Review of Mysteries Of the First Instant

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Leslie Kunde
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Review of Mysteries Of the First Instant

Post by Leslie Kunde »

[Following is a volunteer review of "Mysteries Of the First Instant" by Daniel Friedmann.]
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5 out of 5 stars
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When I started this book, I had no idea it would be so fascinating. The first chapter did not seem to fit the book at all, but as the work progresses, it makes perfect sense. Who would have believed that a simple child’s toy could be used to explain so much about modern physics? The book has a unique format as it is written mostly using conversations between one of the authors, Daniel Friedmann, and his nephew, Seb. The conversations allow the reader to absorb the complex ideas in an easy-to-read structure. Mysteries of the First Instant: Illuminating What Science Hasn’t Answered About the Inception of Our Universe is exactly what the title claims: illuminating.

Daniel Friedmann and Dania Sheldon have put together a marvelous book on the first instant in the formation of our universe. This something from nothing that has made everything can be hard to wrap your mind around. When Daniel was explaining to Seb just how precise everything had to be for the universe to form, it was fascinating to learn that one subatomic particle more or one less and there would not have been a universe. I also enjoyed the way the book gives the scientific answer to a question, then gives what the author has found in religious works that answer the same question.

While the book gives many good references and explains a lot of material, I would have liked a little more time spent on the numerical system of the Hebrew language. The Hebrew words are explained well, for example:" Kabbalah is a mystical tradition, meaning that it seeks to understand intrinsic aspects of God and Creation that are beyond what the intellect can comprehend". (Page 70) He also does an outstanding job explaining tohu and tikkun among many others.

Given the amount of work that went into this book and the extensive references, I can safely say it earns 5 out of 5 stars. The editing was great, and the above-mentioned formatting made this a joy to read.

If you have ever wondered how something is made from nothing or how delicate the balance of the earliest known formation of our universe had to be, then I would recommend reading this work. The religious aspect should not keep anyone from enjoying this book; the comparison of the two adds to the story and expands our understanding.

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Mysteries Of the First Instant
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