Its pretty interesting to follow how researchers in different fields somehow discovers how the theory is not as it seems. Making a new science by james gleick 1987, hardcover. Making a new science by james gleick is the story of how chaos theory was popularized in different fields of study. James gleick, the author of the best sellers chaos and genius, now brings us a work just as astonishing and masterly. A work of popular science in the tradition of stephen hawking and carl sagan, this 20thanniversary edition of james gleick s groundbreaking bestseller chaos introduces a whole new readership to chaos theory, one of the most significant waves of scientific knowledge in our time. He worked for ten years as an editor and reporter for the new york times, founded an early internet portal, the pipeline, and has written several books of popular science, including the information.
Gleicks book is his artful use of examples such as this to demonstrate the ubiquity of chaos. Mar 30, 2011 chaos is a kind of science that deals with the parts of the world that are unpredictable, apparently random. This book brings together different work in the new field of physics called the chaos theory, an extension of classical mechanics, in which simple and complex causes are seen to interact. Making a new science is the canonical source for a popular account of the subject.
That being said, this felt like a good introduction to the early history of scientists efforts to understand and explain nonlinear systems and the apparent chaotic behavior observed in natural and manmade systems. James gleick the author describes how scientists studying the growth of complexity in nature are discovering order and pattern in chaos. A historythat reveals the science behind chaos theory a work of popular science in the tradition of stephen hawking and carl sagan, this 20thanniversary edition of james gleicks groundbreaking bestseller chaos introduces a whole new readership to chaos theory. Gleicks book was first published in 1987, so i imagine by now there have been many developments and modifications to the ideas and theories presented here. Making a new science, author james gleick describes the butterfly effect as. James gleicks the information is a wideranging exploration of humanitys struggle to make sense and maintain order of its evergrowing store of ideas and knowledge. From edward lorenzs discovery of the butterfly effect, to mitchell feigenbaums calculation of a universal constant, to benoit mandelbrots concept of fractals, which created a new geometry of nature, gleick. The first edition of the novel was published in 1987, and was written by james gleick. Gleicks books include the international bestsellers chaos. It was a finalist for the national book award and the pulitzer prize in 1987, and was shortlisted for the science book prize in 1989. Making a new science, book by james gleick paperback. Mar 23, 2001 james gleick was born in new york city and graduated from harvard college.
The millioncopy bestseller by national book award nominee and pulitzer prize finalist james gleickthe author of time travel. He wrote in the prologue to this 1987 book, where chaos begins, classical science stops. The millioncopy bestseller by national book award nominee and pulitzer prize finalist james gleick the author of time travel. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He explains concepts such as nonlinearity, the butterfly effect, universal constants, fractals, and strange attractors, and examines the work of scientists such as mitchell j. James gleick science writer, threetime pulitzer prize finalist and author of the information. He is part of the inspiration for jurassic park character ian malcolm. A history, a theory, a flood met up with sarah crown at the edinburgh international book. James gleick born august 1, 1954 is an american author, journalist, and biographer, whose books explore the cultural ramifications of science and technology. The main characters of this science, non fiction story are. Chaos, the book, though written in 1987, still does an excellent job of connecting the discoveries that opened the door to chaos theory. Chaos by james gleick used well read 9780749386061. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 352 pages and is available in paperback format. In chaos, gleick looks at how the science of chaos was developed.
The author describes how scientists studying the growth of complexity in nature are discovering order and pattern in chaos. The book was published on october 29, 1987 by viking books. A history, a theory, a flood, which won the royal societys winton prize for science and pens hesselltiltman history prize in 2012, among several others. Book with more than one author the first given name appears in last name, first name format. This work has been summarized using the 1987 editionpage numbers. Making a new science is a debut nonfiction book by james gleick that initially introduced the principles and early development of the chaos theory to the public. A historythat reveals the science behind chaos theory a work of popular science in the tradition of stephen hawking and carl sagan, this 20thanniversary edition of james gleicks groundbreaking bestseller chaos introduces a whole new readership to chaos theory, one. Making a new science is the bestselling book by james gleick that first introduced the principles and early development of chaos theory to.
This is not a text book on chaos theory, but rather a history of the study of chaos theory. This book by james gleick represents one of the earliest popular works on the emergent field of chaos, and is rarely absent from any bibliographical resource. Following distinctions between linear and nonlinear systems from james gleicks 1987 book on chaos theory may be helpful. He explains concepts such as nonlinearity, the butterfly effect, universal. James gleick is a leading american science journalist, historian, and biographer. Its pretty interesting to follow how researchers in different fields somehow discovers how the. A history that reveals the science behind chaos theory a work of popular science in the tradition of stephen hawking and carl sagan, this 20thanniversary edition of james gleicks groundbreaking bestseller. James gleick, science writer, author of chaos 1987, a major international bestseller about the math and science of chaos theory, will read from his new book, the information 2011, a high praised popular history of information technology,march 3, 2011 at 8. For ten years he was an editor at the new york times. Gleick is active on the boards of the authors guild and the key west literary seminar. Three of these books have been pulitzer prize and national book award finalists, and they have been translated into more than twenty languages.
Wilson literary science writing award, and time travel. Making a new science, an international bestseller, chronicled the development of chaos theory and made the butterfly effect a household phrase. The first popular written book about this fascinating, rapidly growing discipline. Gleick 1987 this work attempts to breathe life into that metaphorical butterfly. Making a new science is the bestselling book by james gleick that first introduced the principles and early development of chaos theory to the public. Making a new science, which was a pulitzer prize and national book award finalist in 1987, and the information. In theory a computer could let meteorol ogists do what astronomers had been able to do with pencil and slide rule. Then he worked for ten years as an editor and reporter for the new york times. In the thousands of articles that made up the technical literature of chaos, few were cited more often than deterministic nonperiodic flow. Gleick introduces us to figures like edward lorenz, whose work in weather prediction revealed that tiny differences in input in even simple mathematical models could lead to vast differences in output over. A history that reveals the science behind chaos theory a work of popular science in the tradition of stephen hawking and carl sagan, this 20thanniversary edition of james gleicks groundbreaking bestseller chaos introduces a whole new readership to chaos theory. Chaos is a kind of science that deals with the parts of the world that are unpredictable, apparently random.
His first book, chaos, was a national book award and pulitzer prize finalist and a. James gleick born 1954 is an american author, journalist and biographer who has written other books such as the information. The emerging science at the edge of order and chaos. The author tries hard to make it attractive for the general reader, with pages of anecdotes about the odd characters who developed the subject, but by about half way through i started to find that irritating and began asking wheres the beef.
Chaos can be a tricky concept, but author james gleick writes in a very effective way. I can only imagine how difficult this book would have been to follow, if it was plagued by the longwinded and dry writing that befalls many science books. Making a new science was a 1987 national book award and pulitzer prize nominee, and has been translated into eighteen languages. He graduated from harvard college in 1976 and helped found metropolis, an alternative weekly newspaper in minneapolis. The development in time of a mechanical system that is theoretically well understood may, for practical purposes, be unpredictable. James gleick was born in new york city and graduated from harvard college. James gleick is an american author and historian of science whose work has chronicled the cultural impact of modern technology. Anyone writing yet another book, on any topic, inevitably goes through the routine of justifying it. Recognized for his writing about complex subjects through the techniques of narrative nonfiction, he has been called one of the great science writers of all time. Making a new science by james gleick 1987, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay.