The Strange Story of the Quantum: An Account for the General Reader of the Growth of the Ideas Underlying Our Present Atomic Knowledge

Book Description

Nonmathematical but thorough explanation of work of Planck, Einstein, Bohr, Pauli, Heisenberg, Dirac, etc. "Of the books attempting an account of the history and contents of modern atomic physics . . . this is the best." — Henry Margenau, Professor of Physics, Yale University. "Postscript 1959."

Customer Reviews:

Strange Story of the Quantum.......2004-05-12

This book is absolutly amazing, with very clear language that anyone could almsot understand. The beginning of the book does really start off as some dramatic book, but in the end, when all the dots are connected, you get the clearest explanation of why quantum world is random, but not the psuedo-random like the toss of a coin. At the points when the things really need to be explained as clearly as possible to the reader, the author does just that and leaves the story writting outline aside, while making sure that the reader really comperhands all the unusual quantum phenomena.

Hoffmann Loses and Finds Form.......2003-12-01

In Hoffmann's metaphorical language, exploration of the microcosm is like approximating a circle by means of polygons of greater and greater numbers of sides. You can't go on ad infinitum. The quantum is a minimum discernable action (energy acting over time) placing a limit on precision. You can never get as precise as the circle and therefore it disappears from reality. There are only polygons. But if there are no circles, why does the universe bother to approximate them?

Hoffmann does not ask or answer that last question, but he discovers form in another way. A supposed particulate object can possess a quantum without any formal precision; that is, you can't know its position or momentum exactly. Particles disappear into a smear and without them so do atoms (and molecules, etc.). In Hoffmann's analogy, you can see flowing water or water molecules, but you can't see both. The flow disappears when you try to discover of what it consists (where does the fire go when it goes out?). Similarly spacetime disappears among the indeterminate particles. This supposed event causes Hoffmann some regret, but why should it? He believes, it seems, in the perceived forms and cannot give them up for any indiscernable smears of action. We don't get any such affirmation, however. He obeys the unspoken protocol never to mix physics and metaphysics.

Physics can be Fun.......2003-04-07

I truly enjoyed this book. I enjoy physics, and this book I believe is great for anyone who wants to know about the history of the quantum.

Hoffman wrote this book as if he is speaking directly to you, with a sense of humor and wit.

Are physicist right-well, most of the time.

Wave or Particle...Particle or Wave? (no strings yet!).......2003-02-24

This wonderful book written by Hoffman in 1947 (and updated in 1958) is timeless. That seems like a rather strange statement considering we are talking about physics, which seems to upend itself every 10 years! I am an avid fan of books on physics, astrophysics and cosmology. I have one major deficit and that is I have little math background. Hoffman's ability to write about complex concepts in a nonmathematical format is superb. His historical accounting of how classical physics was astounded by quantum physics is both stimulating and entertaining. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about the origins of today's popular thoughts in physics.

A droll depiction of violet (and other) catastrophes.......1997-05-07

Hoffman writes with attention to scientific detail as well as with a wry sense of humor:

Is light a wave or a particle? Yes!
Is the electron here or there? Yes!
Do physicists really know what they're talking about? Yes!

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The Strange Story Of The Quantum

Manufacturer: Harper & Brothers Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000H5LGTM

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The Strange Story Of Quantum
Hoffman
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000FC9AKY

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THE STRANGE STORY OF THE QUANTUM
BANESH HOFFMANN
Manufacturer: PELICAN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S52SSO

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The Strange Story of the Quantum
Banesh Hoffmann
Manufacturer: Dover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NSK090

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The Strange Story of the Quantum

Manufacturer: Harper & Brothers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GLJ8Y2

Product Description

An account for the general reader of the growth of the ideas underlying our present atomic knowledge.

Strange Story of the Quantum 2ND Edition

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Strange Story of the Quantum 2ND Edition
Banesh Hoffman
Manufacturer: DOVER PUBLICATIONS +
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000Q9ZANW

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THE STRANGE STORY OF THE QUANTUM.

