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Deep Down Things: The Breathtaking Beauty of Particle Physics
A useful scientific theory, claimed Einstein, must be explicable to any intelligent person. In Deep Down Things, experimental particle physicist Bruce Schumm has taken this dictum to heart, providing in clear, straightforward prose an elucidation of the Standard Model of particle physics—a theory that stands as one of the crowning achievements of twentieth-century science. In this one-of-a-kind book, the work of many of the past century's most notable physicists, including Einstein, Schrodinger, Heisenberg, Dirac, Feynman, Gell-Mann, and Weinberg, is knit together in a thorough and accessible exposition of the revolutionary notions that underlie our current view of the fundamental nature of the physical world. Schumm, who has spent much of his life emmersed in the subatomic world, goes far beyond a mere presentation of the "building blocks" of matter, bringing to life the remarkable connection between the ivory tower world of the abstract mathematician and the day-to-day, life-enabling properties of the natural world. Schumm leaves us with an insight into the profound open questions of particle physics, setting the stage for understanding the progress the field is poised to make over the next decade or two.
Introducing readers to the world of particle physics, Deep Down Things opens new realms within which are many clues to unraveling the mysteries of the universe.
Introducing readers to the world of particle physics, Deep Down Things opens new realms within which are many clues to unraveling the mysteries of the universe.
390 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 20, 2004
56 people are currently reading
796 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 7, 2009
This is the BEST layman's explanation of particle physics. I can't recommend it too highly. Helped me appreciate the significance of some of the experiments that are ongoing at CERN etc such as the hunt for the Higgs boson. Got me thinking about the question: what is the speed of gravity? It's the speed of light...so how come you can calculate the trajectories of satellites without a delay time to account for finite speed of gravity? Mysterious, isn't it? Why is it that there is more matter than antimatter in the universe, but the net charge of the universe is exactly zero? What's so special about the weak nuclear force? Read this book and find out.
Also contains a beautifully intuitive explanation of the connection between the very abstract math of Lie groups/algebras and particle physics.
Also contains a beautifully intuitive explanation of the connection between the very abstract math of Lie groups/algebras and particle physics.
January 14, 2018
It's the standard model book and then the monument watershed of the human being.
June 28, 2022
i think i saw this on Susan Fowler's webpage? it's pretty solid given the publication date (and especially for that date, it doesn't get all up its own ass about supersymmetry and string theory and other bullshit patties between two slices of lies, lookin' at you Kaku), but (a) we are now about a score years past this publication date, and have found the Higgs, and have solved a lot of the cosmological questions asked here, and the effects of certain subtle elements of general relativity have trickled out and are now better appreciated. and (b) what the fuck is that cover, seriously; if i saw someone with this, i'd be like "nice cut-rate Celestine Prophecy you have there, are you studying cock magic at the Wellesley advanced summer program?" i had to remove the dust jacket for walking around lest someone think i was crushing the Dianetics. i don't know what motivated Schumm to go with this cover art, but it was bad, and he ought feel bad.
WITH THAT SAID, it was the best layman's introduction to Lie groups (and thus gauge theories) and their application to the Standard Model that i can recall seeing. so that's nice. there's more comprehensive coverage in The Road to Reality (and of course various textbooks), but it's scattered around, and that book is something like nine times the size of this one.
WITH THAT SAID, it was the best layman's introduction to Lie groups (and thus gauge theories) and their application to the Standard Model that i can recall seeing. so that's nice. there's more comprehensive coverage in The Road to Reality (and of course various textbooks), but it's scattered around, and that book is something like nine times the size of this one.
June 7, 2025
This book is a masterfully written introduction to the world of particle physics, brimming with insight and intellectual rigor. The author’s passion for the subject is infectious, and his ability to weave complex ideas into a coherent narrative is impressive. As someone with a solid background in high school physics and some university mathematics, I found many sections both illuminating and eye-opening. Schumm excels at conveying the wonder and beauty of the subatomic world, and I came away with a much deeper appreciation for the science.
However, I did encounter some challenges. While the writing is clear and the arguments well-structured, there are extended passages where the sheer volume of new terminology—dozens of particles and categories—became overwhelming. I often found myself reading through these sections without fully grasping their significance, even though I could follow the sentences and general flow. This occasionally left me feeling lost, as if the book assumed a level of familiarity with particle physics that I did not possess.
