From eternity to here

Time has always been thought of as something of a mystery, especially when looking at the role of time and the development of the universe. In From eternity to here: the quest for the ultimate theory of time Sean M Carroll examines some of the problems related to time and the universe and discusses their possible resolutions.

The book looks at a number of issues relating to time. How do we think of past, present and future? How did the universe begin and what will its fate be? Do we live in a multiverse? Is it possible to travel back in time? Are you just a 'Boltzmann Brain?' There are also chapters on black holes and on quantum theory. The central theme, however, is the question 'Why was entropy so low after the big bang?' Carroll explains why this is thought to be a problem, and at the end of the book discusses possible resolutions.

The book has plenty of material, but proceeds at a gentler pace than many similar books, so it should be suitable for those without much prior experience of the subjects covered. Indeed some might think that it takes too long to get to the point which then turns out to be rather tentative. However, it has so much of interest that I would definitely recommend it as worth reading