God's Universe is NUMBER THREE!

[Martin]

I find this quite surprising. A book called God's Universe has risen to #3 spot on amazon general physics bestseller list.

 

this puts it in the distinguished company of people like Brian Greene, Stephen Hawking, Sir Roger Penrose, and recent arrival Lee Smolin.

God's Universe has joined an elite club.

 

the book's message, I guess, is that the Big Bang could have been intended----somebody could have made it happen on purpose. Please correct me if I am mistaken about this. Can't say I've read it.

 

what this confirms for me is that we humans are nuts about cosmology. We are incurable fans of the universe. I know I personally love cosmology, am crazy about it. really want to get a better picture of the universe---how it evolved out of what. And apparently ALL THESE THEISTS ARE TOO! They are fascinated by the universe and want to read all about big bang cosmology, so Owen Gingerich is selling a theistic cosmology book to them and they are buying it like hotcakes!

 

watch amazon bestseller list for clues to how America is thinking:-)

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/14560/ref=pd_ts_b_nav/102-4540543-7840144

As of 11:40 Thursday 21 Sept

 

1.The Trouble with Physics: the rise of string theory, the fall of a science, and what comes next (Lee Smolin)

 

2. Physics for Dummies

 

3. God's Universe (Owen Gingerich)

 

4. Elegant Universe (Brian Greene)

 

5. Not Even Wrong: the failure of string theory and the search for unity in physical law (Peter Woit)

 

6. E=mc², the biography of the world's most famous equation

 

7. Giancoli's college physics textbook

 

8. A Brief History of Time (Stephen Hawking)

 

=========UPDATE=========

As of 3:10 PM same day (this time with the overall amazon sales rank, to give more information):

 

1. The Trouble with Physics (Lee Smolin) #330

 

2. Physics for Dummies #710

 

3. God's Universe (Owen Gingerich) #911

 

4. Not Even Wrong (Peter Woit) #1101

 

5. Elegant Universe (Brian Greene) #1429

 

6. A Brief History of Time (Stephen Hawking) #1603

 

7. Giancoli's college physics textbook #2333

 

8. E=mc², the biography of the world's most famous equation #2389

 

the top eight have not changed as a set, but there have been some minor changes in their order.

Except for titles 7. and 8., the sales ranks are now fairly widely spaced, indicating a relatively stable order.

God's Universe is near enough to Physics for Dummies that it could conceivably take second place in the next 24 hours.

[bascule]

Sounds like an argument for Deism

[Martin]

Sounds like an argument for Deism

 

heh heh

 

I can't discuss this now, but it is very interesting. would like to sometime. I have seen reviews of Gingerich indicating that he somehow goes much farther and even speculates as to why there is pain and suffering and that it might have had a purpose (intended by someone with his hands on the levers at bigbang time). sounds pretty wild yes?

 

can't pursue this, have to get to it later

 

however I think it is swell that Gingerich book has a big impact and gets to be one of the top bestsellers====it is right on the active faultline, right on the hot interface between relig and sci. Love it.

will get some people thinking who would otherwise be shutting scientific cosmology out IMHO.

 

BTW Trouble with Physics is dynamite, very positive experience (gripping, inspiring, much more than I expected or bargained for when I ordered the book). will have a major impact I suspect

[Martin]

As of 9:15 PM pacific time today Thursday 21 September

God's Universe by Owen Gingerich was amazon's #2 general physics bestseller, second only to Lee Smolin The Trouble with Physics: the Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next

 

The overall amazon sales rank of Gingerich's book was #747.

 

God's Universe pulled ahead of Physics for Dummies, which was earlier in second place, sometime after 8 PM this evening.

[Martin]

The sales ranks of the topselling general physics books, as of 9:15 PM pacific, are as follows

 

1. The Trouble with Physics #391

2. God's Universe #747

3. Physics for Dummies #947

4. Not Even Wrong #1280

5. The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory #1457

6. A Brief History of Time #1551

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/14560/ref=pd_ts_b_nav/102-4540543-7840144

[Martin]

LATEST NEWS from the bestseller race!

 

Physics for Dummies has come from behind and overtaken God's Universe! With sales rank #989, the stalwart study aid has nosed slightly ahead of its theocosmological rival, which ranks #993.

 

Smolin and Woit---the post-string physics books---are in first and second place.

 

Sales ranks at the top of the general physics list, as of 11:30 PM pacific, are as follows

 

1. The Trouble with Physics #329

2. Not Even Wrong #765

3. Physics for Dummies #989

4. God's Universe #993

5. A Brief History of Time #1386

6. The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory #1446

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/books/14560/ref=pd_ts_b_nav/102-4540543-7840144

 

Are the longtime favorites, Brian Greene and Stephen Hawking, finally sliding on their way down the list? Tune in tomorrow.