Despite these hurdles, I recognize that my difficulties stem more from my own knowledge gaps than from any fault in the book itself. Deep Down Things is an outstanding resource for readers ready to dive deep into particle physics, but it may be a steep climb for those, like me, who are new to the field. I learned a great deal and would still recommend it highly—just with the caveat that some prior exposure to the subject will make for a more rewarding and enjoyable experience.
How Should I Rate It?
As a book, Deep Down Things is clearly a 5-star achievement. The writing, structure, and depth are all top-notch. However, the long sections that I struggled to fully understand did reduce my personal enjoyment and comprehension. For me personally, this makes it a 4-star read. That said, I see the immense value in the book and am considering a re-read in the near future—perhaps with more background knowledge, I’ll be able to fully appreciate everything it has to offer.
However, I did encounter some challenges. While the writing is clear and the arguments well-structured, there are extended passages where the sheer volume of new terminology—dozens of particles and categories—became overwhelming. I often found myself reading through these sections without fully grasping their significance, even though I could follow the sentences and general flow. This occasionally left me feeling lost, as if the book assumed a level of familiarity with particle physics that I did not possess.
Despite these hurdles, I recognize that my difficulties stem more from my own knowledge gaps than from any fault in the book itself. Deep Down Things is an outstanding resource for readers ready to dive deep into particle physics, but it may be a steep climb for those, like me, who are new to the field. I learned a great deal and would still recommend it highly—just with the caveat that some prior exposure to the subject will make for a more rewarding and enjoyable experience.
How Should I Rate It?
As a book, Deep Down Things is clearly a 5-star achievement. The writing, structure, and depth are all top-notch. However, the long sections that I struggled to fully understand did reduce my personal enjoyment and comprehension. For me personally, this makes it a 4-star read. That said, I see the immense value in the book and am considering a re-read in the near future—perhaps with more background knowledge, I’ll be able to fully appreciate everything it has to offer.
January 16, 2020
Dense, but rewarding. I feel that a lot of books on particle physics give people more of a familiarity with the labels attached to various physical phenomena and some of their whiz-bang consequences, rather than a deep understanding of them. Even without a physics degree, if you put in the time to struggle with this book, you’ll come back with an understanding of the beauty of the subatomic world. Lost one star because the final chapter, bringing the rest of the book together, was a bit of an overload and took multiple rereads, to be honest I kind of skimmed it.
If you enjoy this kind of stuff at this level read Matt Strasslers blog, Of Particular Significance.
If you enjoy this kind of stuff at this level read Matt Strasslers blog, Of Particular Significance.
February 9, 2024
I was naive to think I could cold-start my physics education by jumping head first into particle physics, and part of my naivete was encouraged by recommendations of this book. I have no mathematics or physics backgrounds of any kind, and this book to me was like trying to read crop circles left by beings universes ahead of me. For someone who already had a strong foundation in these subjects, this book was probably concise and helpful for making these topics approachable. For me it was not. I learned a lot about the broader and simpler topics of particle physics, but at a certain point I gave up trying to understand and merely read the words I recognized.
September 5, 2018
Excellent, comprehensive and accessible review of particle physics from the dawn of quantum theory up to supersymmetry and Higgs mechanism. 4.5 stars, actually (slightly too long for 5 stars).
August 7, 2024
Hadrons, bosons, leptons, nucleons, fermions…all of these are categories of particles. To even begin to approach the world of particle physics, one needs to know these words, what instances they summarize, and which theories apply to each of them. This book is essentially a glossary of particle physics, in the sense that Schumm explains key terms and their relations, but also in the sense that he puts a gliding shine over actual deep thinking—exactly the placid view you need. It’s nice to talk surfing over a cold drink, but you probably want to spend some time in the pool before jumping into roiling churning waters.
July 29, 2024
One of my favourite things about Bruce Schumm (other than his incredible writing about physics and math) is how now twice (I am halfway finished this book) he has described both a mathematician and a particle physicist as a woman (using she/her pronouns) nonchalantly in his writing. Subtle and non physics related but made me very very happy because I’ve read tens of physics books and never seen any other authors do this :)
August 19, 2018
Wonderful read. Next looking for quantum gravity.
I really enjoyed this book. It has enough math to make you think and the writing style moves things along. It was written before the Higgs was confirmed and lays out nicely what was predicted.
I really enjoyed this book. It has enough math to make you think and the writing style moves things along. It was written before the Higgs was confirmed and lays out nicely what was predicted.
April 29, 2021
A fantastic book providing insights I had not found elsewhere.
October 30, 2025
You can watch a video review of the book here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75HZC...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75HZC...
