Physics Books
recommended by physicists, science writers and historians
Last updated: January 08, 2025
The best books on String Theory, recommended by Steven Gubser
What is string theory, and why should we bother finding out? Princeton physics professor Steven Gubser, author of The Little Book of String Theory, explains.
Jim Baggott on Writing about Physics
Contemporary physics is so complex that no single physicist can be said to have a decent grasp of the full picture. This makes communicating physics a formidable challenge. Acclaimed popular science writer, Jim Baggott, talks us through this challenge by discussing his favourite physics books.
The best books on Cosmology, recommended by Marcus Chown
From Kepler’s astronomy to Richard Feynman’s quantum electrodynamics, Marcus Chown launches us into the world of cosmology.
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Never at Rest: A Biography of Isaac Newton
by Richard S. Westfall -
2
A Portrait of Isaac Newton
by Frank E. Manuel -
3
Newton and the Origins of Civilization
by Jed Z. Buchwald & Mordechai Feingold -
4
Priest of Nature: The Religious Worlds of Isaac Newton
by Rob Iliffe -
5
Isaac Newton and Natural Philosophy
by Niccolò Guicciardini
The best books on Isaac Newton, recommended by William Newman
The best books on Isaac Newton, recommended by William Newman
John Maynard Keynes famously cast Isaac Newton not as the first scientist of the age of reason, but the last of the magicians. How should we interpret the million words he wrote, in secret, on alchemy? What should we make of Newton’s heretical religious views? William Newman talks us through the best books for a better understanding of the complex man who was one of the greatest physicists of all time.
The best books on Cosmology, recommended by David Goldberg
David Goldberg, professor of physics at Drexel University, recommends the best books to start learning about cosmology. He explains his choices to high school student, Eric Bolton.
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The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer
by Siddhartha Mukherjee -
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Thunderstruck
by Erik Larson -
3
Moneyball
by Michael Lewis -
4
The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements
by Sam Kean -
5
Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation
by Dan Fagin
The best books on Radiation, recommended by Timothy J. Jorgensen
The best books on Radiation, recommended by Timothy J. Jorgensen
Public understanding of radiation needs to improve if people are to properly assess its benefits and risks argues author and academic, Timothy Jorgensen. From the discovery of radio to a cancer cluster in New Jersey, he chooses highly readable books illuminating different aspects of radiation.
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The Misbehavior of Markets: A Fractal View of Financial Turbulence
by Benoit B. Mandelbrot -
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Foundations of Economic Analysis
by Paul A. Samuelson -
3
Why Stock Markets Crash: Critical Events in Complex Financial Systems
by Didier Sornette -
4
Beat the Market: A Scientific Stock Market System
by Edward O. Thorp and Sheen T. Kassouf -
5
The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
by Lee Smolin
The best books on Physics and Financial Markets, recommended by James Owen Weatherall
The best books on Physics and Financial Markets, recommended by James Owen Weatherall
Blaming “the quants” for the 2008 financial crisis is simplistic and short-sighted, says the author of The Physics of Wall Street. He picks five books showing the contribution physics has made to understanding financial markets.
Books on the Wonders of The Universe, recommended by Philip Plait
Philip Plait urges us to remember that “science isn’t an encyclopedia of facts to memorise. It’s alive.” The astronomer and author of the acclaimed Bad Astronomy blog discusses books that can’t help but light the fire of interest in all things astronomical. He looks at how we can date the age of the universe, the danger of solar flares, and why Pluto is no longer classed as a planet.
The best books on Astronomy, Physics and People, recommended by Andrew Lawrence
The astronomy professor says the process of scientific discovery can be slow and messy – but that reading about some of the extraordinary personalities involved brings the history alive
The best books on Women in Science, recommended by Athene Donald
Award-winning British physicist, Athene Donald, tells us how to fight preconceived ideas about gender and suggests reading that could inspire women to pursue careers in science.