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Light Falls: Space, Time, and an Obsession of Einstein
Best-selling author, superstar physicist, and cofounder of the World Science Festival Brian Greene (The Elegant Universe, The Fabric of the Cosmos) and an ensemble cast led by award-winning actor Paul Rudd (Ant-Man) perform this dramatic story tracing Albert Einstein's discovery of the general theory of relativity. Featuring an original score by composer Jeff Beal (House of Cards, Pollock), Einstein’s electrifying journey toward his greatest achievement is brought vividly to life.
The theatrical version of Light Falls was first performed at the World Science Festival in New York City.
Full list of narrators includes Graeme Malcolm.
©2015 Brian Greene (P)2016 Audible, Inc.
The theatrical version of Light Falls was first performed at the World Science Festival in New York City.
Full list of narrators includes Graeme Malcolm.
©2015 Brian Greene (P)2016 Audible, Inc.
3 pages, Audible Audio
First published October 25, 2016
About the author
Brian Greene
48 books3,737 followersBrian Randolph Greene is an American theoretical physicist and mathematician. Greene was a physics professor at Cornell University from 1990–1995, and has been a professor at Columbia University since 1996 and chairman of the World Science Festival since co-founding it in 2008. Greene has worked on mirror symmetry, relating two different Calabi–Yau manifolds (concretely relating the conifold to one of its orbifolds). He also described the flop transition, a mild form of topology change, showing that topology in string theory can change at the conifold point.
Greene has become known to a wider audience through his books for the general public, The Elegant Universe, Icarus at the Edge of Time, The Fabric of the Cosmos, The Hidden Reality, and related PBS television specials. He also appeared on The Big Bang Theory episode "The Herb Garden Germination", as well as the films Frequency and The Last Mimzy. He is currently a member of the board of sponsors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
Greene has become known to a wider audience through his books for the general public, The Elegant Universe, Icarus at the Edge of Time, The Fabric of the Cosmos, The Hidden Reality, and related PBS television specials. He also appeared on The Big Bang Theory episode "The Herb Garden Germination", as well as the films Frequency and The Last Mimzy. He is currently a member of the board of sponsors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
June 23, 2020
Awesome! A perfect introduction to Einstein for those who are curious, but are not scientists. Brian Greene is a pleasure to listen to, as always! I would recommend it to one and all:):):)
May 23, 2021
Light Falls: Space, Time, and an Obsession of Einstein
by Brian Greene
This is a great overview of some of Einstein's famous theories and how he got there. His competition and their discoveries and how it boosted his drive for finding even more discoveries. It discussed his success and failures.
A good start for someone who is interested in Einstein.
by Brian Greene
This is a great overview of some of Einstein's famous theories and how he got there. His competition and their discoveries and how it boosted his drive for finding even more discoveries. It discussed his success and failures.
A good start for someone who is interested in Einstein.
May 28, 2024
I recently listened to an audiobook in which singer/songwriter Paul Simon talked about how his father always felt that he was undereducated. Keep in mind, he was talking about a man who’d achieved a PhD. qualification late in his life. But I share that feeling with Simon’s father and with a greater merit. I was schooled at the local grammar school, and after achieving a set of very average O level results, I abandoned A level studies to start work at the age of seventeen. I picked up professional qualifications along the way, and yet I couldn't rid myself of the feeling I was undereducated. After forty years of working for essentially the same company (a bank that went through a number of mergers/takeovers during my time with them), I realised I’d had enough of them at the same time they potentially reached the same conclusion about me. We parted ways.
Ever since, through reading (and listening to) books, I’ve attempted to fill gaps in my knowledge. What could have made me a better manager/leader/innovator? I’ve consumed books about many successful people: famous politicians, brilliant businessmen, and other high achieving historical figures. Could I ever have been more than just an average sportsman? Ok, let’s binge on bio’s and technical instruction books. Oh, and what about the sciences, always a particularly weak area for me? After all, I’d given up on physics, chemistry, and biology very early in my scholastic life. Well, in truth, my reading in this area has been pretty limited, but at least my ambition to learn more led me to this book.
