Review by crbeck53 -- Mysteries Of the First Instant
Posted: 19 May 2021, 15:03
[Following is a volunteer review of "Mysteries Of the First Instant" by Daniel Friedmann.]
In Mysteries of the First Instant, written by Daniel Friedmann with Dania Sheldon, both the scientific and biblical stories of the beginning of the universe are explored, connected, and compared. Instead of being a dry exposition of information, the author uses an interesting story narrative format that gradually reveals the bits of information in an organized sequence. In addition, several chapters include a brief biographical excerpt of a scientist whose work is relevant to the information in the chapter. Illustrations, diagrams, timelines, photographs, and maps are provided to further aid understanding of what could be difficult subject matter to someone unfamiliar with astrophysics, Kabbalah, and Genesis. Appendices include charts of the standard model of particle names and properties, and explanation of the light metaphor used by scholars and mystics to describe aspects of God, and a chart of numerical letter values for Hebrew gematria. Additionally, there is a glossary of terms that the reader can refer to and that further defines concepts presented in the book.
I found this book to be beautifully written, well organized, and professionally edited. The additional information provided by the biographical excerpts, illustrations, and appendices help the reader to understand the science, how humanity’s understanding of the beginning of the universe developed, and how the science links to the Genesis story. The author’s genius use of metaphor, especially one that refers to the history of how Legos evolved to their present day form to illustrate how the universe may have been planned, simplified understanding of the scientific concepts. Furthermore, the narrative style of the book based on a trip and conversation with the author’s nephew lends to the book’s readability.
There were no negative aspects I could find to this book. The writing, editing, and research were flawless. I was amazed that a book with so much astrophysics and Kabbalah could be so enjoyable to read!
I rate Mysteries of the First Instant 4 out of 4 stars for several reasons. First, it was crafted in a way that engaged me as a reader and learner. Secondly, it was professionally written and edited, which made it easy to read. Thirdly, it accomplishes its intention to show how what humans have learned about the origin of the universe through science as well as biblical studies are complementary and can be used as a foundation for further discovery. Finally, the visuals provided by illustrations, the metaphors, and the appendices all lent to my understanding of the scientific and philosophical content.
This is a must-read book for anyone who is interested in astrophysics, Kabbalah, or the Genesis story, as well as for the layperson who wonders how the universe began. Teachers would find this book an excellent resource to gain a firmer understanding of background knowledge needed to instruct students about the origin of the universe and the history of human understanding and discovery of facts related to that. Although not specifically a children’s book, this would also make a great book for a teen interested in cosmology, or it could be a read-aloud book for slightly younger children curious about the universe’s beginning.
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Mysteries Of the First Instant
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
In Mysteries of the First Instant, written by Daniel Friedmann with Dania Sheldon, both the scientific and biblical stories of the beginning of the universe are explored, connected, and compared. Instead of being a dry exposition of information, the author uses an interesting story narrative format that gradually reveals the bits of information in an organized sequence. In addition, several chapters include a brief biographical excerpt of a scientist whose work is relevant to the information in the chapter. Illustrations, diagrams, timelines, photographs, and maps are provided to further aid understanding of what could be difficult subject matter to someone unfamiliar with astrophysics, Kabbalah, and Genesis. Appendices include charts of the standard model of particle names and properties, and explanation of the light metaphor used by scholars and mystics to describe aspects of God, and a chart of numerical letter values for Hebrew gematria. Additionally, there is a glossary of terms that the reader can refer to and that further defines concepts presented in the book.
I found this book to be beautifully written, well organized, and professionally edited. The additional information provided by the biographical excerpts, illustrations, and appendices help the reader to understand the science, how humanity’s understanding of the beginning of the universe developed, and how the science links to the Genesis story. The author’s genius use of metaphor, especially one that refers to the history of how Legos evolved to their present day form to illustrate how the universe may have been planned, simplified understanding of the scientific concepts. Furthermore, the narrative style of the book based on a trip and conversation with the author’s nephew lends to the book’s readability.
There were no negative aspects I could find to this book. The writing, editing, and research were flawless. I was amazed that a book with so much astrophysics and Kabbalah could be so enjoyable to read!
I rate Mysteries of the First Instant 4 out of 4 stars for several reasons. First, it was crafted in a way that engaged me as a reader and learner. Secondly, it was professionally written and edited, which made it easy to read. Thirdly, it accomplishes its intention to show how what humans have learned about the origin of the universe through science as well as biblical studies are complementary and can be used as a foundation for further discovery. Finally, the visuals provided by illustrations, the metaphors, and the appendices all lent to my understanding of the scientific and philosophical content.
This is a must-read book for anyone who is interested in astrophysics, Kabbalah, or the Genesis story, as well as for the layperson who wonders how the universe began. Teachers would find this book an excellent resource to gain a firmer understanding of background knowledge needed to instruct students about the origin of the universe and the history of human understanding and discovery of facts related to that. Although not specifically a children’s book, this would also make a great book for a teen interested in cosmology, or it could be a read-aloud book for slightly younger children curious about the universe’s beginning.
******
Mysteries Of the First Instant
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon