Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos: The Scientific Quest for the Secret of the Universe

by Dennis Overbye

Subtitled The story of the scientific quest for the secret of the universe , this is an accessible, popular account (though also with much to interest the more sophisticated) of the intellectual adventurers who, over the past 40 years, have sought answers to the deepest questions we know to ask of the world. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Astronomy, History, Physics, Space, History Of Science

438 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Overbye received his B.S. in physics from M.I.T.—where he was a member of the Alpha Mu chapter of Phi Kappa Sigma—in 1966. He started work towards a master's degree in astronomy from U.C.L.A. in 1970.

Overbye started his career by working as a scientist for Boeing and then other companies. In 1976 he became assistant editor at Sky and Telescope magazine. From 1976 to 1980 he was a senior editor at Discover Magazine. Subsequently, he embarked on a freelance career, during which time he published articles in Time, Science, The Los Angeles Times, and The New York Times, among other publications.

He has written two books: Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos, about scientists and their quest to understand the universe, and Einstein in Love, dealing with Albert Einstein's youth and the controversy surrounding the degree to which Einstein's first wife, Mileva Marić, contributed to the theory of relativity. He joined the staff of The New York Times in 1998 as deputy science editor, then switched to full-time writing. In 2014 he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting.

Overbye lives in New York City with his wife, Nancy Wartik, their daughter Mira Overbye and two cats.

Reviews

[Danelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book I read in 2003/2004 while I was at UC Irvine! This book kept me sane and laughing! I loved reading it in a good bubble bath. This author is amazing and endowed many of the astronomy and cosmology greats of yesteryear with many down-to-earth, "human" characteristics. Has the fascinating read of a novel, and once again, very physics-/astronomy-lite. One of my favorite books EVER! Read it! You'll be glad you did!

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started reading this at the same time as I was starting a university course on cosmology. It was the perfect introduction to get an overview of what the big issues have been – and still are – in cosmology, see which scientists have been involved and how the field has progressed. I really enjoyed it! :D

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh the drama of studying the universe. A must read for anyone interested in the history of cosmology and astrophysics. Overbye becomes one of the scientists, wrapped up in the wonder and also the petty and career-breaking arguments. There are a number of great lines, and if you make it to the end of this long one, Overbye beautifully distills the joy and beauty of finding things out. He gives the universe the wondrous quality it deserves.

[Bob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Post WWII cosmology is a great subject and adding personalities to the science makes brings it to life. Lonely Hearts is a frustrating, irritating book. We'd be better off if someone else would have written this -- Marcia Bartusiak, for one. If only the editors would have imposed some discipline on Mr Overbye's over-wrought style... There's a lot of good material here, especially first hand accounts of people and events now inaccessible. Lonely Hearts now serves as a primary source for those. The book has no source notes. It's at least 20% too long. Passages like this on the then new 200 inch Hale telescope are typical (pp 19-20):

"Hubble observed steadily in April [1949], clicking off photographic plates of the galaxies brought to new full-blooded starry brilliance by the giant mirror."

The plates are exposures running from many minutes to multiple hours, as Overbye knows. "Clicking off" falsely implies something more like briefly open camera shutter. I have no idea what makes a galaxy image "full-blooded." On p. 15, Overbye incorrectly describes Mt Palomar as 50 miles south of Caltech and Pasadena. Then 10 pages later gets it about right as "2 hours south and east." The author and editors were asleep at the wheel. This is the sort of purple prose and sloppiness found in parts of the book that are easily checked. I stopped recording excesses, errors and doubts soon after. I finished the book mostly because it's well rated and unique on its subject, but never trusted its reliability.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ignore the silly title and note the subtitle. This is a good overview of the efforts over the last century to find out what the universe is, how it began and how it evolved. The author tells the story of the men and women who devoted their careers to this quest: astronomers, cosmologists and particle physicists. He describes the rivalries and friendships among the groups and between individuals, between the observers and the theorists. It is the kind of interplay usually involved in producing good science.

The author is a physicist, and the reader with a strong science background may wish for more science and less about professional foibles. Those without the science may experience the right balance and not be bothered that the book is slightly dated by now. The science seems to be made as simple as possible without sacrificing flavor in favor of nebulosity.

The amazing picture that scientists have painted of the universe during this last century is an incredible triumph of the human spirit and should be known by everyone with an interest in the world. This is a good introduction. It may spark the reader's curiosity about astrophysics and prepare and encourage one to look further, such as into the Wikipedia article "Universe" and its many links. They have good pictures. There still is much to learn.

[Linda Beeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most thrilling and challenging books I've ever read. Overbye is Deputy Science Editor at the NY Times. He describes the work of astrophysicists and cosmologists via portraits of giants in the field -- from Hubble to Hawking.

There are sections I'll probably be rereading yet again decades from now in the slim hope of grasping their concepts, but I loved the language used to frame the big questions -- before the big bang, what was there? for instance -- mirror the searches of art and theology.

[Patrick Lueck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written in 1991, so a lot is missing... the new, pinned down age of the Universe, the implications of dark matter...and discovery of the presence of repulsive energy...

