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Kip S. Thorne
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The Science of Interstellar MP3 CD – Unabridged, 9 Jan. 2015

by Kip Thorne (Author), Eric Michael Summerer (Narrator)
4.8 out of 5 stars 2,317 ratings
Interstellar, from acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan, takes us on a fantastic voyage far beyond our solar system. Yet in The Science of Interstellar, Kip Thorne, the physicist who assisted Nolan on the scientific aspects of Interstellar, shows us that the movie's jaw-dropping events and stunning, never-before-attempted visuals are grounded in real science.Thorne shares his experiences working as the science adviser on the film and then moves on to the science itself. In chapters on wormholes, black holes, interstellar travel, and much more, Thorne's scientific insights-many of them triggered during the actual scripting and shooting of Interstellar-describe the physical laws that govern our universe and the truly astounding phenomena that those laws make possible.
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  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    Tantor Media Inc
  3. Publication date
    9 Jan. 2015
  4. Dimensions
    13.97 x 1.91 x 19.05 cm
  5. ISBN-10
    1494559390
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1494559397
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Tantor Media Inc
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ 9 Jan. 2015
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Unabridged
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1494559390
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1494559397
  • Item weight ‏ : ‎ 227 g
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.97 x 1.91 x 19.05 cm
  • Best Sellers Rank: 3,538 in Arts & Photography (Books)
  • Customer reviews:
    4.8 out of 5 stars 2,317 ratings

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Kip S. Thorne

Kip S. Thorne

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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
2,317 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the book highly readable, with one noting it's perfect for interstellar fans. Moreover, the information quality receives positive feedback, with customers appreciating how the concepts are explained in simple terms. Additionally, the science content is well-received, with one customer highlighting how it combines story-telling with scientific explanations. Customers find the book easy to follow, with one mentioning the limited use of complex equations.

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ReadabilityInformation qualityScience contentEase of understanding
35 customers mention ‘Readability’35 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable and enjoyable, with one customer noting it's a must-read for physics enthusiasts.

"Great book for anyone interested in either understanding the movie or with an interest in the frontiers of physics...." Read more

"...but I could follow the reasoning, enjoyed the book and it provided an added dimension of realism to the movie." Read more

"Fantastic book, great read for those that loved the movie and whether you have a degree in Physics or not, its readable and concise...." Read more

"...A couple of clicks later and I bought this excellent book, which I read (and yes understood) in a single sitting over the weekend...." Read more

26 customers mention ‘Information quality’25 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the book's ability to explain complex scientific concepts in simple terms, with one customer noting it provides brilliant explanations of cosmological events and objects.

"A very informative book and understandable!- what you'd expect from Kip Thorne!" Read more

"...-in: Thorne has a genuine passion for theoretical physics, is highly knowledgeable and wants to share that with a mass market audience...." Read more

"Only read first few chapters but looks good so far. Explains things very simply with lots of diagrams so interesting for non science people...." Read more

"Interesting, clear and informative" Read more

15 customers mention ‘Science content’14 positive1 negative

Customers appreciate the book's scientific content, particularly its genuine passion for theoretical physics, with one customer noting how it enhances the Interstellar experience.

"Love the science" Read more

"...time I'd wanted to read this book and Kip Thorne explains the amazing science behind it in fascinating detail with explainations that even us mere..." Read more

"Very interesting read. If you like the Physics and love science fiction and film could be of great interest. VFX winner of 2015 Oscar." Read more

"...This book is the perfect combination of story-telling and science; Kip Thorn does an incredible job of breaking up the technical talk with real-life..." Read more

7 customers mention ‘Ease of understanding’5 positive2 negative

Customers find the book easy to follow, with one customer noting its limited use of complex equations.

"Great book, astrophysics explained in a simple way with limited use of complex equations...." Read more

"Really enjoyed reading this book. Not too complex and has good explanations throughout...." Read more

"Very complicated but a really good insight into modern astrophysics." Read more

"...research, Kip Thorne has written it in such a lovely way that is easy to follow." Read more

Abundant in illustrations
4 out of 5 stars
Abundant in illustrations
Not read book yet but did not come wrapped and had very minor folds on the front cover. Bit bigger than expected and paper feels like that of a magazine's. Many clear and nice illustrations in different styles depicting points in a very comprehensible way
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Top reviews from United Kingdom

  • Bulldog the Gunfighter (BTG)
    5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehension without Mathematics
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 May 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I think it is a sign of s great scientific mind that they can impart their work to others less able than themselves, a fundemental Tenet of teaching. Such scientists include Richard Feynman, Stephen Hawking and I would add to these Kip Thorne.

    As a sci-fi fan from childhood I was always interested in physics, astrophysics and astronomy, but lacked the mathematcical ability to pursuse these subjects very far in academia. Howver, I have aways maintained my interest and have a large selection fo 'popular science' books in the field, to which I have now added this volume.