Manufacturer: P/B
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HFUMRO

Book Description

Tor Classics are affordably-priced editions designed to attract the young reader. Original dynamic cover art enthusiastically represents the excitement of each story. Appropriate "reader friendly" type sizes have been chosen for each title--offering clear, accurate, and readable text. All editions are complete and unabridged, and feature Introductions and Afterwords.This edition of Around the World in Eighty Days includes a Foreword, Biographical Note, and Afterword by Justin Leiber.

Download Description

An eccentric English gentleman and his manservant pack a carpet bag with two woolen shirts, three pairs of stockings, and 20,000 pounds, and travel around the world in 80 days, in order to win a bet.

Customer Reviews:

Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

A book based around a bet. Two adventurers, one a gentleman, and one not so nice, make a not so small wager, on Fogg's ability to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days or less.

When something like that happens, of course there will be villainous nogoodniks trying to stop you from accomplishing your task, winning the bet, getting the girl and all the good grog, etc.

A great book.......2007-06-05

Around The World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne is more true to life than
other books by Verne. The movie starring David Niven is a good movie.
By Danny Karl Fleming, author of How to Prove The Collatz Conjecture.

Easy to read and fun to boot.......2006-12-20

I had never read this classic until now, my 40th year, and I am so glad I did. I laughed, I was tense, I enjoyed it through and through.

A bit slow, but still good.......2006-09-16

Like many classics, this book is paced completely different than a modern novel. It takes forever to get going and even then, not all that much does happen. That to me was the biggest disappointment: Not all that much happens at all. Sure, they get in some trouble and have to fight their way through, but overall, it seems a two-week trip of my own is often more exciting than these 80 days around a world (to excaturate slightly). And to make matters worse, even when something does happen and people venture out to solve a problem, too much time is spent describing the people left behind waiting, and sometimes there is no description of the actual solution of the problem. But such is the style of the time, I guess.

I guess part of the problem is that the story deals with getting around the world as fast as possible, which leaves little time for anything but getting from a ship to the next train and so forth. Very little time is spent at all the different places, which would have offered so much potential story-wise, yet there is no time.

I still enjoyed reading it, in part because the way books were written at this time just amuses me (old English and all). And towards the end, the excitement does pick up a little bit. Not to modern-day-novel levels, but still, I enjoyed it.

You will like this book if you start reading with the right expectations.

Rollicking good time.......2006-08-22

I think those of us who were introduced to this classic via the recent Jackie Chan movie were done a great disservice. This book accomplishes what few books can: even though the characters are one dimensional, the reader cares about them and genuinely wants to know what will happen next.

The basic setup is that Phileas Fogg makes a bet with members of his club that he can travel the world in 80 days, and then lugs Passaporteau around with him while he sets about accomplishing this task.

Verne does a great job of indicting the tourist mindset that we have today, and apparently had back in Verne's time. Throughout the whole book, Fogg is traveling through France, India, Singapore, Japan and the US, yet never takes the time to appreciate any of it. It's a lot like the people who take vacations and then bring back 20 rolls of film depicting every single landmark mentioned in Frommer's. They've seen it all, but it's all done with a sense of urgency and no real joy. Again, Verne has proven adept at predicting and accurately characterizing human foibles.

The Works of Jules Verne: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea/a Journey to the Center of the Earth/Around the World in Eighty Days/3 Books in 1

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The Works of Jules Verne: Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea/a Journey to the Center of the Earth/Around the World in Eighty Days/3 Books in 1
Jules Verne
Manufacturer: Longmeadow Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

French | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0681452455

Around the World in Eighty Days (Penguin Classics)

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No time to smell the roses
Travel The World Without Leaving Your Armchair
Concise Yet Absorbing
Around the world in 80 day , can it be done?