February 29, 2016
An exceptional book on the beauty of particle physics! I'm so glad I found this in my quest for researching Quantum Physics! It is incredibly difficult to find an author or writer who will take the time to explain the inner workings of particle physics for the layperson, and Schumm does such a wonderful job! So concise and direct, but still has a conversational prose infused with his own excitement so as to keep you interested and engaged. Now this book definitely isn't for the beginner! Probably not for the intermediate either, haha. There are many things I didn't get, as he delves deeply into abstract mathematics. (Scary!) But I think if you've had familiarity with the inner workings of the Standard Model and other basic tenants of Quantum Mechanics, you can understand the gist and implications of what he is talking about. I actually enjoyed the fact that he doesn't make it too simple, diving right into the nitty gritty of the fundamental nature of reality. It shed more light on the deeper inner workings of particles (I now understand the nature of particle "spin" where all authors I've read take it for granted!) and the four forces, opening up avenues from Quantum Field Theory (which seeks to unify quantum mechanics and general relativity) that I had not known before. There is just so much packed into this book, I am amazed that he was able to do so! At any rate, it is an awesome book! Probably my favorite on this subject! Reality at the smallest of scales is full of strange, abstract truths and I am glad there are authors such as Schumm who take the time to teach us average folk and unveil its beauty to us.
"The only thing we can say with certainty is that we know that there is indeed something unknown out there!" - Schumm
"The only thing we can say with certainty is that we know that there is indeed something unknown out there!" - Schumm
October 29, 2014
Not an easy read but I got a lot out of it. Schumm does not write as clearly (imo) as Richard Feynman, who for me is the gold standard, and he does produce a few strange analogies, but I did more-or-less follow what he was saying.
The book was written before the Higgs Boson was found, so it is interesting to read with the benefit of hindsight what he says about it, such as how its mass was predicted.
The only error that I noticed was the claim that a small amount of mass is equivalent to a large amount of energy, as a result of E=mc^2, because c is so large. This is not true, because the numerical size depends on the choice of units. If the unit of speed is a light-year per second, and the unit of mass is the mass of the sun, then the energy equivalent of a modest amount of matter is numerically absolutely tiny. Apart from that I noticed no errors.
The book was written before the Higgs Boson was found, so it is interesting to read with the benefit of hindsight what he says about it, such as how its mass was predicted.
The only error that I noticed was the claim that a small amount of mass is equivalent to a large amount of energy, as a result of E=mc^2, because c is so large. This is not true, because the numerical size depends on the choice of units. If the unit of speed is a light-year per second, and the unit of mass is the mass of the sun, then the energy equivalent of a modest amount of matter is numerically absolutely tiny. Apart from that I noticed no errors.
December 7, 2014
I've read a few books on sub-atomic physics now-I've had a fascination with the subject ever since seeing an episode of Nova on the four forces when I was a kid. This book delivers on a layman's view of such matters, but also shows how they fit together, and how our understanding of them is getting us closer to a grand unified theory, and (as an added bonus) what the heck the significance of the Higgs boson is in all of this! (Even though this book was written slightly before the Higgs was finally discovered.) It took me a while to finish, but if you are interested in the subject and have not had the benefit of formalized study, I highly recommend it-the author has a good sense of humor and is adept at explaining things that can really only be understood as metaphors.
December 18, 2009
Like a more mathematical version of Brian Greene's books. Great intuition. Fantastic prose as well.
May 31, 2010
This book has the best description of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle that I have read anywhere.
January 10, 2011
coverage of weak & strong forces was helpful for bridging qualitative & quantitative understanding
May 12, 2011
Beautifully written! The beauty of Lie Group Symmetry + Interaction -> Charge + Particles -> Universe!
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July 31, 2011fascinating and approachable overview of the standard model of particle physics.
January 17, 2013
This is THE BEST book on the standard model of particles that I have found. The next step would be a graduate degree in the subject.
December 2, 2013
Excellent introduction to Particle Physics, though the occasional equations are used little enough they could probably be avoided entirely.
February 10, 2014
One of the best layperson books I've read on The Standard Model of particle physics. Highly accessible and a joy to read.
December 9, 2015
Te best high level popularization of the standard model
December 12, 2018
A very good explanation of some of the basic physics for the educated layman.
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July 14, 2016More of a layperson's guide to particle physics, yet the explanations were great. I enjoyed the book.
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October 11, 2014Brilliant, authoritative, and well-written guide to particle physics for the interested layperson..
December 15, 2015
Diagrams and notes are are to read on Kindle.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews