The Age of Entanglement: When Quantum Physics Was Reborn

In "The Age of Entanglement," Louisa Gilder brings to life one of the pivotal debates in twentieth century physics. In 1935, Albert Einstein famously showed that, according to the quantum theory, separated particles could act as if intimately connected-a phenomenon which he derisively described as "spooky action at a distance." In that same year, Erwin Schrodinger christened this correlation "entanglement." Yet its existence was mostly ignored until 1964, when the Irish physicist John Bell demonstrated just how strange this entanglement really was. Drawing on the papers, letters, and memoirs of the twentieth century's greatest physicists, Gilder both humanizes and dramatizes the story by employing the scientists' own words in imagined face-to-face dialogues. The result is a richly illuminating exploration of one of the most exciting concepts of quantum physics.

“"Highly readable . . . a delightfully unconventional history . . . which brings the scientist actors to life as complex personalities with interesting lives . . . [A] welcome addition to the popular history of twentieth-century physics." -Don Howard,Nature "Highly entertaining . . . A surprisingly effective re-creation of some of the most subtle intellectual history of the 20th century . . . Gilder is a fine storyteller who brings to life one of the great scientific adventures of our time." -N. David Nerman,American Scientist "A sparkling, original book . . . Gilder brings the reader into a mix of ideas and personalities handled with a verve reminiscent of Jeremy Bernstein's scientific portraits inThe New Yorker. . . Gilder beautifully evokes [the experimentalists'] world." -Peter Galison,The New York Times Book Review "[A] fascinating yarn . . . For anyone who wants to understand the human angle of modern physics and separate quirks from quarks, this is your book." -The Providence JournalBest Books of 2008 "An admirable, unexpected book, historically sound and seamlessly constructed, that transports those of us who do not understand quantum mechanics into the lives and thoughts of those who did." -George Dyson, author ofDarwin Among the Machines "Louisa Gilder disentangles the story of entanglement with such narrative panache, such poetic verve and such metaphorical precision that for a moment I almost thought I understood quantum mechanics." -Matt Ridley, author ofGenome "Louisa Gilder breathes new life into a story of intellectual daring and makes its protagonists come alive. A deep, beautiful, and thoroughly original book." -George Johnson, author ofThe Ten Most Beautiful Experiments "The Age of Entanglementis a marvelous guide to the endlessly fascinating mystery of quantum mechanicsand to the equally fascinating way some of the world's smartest scientists have wrestled with understanding it." -Charles C. Mann, author of1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus "Captivating . . . a movingly human and surprisingly accessible picture of the unveiling of the quantum universe . . . Admirably lucid . . . on these challenging ideas." -Julia Keller,The Chicago Tribune "Unusual . . . [Gilder] displays an ability to capture a personality in a few words." -James Trefil,The Washington Post "Compelling . . . No book more fully delivers the creative excitement of science." -Booklist(starred review) "[This] fast-paced history . . . is less simplified than other popular accounts, but those who pay attention will find it highly rewarding. A tour-de-force by a talented young author who makes a difficult subject accessible." -Kirkus "Astonishing . . . The courage and even audacity of a nonscientist to investigate the evolution of ideas about the most esoteric aspects of quantum physics are truly remarkable . . . This is not the textbook one would pick up in order to learn quantum mechanics, but it is the book one should read before that first textbook . . . Gilder is a phenomenal writer." -Frank L. Cloutier,Charleston Post & Courier "Daring . . . Gilder's history is rife with curious characters." -Publishers Weekly "The clearest and most intriguing history of the manner in which the scientific method continues to advance knowledge . . . that I've ever read . . . Gilder's book tells an amazing story." -Kel Munger,Sacramento News &”

"Captivating. . . . A movingly human and surprisingly accessible picture of the unveiling of the quantum universe. . . . Admirably lucid." --Chicago Tribune "A sparkling, original book. . . . Gilder brings the reader into a mix of ideas and personalities handled with a verve reminiscent of Jeremy Berstein's scientific portraits in The New Yorker. . . . What had been for generations a story of theoretical malcontents now intrigues spooks and start-ups. All this radiates from Louisa Gilder's story. Quantum physics lives." --The New York Times Book Review

"Highly entertaining. . . . Hard to put down. . . . Grippingly readable. . . . Gilder is a fine storyteller who brings to life one of the great scientific adventures of our time." --American Scientist

"[A] fascinating yarn. . . . For anyone who wants to understand the human angle of modern physics and separate quirks from quarks, this is your book." --The Providence Journal (A Best Book of 2008)

"A witty, charming, and accurate account of the history of that bugaboo of physics-quantum entanglement . . . There are many books out there on the history or foundations of quantum mechanics. Some are more technical, others more historical, but none take the unique approach that Gilder has-to focus on the quantum weirdness of entanglement itself as her book's unifying them and to present it in an inviting and accessible way . . . Delightful." --Science

"Astonishing. . . . The courage and even audacity of a nonscientist to investigate the evolution of ideas about the most esoteric aspects of quantum physics are truly remarkable. . . . Gilder is a phenomenal writer." --Charleston Post & Courier

"A welcome addition to the genre. . . . [Gilder's] book really shines . . . [She] proves that the neglected last fifty years of quantum mechanics is . . . full of brilliant, quirky personalities and mind-bending discoveries. . . . She is a very compelling writer, and she clearly understands what makes science exciting and science history interesting." --ScientificBlogging.com

"The clearest and most intriguing history of the manner in which the scientific method continues to advance knowledge. An amazing story." --Sacramento News & Review

"A delightfully unconventional history. . . . Especially enjoyable are the portraits of the less famous physicists . . . Gilder has done her homework." --Nature

"[Gilder] displays an ability to capture a personality in a few words." --The Washington Post

"An admirable, unexpected book, historically sound and seamlessly constructed, that transports those of us who do not understand quantum mechanics into the lives and thoughts of those who did." --George Dyson, author of Darwin Among the Machines

"Louisa Gilder disentangles the story of entanglement with such narrative panache, such poetic verve and such metaphorical precision that for a moment I almost thought I understood quantum mechanics." --Matt Ridley, author of Genome

Louisa Gilder graduated from Dartmouth College in 2000. She lives in California. This is her first book.

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