The original article seems to be rather concise. Here is an expanded version:

This is truly a good read.

It has the power to engage the reader from the very beginning.

The words flow smoothly, creating a captivating narrative that draws you in and makes you want to keep turning the pages.

Whether it's a thrilling adventure, a heartwarming romance, or a thought-provoking piece of non-fiction, a good read has the ability to transport you to another world.

It can make you laugh, cry, or simply reflect on life.

It enriches your mind and broadens your perspective.

So, whenever you have the chance, pick up a good book and let yourself be沉浸 in its pages.

You won't regret it.

Terrible!

I was and still am very interested in the content of this book. I am an amateur of physics, and this book seemed perfect for grasping many topics. Not to mention that Sir Penrose is knowledgeable on the topic.

But it is the worst scientific book I have ever read, for many reasons. I tried to read it three times and just had to give up. I would ask Sir Penrose to get help in translating his great ideas into something that normal people can read. The issue is not one of understanding, but of surviving a writing style that would discourage a Buddhist monk.

First, the writing style is heavy, not fluid at all, and just terrible to read. Then, there are a lot of borderline metaphysical considerations. While they are interesting, I would clearly separate them from mainstream physics. It's just a different topic for a normal person. Even the explanations are very, very complex for topics that are simpler. I've read other books on similar topics, but it seems that Sir Penrose always picks the longer and more complex explanation. And, honestly, unless you are a professional mathematician, I doubt you'll be able to follow him. I made it quite far in mathematics when studying (never professionally), but I just don't get it.

I just remember a dozen pages in the book on what is a fraction. I agree, it's an interesting topic, but is it really a fundamental topic in this book? It killed me.

I hope that this book is rewritten one day and made accessible to the other 99.999% of the world.

When I was approximately ten years old, I retrieved an elementary physics book from the library. Its elucidation of Newtonian and atomic physics served as the bedrock for my comprehension of the world's inner mechanisms for the subsequent decade or so.

Two and a half years ago today, on my 23rd birthday, I received a gift voucher for a bookshop. Instead of purchasing my typical reading fare (science fiction, fantasy, language-learning books), I elected to seize this opportunity to acquire a book that would transform my perception of the world, in the same manner that the elementary physics book had done 13 years prior. I selected this book (which actually cost around 4 times the value of the voucher).

Over a period of more than two years, I devoured this book much like a mouse feasting on an elephant. I would be overly flattering myself if I claimed to have understood even 20% of it, especially towards the conclusion. Frequently, I resembled a child, simply looking at the pictures. Nonetheless, the percentage that I did understand surely fulfilled its intended purpose.

What likely underwent the most significant change was my perception of mathematicians and physicists. I can now commence to fathom how immensely magnificent humanity's brilliant minds have been. I was also left in a state of awe regarding how much there is yet to explore in mathematics. In physics, I was left with the impression that we already possess fairly good approximations of how our world functions, but very little hope of uncovering the true "theory of everything" that explains it all flawlessly.

This book is not overly amicable towards common folk (such as myself) who have not delved into physics or maths at a postgraduate level. There must be works on more circumscribed topics within the field (e.g., relativity or quantum physics) that are more accessible to laypeople. However, in terms of obtaining an overall perspective and "essence" of the nature of the universe as understood in the 21st century, I believe it is most definitely worth the read, provided you are sufficiently interested and willing to make the commitment.

In this remarkable tome, the author embarks on an enthralling journey with the reader through the captivating history of theoretical physics.

To leave as profound an impression as conceivable, this entails a meticulously guided tour through the evolution of the mathematics that is indispensable for comprehending the behavior of the physical world. It encompasses everything from number theory and Euclidean geometry right up to some rather arcane and advanced topics.

Reading this book is no easy feat and is not for the faint of heart. There were numerous occasions when I could literally assimilate only one page at a time. However, the reward is a comprehensive lay understanding that a work of this nature can offer.

The sole drawback is that the author, being an active researcher himself, fails to be upfront about his agenda from the very beginning. The book gradually builds up to a climax, wherein the author contends for his own pet theories to assume a more prominent role in the pursuit of the Grand Unifying Theory that bridges general relativity with quantum field theory. Only in the final few chapters does the author make his stance crystal clear. Although the arguments and counterarguments are presented logically and are sound, a modicum of transparency at the outset would have been more highly appreciated.

