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Author Topic:   Cosmology Reading List
PMOC
Member (Idle past 5754 days)
Posts: 41
From: USA
Joined: 06-01-2007


Message 1 of 7 (403184)
06-01-2007 9:39 AM


I've been lurking on the forum for a bit and have an interest in Cosmology. I was hoping that someone such as Cavediver or ETA or others could recommend a sequential reading list for a somewhat intelligent layperson looking to broaden his understanding of aspects of Cosmology. I did a few rudimentary searches but did not discover something of this nature in any one location (decent chance I missed it).
I had a few semesters of Calculus and differential equations several years ago, and would have to brush up, but I dont mind learning/re-learning the math up to a point. Anyhow, any recos are welcome. Thanks in advance.
Paul

Replies to this message:
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 Message 4 by cavediver, posted 06-01-2007 11:24 AM PMOC has replied

  
AdminCoragyps
Inactive Member


Message 2 of 7 (403190)
06-01-2007 9:56 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by PMOC
06-01-2007 9:39 AM


I'm moving you to the Coffee House - no need for a full-blown discussion here.

This message is a reply to:
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AdminCoragyps
Inactive Member


Message 3 of 7 (403192)
06-01-2007 9:58 AM


Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

  
cavediver
Member (Idle past 3643 days)
Posts: 4129
From: UK
Joined: 06-16-2005


Message 4 of 7 (403215)
06-01-2007 11:24 AM
Reply to: Message 1 by PMOC
06-01-2007 9:39 AM


Hi Paul,
Sadly, there's nothing really available with 'a bit of maths' - it's either layman all the way, or it's textbook. I guess there's Penrose's Road to Reality, but the maths in that 'layman' book is worse than most textbooks
Good layman books are by Brian Greene - Elegant Universe, The Fabric of the Cosmos, etc. Also Hawking's two: Brief History and Universe in a Nutshell - worth chewing through but certainly not as understandable as Greene.
Something a bit more basic and real Cosmology-based, rather than the theoretical stuff is 'Bang! The Complete History of the Universe' by no less than Brian May of Queen fame A great great book none-the-less.

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 Message 1 by PMOC, posted 06-01-2007 9:39 AM PMOC has replied

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PMOC
Member (Idle past 5754 days)
Posts: 41
From: USA
Joined: 06-01-2007


Message 5 of 7 (403245)
06-01-2007 2:08 PM
Reply to: Message 4 by cavediver
06-01-2007 11:24 AM


Thank you for your response. I suppose I will start with the Greene and Hawking books and see if that spurs any interest in tackling a textbook. Thanks for the advice.
Paul

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JustinC
Member (Idle past 4843 days)
Posts: 624
From: Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Joined: 07-21-2003


Message 6 of 7 (403256)
06-01-2007 3:13 PM


I just bought, "The Cosmic Jackpot" by Paul Davies and from what I read (50 pages) it seems to be an excellent introduction to cosmology as well as the philosophical questions of cosmology and physics.
Maybe cavediver could give his opinion on Davies; he seems pretty reputable to me.

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cavediver
Member (Idle past 3643 days)
Posts: 4129
From: UK
Joined: 06-16-2005


Message 7 of 7 (403262)
06-01-2007 3:40 PM
Reply to: Message 6 by JustinC
06-01-2007 3:13 PM


Yep, PCWD writes well and is fairly sound. He hasn't done much in a long long while, and he has quite a few off-mainstream ideas (no bad thing, of course) but I'd certainly recommend his books with the caveat that I haven't actually read nay of his more recent works (i.e in last 15 years!).

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