    As a fan of everything Christopher Nolan has done (spot the reference ealrier in this review?), I enjoyed Interstellar, but was only recently reminded (buy Sheldon, Howard and the gang) of Kip Thorne's central role in bringing cosomology to the big screen.

    A couple of clicks later and I bought this excellent book, which I read (and yes understood) in a single sitting over the weekend. Though my maths isn't up to the challenge of higher calculus, my interlect does allow me to comprehend and appreciate the concepts involved. If anything these are even more mind blowing than can be captured in film.

    When I first read A Brief History of Time I was astonished that work colleagues far better qualified than I, could not get through the text. I did and understood it, which has lead to a lifetime of reading on quantum mechanics, cosmology, unified field theory (what we used to call the G.U.T.) and now gravitational waves. I'm crap at Sudoku so my intellectual challenge is to try and understand amazing facts and theories from great books like this by Kip Thorne.

    Whether you buy it or borrow it from a library, I do recommend you read this book and when you have watch Interstellar again with more informed eyes. I guarantee you'll enjoy the film on a whole new level, and if you like have a Chirstopher Nolan film night and amaze your friends with your dazzling insight.

    Extraordinay work made accesible by a Nobel Laureat, thank you Professor Thorne for allowing me to stand on your shoulders and see further.

    This is a superb book, highly recommended. BTG
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Callum
    5.0 out of 5 stars Life-changing book that anyone can read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 January 2023
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I'll preface this by saying you really don't need to be a genius to get a lot out of this book, but a decent understanding of physics helps to make this an easier read - I only have a basic education and I loved and understood it all.
    This book is the perfect combination of story-telling and science; Kip Thorn does an incredible job of breaking up the technical talk with real-life events to do with the movie. He explains things so simply and in an easy-to-read format.
    The content itself genuinely has the potential to change how you understand the world around you - I loved every page of this book and would jump at any opportunity to talk about it!
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Mike Edwards
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book. Great theme and content with excellent illustration
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 May 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Extremely interesting read. A lot of the detail is high level theoretical and astro-physics so to get the most out of it, it'll probably be more helpful if you are at least strongly inquisitive within these topics. I myself have no "academic" background in these areas so found a lot of it confusing but still an excellent read and something to really get your claws into if, like me, the film left you wanting more.

    It explains the background of the movie, chapter by chapter - and what was going through the mid of Kip during his work on interstellar. It is also exquisitely illustrated. with both photographs and diagrams to explain the theories being explored. It includes explanations of many of the complicated theories behind the movie and how they used science to make it as accurate as possible. There's also a bit of talk at the end about the whole "bookecase tesseract" scene which is actually extremely interesting - bridging the gap between what we do and do not know.

    In summary, a really good read for anyone left wanting more after the movie.
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Jasmine
    4.0 out of 5 stars Abundant in illustrations
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 September 2023
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    The media could not be loaded.
    Not read book yet but did not come wrapped and had very minor folds on the front cover. Bit bigger than expected and paper feels like that of a magazine's. Many clear and nice illustrations in different styles depicting points in a very comprehensible way
    Customer image
    Jasmine
    4.0 out of 5 stars
    Abundant in illustrations

    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 September 2023
    Not read book yet but did not come wrapped and had very minor folds on the front cover. Bit bigger than expected and paper feels like that of a magazine's. Many clear and nice illustrations in different styles depicting points in a very comprehensible way
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Doug
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for anyone that has seen the movie!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 November 2014
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    As the title suggests this is a must read for anyone that has been to the cinema to see the movie 'Interstellar'. The movie itself is great as you probably know, however it does leave you thinking 'yeah yeah that is a little far fetched in places'. Well this is where this book comes to the rescue; written excellently by Kip Thorne it guides you through the scientific elements of the movie smoothly and efficiently.
    I'm somewhat scientifically minded but can get easily lost when reading anything too nerdy. I'm glad to say that this book pitched the subject matter at the perfect level. i.e. it wasn't dumbed down too much but it also didn't blow your mind entirely within the first 10 pages.

    As a nice bonus it provides a lot of insight into how Kip came to work on the movie and gives some indication of how the movie business really works. A worth while read.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • mr d tree
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent boo
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 16 August 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Very intriguing
    One person found this helpful
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  • Andy
    5.0 out of 5 stars It explains the film and is very readable
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 February 2015
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    If you liked the film and are remotely interested in current understandings in astronomy, physics and relativity, this book is for you. Kip Thorne originated the screen play of the film and he also happens to be a university professor with many scientific books to his name. So the whole film was intended to be realistic science fact not far fetched science fiction. This book explains why and how.