Of course I’d heard of the theory of relativity. Who hasn’t? But what does it mean? I really had no idea. Something to do with mass, light, speed, gravity, and the curving or warping of space I was to learn. All this with good dose of complex mathematics thrown in for good measure. It’s all very clever, though the detail really flew straight over my head. But just how Einstein develops and fine-tunes his theory (or really theories, as there’s also quite bit here concerning wider cosmological issues) over the course of a decade or more really is a good story, and very well told too.
Ever since, through reading (and listening to) books, I’ve attempted to fill gaps in my knowledge. What could have made me a better manager/leader/innovator? I’ve consumed books about many successful people: famous politicians, brilliant businessmen, and other high achieving historical figures. Could I ever have been more than just an average sportsman? Ok, let’s binge on bio’s and technical instruction books. Oh, and what about the sciences, always a particularly weak area for me? After all, I’d given up on physics, chemistry, and biology very early in my scholastic life. Well, in truth, my reading in this area has been pretty limited, but at least my ambition to learn more led me to this book.
Of course I’d heard of the theory of relativity. Who hasn’t? But what does it mean? I really had no idea. Something to do with mass, light, speed, gravity, and the curving or warping of space I was to learn. All this with good dose of complex mathematics thrown in for good measure. It’s all very clever, though the detail really flew straight over my head. But just how Einstein develops and fine-tunes his theory (or really theories, as there’s also quite bit here concerning wider cosmological issues) over the course of a decade or more really is a good story, and very well told too.
November 18, 2019
This work is available only in audio format, so it's more of a performance than a book. It provides a quick and easy description of the thought process followed by Einstein in development of the theory of special relativity and then later the theory of general relativity.
It's only two and a half hours long, so it only requires a modest investment of time to listen to it. The information is presented in as easy to understand way as possible, so I recommend it to anyone who has difficulty accepting the concept of time and space being variable while the speed of light is constant. (I suspect people who claim they understand relativity are not being completely honest.)
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it, and I should probably give it more than three stars. But three stars for me means that I liked it, so I'm still reasonably consistent.
It's only two and a half hours long, so it only requires a modest investment of time to listen to it. The information is presented in as easy to understand way as possible, so I recommend it to anyone who has difficulty accepting the concept of time and space being variable while the speed of light is constant. (I suspect people who claim they understand relativity are not being completely honest.)
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it, and I should probably give it more than three stars. But three stars for me means that I liked it, so I'm still reasonably consistent.
October 13, 2017
What an excellent little book! Perfect for audio listening. It’s the story of Einstein’s great insight which led to the discovery of special and general relativity. What an amazing thought process and discovery. Life is a reality to be experienced and discovered. Einstein gave us some beautiful truths to wrestle with.
February 5, 2018
Very entertaining and a good program to listen to. A nice bit of history into Einstein and his impact into science. This is a nice introduction. And is very good for what it is.
November 15, 2023
Bullet Review:
A decent story elaborating on the truths and myths of Einstein. It’s fairly short, not too math heavy - probably my least favorite part (SORRY!!!) was the narrator. I just didn’t care for Brian’s Greene’s narrating voice (again, sorry!). Also it was so weird to have Paul Rudd “act” for Einstein.
Noteworthy: the last 30 min are Brian and Paul talking about Einstein. It’s okay.
A decent story elaborating on the truths and myths of Einstein. It’s fairly short, not too math heavy - probably my least favorite part (SORRY!!!) was the narrator. I just didn’t care for Brian’s Greene’s narrating voice (again, sorry!). Also it was so weird to have Paul Rudd “act” for Einstein.
Noteworthy: the last 30 min are Brian and Paul talking about Einstein. It’s okay.
