by Jim Holt
First published 2012
The ultimate metaphysical puzzle has stumped humanity for millennia: why does anything exist instead of nothing? Jim Holt transforms himself into a cosmological detective to crack this case. He refuses to limit his investigation to the usual suspects of God versus the Big Bang. His search takes him to an eccentric Oxford philosopher, a Physics Nobel Laureate, and a French Buddhist monk who once lived alongside the Dalai Lama. Holt even manages to interview John Updike shortly before the author's death. Along the way, he explores fresh angles on this cosmic mystery while offering sharp insights into time, eternity, consciousness, and the mathematics of nothingness. His witty investigation pieces together a solution that illuminates both the question of God and the meaning of existence itself. Holt delivers philosophical complexity with humor and accessibility, making the deepest questions feel approachable.
Genres: science, philosophy, non-fiction, academic
Vibes: accessible, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: intellectual-discourse, investigative-journalism
Setting: Oxford, France
279 pages · Hardcover · Liveright Publishing Corporation