Robert Osserman

Poetry of the Universe

I have to say that I felt that the preface of Poetry of the Universe was something of a disaster. Robert Osserman seemed to suggest that just as Columbus' voyage in 1492 had shown that the Earth wasn't flat, so the COBE microwave map showed that space wasn't flat - I would say that both ideas were seriously flawed. As I continued with the book I felt that I had been a bit hasty in my judgement, at least on the issue of the Earth. The book in fact gives an excellent account of how the size and shape of the Earth was known two millennia before Columbus, and of the problems its curvature presented for mapmakers.

On the issue of the COBE map, which I would say demonstatrated the flatness, rather than curvature, of space (although space-time is still curved), I was less sure of Osserman's account. The problem wasn't so much that the book didn't deal with it properly, rather that it didn't get as far as 1992. If it were written 50 years before then it would have provided an excellent explanation of how relativity allows the universe to be finite yet without a boundary. But readers wanting to know about the currently favoured model of an infinite expanding universe are likely to end up confused, and the book doesn't touch on important issues such as dark matter or inflation at all. It's a pity really, as Osserman's expression of the poetical nature of mathematics, and, for example, his links between the lives of mathematicians and composers, could have given this book a wide readership. If you're not too concerned with the modern cosmology aspect then you may well find this book an enjoyable read.

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Paperback 224 pages
ISBN: 0385474296
Salesrank: 909233
Weight:0.35 lbs

Published: 1996 Anchor

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Paperback 224 pages
ISBN: 0385474296
Salesrank: 1072205
Weight:0.35 lbs

Published: 1996 Anchor Books

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Paperback 224 pages
ISBN: 0385474296
Salesrank: 484022
Weight:0.35 lbs

Published: 1996 Anchor

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Thank you, Professor, for a charming book *****
This is a charming book, with a graceful pace and engaging illustrations. The transparency and accessibility of this book are a gift to the reader, who is brought through complex material in a gentle way. I suspect that technically advanced readers may find some of the material fairly elementary, but may still find pleasure in the beauty of this book. I should here confess that as a math major I took a course from Professor Osserman on linear algebra about 30 years ago. His teaching style then mirrored his writing style in this book--calm, understated, confident. Additionally, I probably never thanked him at the time for giving me a great math experience during that course. (For non-mathematicians who haven't had such an experience, let me assure you that there is exhilaration in struggling with an initially complicated mathematical idea that suddenly becomes crystal clear.) So, belatedly, if you're reading this review, Professor, THANK YOU!

Thank you, Professor, for a charming book *****

This is a charming book, with a graceful pace and engaging illustrations. The transparency and accessibility of this book are a gift to the reader, who is brought through complex material in a gentle way. I suspect that technically advanced readers may find some of the material fairly elementary, but may still find pleasure in the beauty of this book.

I should here confess that as a math major I took a course from Professor Osserman on linear algebra about 30 years ago. His teaching style then mirrored his writing style in this book--calm, understated, confident.

Additionally, I probably never thanked him at the time for giving me a great math experience during that course. (For non-mathematicians who haven't had such an experience, let me assure you that there is exhilaration in struggling with an initially complicated mathematical idea that suddenly becomes crystal clear.)

So, belatedly, if you're reading this review, Professor, THANK YOU!

Shape and Form - Geometry and Cosmology ****
This is a story of shape and form. The Poetry of the Universe answers two related questions: What is the shape of the universe and what do we mean by the curvature of space? During the great period of global exploration the Europeans placed rigorous demands on maps, demands that stretched the capabilities of mathematicians. Robert Osserman offers a striking parallel between that endeavor and our modern efforts to unravel the form and structure of the universe. Osserman's description of the evolution of abstract geometries is fascinating. We learn about the remarkable contributions of the combined genius of Euler, Gauss, Lobachevsky, Bolyai, Riemann, Minkowski, and Einstein to our new understanding of cosmology. Gradually, Osserman brings us full circle from the problem of representing a spherical (or elliptical) earth on a Euclidian flat map to the more difficult problem of representing an expanding universe characterized as a hypersphere. This is a good little book and I can recommend it to a wide audience. Osserman conveys the beauty and excitement of mathematics without delving into equations. In parallel, he provides expanded footnotes in an appendix for the mathematically inclined. I suggest reading the appendix after completing each chapter, mathematically inclined or not. In keeping with his title, he offers pertinent, often poetic quotes in each chapter such as: Euclid alone has looked on Beauty bare. Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas. The most distinct and beautiful statement of any truth must take at last the mathematical form. (By Edna St. Vincent Millay, Albert Einstein, and Henry David Thoreau.)

Shape and Form - Geometry and Cosmology ****

This is a story of shape and form. The Poetry of the Universe answers two related questions: What is the shape of the universe and what do we mean by the curvature of space?

During the great period of global exploration the Europeans placed rigorous demands on maps, demands that stretched the capabilities of mathematicians. Robert Osserman offers a striking parallel between that endeavor and our modern efforts to unravel the form and structure of the universe.

Osserman's description of the evolution of abstract geometries is fascinating. We learn about the remarkable contributions of the combined genius of Euler, Gauss, Lobachevsky, Bolyai, Riemann, Minkowski, and Einstein to our new understanding of cosmology. Gradually, Osserman brings us full circle from the problem of representing a spherical (or elliptical) earth on a Euclidian flat map to the more difficult problem of representing an expanding universe characterized as a hypersphere.

This is a good little book and I can recommend it to a wide audience. Osserman conveys the beauty and excitement of mathematics without delving into equations. In parallel, he provides expanded footnotes in an appendix for the mathematically inclined. I suggest reading the appendix after completing each chapter, mathematically inclined or not.