Around the World in Eighty Days (Penguin Classics)
Jules Verne
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

French | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 014044906X
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Book Description

Jules Verne's career as a novelist began in 1863, when he struck a new vein in fiction—stories that combined popular science and exploration. In Around the World in Eighty Days, Phileas Fogg rashly bets his companions £20,000 that he can travel around the entire globe in just eighty days—and he is determined not to lose. Breaking the well-established routine of his daily life, the reserved Englishman immediately sets off for Dover, accompanied by his hot- blooded French manservant, Passepartout. Traveling by train, steamship, sailboat, sledge, and even elephant, they must overcome storms, kidnappings, natural disasters, Sioux attacks, and the dogged Inspector Fix of Scotland Yard to win the extraordinary wager. Combining exploration, adventure, and a thrilling race against time, Around the World in Eighty Days gripped audiences upon its publication and remains hugely popular to this day.

Customer Reviews:

No time to smell the roses.......2006-12-12

Around the world in 80 days was probably one of the first popular works of travel writing. Part comedy, part drama, and mostly adventure, this book follows Phineas Fogg on his trip around the world in the company of his French servant, Passapertout. The trip was taken as part of a dare, but the trip itself is full of mishaps and near misses. Much of the trip is taken by sea, so our protagonists do not see as much of the world as they could have. Likewise, many of their stops in different cities are solely to rendevous with their next connection; hence not much deliberate sightseeing. Friends are made along the way, along with some enemies too. The book is written for young adults, and there is only an occasional insight into foreign cultures, and how this compares - contrasts with the Victorian England that is the home of Mr. Fogg. Hence in terms of wisdom learned, this book is below Twain's Roughing It or Gulliver's Travels. But it is more exciting and more readable than Swiss Family Robinson and other adventure classics from the 1800s. Overall, a worthy read.

Travel The World Without Leaving Your Armchair.......2005-08-13

No decent book collection is complete without this classic tale of travel and adventure. In comparison with the dated and crusty translations used in most modern reprints, this new edition contains clarity of expression and lively prose that kept me engrossed in Phileas Fogg's incredible odyssey around the globe. By reading Around the World in Eighty Days it is possible to recapture that lost sense of travel, characterised by crossing frontiers, improvisation and self-control whatever the circumstances. Armchair travelling it may be, but it is still much more pleasurable than the bland consumption of foreign cultures that most tourists are fed! Simply a great read.

Concise Yet Absorbing.......2005-07-27

Mr. Verne was a highly imaginative writer in his time and aptly regarded the founder of modern science fiction. Although the ending is sentimental to my taste, the whole story grabs my attention. It is told in a condensed and simple nature thus great for a bedside read to children of all ages. Phileas Fogg is a unique character who is eccentric but exceedingly predictable in kindness. Passepartout is as clear as day, a typical madcap. His thoughts are hilarious as his overall personality. Wherever it is clarified during their expedition, the details are colorful with facts, suspense, and riddles that make up a wonderful voyage. A lot is a passing comment but that is alright because the narrative is stimulating. The fiction lacks dialogues especially for the ever charming, Mrs. Aouda. The police officer is formed into a truly disciplined servant of the force. It is a fast read that concludes with uncomplicated turn of events.

Around the world in 80 day , can it be done?.......2005-04-18

In 1872 just going around the world was a difficult task never mind in 80 days. The main character, Phileas Fogg bets a couple of his rich buddies half his fortune that he can make it around the world in 80 days. Not long after that he is on his way. His journey starts off flawlessly, without a hitch, but not too far into the book he starts to run into trouble. A detective by the name of Fix believes that it was Mr.Fogg who robbed the bank of England and will stop at nothing to catch him so he follows them all around the world. Theses characters never take a break they're always on the move going from place to place. After many obstacles got in their way such as their train running out of tracks, being attacked by Indians, saving a princess from her death they returned to England. But it was too late. This book has a surprising twist but I will let you read it for your self to find out what it is.

I found this book very noteworthy. The chapter headings are very unique and will hook you in to the rest of the story. I found the chapters in this book to be quick and to the point so you won't get bored with them easily. There is more action and adventure with every turn of the page, which keeps the reader absorbed into the book. This is a great book if you want to take a break from emotional reading, so if you are looking for an emotional type of book this isn't for you. Vocabulary in this book enhances the reading and gives the book character. I find the author, Jules Verne; voice really comes through in this book. The only down side I found in this book was the loose ends. I found myself asking the same question at the end as I did in the beginning.

