An irreverent sleuth tackles the riddle of existence that has puzzled man since the dawn of time
Jim Holt is a prominent essayist and critic on philosophy, mathematics, and science. He is a frequent contributor to the New York Times Book Review, New York Review of Books and Prospect magazine. He lives in New York City. He is the author of Stop Me If You've Heard This also published by Profile.
Why Does The Word Exist? is more fun than a book this serious has
any right to be. Holt has written a metaphysical page-turner and a
triumph of intellectual liveliness.
*Rebecca Goldstein, author of 36 Arguments for the Existence of
God*
There is no more entertaining, sure-footed, and witty guide to the
big questions that we must all ponder than Jim Holt. Join him
*Daily Beast*
Praise for Stop Me If You've Heard This:
'Sweet, witty and intelligent ... I only wish that, unlike a good
joke, it was longer.
*Guardian*
If Jim Holt's deft and consuming "Why Does the World Exist?: An
Existential Detective Story" has anything to tell us, it's that
such a comment is less about literary riffing than deep
philosophy.
*LA Times*
Holt brings both complexity and clarity to his subject ... it does
what real science writing should: It helps us feel the fullness of
the problem.
*Vulture*
There is no more entertaining, sure-footed, and witty guide to the
big questions that we must all ponder than Jim Holt. Join him.
*The Daily Beast*
It's philosophy of a high level, pursued in an unusual and personal
manner, and it's a pleasure to follow along with the author as he
tells a fascinating and thought-provoking story.
*Peter Woit, Department of Mathamatics, Columbia*
Humorous yet deeply profound
*New Scientist*
There's no denying the pleasures to be had from tagging along as
Holt soars away into the heavens of our cosmic enigmas ... a
wonderful book
*Daily Express*
An elegant and witty writer...I can imagine few more enjoyable ways
of thinking than to read this book
*Sarah Bakewell, author of How to Live*
What is special about Why Does the World Exist? is that Holt and
the experts he talks to apply humour, good sense and a dose of
incredulity and wonder to the problem
*Independent*
An eclectic mix of theology, cutting-edge science (of the
cosmological and particle-physics variety) and extremely abstract
philosophising, rendered (mostly) accessible by Mr Holt's facility
with analogies and clear, witty language
*Economist*
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