Presenter Harriett Gilbert and readers around the world talk to acclaimed Italian physicist and writer Carlo Rovelli about his runaway bestseller Seven Brief Lessons on Physics. A compact and engaging exploration of some of the most fundamental ideas in modern physics this book takes readers on a captivating journey through seven concise chapters, each dedicated to a different topic. From the theory of relativity to quantum mechanics and the nature of time, Rovelli presents complex concepts with remarkable clarity, making them accessible to a wide audience. Throughout the book, Rovelli weaves together the history of scientific discovery with his own personal reflections, creating a narrative that is both poetic and thought-provoking. Delving into the mysteries of the universe and examining our own place in the cosmos Rovelli invites readers to ponder the profound questions that physics raises about the nature of space, time, and existence itself. (Photo: Carlo Rovelli. Credit: Christopher Wahl.)
Hi, I'm Oona Chaplin, and I'm the host of a new podcast called Hollywood Exiles.
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Hollywood Exiles from CBC Podcasts and the BBC World Service.
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Hello, this is the BBC World Service.
I'm Harriet Gilbert.
Welcome to World Book Club, where this month we've been reading a book that sold over a million copies in 45 languages, even though it's about the mysteries of quantum physics.
And if you're thinking, oh, no, that's not for me, I've never been strong on science, think again.
I know almost nothing about science.
And this book is so friendly and fascinating and most of all, inspiring that it's quite banished my science phobia.
It's called Seven Brief Lessons on Physics.
And joining me to answer questions about it from BBC listeners around the world is its Italian author, the physicist Carlo Rovelli.
Carlo, welcome to World Book Club.
Thank you very much.
It's a pleasure to be here.
Well, our pleasure, too.
And can I just say, someone's just told me that when the Chinese president Xi Jinping gave a televised talk recently, one of your books on physics was prominently displayed behind him, which is pretty impressive, isn't it?