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The whole conception of the book is basically delightful; its numerous cross references and very wide range of subject matter are a feast for any enquiring mind. Almost every conceivable angle of approach has been considered. The book is science based. The flowing style of writing makes the book easy to assimilate. However, when one examines the text in more detail, there are a few criticisms to be made. Bova immediately starts with an error when referring to the start of Genesis: the first Act was one of Sound (Let); light came next, not first. The story of Newton and the falling apple is told as if it were a fact, not a myth. Someone reading about this myth for the first time might be erroneously led into thinking it was an established fact. Bova’s disguised insinuation that Newton’s interest in mysticism was brought about by mercury poisoning in later years is ill-informed and insulting. Newton was reading the works of Christian mytics before forming his laws of gravitation. The usual wrong conclusion about the Michelson-Morley experiment is made (as many authors have done): a negative experiment proves nothing. If there is a luminiferous aether, the experiment failed to detect it by mechanical means and would imply it has no mechanical properties. (Einstein was clear on this point). Einstein’s theory of special relativity says that a mass cannot be accelerated or decelerated through the speed of light barrier; it does allow for objects already travelling faster than light. (Theoretical particles called tachyons). Bova nobly quotes the inscription from the Jefferson memorial against tyranny of the mind and later rants illogically against the baser form of astrology, a confessed opinionated passage which would be best removed from the book. Just occasionally, the author tends to wander from the subject, after having wound up the reader to expect a definite statement, rather like some of Elgar’s music. In conclusion, and providing the reader can occasionally distinguish opinion from fact, this is a mentally stimulating book and no mean task, considering the large number of scientific disciplines employed. One cannot be an expert on everything and can therefore forgive the author for the odd lapse. I assume that the final copy will have an index, as this work can read like an encyclopaedia. It is also hugely enjoyable and I wonder if Bova would consider writing a similar book on Sound? Guy Duckworth
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