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New Scientist reviews Riffing on Strings
Written by Sean Miller   
Saturday, 19 July 2008
I'm pleased to announce that New Scientist reviewed Riffing on Strings in its latest issue (No. 2665, July 19-25, 2008):
Books to travel with: Riffing on Strings edited by Sean Miller and Shveta Verma

16 July 2008
Amanda Gefter
Magazine issue 2665

WHAT first drew me to physics were the words. Cosmos. Entanglement. Spiralling galaxies and stars gone supernova, dark matter and charmed quarks. Physics brims with linguistic magic. And once you peer beneath the words, you find ideas can possess a poetry more poignant than any turn of phrase. String theory may turn out to be wrong. It might not be testable and it might not describe the real world. But it does describe a world that's undeniably poetic.

Still, I'll admit, when I picked up Riffing on Strings I was sceptical. Sure, the poetic building blocks are there, but creative writing and string theory? It's got the potential to go horribly awry. So I was pleased to find such an eclectic, thought-provoking and entertaining collection of writing - perfect for toting along on travels in other dimensions. The book opens with Sean Miller's introduction to string theory and its place [read more]

Caveat: you need a subscription to read the entire review online.

Here's a pdf tear sheet of the print version of the review.

New Scientist also asked to post a few of the poems from Riffing on Strings to their Short Sharp Science* blog (Thursday, July 17, 2008 entry). A reprint of Daniel Hudon's "A Report on the New String Theory Library" is here.

Other news: Elissa Malcohn, who contributed the story "Arachne" to Riffing on Strings, sends us this snap from Fantasy Fest :

 

Elissa Malcohn at Fantasy Fest 2008

 

On June 21, 2008, I joined other authors at the Carrollwood (Tampa, FL) Barnes & Noble's "Fantasy Fest."

In addition to selling copies of Covenant, I also had contributor's copies of Electric Velocipede #14 and Riffing on Strings on display. Riffing on Strings was also for sale at B&N.

 

Last Updated ( Sunday, 20 July 2008 )
 
Riffing on Strings now available
Written by Sean Miller   
Sunday, 01 June 2008

 Riffing on Strings: Creative Writing Inspired by String Theory
Edited by Sean Miller & Shveta Verma

ISBN: 978-0-9802114-0-5
Trade Paperback, 6" x 9", 312 Pages
List price: $20.00

Read a free sample of Riffing on Strings (9.8 mb pdf).

Available now from these retail booksellers:

Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | Shop Locally | Amazon.co.uk

Riffing on Strings is a unique collection of creative writing that explores the cosmic and cultural resonances of string theory. Inside you’ll find thought-provoking essays, short stories, poems, and a play from over 40 acclaimed authors, including Nobel Laureate Sheldon Glashow, Michio Kaku, Peter Woit, Adam Roberts, Colette Inez, Brenda Hillman, Joseph Radke, and Bruce Holland Rogers, among others.

“Sean Miller and Shveta Verma have put together an exhilaratingly eclectic anthology of creative and expository writing about one of the most exciting (even if controversial) intellectual fields of our time: string theory. Just Miller's erudite introduction by itself is worth the price of this sparkling collection.”
– S. Abbas Raza, Editor of 3 Quarks Daily

“It is very surprising to me that string theory has entered the public consciousness to such a large degree, as documented by this book. This is probably due to the effectiveness of a few popularizers and the seeming craziness of its concepts. This book demonstrates that, in addition to practical applications, scientific research can also have cultural impacts.”
– John H. Schwarz, Harold Brown Professor of Theoretical Physics, Caltech

“The jury is still out on whether string theory serves to explain the nature of reality, but the writers who have contributed to Riffing on Strings convincingly demonstrate that it serves very well as a springboard for the imagination. From Sean Miller's cogent introduction on, this is an engaging—and much-needed—dialogue between art and science.”
– Frank Wilson, Former Book Review Editor, The Philadelphia Inquirer & Creator of Books, Inq.

“Putting together a theory of everything requires a lot of creativity, and more than a little audacity—qualities which are also abundant in this collection of stories and poems inspired by string theory. Riffing on Strings is guaranteed to stimulate both hemispheres of your brain.”
– Sean Carroll, Theoretical Physicist, Caltech & Creator of Cosmic Variance

In praise of Carole Buggé’s play Strings:

“I was amazed to see how Carole Buggé found inspiration in new ideas about the origin and future of the universe and in a real historic scientific incident (in which I played a role) and transformed them into a backdrop for an amusing and penetrating exploration of the human condition.”
– Paul Steinhardt, Professor of Physics, Princeton University & Co-Author of Endless Universe: Beyond the Big Bang

Contributors

Download the Riffing on Strings Flyer (982 kb pdf)

Publication date: June 1, 2008

Riffing on Strings is available wholesale from Ingram and Baker & Taylor.

Image “Superstring” by Félix Sorondo

Last Updated ( Friday, 25 July 2008 )