James gleick born 1954 is an american author, journalist and biographer who has written other books such as the information. Chaos is a kind of science that deals with the parts of the world that are unpredictable, apparently random. A history that reveals the science behind chaos theory a work of popular science in the tradition of stephen hawking and carl sagan, this 20thanniversary edition of james gleicks groundbreaking bestseller. Recognized for his writing about complex subjects through the techniques of narrative nonfiction, he has been called one of the great science writers of all time. Making a new science is the canonical source for a popular account of the subject. I can only imagine how difficult this book would have been to follow, if it was plagued by the longwinded and dry writing that befalls many science books. In theory a computer could let meteorol ogists do what astronomers had been able to do with pencil and slide rule.
He graduated from harvard college in 1976 and helped found metropolis, an alternative weekly newspaper in minneapolis. The first popular written book about this fascinating, rapidly growing discipline. Making a new science is the bestselling book by james gleick that first introduced the principles and early development of chaos theory to the public. Making a new science by james gleick 1987, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. The development in time of a mechanical system that is theoretically well understood may, for practical purposes, be unpredictable. Gleicks book was first published in 1987, so i imagine by now there have been many developments and modifications to the ideas and theories presented here. Its pretty interesting to follow how researchers in different fields somehow discovers how the theory is not as it seems. He explains concepts such as nonlinearity, the butterfly effect, universal. He worked for ten years as an editor and reporter for the new york times, founded an early internet portal, the pipeline, and has written several books of popular science, including the information. Making a new science is a debut nonfiction book by james gleick that initially introduced the principles and early development of the chaos theory to the public. A history, a theory, a flood, which won the royal societys winton prize for science and pens hesselltiltman history prize in 2012, among several others. A history that reveals the science behind chaos theory a work of popular science in the tradition of stephen hawking and carl sagan, this 20thanniversary edition of james gleicks groundbreaking bestseller chaos introduces a whole new readership to chaos theory.
Making a new science, an international bestseller, chronicled the development of chaos theory and made the butterfly effect a household phrase. Following distinctions between linear and nonlinear systems from james gleicks 1987 book on chaos theory may be helpful. This book by james gleick represents one of the earliest popular works on the emergent field of chaos, and is rarely absent from any bibliographical resource. Gleick is active on the boards of the authors guild and the key west literary seminar. James gleick, the author of the best sellers chaos and genius, now brings us a work just as astonishing and masterly. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Gleicks book is his artful use of examples such as this to demonstrate the ubiquity of chaos.
That being said, this felt like a good introduction to the early history of scientists efforts to understand and explain nonlinear systems and the apparent chaotic behavior observed in natural and manmade systems. The emerging science at the edge of order and chaos. The book was published on october 29, 1987 by viking books. Chaos can be a tricky concept, but author james gleick writes in a very effective way. James gleick the author describes how scientists studying the growth of complexity in nature are discovering order and pattern in chaos. Anyone writing yet another book, on any topic, inevitably goes through the routine of justifying it. Mar 23, 2001 james gleick was born in new york city and graduated from harvard college. Book with more than one author the first given name appears in last name, first name format. James gleicks the information is a wideranging exploration of humanitys struggle to make sense and maintain order of its evergrowing store of ideas and knowledge. He is part of the inspiration for jurassic park character ian malcolm. In chaos, gleick looks at how the science of chaos was developed. The author describes how scientists studying the growth of complexity in nature are discovering order and pattern in chaos.
The millioncopy bestseller by national book award nominee and pulitzer prize finalist james gleickthe author of time travel. In the thousands of articles that made up the technical literature of chaos, few were cited more often than deterministic nonperiodic flow. James gleick is a leading american science journalist, historian, and biographer. This book brings together different work in the new field of physics called the chaos theory, an extension of classical mechanics, in which simple and complex causes are seen to interact. Making a new science by james gleick 1987, hardcover. James gleick is an american author and historian of science whose work has chronicled the cultural impact of modern technology. Chaos by james gleick used well read 9780749386061. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 352 pages and is available in paperback format.
James gleick was born in new york city and graduated from harvard college. Chaos, the book, though written in 1987, still does an excellent job of connecting the discoveries that opened the door to chaos theory. Making a new science was a 1987 national book award and pulitzer prize nominee, and has been translated into eighteen languages. A historythat reveals the science behind chaos theory a work of popular science in the tradition of stephen hawking and carl sagan, this 20thanniversary edition of james gleicks groundbreaking bestseller chaos introduces a whole new readership to chaos theory.
A historythat reveals the science behind chaos theory a work of popular science in the tradition of stephen hawking and carl sagan, this 20thanniversary edition of james gleicks groundbreaking bestseller chaos introduces a whole new readership to chaos theory, one. He explains concepts such as nonlinearity, the butterfly effect, universal constants, fractals, and strange attractors, and examines the work of scientists such as mitchell j. Then he worked for ten years as an editor and reporter for the new york times. Making a new science by james gleick is the story of how chaos theory was popularized in different fields of study. He wrote in the prologue to this 1987 book, where chaos begins, classical science stops. Mar 30, 2011 chaos is a kind of science that deals with the parts of the world that are unpredictable, apparently random. The author tries hard to make it attractive for the general reader, with pages of anecdotes about the odd characters who developed the subject, but by about half way through i started to find that irritating and began asking wheres the beef. Its pretty interesting to follow how researchers in different fields somehow discovers how the. Gleicks books include the international bestsellers chaos.
This work has been summarized using the 1987 editionpage numbers. Making a new science, book by james gleick paperback. Gleick 1987 this work attempts to breathe life into that metaphorical butterfly. Wilson literary science writing award, and time travel. The millioncopy bestseller by national book award nominee and pulitzer prize finalist james gleick the author of time travel. Gleick introduces us to figures like edward lorenz, whose work in weather prediction revealed that tiny differences in input in even simple mathematical models could lead to vast differences in output over. Making a new science, which was a pulitzer prize and national book award finalist in 1987, and the information. James gleick born august 1, 1954 is an american author, journalist, and biographer, whose books explore the cultural ramifications of science and technology. The first edition of the novel was published in 1987, and was written by james gleick.
His first book, chaos, was a national book award and pulitzer prize finalist and a. Making a new science, author james gleick describes the butterfly effect as. For ten years he was an editor at the new york times. The main characters of this science, non fiction story are. It was a finalist for the national book award and the pulitzer prize in 1987, and was shortlisted for the science book prize in 1989. James gleick, science writer, author of chaos 1987, a major international bestseller about the math and science of chaos theory, will read from his new book, the information 2011, a high praised popular history of information technology,march 3, 2011 at 8.
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