    It's immensely readable, explaining all the bits in the film you couldn't figure out - such as why did Gargantua (the immense black hole) have a very bright halo round it and what happened right at the end inside that weird tesseract thing.

    Read this and save buying yourself about a dozen lengthy and boring text books!! Beware though, if you're like me you'll find yourself rereading a few of the tougher paragraphs again and again until you get it. Then it makes sense. Thoroughly recommended.
    8 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Zepherine
    5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to understand. Lots of illustrations. Interesting beyond the movie.
    Reviewed in Canada on 23 November 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    The media could not be loaded.
    This book, written by Nobel Laureate Kip Thorne, provides an easy to understand explanation of of the science of the movie Interstellar. You don't need to have seen the movie to enjoy the book. Indeed, much of the book provides basic explanations of the science of black holes and wormholes so even if you are not interested in the movie, it provides an easy and accessible introduction to the topic. Of course, if you've seen the movie, what's interesting is that Kip was the scientific advisor for the movie and he made sure that the science of it was either as accurate as possible, or he tries to explain how artistic decision could have been made possible in his estimation. The visualization of a black hole is, as we learn from the book, somewhat simplified, but it was also done in a way that hadn't been quite done before by scientists. So it provides an accessible way to see what a black hole might look like.

    As you might be able to tell from the photos inuploaded of the book, there is tons of illustrations in this book, and they are very helpful. Does book feels a little bit like a textbook in a sense that it's got glossy pages and most pages have pictures or diagrams to help understand the concepts.

    As someone who is familiar with science but not necessarily astronomy, I found the book to be very accessible and easy to understand. I wish there was a little bit more detail and depth, but some of those details are provided in the appendices. No math is used.

    The narrative of the movie serves to organize the book, with chapters on the black hole that is featured in the movie, and ones on each of the planets, and some of the technologies that are shown.

    Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I am glad Thorne is interested in sharing his scientific interests with the world.
    Customer image
    Zepherine
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Easy to understand. Lots of illustrations. Interesting beyond the movie.

    Reviewed in Canada on 23 November 2024
    This book, written by Nobel Laureate Kip Thorne, provides an easy to understand explanation of of the science of the movie Interstellar. You don't need to have seen the movie to enjoy the book. Indeed, much of the book provides basic explanations of the science of black holes and wormholes so even if you are not interested in the movie, it provides an easy and accessible introduction to the topic. Of course, if you've seen the movie, what's interesting is that Kip was the scientific advisor for the movie and he made sure that the science of it was either as accurate as possible, or he tries to explain how artistic decision could have been made possible in his estimation. The visualization of a black hole is, as we learn from the book, somewhat simplified, but it was also done in a way that hadn't been quite done before by scientists. So it provides an accessible way to see what a black hole might look like.

    As you might be able to tell from the photos inuploaded of the book, there is tons of illustrations in this book, and they are very helpful. Does book feels a little bit like a textbook in a sense that it's got glossy pages and most pages have pictures or diagrams to help understand the concepts.

    As someone who is familiar with science but not necessarily astronomy, I found the book to be very accessible and easy to understand. I wish there was a little bit more detail and depth, but some of those details are provided in the appendices. No math is used.

    The narrative of the movie serves to organize the book, with chapters on the black hole that is featured in the movie, and ones on each of the planets, and some of the technologies that are shown.

    Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I am glad Thorne is interested in sharing his scientific interests with the world.
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  • GC
    5.0 out of 5 stars Un libro stupendo, se avete amato Interstellar non potete perderlo
    Reviewed in Italy on 14 May 2016
    Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
    Da anni ormai mi interesso a livello non professionale di astrofisica, leggendo autori divulgativi come Brian Greene o Caleb Sharf, e quando ho visto Interstellar sono rimasto a bocca aperta quasi per tutta la durata del film. Ho comprato quindi questo libro senza pensarci due volte, e ciò che ho avuto per le mani ha superato di gran lunga le aspettative. Ho apprezzato moltissimo la capacità di affrontare tutte le tematiche del film, dal viaggio interstellare, all'utilizzo di Wormhole per raggiungere punti remoti dell'universo, a tutti gli altri interrogativi che emergono nella pellicola, specificando all'inizio di ogni sezione se si tratta di una verità scientifica assodata, un'ipotesi "educata" o una semplice speculazione. Ci sono molti aspetti che nel film, dedicato ad un'audience amplissima e non per forza appassionata di astrofisica, vengono sorvolati e si potrebbe pensare che gli autori non vi hanno riflettuto sopra a lungo, ma hanno semplificato senza troppe difficoltà: leggendo questo libro invece si capisce come Kip Thorne, Christopher Nolan e tutto lo staff di Interstellar hanno dedicato giorni se non settimane per capire come spiegare scientificamente, o quantomeno con delle ipotesi plausibili, ciò che accade nel film (ad esempio l'Endurance che sfrutta una fionda gravitazionale di un piccolo buco nero per manovrare attorno all'enorme buco nero Gargantua, non trattato nel film se non con qualche riferimento leggero). Sono narrati fatti che possono accadere con possibilità prossima allo zero, come ammette anche Kip Thorne in alcuni casi, ma sono scientificamente plausibili, non è il classico film fantascientifico tutto campato per aria da come si può vedere dal background presente in questo libro.

