A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO COSMOLOGY - FROM A STATIC UNIVERSE THROUGH THE BIG BANG TOWARDS REALITY
F. Hoyle, J.V. Narlikar and G. Burbidge, Cambridge University Press, 2000, pp: 357, ISBN 0-521-6623-0 (hc); Price $59.95.

It would almost be true to say that once I had started this book I could hardly put it down until I had read it through. In fact it took three long sessions. Much of this I suspect is due to Sir Fred Hoyle who, as well as being a first rate theoretical physicist, has written a number of exceptional ‘hard' science fiction books.

The book does three distinct things. First, it provides an excellent survey of the development of modern cosmology, of observational, continuous creation and of the Big Bang. Second, it debates the validity of the two main theories. Third, it advances a new theory which may be described as ‘multiple bangs'.

The critique is accompanied by an enormous number of literature references for each chapter as well as a voluminous terminal bibliography.

Along the way are attacks on authority, some undoubtedly merited, and it is certainly true that very original, off-main-stream proposals have a hard time with most granting committees. One illustration in the book shows a flock of geese following a leader!

The authors develop a number of interesting theories in detail as well as providing numerical criticism of existing work, a very large quantity of actual data are reproduced so that interested readers may verify or extend the presented theory. For the physicist or graduate student, many research problems are suggested and these too will be invaluable.

I would suggest that, before starting the book, the reader peruse Pages 311 to 320 which provide an overview of the text. Otherwise the book is a ‘must' for anyone interested in modern cosmology.

A.D. Booth,
Sooke, B.C.