You emerge on the other side of this book intellectually on par with the most cutting edge physicists of today: Well, minus all the complex mathematical equations and technical jargon of course. However, from a conceptual platform, you are able to visualize the kind of ground breaking ideas that have driven quantum physics into a brave new world of our reality. The author has a gifted ability to simplify complex physical concepts with sensible and intuitive examples that meshes seamlessly with our notions of common sense; that too, without "dumbing down" the key complexities of the theories put forth. It is a testament to his great reputation indeed, for Brian Greene, the author, a prominent mover and shaker in the field of Superstring Theory, to be able to construct a conceptual world for the lay person without burdening the readers with complex formulas and mathematics.<br><br>The book commences on the exploration of Einstein's notion of relativity, followed by the foundations of quantum physics, with both these fields having occupied physicists for the better half of the 20th century. Greene goes on to elaborate the frictions, paradoxes and inconsistencies arising from  attempts of eminent scientists to reconcile these two extremely different scientific dogmas that both seem to define our reality. Enter String Theory, a revolutionary new discovery that turns physics as we know it on its head by not only merging general relativity and quantum physics into a single plausible framework, but also harboring new insights and implications on the nature of reality. These insights include a universe of 11 dimentsions, mathematical predictions for supersymmetry and the possibility of space-time ruptures, an area in which Greene has been most productive in, and for whose contributions he has been highly respected for. We see the 21st century as a kind of Renaissance for physics, as String Theory, with the ardent and novel outburst of myriad conceptual discoveries, has evolved into Super-String Theory and finally the M-Theory, perhaps the true "Theory of Everything" that has been the Holy Grail of Physics from the days of Einstein. However, the common thread running throughout the book is the idea of "symmetry", an overarching concept that accounts for the word "Elegant" in the title of this book.<br><br>Not only are the rhetoric superb and visual examples highly intuitive, the author's tone is brimming with excitement and passion for the subject matter, the kind of enthusiasm that seeps out onto the readers, making them want to take a journey with Greene as he explores the universe. Furthermore, the author gives full credit (and refernces) to all the key contributors of modern science from the more familiar names like Newton, Einstein, Bohr, and Hawking to the less prolific (at least to the lay person) but equally brilliant personalities like Kaluza, Klein, Calabi, Yau, Fermi, Bose and a host of other eminent scientists. Reading this book was like being invited to a soiree for dinner and conversation with all these scientific minds in one room. Furthermore, the author, although passionate, remains admirably objective in his postulations, acknowledging the weaknesses and flaws in such a dynamic new field, and establishing caveats for the readers before they move on from controversial topic to controversial topic.<br><br>This is a great book, one that takes the readers step by step on an adventure into inner space and outer space simultaneously. We gain a better understanding of "what we are" in the bigger picture although deeper questions like "Who we are" and "Why we are here?" remains up for grabs. However, like Greene endorses, the closer we come to discovering the nature of the universe, the more we are equipped and prepared to tackle these deeper questions with scientifically viable answers. Notice how I have refrained from going into too much detail on the content of the book itself; that would be tantamount to giving away "spoilers" for a gripping suspense novel or movie; And I know how we all hate that!