If your aiming to simply understand as much as possible about quantum theory by reading one popular science book, then look no further. This book deals with all important theories and experiments in a clear way, without omitting the more difficult stuff. I have also read "taking the quantum leap" by Fred Alan Wolf but find it incredibly unclear because of its reluctance to show real physics. Talking about quantum physics without getting into too much detail for the coffee table reader makes it fragmented and obscure. Wolf favors vague talks of wonders over the step by step explanation of experiments that lead you to the heart of the problem. Herbert made me understand quantum reality as much as possible by using clear text with clear diagrams, explaining enough physical detail for me to appreciate the wonders of quantum reality. And yes... I'm still wondering. Enjoy!

This book was the easiest of all of the many popularizaitons of quantum theory for me to understand. Nick presents the material clearly, yet without "dumbing down" the physics.

He shows how the strangeness of the quantum world is implicit in the ordinary experiments of physicists. (what he calls the "Cinderalla Effect.") The best thing about this book is that the main thrust of the book is speculation on the nature of deep reality, without it being a "New Age" treatment like the "Tao of Physics" and other books. Yes, reality may be affected by consciousness, he says, but only in certain contexts and only for dynamic attributes of particles.

The book ends with a discussion with Bell's theorem that reality itself is nonlocal (unmediated, unmitigated, and immediate action-at-a-distance forces acting upon objects.) He explains that this nonlocality exists even if quantum theory eventually turns out to be false.

The quantum world is strange and mysterious enough without "New Age" explanations added unto it, as you will discover when you read this book.

Herbert objectively discusses quantum 'reality', and does not bog the reader down with attempts to link quantum theory to religion or new-age science; rather the focus is first on discussing how some actual experiments simply defy explanation via classical physics; and secondly on explaining the new thinking that some physicists have utilized in their attempts to make sense out of these experimental results. This book gives you 'quantum weirdness' without the fluff: the lay reader will learn more about quantum theory from this book than from any other single book out there.

This is a very nice book full of information that you won't find certainly in others popularizations of quantum mechanics (Hawking, Gleiser, Herbert, Weinberg, Feynman, etc.) because it focus on one single topic of quantum mechanics. So its better that you have read already other book like Gleiser's book, so you can understand better the reason why superluminality really deserves a special treatment. Herbert sometimes is too obscure (I know this is kinda necessary sometimes to avoid complex subjects), however the book is so full of nice information that it deserves 4 stars at least. I also think this book is a nice reading for physicists that are not in the reasearches of superluminality. However, I should point out here that his book is NOT REALLY ABOUT SUPERLUMINALITY, but time travel. Superluminality means much more than time traveling, and the book will mention that sometimes, however the author will focus only in time travel rather than discussing other aspects of superluminal phenomena.

The author gets high marks for realizing that an acceleration of 1g for 1 year will yield light speed and for analyzing every possible means to break the light speed barrier for both space travel and communications. The book gets four stars instead of five, though, due to a faulty analysis on the communications front. The author makes the intuitive leap that since the Einstein - Podolsky - Rosen experiment reveals the production of two like-polarized photons from the exitation of one calcium vapor atom which can then be detected by calcite crystals at different locations, faster than light communication is possible between the two calcite crystal locations by modulating the crystals themselves. In doing so, he fails to grasp that the signal emanates from the calcium vapor source, not the crystal, and that usuable information can only be fed into the system or changed at the source. The remainder of the book is excellent.

The reader should also be aware that this book was originally written in 1988, and this paperback edition has not been updated to include the ramifications of string theory or M-theory. This book should therefore be followed with "The Elegant Universe" by Brian Greene.

This is on of the best popularizations I've ever read. Almost every conceivable way to exceed light speed has been debunked here. The author does however leave open tantalizing options that still have some credibility. Read it in three sittings...

Nick Herbert's Elemental Mind makes an interesting supposition -- that the mind, or consciousness, is a force that interacts with the world, like gravity or electromagnetism. He makes a pretty good argument that ESP and Telekinesis would prove that this is so; unfortunately, his examples (the typewriter open to the quantum void and the branching photon experiment) don't seem to show any evidence that the greater supposition is correct. The book is very interesting, though, and leads one into all manner of speculation about how peculiar the quantum universe and though actually are. A well written, entertaining, and informative book.

When read along with Herbert's previous book, Quantum Reality, this text makes a good case for invoking quantum physics to explain the relation of mind and matter and also in explaining some of the more convincing experiments in parapsychology (effects of consciousness on random number generators) which suggest a non-locality of mind. If more people took such ideas seriously and devoted time and research to them, understanding of the mind and a true theory of consciousness might be forthcoming.

Do NOT buy this book if you care about your rats. This author has no idea what she's talking about. Debbie's books are much more informative.

This book made me very unhappy. The author must not have any pet rats, or her rats would be dead and she would now know NEVER to use wood shavings in their cages. The only wood shavings suitable for rats is aspen, but CareFresh or products made of recylved and sterlized newspapers are best. This along with a lot of other misinformation can kill your pet rat. To learn the truth about pet rats and how to care for them click on Debbie Ducommen's book at the top of the page.