BUT..outstanding book that explores the personal stories of important cosmological work...AND..a great exploration of the science. Working on my premise (for science books..that ONE good observation that teaches me something or clears up a misunderstanding), this book rates five stars.

I now understand the expansion of the universe (well...for a scientificly literate layperson!)

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars only because of its publication date; I haven't found anything comparable yet that covers the 21st century. If you love the subject but your formal science education stopped before 1985, this book will fill in the gaps and introduce you to some fascinating personalities in the field.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

3/10

This is not for the average reader. I would advise only those with a strong cosmology background to read it. I had a very difficult time keeping up at all.

The book builds upon itself throughout, so if you miss something, you'll be lost for most or all of the book. To further complicate things, this goes through the history of theories of cosmology, so after trying to understand something, you find out in the next chapterv that the theory was wrong anyway

If cosmology is your thing and your want to know how we got where we are, you'll probably like this, but it was far to in depth for me

[Patrick Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can a book be both esoteric and chatty? Yes. In this book the story of the scientific search for the origins of the universe competes with the rivalry among and between astronomers and physicists. It is well told with anecdotes and although the science sometimes evaded me I generally caught up as one theory typically is built on or was refuted by another that provides some insight to the original theory. It was a tough read but enjoyable. Someone curious about time and space will really enjoy this book.

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite enjoyable, I think it works better for how it ended, right before the proliferation of data and theory and more data and theory and the saga of the hubble telescope and all the way to now...the story it tells is shorter but not simpler, and I appreciated learning about all these old controversies and wild speculation and interesting characters who had mostly faded from the scientific scene by the time I started being interested (except for Hawkings ofc).

Anyway, a great history of cosmology and astronomy, read it if you're into those things

[Nyla Bright · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could recommend this book but the underlying bias towards the accomplishments of the men is unmistakable. Further, what few women are allowed to appear in the history are treated dismissively and shockingly briefly. There were armies of women behind the math of most of the early discoveries, but the author focuses on the gentleman’s club.

[Jim French · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found the style of writing off-putting: too many wild metaphors and newspaper-type exaggerated purple prose. Amateurish stuff. And the historical approach to the astronomy leads to lots of slogging thru trivial biographical details, diluting the science.

[Bob Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personal look at many of the big names in cosmology, their theories and egos. I liked scanning over many of the figures in this book but didn’t care to get into all the details of where and what they ate and other digressions.

[Nona · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first popular astronomy book I read. Compelling and very readable.

4.5 out of 5

[Danath01 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outdated science since Hubble but good history

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this years ago and it was a terrific overview of the development of astronomy during the 20th century. The book discusses the "physical astronomers" (those that use the telescopes to study the universe) and the "theoretical astronomers" (those that their conception of the universe on particle physics). The story was actually very engrossing with a solid narrative and easy to grasp explanations sprinkled with anecdotes.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing book by Overbye, who can make any subject, no matter how dry it seems, grab you and suck you right in. I highly recommend this to anyone insterested in not only astrophysics, but in the history of that branch of science, and the amazing people who have made pioneering discoveries in the field.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best book ever, my astro prof recommended it to me, it's our cosmology class reading. It's very awesome, and densely written. A lot of twist and turns. A lot of physicist jokes, a lot of science crazies, a lot of up and down, a lot of inquiring minds, a lot of philosophy and science debate, a lot of meta stuff but not mystic, a lot of funny sterotypes. I think physicists are great.

[Dave Cappuccio · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most interesting and thought provoking books I've read Ina very long time. And this review is being written 22 years after my first reading. For those fascinated by science - not just the answers, but the search, the personalities and the process that all happens in the background, this is a must read. You won't be disappointed.

[Christina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was out of print for a while, but this pic is different from the one on my cover so maybe it's back. A captivating read that helped me understand cosmology and quantum physics, while being entertained by the zany scientist personalities involved.

[Conor Greaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book in all ways. Overbye humanizes a field which often seems cold and distant, and tells the tale of the men and women who have developed the field of astronomy. At the same time, this book provides an excellent overview of cosmology itself in terms everyone can understand.

[Camilo Sotomayor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es un buen libro.
Es la historia del astrónomo
Alan Sandage en su afán de medir el universo
Tomo como referencia los quasares. Su punto de observación telescopio del Monte Wilson y el amo te Palomar
Sandage recoje el legado de Edwin Hubble

[A.]

A great book, giving much knowledge about the evolution of the universe, and people who took much interest in finding the mystery surrounding the universe..

[D. H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. Couldn't put it down. If anyone is an Astronomy buff this is the one for you.

[Ian Durham · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing biography of an entire field of research.

[Karen Saucedo · Rating 5 out of 5]

So informative on the early days of astronomy, the techniques, the
main players, the egos. A terrific read. I've read it twice, already,
cover to cover.

[Ashley]

Rec'd by Mike.

[Bill Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd never thought much about astronomy and the cosmos before I read this book. I was inspired to look for observatories near me that I could look through.

[Sebastien · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book to get acquainted to cosmology questions, even thought it is pretty hardcore sometimes. Mandatory reading if you don't want to be just a wanderer.