In keeping with his title, he offers pertinent, often poetic quotes in each chapter such as: Euclid alone has looked on Beauty bare. Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas. The most distinct and beautiful statement of any truth must take at last the mathematical form. (By Edna St. Vincent Millay, Albert Einstein, and Henry David Thoreau.)

Perhaps Osserman bit off more than he could chew... ***
I had the feeling while reading this book that Osserman had simply taken upon himself something that couldn't be done: describing the entire universe in 170 pages with sufficient clarity so that any layman could understand it. Being one of those laymen, I must admit that I learned quite a bit from this book. Nevertheless, Osserman's jumpy writing style with frequent digressions makes for a sometimes frustrating read. I also noted a certain effort to make the "story" of the book conform to the title (which should have been something along the lines of "Curvature of the Universe"). In any case, for those (like myself) with a passive interest in cosmology and very little prior knowledge, this book is not a bad starting point. Having finished the book, I at least know where to begin looking for more information about the topic.

Perhaps Osserman bit off more than he could chew... ***

I had the feeling while reading this book that Osserman had simply taken upon himself something that couldn't be done: describing the entire universe in 170 pages with sufficient clarity so that any layman could understand it.

Being one of those laymen, I must admit that I learned quite a bit from this book. Nevertheless, Osserman's jumpy writing style with frequent digressions makes for a sometimes frustrating read. I also noted a certain effort to make the "story" of the book conform to the title (which should have been something along the lines of "Curvature of the Universe").

In any case, for those (like myself) with a passive interest in cosmology and very little prior knowledge, this book is not a bad starting point. Having finished the book, I at least know where to begin looking for more information about the topic.

comes up short ****
The hype on the back cover, from the publisher, likens this book to the "literary bestsellers" of Watson and Thomas. However, the great shame is that this book won't last. Ultimately, the book is quite exasperating, not for the conceptual challenges it poses, but for the sloppiness of the writing a key junctures: often it is impossible to understand what is meant from what is written. On at least three occasions, I am certain that Osserman used inappropriate words. I entirely blame the editors for this failure. It is a shame because it ultimately renders the book incomprehensible to the non-specialist. I would recommend Brian Greene's recent book over this one, though the subject matter differs somewhat: Greene takes in string theory and the unified field challenge, while Osserman focuses on multidimensional space and cosmogony. Maybe it is worth reading Osserman to get a sense of the art of such books, to appreciate the quiet brilliance of Lewis Thomas. Sort of like drinking bad wine in order to really appreciate the good.

comes up short ****

The hype on the back cover, from the publisher, likens this book to the "literary bestsellers" of Watson and Thomas. However, the great shame is that this book won't last. Ultimately, the book is quite exasperating, not for the conceptual challenges it poses, but for the sloppiness of the writing a key junctures: often it is impossible to understand what is meant from what is written. On at least three occasions, I am certain that Osserman used inappropriate words. I entirely blame the editors for this failure. It is a shame because it ultimately renders the book incomprehensible to the non-specialist. I would recommend Brian Greene's recent book over this one, though the subject matter differs somewhat: Greene takes in string theory and the unified field challenge, while Osserman focuses on multidimensional space and cosmogony. Maybe it is worth reading Osserman to get a sense of the art of such books, to appreciate the quiet brilliance of Lewis Thomas. Sort of like drinking bad wine in order to really appreciate the good.

A Meaty Lil' Package ****
This is a marvelous little tour through the development of geometry and its ties with our ever-evolving conception of space. In fact, what tickled my cortex most here was Osserman's adeptness at conveying the strength of this tie. One feels a definite Yin-Yang interplay here, an enlightening example of how ideas are born of real-life problems, the solutions to which beget further physical inconsistencies that in turn spawn further ideas, and so on, and so on. And after being guided through the history of this mathematical development, it becomes easily clear as to why it is so difficult (in fact practically meaningless) for us to visualize a shape for our Universe. You understand why it is pointless to use conventional three-dimensional thought (what we all live with day-to-day) as a lever to comprehend the bigger picture. All of this is sewn so well into this neat little pocketbook, that it is practically a reference you wish to carry with you at all times. He misses the mark in at least one place when he stretches his discussions to include and touch upon other branches of science. His comment that our ability to see in a narrow swatch of the electromagnetic spectrum is a "quirk of physiology" is an air ball demonstrating his ignorance of photochemistry. But such shortcomings, which are extremely few, do not taint the grand picture that he has painted for us. The style is very approachable and I would highly recommend this work to anyone who seeks to grasp the whole enchilada.

A Meaty Lil' Package ****

This is a marvelous little tour through the development of geometry and its ties with our ever-evolving conception of space. In fact, what tickled my cortex most here was Osserman's adeptness at conveying the strength of this tie. One feels a definite Yin-Yang interplay here, an enlightening example of how ideas are born of real-life problems, the solutions to which beget further physical inconsistencies that in turn spawn further ideas, and so on, and so on. And after being guided through the history of this mathematical development, it becomes easily clear as to why it is so difficult (in fact practically meaningless) for us to visualize a shape for our Universe. You understand why it is pointless to use conventional three-dimensional thought (what we all live with day-to-day) as a lever to comprehend the bigger picture. All of this is sewn so well into this neat little pocketbook, that it is practically a reference you wish to carry with you at all times. He misses the mark in at least one place when he stretches his discussions to include and touch upon other branches of science. His comment that our ability to see in a narrow swatch of the electromagnetic spectrum is a "quirk of physiology" is an air ball demonstrating his ignorance of photochemistry. But such shortcomings, which are extremely few, do not taint the grand picture that he has painted for us. The style is very approachable and I would highly recommend this work to anyone who seeks to grasp the whole enchilada.