Wow,

I simply cannot believe that I actually managed to finish it. This book is truly a "War and Peace" of the mathematical foundation of physics. Despite its substantial size, it is an incredibly lucid work. However, it demands very focused and introspective reading. The presence of following math adds an additional layer of challenge. But here's the great thing: it can easily be read while skipping the math derivations. The amazing pictures within the book are of great help in understanding the concepts. They provide a visual aid that makes the otherwise complex ideas more accessible. It's truly remarkable how the author has managed to present such a comprehensive and detailed subject in a way that is both engaging and understandable. This book is definitely a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of mathematics and physics.

There are two main types of books for people to learn about Science.

One is popular science books. They tell you what's happening, but don't really delve into the details of why and how these events occur and fit into the big scientific picture.

The other is textbooks. They claim to get into the nuts and bolts by presenting mathematical equations, but often make you lose interest in the scientific phenomena. The big picture gets buried under too many equations, and your curiosity is crushed by the homework due on Wednesday.

Now, imagine a popular science book that talks about the most fascinating science and then explains the details in a better and more coherent way than any textbook you've seen. That, for me, is "The Road to Reality".

Penrose understands Physics better than most people in the world, including textbook writers. He knows more and does a better job of conveying that knowledge.

For example, the most well-regarded and reader-friendly book on Quantum Mechanics by Griffiths does a good job of writing about the Schrodinger equation. But the explanation isn't very insightful, and I soon forgot it after reading. Penrose, on the other hand, interprets the Schrodinger equation as an equation about energy: the total energy of a system is kinetic + potential energy. Now I can never forget the Schrodinger equation, or at least its structure.

"The Road to Reality" is the best Physics book I've ever read, and also the best Math book. It describes mathematical concepts I'd been trying to understand from math books for about a year and explains them better. Examples include Fourier analysis, connections, curvature, and the torsion tensor. What's different about his treatment is that he doesn't shy away from giving both an intuitive and a formal picture. Even more importantly, he gives the complete picture.

However, the book has a couple of hundred pages of mathematics before the real Physics starts. While this is logical as all the Physics is written in terms of these concepts, it does deter readers of popular science books who may not have the math background. In this regard, I was lucky as I had enough math background to read the math chapters. But I know many smart people who gave up because they couldn't get past the math section. Maybe Penrose could have added the lengthy math tracts to an appendix and made the Physics parts less dependent on these concepts. The math parts sometimes seem overdone, like when he talks about Turing completeness which is not relevant to the later Physics.

Another minor irritant is that Penrose tries to push the "Penrose notation" for tensor manipulation on the reader. There are many exercises in the first part asking the reader to draw Penrose diagrams for certain tensor expressions. But since this notation hasn't caught on, it may not be useful. I, for one, didn't bother to get comfortable with it as I probably wouldn't use it in my papers.

Despite these minor glitches, Penrose writes a beautiful and deep expository book. He manages to cover a vast range of topics from what a Hamiltonian means to what string theory is in just a few hundred pages. However, I feel there are other popular science writers who can do the same. So what's Penrose's unique achievement? It's that he has created a new genre. It's not just a popular science book or a textbook. It can be best defined as a complement to textbooks, helping to connect the various concepts in one big coherent picture.

I was fascinated by Science as a kid. I would read popular science books or watch the Discovery Channel and learn about things like black holes and time travel. I eagerly awaited Physics becoming a school subject in class 7. But when we finally had Physics classes, we calculated velocities of dropping balls and later the total current in a circuit. Where was the real Physics, we wondered? Hidden behind the walls of Quantum Mechanics, General Relativity, etc., our teachers said. And no matter how smart we thought we were, we couldn't understand. Slowly, we accepted that we would never really understand those phenomena that had sparked our interest. We could talk about them vaguely, but not really work with them.

Penrose's book made those impenetrable walls porous. And for that, I will always be grateful.

