A physicist on Madison Avenue /

A collection of essays, the first four of which were published in Discover magazine. The topics range from experiences on Madison Avenue (hence the title of the book) to violin making and cosmology. Several chapters, in fact, deal with cosmological topics; most of these are well-written, but some of the topics covered may be beyond the average general reader. The various types of Bianchi universes, for example, are discussed in some detail. One of the most entertaining chapters deals with Rothman's experiences during the year he spent in the offices of Scientific American. Using considerable humor, he talks about his dealings with editors, and his attempts to determine why some scientific topics sell better than others. There is no bibliography or reference list, and relatively few illustrations. Nevertheless, it is a well-written and entertaining book. Scientists, in particular, will appreciate the humor; general readers will appreciate the insights into the scientific process that the book offers.-B. R. Parker, Idaho State University

Harvard physics professor Rothman ( Science a la Mode ) is an urbane and stylish science writer who here brings the reader in touch with nearly every major issue in astrophysics theory. Surveying current debates in cosmology--``the Hollywood science''--in three balanced, discerning articles, he prepares readers for the next wave of science writing on the Big Bang. ``On That Day, When the Earth Is Dissolved in Positrons'' and other pieces take us to the edge of the ``theoretically known,'' where the leap to the ``philosophically known'' seems short and tempting. The title essay, detailing Rothman's term as an editor for Scientific American magazine, is an arch, titillating and discerning examination of the differences between the science practiced in academia and that sold by Madison Avenue. Illustrations. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

This slender volume by Harvard physicist and essayist Rothman ( Science a la Mode , Princeton Univ. Pr., 1989) covers ground that is becoming increasingly familiar to lay readers: the vastness and age of the universe, time, space, and so on. Rothman is an engaging and clear writer, unafraid of injecting his own opinions on hot topics in the physics of the universe. An essay on the physics of musical instruments is fascinating and particularly well done; the title piece, about Rothman's short stint at Scientific American , is one of the funniest pieces in decades about the arcana of magazine marketing. Good popular science of the Provocative Thought School.-- Mark L. Shelton, Athens, Ohio (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.