    Guardate il film PRIMA di leggere questo libro, leggetelo e poi riguarderete il film cercando di carpire ogni singolo messaggio "lanciato" da Nolan per darci spunti su queste profonde riflessioni che sono avvenute nel "backstage" del film.

    Il libro è in lingua inglese ma se la masticate un po' (a livello delle superiori) lo affronterete senza problemi.

    Concludo con alcuni link a libri che ho letto, sempre di carattere divulgativo, che sapranno farvi sognare come Interstellar e questo libro:

    - Amedeo Balbi: Cercatori di meraviglia. Storie di grandi scienziati curiosi del mondo, una lettura piacevole e molto scorrevole che tenterà di trasmettervi dall'inizio all fine questo senso di Meraviglia che ha guidato decine di scienziati, le menti più eccelse mai esistite, e che dovrebbe guidare ognuno di noi.

    - Brian Greene: L'Universo Elegante sulla Teoria delle Stringhe, La trama del cosmo. Spazio, tempo, realtà e La realtà nascosta. Universi paralleli e leggi profonde del cosmo

    - Caleb Sharf: I Motori della Gravità sui buchi neri e il ruolo fondamentale di creatori e distruttori che hanno rivestito nella creazione del nostro universo. Uno dei libri divulgativi più affascinanti che io abbia mai letto.

    - Lucia Votano: Il Fantasma dell'Universo. Che Cos'è il Neutrino

    - Leon Lederman e Christopher Hill: Oltre la particella di Dio: La fisica del XXI secolo sul Bosone di Higgs (ho letto altri libri in merito e questo è uno dei più chiari e piacevoli da leggere)

    - Richard Feynman: QED. La strana teoria della luce e della materia, una lettura che vi farà affrontare l'elettrodinamica quantistica in modo semplice e coinvolgente, anche se non siete 'addetti ai lavori'. Le capacità divulgative di Feynman sono eccezionali, lui sì che vi farà meravigliare senza alcun dubbio.
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  • Unidentified buyer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended book!
    Reviewed in Australia on 25 January 2024
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This such an enjoyable book which unveils many complicated mysterious stuff in such an attractive and fascinating and yet effective way. Highly recommended just as I would highly recommend the movie. A must watch movie and a must read book!
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  • João Paulo Marinho
    5.0 out of 5 stars Quando a ciência e a ficção se encontram
    Reviewed in Brazil on 21 July 2019
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    O livro foi escrito por Kip Thorne, físico teórico ganhador do Nobel que serviu como consultor científico do filme dirigido por Nolan. A primeira grande e agradável surpresa foi descobrir que a ideia do filme veio do próprio Kip, e não de Nolan.

    Ao longo do livro o autor aborda de maneira muito lúdica e simples - com linguagem acessível até mesmo para um público que tenha pouca familiaridade científica - os conceitos que permeiam a ciência por trás do filme, seguindo, inclusive, a ordem cronológica da narrativa do próprio filme. Ao abordar os conceitos, o autor os classifica em três grupos, que determinam o grau de "certeza" científica daquele conceito, de acordo com as evidências científicas disponíveis hoje (ou quando o livro foi escrito).

    Um último ponto que merece menção é o fato de que o autor escreveu o livro em 2014. Ao longo de suas explicações, ele aborda com alguma profundidade o laboratório LIGO, contando suas expectativas em relação aos eventuais resultados alcançados pelo laboratório quando este começar a entrar em operação. Acontece que o laboratório entrou em operação no ano seguinte, e as expectativas de Kip se confirmaram, inclusive com prova definitiva da existência das ondas gravitacionais, até então abordadas no livro como um conceito teórico, ainda sem evidência científica. Essa curiosidade nos faz refletir sobre o quanto avançamos cientificamente em alguns anos e sobre como esses avanços foram possíveis.

    Para qualquer um interessado em astrofísica, esse livro é um verdadeiro deleite. Como bônus, o livro ainda é repleto de curiosidade sobre os bastidores da produção do filme.
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  • Matthew
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great Movie. Great book.
    Reviewed in the United States on 28 February 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This book is amazing! Interstellar is my favorite movie, and this was the perfect book to "nerd out" with and dive deeper into the scientific theories used to develop the film. It is super interesting and very easy to understand. Kip has a way of making even the most complex theories easy to understand through his writing and illustrations .
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