{"product_id":"why-does-the-world-exist-an-existential-detective-story-9780871404091","title":"Why Does the World Exist?: An Existential Detective Story","description":"Whether framed philosophically as \"Why is there a world rather than nothing at all?\" or more colloquially as \"But, Mommy, who made God?\" the metaphysical mystery about how we came into existence remains the most fractious and fascinating question of all time. Following in the footsteps of Christopher Hitchens, Roger Penrose, and even Stephen Hawking, Jim Holt emerges with an engrossing narrative that traces our latest efforts to grasp the origins of the universe. As he takes on the role of cosmological detective, the brilliant yet slyly humorous Holt contends that we might have been too narrow in limiting our suspects to God vs. the Big Bang. Whether interviewing a cranky Oxford philosopher, a Physics Nobel Laureate, or a French Buddhist monk, Holt pursues unexplored and often bizarre angles to this cosmic puzzle. The result is a brilliant synthesis of cosmology, mathematics, and physics--one that propels his own work to the level of philosophy itself.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Liveright Publishing Corporation\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 07\/16\/2012\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780871404091\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 320\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.33lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.55h x 6.44w x 1.14d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAward:\u003c\/b\u003e National Book Critics Circle Award - Finalist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAward:\u003c\/b\u003e ALA Notable Books - Winner\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/01\/2012\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 06\/01\/2012 pg. 8\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 07\/01\/2012 pg. 84\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/05\/2012 pg. 1\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e 08\/12\/2012 pg. 24\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew Yorker (The)\u003c\/i\u003e 09\/10\/2012 pg. 101\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Review of Books\u003c\/i\u003e 11\/08\/2012 pg. 18\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eDiscover\u003c\/i\u003e 12\/01\/2012 pg. 23\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eNY Times Notable Bks of Year\u003c\/i\u003e 12\/02\/2012 pg. 26\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eChristian Century\u003c\/i\u003e 12\/12\/2012 pg. 21\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Jim Holt","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42924952125621,"sku":"9780871404091","price":23.76,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/products\/img_0a20ce18-285a-46e3-a29c-b74daca71d0d.jpg?v=1687842121","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/why-does-the-world-exist-an-existential-detective-story-9780871404091","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}