Quotes
“The extraordinary story of the Universe and our journey to understand it is
not an easy one to tell to the general public. But because it is the story that
binds us all together, it is important to tell it in myriad ways to reach as
many people as possible. The Edge of the
Sky is an inventive, enjoyable, and thought-provoking contribution to that
effort.” Nature
“[A] surprisingly clear, and often poetic, primer on
such complicated topics as the big bang, dark energy, and the possibility of
multiverses.” Scientific American
“The idea behind this book…is to explain everything we know about the
world using only the ten hundred most used words. This is much harder than it
sounds because a lot of the words that people who study our world (and all that
is outside it) like to use are ones that not many people use very much.” Physics World
“In less capable hands, this experiment could
backfire and become confusing rather than charming. In Trotta’s, ordinary words
are bent and spun to achieve extraordinary results. He uses his self-imposed
limits to find new ways to describe reality…One of the pleasures of the book is
the way it grounds distant places or obscure concepts in homely language…Another
is the little surprises that pop up in Trotta’s sentences, which detonate like
scientific Zen koans…[A] playful, elegant little story.” Columbus Dispatch
“Trotta’s deft word choices quickly draw the reader into a surprisingly
vivid alternate reality where student-persons (scientists) strive to pierce the
mysteries of the All-There-Is: the universe….[T]he spare writing is elegant,
even poetic. Literary experiments tend either to work or to flail with
awkwardness; in Trotta’s hands, this beautifully written book, with its limited
vocabulary, soars.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“A simplified but by no
means simplistic introduction to modern cosmology and physics…An entertaining exercise,
in the end, for those student-people who like to ponder the All-There-Is while
testing the always-inadequate limits of language.” Kirkus Reviews
“Bronson Pinchot’s superb performance showcases what turns out
to be a charming masterpiece of scientific storytelling. Pinchot introduces
listeners to the 1,000 most commonly used words. His recitation takes on the
quality of poetry, with its changing meter and playful inflections. Who knew a
list could be so enchanting? From there, the story of all-there-is unfolds, and
Pinchot’s careful narration brings Trotta’s creative wordplay to life so that
listeners quickly learn to translate simple words into complex concepts. A
treat for the imagination worthy of repeat listens. Winner of AudioFile
Earphones Award.” AudioFile
“How many different chords must you know before you
can appreciate a symphony? How many different brush strokes must you master
before you can appreciate a painting? How many different words do you need to
use to appreciate the wonders of the universe? Roberto Trotta claims just one
thousand and bravely put pen to paper to try and prove it in this enjoyable
short volume.” Lawrence M. Krauss, foundation professor and director of the Origins Project at Arizona State University
“Cosmology and astrophysics are confusing at the
best of times. But, against all the quantum odds, Dr. Roberto Trotta has
managed to explain the topics using just one thousand unique words. Readers of The Edge of the Sky will be treated to a
delightful, poetic journey into our world, other worlds, and beyond without
ever feeling like their vocabulary is holding them back. And yet that is not
this book’s greatest achievement. More impressive than the linguistic poetry
and more profound than the hard science herein is the overwhelming sense of awe
and wonder this book gifts the reader.” Stephen Follows, writer and film producer
“A wonder-full not-afraid story-telling try-it-and-see, about
big-sky-study of today with only the ten-hundred most used words. Very
not-usual, most good. Fun, too. Buy now!” Ian Stewart, mathematics professor emeritus, University of Warwick, and author of Visions of Infinity
