Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Michio Kaku is obviously a distinguished physicist who has done pioneering work in string theory as well as an accomplished author. However, the God Equation is by and large regurgitated material. In most of the book he traces the development of modern physics from its origins in the Renaissance to some of the more esoteric versions today. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with this history. It’s just that it’s been done thousands of times, many of which were better written. When Kaku finally gets to String Theory his explanations are more basic than an extended article in the Sunday edition of the New York Times. All of which makes for a very forgettable book. There are some good points; a spirited defense of beauty in physics based on symmetry, for example. But mostly it’s simply a rehash. Recommended only if you have rarely read a book on modern physics.