I’ve had this copy since I was a teen. My 7 yr old found it in the attic and got very interested so it ended up as a getting ready for bed read aloud. I would say the term “beginners guide” is sort of a misnomer. The book presumes a fair amount of understanding of math and physics already (not just for the precocious 2nd grader but for me as well.) That said, it did succeed in introducing the major players, and the evolution of thought. Some of the concepts did stick, and have sparked more interest. For me it was fun to revisit. Because it ends almost 25 yrs ago I’d be curious to see what has happened in quantum theory since that time.
My daughter would rate this 5 stars. I’m leaving it unrated as it was a fun experience to read and see her enjoyment. For clarity of explanations at the actual beginning level I’d probably rate it a 3. But it wasn’t dry and kept us both engaged and interested to learn further, so in that it was a win!