ubiquity and its mercurial power to get into the interstices of the everyday." -- Jonathan Meades"Enthralling and important, About Time takes us deep into the past and far into the future. With David Rooney as personable guide, we peer inside clocks from Kyoto to Cape Town, discovering what they meant to the diverse people who made them, used them, whose lives were ruled by them…This is a gripping and revealing account of time, and humanity’s changing relationship with it." -- Seb Falk, author of The Light Ages: The Surprising Story of Medieval Science"David Rooney’s passionate enthusiasm for everything clock-related leaps off every page. The vivid writing, engaging stories, and autobiographical details combine to offer a rich and generous picture of the history of clocks, from China and Japan to Central Europe, the Middle East and outer space. In clear, pacey, and evocative prose, Rooney’s volume takes in ancient wonders and modern marvels, leaving us at once enlightened and moved." -- Ludmilla Jordanova, author of History in Practice"Lovely, personal, idiosyncratic.... Throughout, Rooney entertains with witty clock trivia and anecdotes alongside illuminating sketches of famous horologists. Go slowly when devouring this charming, intelligent, highly informative history." -- Kirkus, starred review

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Book Synopsis

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