October 3, 2017
Brian Greene, plus a cast of excellent voices reading the words of Einstein and his family, friends, admirers, and challengers, gives us a wonderful look at Einstein's work as well as his worldview and professional world. His competitors and the ways in which his work overturned the way we viewed the universe are beautifully presented here. Greene is always a joy to listen to when talking about the physics and cosmology he loves. This one won't take much of your time; just a couple of hours. Don't miss it.
Highly recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
Highly recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
October 30, 2017
Basically a synopsis of Einstein's major theories. There wasn't much here that I have not read before, but never have I heard it put forth in such an entertaining way. Highly recommended and it's also very short so easy for anyone to digest.
November 25, 2023
Brilliant little audiobook, invoked in me again the awe of relativity and provided a nice little historical glimpse of Einstein. Also was not expecting Paul Rudd!
January 5, 2021
Another book that probably belonged in my 2020 list, but I couldn’t be bothered writing a review within the month I read it.
Years ago, I decided to wanted to learn as much of the biography of Einstein as I could, so I went out and got the most exhaustive one I could find, it was translated from the original German it was written in, and was somewhat… dry. I powered through, but man, it was tough.
A few years later, I think a more reader friendly bio came out, which I also got, but didn’t read because my wife insisted she get to read it first. Then, after about 4 months of me pestering her about it, I found out she quit reading months earlier but wouldn’t tell me because she was angry that I was pestering her about it so much.
Fair point, I suppose. I can be singularly minded about some things. It can be annoying when I’m not constantly doing my best to keep it in check.
Well, I wish this extremely short book was out around that time, This was presented like an audio-play with voice actors and everything. It was, in short, a great little biography on Einstein’s life and accomplishments. Mostly focused on the development of special and then general relativity.
Then about his later slide from relevance and he struggled to make sense of Quantum Mechanics and how it meshes with his own theories.
The book ends with a conversation between Paul Rudd (who voiced Einstein in the audiobook) and author Brian Greene. It was great because Paul Rudd can’t help but be funny when discussing some of the aspects of relativity, it helps that he clearly is smarter than he lets on about physics in general, so while he’s self-deprecating, he’s also asking some insightful questions.
Meanwhile, I’m wondering if I need to become a famous actor to get a well-qualified physicist to have a little chat with me about some aspects of the universe I’m struggling to wrap my head around.
Also, winter on the island means a lot of rain. Not crazy rain, but enough that I’ve got a problem. I’ve gotten soaked a few times walking to and from work. I keep an umbrella on me, but wind here typically comes with the rain, so the umbrella does little against the side-ways rain and the upside down rain Forest Gump complained about. And even when I succeed using my umbrella, I keep my head and shoulders dry, and nothing else.
I suppose I could have some sort of rainsuit, I guess, that I keep handy at work and at home, so I can slip it on when needed. Hmmmm…. I’ll think on it.
Years ago, I decided to wanted to learn as much of the biography of Einstein as I could, so I went out and got the most exhaustive one I could find, it was translated from the original German it was written in, and was somewhat… dry. I powered through, but man, it was tough.
A few years later, I think a more reader friendly bio came out, which I also got, but didn’t read because my wife insisted she get to read it first. Then, after about 4 months of me pestering her about it, I found out she quit reading months earlier but wouldn’t tell me because she was angry that I was pestering her about it so much.
Fair point, I suppose. I can be singularly minded about some things. It can be annoying when I’m not constantly doing my best to keep it in check.
Well, I wish this extremely short book was out around that time, This was presented like an audio-play with voice actors and everything. It was, in short, a great little biography on Einstein’s life and accomplishments. Mostly focused on the development of special and then general relativity.
Then about his later slide from relevance and he struggled to make sense of Quantum Mechanics and how it meshes with his own theories.
The book ends with a conversation between Paul Rudd (who voiced Einstein in the audiobook) and author Brian Greene. It was great because Paul Rudd can’t help but be funny when discussing some of the aspects of relativity, it helps that he clearly is smarter than he lets on about physics in general, so while he’s self-deprecating, he’s also asking some insightful questions.
