Icarus at the Edge of Time

by Brian Greene

Book Overview

From one of America's leading physicists--a moving and visually stunning futuristic reimagining of the Icarus fable written for kids and those journeying with them toward a deeper appreciation of the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Board book
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0307268888
• Release Date: September 2008
• Publisher: Knopf
• Length: 34 Pages
• Weight: 2.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 12.5" x 0.8" x 8.8"

Customer Reviews

Excellent story!

This is an excellent rework of the ancient story of Icarus and Daedalus. There is very little science in this; but after introducing them to the old tale, mixing in some Einstein and special relativity, then reading about the new Icarus, my 7th grade science class was amazed. Greene does a great job and the illustrations are beautiful. Suitable for small children too. Highly recommended.

Unusual Book, Highly Recommended

This is an unusual book. It's a boardbook filled with rich Hubble imagery, that re-tells the Icarus myth with a 21st Century twist. The story is inventive, pulls you in, and when you leave you've experienced some of Einstein's discoveries. The graphic design is crisp, simple, and strong. The book is suitable for young kids, who will enjoy the story. It is also suitable for older kids/adults who will be able to go further and think through the startling science. Rare is opportunity for young kids to painlessly immerse themselves in an exciting adventure story that opens them up to profound scientific discoveries. Highly recommended.

Truly Wonderful

I would imagine it a daunting challenge to meld a compelling storyline, interesting characters you care about, and, of all things, physics--and to do so in a few thousand words would seem more daunting still. But that is what Brian Greene has accomplished in Icarus at the Edge of Time. In the space of a few dozen pages, with gorgeous full color imagery, we are brought into the world of a futuristic Icarus, living aboard a spaceship racing for the stars. When a black hole intervenes, Icarus can't resist his urge to explore it, and Greene cleverly uses this analog of the original (Icarus's journey near the sun) to combine the ancient myth with up-to-date astrophysics. The result is quietly wonderful. The original myth has stayed with us as long as it has because children will always have a rebellious streak and will always, at some point, challenge their parent's wisdom. In Greene's hands, the myth takes on a more nuanced character as Icarus doesn't die but instead suffers a different, more startling outcome. I read the story to my 5 year old and he loved it. I'm not sure how much he understood about black holes and the science of the ending, but the story carried him (the telltale sign--he asked me to read it again tonight) and he's been asking all sorts of questions about space travel and gravity. (I don't think he knew the word gravity before this book.) This morning my husband read it (his more of a science buff and knows Greene from his other books), and thought the book a moving way to illustrate complex science. For me, I don't know much science, but feel that if I'd been introduced to the subject by a book like this, I would have wanted to learn more. I do now. And I didn't expect that. Bravo.