‘The Order Of Time’, by Carlo Rovelli, is one of my favorite divulgation physics books.
It talks about one of the greatest mysteries humanity has to deal with: time. Everyone has a perception of time, both for people and for physicists, who have formulated many theories throughout the years and contributed to the evolution of our concept of time. From Newton to Einstein to quantum physics to loop gravity (which is what Rovelli himself studies).
That’s what the book is all about, how we can possibly approach the most precise and complete possible definition of time? Aristoteles said time was the measurement of change, Newton asserted that time flows even when nothing changes. Einstein said they were both right but there’s not an absolute time but a lot of relative times.
This book is a profound meditation about all of these concepts, filled with quotations from many philosophers of various historical periods, from Ancient Greece to our days. It is not simple to properly follow the author’s reasonings, but once you get the gist of what he’s saying it all becomes easier.
To sum up, I recommend this book to anyone who’s passionate about physics or just curious about knowing something more about how time works.