Meanwhile, I’m wondering if I need to become a famous actor to get a well-qualified physicist to have a little chat with me about some aspects of the universe I’m struggling to wrap my head around.
Also, winter on the island means a lot of rain. Not crazy rain, but enough that I’ve got a problem. I’ve gotten soaked a few times walking to and from work. I keep an umbrella on me, but wind here typically comes with the rain, so the umbrella does little against the side-ways rain and the upside down rain Forest Gump complained about. And even when I succeed using my umbrella, I keep my head and shoulders dry, and nothing else.
I suppose I could have some sort of rainsuit, I guess, that I keep handy at work and at home, so I can slip it on when needed. Hmmmm…. I’ll think on it.
March 14, 2018
I listened to this on a car trip with my SigO recently, who is a physicist. I am not anything even close to a physicist, so the fact that we both enjoyed it says a lot for the book.
Greene has a way of making Einstein's theories understandable. He tells the story in an interesting way. I felt like I "got it" though of course I didn't...but it made me feel as if I could follow the logic at any rate.
As far as audible books go, this was pretty short - just two hours, with an additional 28 minutes of "extra" conversation between the author and Paul Rudd, one of the actors that read the book. If I hadn't gotten it on sale, I might've felt like it wasn't long enough for the $, but since it was only a few dollars it was fine.
The biggest negative is not about the writing, but the reading. It is TOTALLY overacted—so much that I wasn't sure I'd get through it at first. They have several voices performing/reading, and they get very dramatic for a book in my opinion.
Greene has a way of making Einstein's theories understandable. He tells the story in an interesting way. I felt like I "got it" though of course I didn't...but it made me feel as if I could follow the logic at any rate.
As far as audible books go, this was pretty short - just two hours, with an additional 28 minutes of "extra" conversation between the author and Paul Rudd, one of the actors that read the book. If I hadn't gotten it on sale, I might've felt like it wasn't long enough for the $, but since it was only a few dollars it was fine.
The biggest negative is not about the writing, but the reading. It is TOTALLY overacted—so much that I wasn't sure I'd get through it at first. They have several voices performing/reading, and they get very dramatic for a book in my opinion.
September 13, 2018
I love Brian Greene, his Hidden Reality book is one of the best physics books I have read, this one was trying to be too many things and not really accomplishing any.
First, from my not humble personal opinion, Light Falls was less in depth than I wanted. I have read enough that I like a bit more math in physics in my physics book so I wasn't really satisfied.
I listened to this as well and it was over produced and came off like a physics book for teens, buzz words like bromance and freaked out didn't really fit the topic. I also think the short amount of space dedicated to explaining the physics wasn't enough, I don't think anyone is going to get space-time and light after reading this.
This 3 hour book (not sure where the 300 pages come from) was trying to be a biography of Einsten, a discussion of space-time, gravity and relativity and an entertaining primer for kids. It accomplished none of those satisfactorily.
First, from my not humble personal opinion, Light Falls was less in depth than I wanted. I have read enough that I like a bit more math in physics in my physics book so I wasn't really satisfied.
I listened to this as well and it was over produced and came off like a physics book for teens, buzz words like bromance and freaked out didn't really fit the topic. I also think the short amount of space dedicated to explaining the physics wasn't enough, I don't think anyone is going to get space-time and light after reading this.
This 3 hour book (not sure where the 300 pages come from) was trying to be a biography of Einsten, a discussion of space-time, gravity and relativity and an entertaining primer for kids. It accomplished none of those satisfactorily.
December 3, 2021
Perfect for anyone reaching the cusp of developing an understanding of Einsteinian mechanics. Candid, eloquent and informative without the use of the unexplained complicated jargon and mathematics so pervasive in many books written on the topic. Its story-based, historical narrative guides the reader down a path of perpetual excitement and elucidation - casting away the fog of ignorance hiding one of the most impactful and beautiful theories ever conceived.
