Language philosophy, quantum mechanics, general relativity they re all in The Big Picture. Sean Carroll is a fantastically erudite and entertaining writer. Elizabeth Kolbert, author of New York Times bestseller The Sixth Extinction In this timely exploration of the universe and its mysteries both physical and metaphysical Sean Carroll illuminates the world around us with clarity, beauty and, ultimately, with much needed wisdom. Deborah Blum, director, Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT, author of The Poisoner s Handbook Guides us through several centuries worth of scientific discoveries to show how they have shaped our understanding and indeed how the laws of nature are linked to the most fundamental human questions of life, death, and our place in the cosmos. Barbara Hoffert, Prepub Alert, Library Journal A sweeping new perspective on how human purpose and meaning naturally fit into a scientific worldview. Selected as one of the top ten science books, spring 2016, Publisher s Weekly