The book:<br>An introduction to the state of the art in string theory for the layperson, via a thorough review of relativity, and a summary of quantum mechanics.<br><br>The reviewer:<br>A layperson with a long standing interest in astrophysics, but delving into string theory for the first time. I discovered Greene's "Elegant Universe"  through his entertaining hosting of the wonderfully produced Nova series of the same title.<br><br>The medium:<br>I didn't feel i was missing too much by reading the kindle edition. the numerous diagrams read fairly well in monochrome. It would have been nice to more easily jump back and forth between endnotes (why don't they make these clickable!?) but for the most part it works well as a linear read.<br><br>Critique:<br>It's the supreme challenge of books of science written for the layperson (certainly ones with such mind-bending concepts as this one) to speak to the level of a perhaps unknowable student. Greene admirably rises to this challenge, but (for my part) with occasionally inconsistent results. Some explanations seem unduly drawn out or redundant, while others feel glossed over. The discussion of relativity for example, seemed repeated ad nauseum, while some things that were newer to me/harder for me to digest, like the nature of calabi yau spaces or the differences between the 5 string theories, left me feeling that my understanding was far from complete. In fairness this could well be due to the depth and complexity of the things being discussed and the limitations of this reader's own mind, but overall the amount of ink spilled didn't always seem to match the complexity of the idea being explained. On the whole the moments of redundancy, were appreciated, making it an easy read to take in chunks as a bathroom reader or while strap-hanging. Finally, in such a cutting edge field, a ten year old publication can already feel outdated at times, but this is exciting more than it is disappointing, and spurs one to investigate the latest news in the field.<br><br>Praise:<br>Greene is at the top of his writing game as he gives first hand accounts of when he was at the top of his game scientifically, collaborating in significant breakthroughs in the field. I think developing one's own understanding of science mirroring the historical development of humanity's understanding of science is a great way to learn, and Greene has enough a sense of history and colorful quotes throughout to help make this happen.<br><br>on the whole:<br>a highly recommended read for those with a burgeoning interest in string theory and/or in humanity's latest understanding of the earliest moments of the universe as we know it.