January 19, 2022
I think I listened to this audiobook before, but it was worth it a second time. The narration is dramatized slightly. There is some music in the background... very light. The narrator is an actor, and manages not to ham it up. All in all a good performance and good information about Einstein, his life and his theories of relativity.
I might read/listen to this audiobook a third time.
I might read/listen to this audiobook a third time.
January 22, 2018
Very cool. Wonderful performance.
December 1, 2017
An excellent short book, and really well done by Audible. I learned a bunch of new stuff from this, and the physicist Brian Greene explained aspects of relativity in a way that helped me to finally begin to understand some of it. I also gained several new understandings of Albert Einstein. An example is while I knew that Einstein was a patent office employee, I had never contemplated how being exposed to all of the new ideas and emerging technologies of the late 19th and early 20th century could have triggered ideas in his fertile mind.
If you listen to this on Audible, stay after the credits for a fascinating interview back and forth between the author and the actor Paul Rudd who voiced Einstein. Their exchanges were nearly as informative as the book itself.
If you listen to this on Audible, stay after the credits for a fascinating interview back and forth between the author and the actor Paul Rudd who voiced Einstein. Their exchanges were nearly as informative as the book itself.
February 6, 2018
This is a very short audio-book that attempts to make Einstein's theories accessible to a layman. In truth, I didn't understand anymore about Einstein's theories than before I read the book, but I did enjoy listening. The narration was good, and the historical anecdotes were very interesting. It's a good book, but hardly amazing. It only scratches the surface of Einstein on any level: academic, professional or personal. I do think that anyone who reads this will have an idea if they want to seek out another book about Einstein. Be warned though, Einstein was a pretty terrible husband and father, so if you want to keep him on a pedestal, stop now.
October 19, 2017
This was kind of awesome! A brief look at Einstein's life and his discovery of the theory of relativity, as told by Brian Greene, which he does with a casual flair and a great sense of humor and wonder. Plus, omg, you guys, Paul Rudd as Einstein! You know how I feel about Paul Rudd. I'm just going to leave this here:
January 28, 2018
Two things I learned:
1. Albert Einstein was very smart. He was way more than E=MC². He thought a lot about origins, light, gravity and how all that stuff fits together in complex equations.
2. I am not so smart. Brain Greene's excellent book was helpful in telling me that I can't even understand a dumbed-down version of Einstein.
Humility is a good thing, so I gave the book 4 stars.
1. Albert Einstein was very smart. He was way more than E=MC². He thought a lot about origins, light, gravity and how all that stuff fits together in complex equations.
2. I am not so smart. Brain Greene's excellent book was helpful in telling me that I can't even understand a dumbed-down version of Einstein.
Humility is a good thing, so I gave the book 4 stars.
November 11, 2022
Magnifique ! So well written, with so much gravitas and sophisticated humor and emotion! I don't know what magical writing is, maybe it's this... Beautifully written. Very happy reading this.
May 30, 2018
This was recorded by Audible as dramatized (actors, sound effects, music..) audiobook about Einstein and his quest to uncover mysteries of the universe. It was very well done, entertaining and informative from the beginning to the end. I really liked how dramatization made the story more personal, you could feel his emotions at times and feel like being there. Listened through this while driving through villages of Vojvodina with the Sun setting and it added to the experience in a particular way. Would really like that Brian makes this into a series with different scientists in each audiobook. Such books can maybe inspire some new little Einstein to pursue similar goals from the young age. For Einstein, his trigger in the young age was when he got a compass from his dad. Feed the curiosity in the child and miracles could happen :)
October 2, 2019
This is part biography, part description of science for the layman, part history, and part celebration of scientific achievement. Don't go in expecting that you will finally understand the general theory of relativity. It's just a look at Einstein and his work, and in that context, it's a wonderful audiobook. I don't think you can really think deeply about the science in an audiobook format, so when the science gets challenging, it is frustrating. But overall, it was a joy to take a fresh look at Einstein's work and life. And despite what I said earlier, I do think I have a bit of a better understanding of relativity, because of the way the science was presented in its historical context. So, with proper expectations, it gets five stars.