This book was written more for young adults and older. It's just as good for a fifteen year old as it is a fifty year old. Around the World in 80 Days isn't a hard read. The vocabulary may be complex and unique, but the meaning is still easy to make out. This book is one you read strictly for pleasure. If you are forced to read it will take the fun and interest out of the book. In this novel there are no futuristic gadgets like in other Jules Verne books but it is in keeping with his normal writing style. No one can absolutely hate this book it's to enjoyable of a book to even dislike. In you're a fan of historical fiction thins is a book for you. Even if you're not big on history anyone can find interest in this book. That is why I give it four stars, two thumbs up; on a scale from one to ten, I give it a nine.

Around The World In Eighty Days [EasyRead Large Edition]

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Around The World In Eighty Days [EasyRead Large Edition]
Jules Verne
Manufacturer: ReadHowYouWant.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 142504218X
Release Date: 2006-11-01

Book Description

A work of fiction in which the author narrates a journey of Phileas Fogg into which he is provoked due to an argument. The novel highlights all the great travel inventions of the era and relates how the wealthy, solitary man undertook the journey with his man-servant and the adventures he encountered on the way. It is not just a successful novel but a myth in its own regard.

Around the World in Eighty Days: 5 Weeks in a Balloon (Wordsworth Classics) (Wordsworth Classics)

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Around the World in Eighty Days: 5 Weeks in a Balloon (Wordsworth Classics) (Wordsworth Classics)
Jules Verne
Manufacturer: Wordsworth Editions Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 1853260908

Product Description

Around the World in Eighty Days (1873) relates the hair-raising journey made as a wager by the Victorian gentleman Phileas Fogg, who succeeds - but only just! - in circling the globe within eighty days. The dour Fogg's obsession with his timetable is complemented by the dynamism and versatility of his French manservant, Passepartout, whose talent for getting into scrapes brings colour and suspense to the race against time. Five Weeks in a Balloon (1863) was Verne's first novel. It documents an apocryphal jaunt across the continent of Africa in a hydrogen balloon designed by the omniscient, imperturbable and ever capable Dr Fergusson, the prototype of the Vernian adventurer.

Around the World in Eighty Days (Illustrated Classics)

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Around the World in Eighty Days (Illustrated Classics)
Jules Vern
Manufacturer: Saddleback Educational Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1562548824

Around The World In Eighty Days (Complete and Unabridged)

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Around The World In Eighty Days (Complete and Unabridged)
Jules Verne
Manufacturer: Aerie Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1938819144

One Hundred Eighty Days Around the World: Learning About Countries and Cultures Through Research and Thinking-Skills Activities (Kids' Stuff)

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One Hundred Eighty Days Around the World: Learning About Countries and Cultures Through Research and Thinking-Skills Activities (Kids' Stuff)
Shirley Cook
Manufacturer: Incentive Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Around the World in Eighty Days
Jules Verne
Manufacturer: Commuters Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1584721561

Cracked Classics: What a Trip! - Book #3: Around the World in Eighty Days (Cracked Classics)

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A trip around the world!

Cracked Classics: What a Trip! - Book #3: Around the World in Eighty Days (Cracked Classics)
Tony Abbott
Manufacturer: Volo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0786813261

Customer Reviews:

A trip around the world!.......2002-10-05

Once again Devin and his friend for life even if she is a girl Frankie find themselves zapped through Mrs.Figglehopper's mysterious zapper gates in the library and right into Julius Vern's 19th century book Around The World In Eighty Days. There they meet the robotic and cold Phileas Fogg and his contrasting servants, who is energetic, Passporte. When Fogg places a bet that he can make it around the world in eighty days the four find themselves journeying around the world. Together they have to brave the delays, rescue a princess, and weazel their way around a very annoying Detective Fix, who is set that Fogg is a bank robber. This Cracked Classic was one of my favorite and I do recommend parents getting it for their children. It makes sometimes boring classics a lot more fun.

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