Icarus At The Edge Of Time

I didn't know what to expect when I ordered this book, and I took a chance - but I'm glad I did. It's a futuristic re-telling of an old myth and that's something that could easily have been mis-handled; but I think Greene has done a fine job (apart from one appearance of the non-word "anymore", which always bugs me, though it probably shouldn't... maybe I'm just a reactionary old fogey).The book has a distinctive style, featuring pictures from the Hubble space telescope, and I think it's the kind of thing that could become a familiar treasure on a child's bookshelf. The story retains the elements of tragedy from the original myth but cleverly salvages hope, in a way which, incidentally, should appeal to any Transhumanist readers.

I read this with my 7 year old son. He loved it and has read it again himself.

When I was a youngster, I was fascinated with science, astronomy in particular. Somewhere along the way, though, I lost that sense of wonderment and followed a life and career path outside of science. So it is that this unique book, Icarus at the Edge of Time, is something of a bittersweet reading experience for me, as it reminds me of the road not taken. Still, I count it a great blessing to once again look upon the vastness of outer space with a childlike wonder of old. Sometimes, a picture can be worth a thousand words, and this book is full of those very kinds of pictures. As you turn the thick pages of this "board book," you are greeted with stunning images of deep space taken by the Hubble Space Telescope - nascent galaxies, luminous supernovae, colorfully stunning nebulae, etc.If modern-day public education hasn't completely shot its wad, virtually every man, woman, and child is familiar with the ancient myth of Icarus, who fell to his death after failing to heed his father's warning about flying too close to the sun (using the wings Daedalus had fashioned for a daring father and son escape from exile in Crete). The modern-day Icarus of author Brian Greene's story is a brilliant young teen stuck on a ship traveling to Proxima Centauri. Knowing that he will never live long enough to reach the ship's destination, he yearns to temporarily escape his own "exile" and explore something outside the ship on his own. When he learns the ship is changing course to bypass a black hole, he is determined to become the first human being to explore the boundaries of this most incredible of nature's creations. Having designed a powerful engine of his own, Icarus knows he can make the trip and survive, and so he ignores his father's entreaties to return.This may look and, for the most part, sound like a children's book, but I would be loathe to classify it as such. The story itself may be pretty straightforward, but I doubt many youngsters are going to understand the implications of Einstein's theories that stand at the crux of the narrative. That being said, this is still a book that many a youngster will surely enjoy. It's a great book for parents to share with their children, for readers of all ages can enjoy the fine story and beautiful images - and it may just help inspire a few youngsters to embrace the wonders of science.

If you expect this book to be on string theory or particle physics, don't waste you're time, it's a large kids book with thick pages and cannot be more than 15, it tells a simple story about a boy on a spaceship, it wasn't what I were expecting. There were no product or book discription on amazon so think twice before making the same mistake that I'd made.

Simple, elegant book. Tells the basics of the time effect a black hole has, in an entertain story. To add to this, the pictures are "out-of-this-world" (pun intended) and the quality of the book itself adds to the appeal.Although it's not a long story, and you won't be no Steven Hawking by the end, it's a pleasurable read and a great way to get youngin's and even the older lot interested in astronomy!

As a graphic designer and keen follower of Brian Greene this book is fantastic! Everything about this book is just incredible, from the clever re-telling of the Icarus story to include advanced physics to the amazing images from the hubble space telescope. Even my 3 year old daughter has taken an interest in it! The book is printed on high quality thick board so it's sure to last until she's old enough to fully appreciate the story on another level as well.I really can't say enough good things about this, if your looking to get your kids interested in science or if you just appreciate a well made graphic take on a very interesting subject then look no further. This should be in every school, library and home across the country.Why on earth has this guy not got his Pulitzer Prize yet!

If you are looking for an original approach on the subject of black holes in space then this is it. This book appears to be written for children, it's a board book, beautifully illustrated - but would appeal to any age. The classic Greek myth of Icarus is imaginatively redeployed to explain the power of black holes, in a unique and inspiring way. I would recommend this to anyone. More books like this would engage a greater number of children in physics, I'm sure.