March 14, 2022
A simplistic foray into the Greatest of minds
I am glad I thought of Einstein's birthday and decided to read or listen to something about how he achieved what he achieved. For a novice into the mystic field of space-time warping and general theory of relativity it's an elegant and quite engaging storytelling and performance by the writer Brian Greene and his co-actors in voice.
This is an excellent overview of some of Einstein's famous theories and how he reached there. His contemporaries and their conflicting discoveries and how it shifted his focus into an expanding universe theory as well as the quest for the unified theory is a fascinating tale of scientific progress eliciting from the minds of geniuses.
I am glad I thought of Einstein's birthday and decided to read or listen to something about how he achieved what he achieved. For a novice into the mystic field of space-time warping and general theory of relativity it's an elegant and quite engaging storytelling and performance by the writer Brian Greene and his co-actors in voice.
This is an excellent overview of some of Einstein's famous theories and how he reached there. His contemporaries and their conflicting discoveries and how it shifted his focus into an expanding universe theory as well as the quest for the unified theory is a fascinating tale of scientific progress eliciting from the minds of geniuses.
January 25, 2018
I'm sorry, I can only give this 2 stars. As much as I wanted to like it, and loving the subjects of physics and string theory, cosmology, astronomy, and the works of Einstein, Hawking, Sagan, deGrasse Tyson, etc..., I just suffered through the 'performance' piece of this audiobook. It had excellent reviews and I let that make my decision when buying the book, but it felt like a Broadway play to me, and I don't like Broadway plays. I'm a fan of Paul Rudd, and I still am (of course), but this was just an overproduction, in my opinion. The story itself is OK, and crammed full of information (for such a short audiobook), but it too seemed to be a bit all over the place. Once again, I'm sorry, I wish I could say something good, but I'm moving on to my next book.
October 4, 2017
overall a very well performed audiobook, and a very nice basic introduction to Einstein and his early work. it is a very short book, only 2 hours in length, plus a 30 minute interview/dialog that Brian green does with others.
Brian Greene has always been one of the better communicators of science, and has great uses of analogy that make it very accessible pretty much anyone with an interest.
Brian Greene has always been one of the better communicators of science, and has great uses of analogy that make it very accessible pretty much anyone with an interest.
March 7, 2019
(Audible)
For the layperson, a quick navigation of the important work and contribution of Albert Einstein to the world of physics.
A good production that includes readings of original writings from the historic figures.
BONUS--at the end of the book there's a conversation between Brian Greene and Paul Rudd about science. Very sciency. Very accessible.
RECOMMEND
For the layperson, a quick navigation of the important work and contribution of Albert Einstein to the world of physics.
A good production that includes readings of original writings from the historic figures.
BONUS--at the end of the book there's a conversation between Brian Greene and Paul Rudd about science. Very sciency. Very accessible.
RECOMMEND
January 13, 2021
A thumbnail biography of Albert Einstein in which his theories and how we came up with them are illustrated in a way that makes them pretty easy for us laymen to understand. Light, gravity, space, and time, the whole lineup is here.
Pretty decent.
Pretty decent.
October 14, 2017
If you love physics, you are going to love this audiobook! If you don’t, you would at least find this book beautifully narrated and full of fascinating tidbits of information.
January 25, 2018
1. Paul Rudd plays Einstein
2. it was on sale
3. it was very short (less than 3 hours)
interesting sort of biography/essay /play about Einstein and the development of his most famous theories. RELATIVELY (haha, puns) easy to understand even for a non science/math person. plus, Paul Rudd!
I very much enjoyed the little recorded Q&A between author and Rudd at the end too.
2. it was on sale
3. it was very short (less than 3 hours)
interesting sort of biography/essay /play about Einstein and the development of his most famous theories. RELATIVELY (haha, puns) easy to understand even for a non science/math person. plus, Paul Rudd!
I very much enjoyed the little recorded Q&A between author and Rudd at the end too.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews