"A small gem of a book."
~James Gleick

"An amazing synthesis and a joy to read--I have not enjoyed a book so much for a long time.... An exrtraordinary work."
~Oliver Sacks, M.D.

From ancient times to the present, from philosophers to quantum physicists, nothing has so perplexed, so fascinated, so captivated the mind as the elusive nature of light.   In Catching the Light, Arthur Zajonc takes us on an epic journey into history, tracing how humans have endeavored to understand the phenomenon of light.

With rare clarity and unmatched lyricism, Zajonc illumines the profound implications of the relationships between the multifaceted strands of human experience and scientific endeavor.

Arthur Zajonc is Professor of Physics at Amherst College.

Contents

Notes
Acknowledgements
Index