Absolutely brilliant book with superb pictures from the Hubbel telescope. The story is very easy to understand for youngsters and should be an essential reading for those wanting to learn about Black Holes in their Science lessons

Ritardo nella consegna, ho dovuto contattare il venditore che però è stato molto gentile e disponibile. Il libro era un pò rovinato e inoltre non ho trovato la descrizione confacente alla realtà. Sono infatti in tutto 12 figure con un cerchio nero al centro di cui non ho capito l'utilità e un breve racconto scientifico-fantascientifico. Il professor Brian Greene ha fatto molto di meglio.

Very poor condition of the book. Was supposed to be a brand new book. But had pages which were damaged and seemed to have been used previously.

I love it, because it raises a single question - what is time?

I bought this book for my 5 year old son. I heard an NPR interview with the author Brian Green(who mostly writes books for grown-ups about string theory, etc. I share his passion for science and science education. I was a little worried that it would be too babyish since it's listed as a "board-book". Don't be fooled...it is appropriate for about a 5-10 year old age group (maybe even a bit older would appreciate it). It is very beautiful inside and the text is pretty "grown-up". The images are of various nebulae and galaxies, many of which are thought to contain black holes. The story is about a futuristic journey to a far-away planet being undertaken by several generations of families. One of the ships inhabitants is a 14 year-old boy who wants to explore beyond his limited surroundings. He leaves ship on a run-about to go explore a black hole and the consequences illustrate the science of black holes. My son likes it a lot. I've been having to read it again and again for several days, now. He's asking great questions about black holes, galaxies and gravity. Most of which, I can't answer (I'm a biologist), so we are looking up lots of cool stuff online. Anyway, I highly recommend this book- it's gorgeous and thought provoking.

of an old, old myth cosmos style. Worth the read, and something to talk about with kids.

A simply amazing introduction to astronomy that will be enjoyed by adults as well as children. The gorgeous illustrations are all actual images taken with the Hubble Space Telescope! In brief, the story is a retelling of the Greek myth of Icarus, the boy who ignored his father's warning to fly low, and flew so close to the sun that his wings melted and he crashed. This modern Icarus has a happier, less lethal, outcome when he gets too close to a black hole, but he still has to deal with the irreparable consequences of his adventure.Children will enjoy the adventure story, while adults can ponder the deeper meaning of individuation and the quest for knowledge, and the price to be paid for both. Plus, this story offers one of the most user friendly examples of time dilation and Einstein's General Theory of Relativity that I've ever seen. If your kids ask you physics questions for which you have no answer, Wikipedia is a great resource. "Icarus at the Edge of Time" is so good that I actually looked up time dilation, even though I've managed to avoid physics for over 50 years. I'm definitely keeping this one for any grandchildren I may have someday. This is going to be my next book club recommendation!

This is a great book for children and for adults. The story is perfect for children and the picture are AMAZING! I keep it on my coffee table and people love to look through it to see all the amazing photos used.

Good reading for youngsters interested in space. Great for a curious child, or adult.

This book is a wonderful retelling of a classic. It incorporates cosmology into the story (in particularly, black boles and spacetime) and tasteful sci-fi about space travel. One of the most appealing things about this story is the gorgeous picture of the cosmos. My daughter really enjoys it.

Just received and read the most delightful book. It was a stunning presentation on the concepts of time travel as well as the stark beauty of the universe. The storyline was a great idea. I found it to be interesting but concise enough for any reader. AND the photography was stellar (no pun...). It will definitely find its way under the Christmas tree this year if someone can pry it from my greedy little hands. Good luck doing that!

This is an excellent rework of the ancient story of Icarus and Daedalus. There is very little science in this; but after introducing them to the old tale, mixing in some Einstein and special relativity, then reading about the new Icarus, my 7th grade science class was amazed.Greene does a great job and the illustrations are beautiful. Suitable for small children too.Highly recommended.

I'm an amateur astronomer and recently bought this book for a friend's kids as they are interested in astronomy and how the universe was created. Brian Greene is an outstanding writer (I have several of his other string theory/cosmology books) and Icarus at the End of Time is excellent.

There needs to be more children's books just like this. The images alone are educational and beautifully captivating. This short story is a perfect way to introduce children to complex concepts of space, time, and gravity in a fun and exciting way that is easy to understand.

The imagery of this book is phenomenal and the story is quite nice. My son loves it.

As a board book, I wasn't sure what to expect. Pleasantly surprised by this book and its format. Beautiful photos with a clever story.