I discovered that it is an outstanding compendium encompassing the most beautiful things that I have encountered during my study of physics.

By no means do I regard this as a mere divulgation book. Instead, it is a complex review. In fact, I found the ordering curious and extremely different from the one I was taught.

I firmly believe that the majority of physics majors should give it a try and relish the diverse approaches to the familiar ideas.

This book offers a unique perspective and a fresh look at the concepts that we thought we knew well. It challenges our existing knowledge and encourages us to think outside the box.

Whether you are a beginner or an advanced student in physics, this compendium is definitely worth exploring. It has the potential to enhance your understanding and appreciation of the subject.

So, don't hesitate to pick up this book and embark on a journey of discovery and enlightenment.

Just how profound do you desire to explore the mechanisms by which the world functions? Roger Penrose leads you precisely as deeply as you might be inclined to venture into the mathematics, the physics, and the astonishing, magnificent domain of our universe in this extensive, vivid, and remarkable account.

It is effortless to wear out a copy of the book while flipping back and forth, solving problems, puzzling over references, and constantly getting lost and then found again and again. This book is meant to be read, or at least explored, time and time again. It is filled with numerous concise and clear illustrations, problems of varying difficulty levels, and enlightening insights and connections at every juncture. It is truly a classic work that offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration for those interested in the mysteries of the universe.

Whether you are a novice or an expert in the fields of mathematics and physics, this book has something to offer. It challenges your thinking, broadens your perspective, and takes you on a journey through the fascinating world of science and discovery. So, if you are ready to embark on an adventure of the mind, pick up this book and prepare to be amazed.

This book serves as one enormous piece of evidence that disproves Penrose's assertion. He claims that this particular kind of mathematics isn't overly difficult as long as you don't have a fear of it.

However, I have made an attempt. I have delved into the subject matter with an open mind and a willingness to learn. But alas, it has not been as straightforward as Penrose makes it out to be.

The concepts and theories within this book are complex and require a great deal of concentration and effort to understand. It is not simply a matter of not being afraid. There are intricate calculations and abstract ideas that challenge the limits of my intellectual capacity.

Despite my best efforts, I find myself struggling to keep up. This book has shown me that Penrose's claim may not hold true for everyone.

A book that poses a significant challenge to read, not solely due to its content but also regarding its physical weight. I assume one requires a table along with some paper for writing to fully maximize the benefits of this book.

In terms of the content, it emphasizes the mathematics that underpins our physical world, along with the outstanding problems that remain unresolved. Even though this book was written prior to the end of 2004, it appears that not much fundamental change has occurred (aside from the Higgs particle and gravitational waves, which were predicted long ago). Thus, as far as I can discern, it still seems to be quite current.

There are numerous complex mathematical and physical concepts presented in this book, and comprehending all of them entirely is beyond my capabilities. However, the book does offer a more detailed understanding of the mathematics within the physical theories of reality.

Leaving this in "read" since it wouldn't quite feel right to leave it on "currently reading."

I read about 165 pages of this book before it came to the point that I could not carry on. I felt that I was missing the fundamental parts of my education that it would take to faithfully understand the rest.

I could not continue without at least dedicating a whole lot of time to researching things. And I'm afraid there's a high chance of a tenuous or "invented" understanding.

Nonetheless, this book was lucid, fun, beautiful, and enlightening. It's one of the coolest and maybe my favorite nonfiction/non-philosophy book I've read thus far.

When I listen to Charlie Parker, it feels like some non-Euclidean geometry.

I will revisit this book maybe in a couple of years. I hope to be able to get through the whole thing by then.

Perhaps with more knowledge and a deeper understanding, I'll be able to fully appreciate the beauty and complexity of this remarkable work.

Until then, it will remain a memorable and thought-provoking experience that has left a lasting impression on me.

This article seems rather difficult to read. It feels more like a random brain dump rather than a clear and organized exposition of the state of modern physics. There is an excessive amount of mathematics involved, and for a book written by such a great mathematician, the explanations are rather poor. A competent editor should have reduced the number of pages by half and made the book more accessible and readable.

Despite these shortcomings, I still found the reading experience to be a challenge that I enjoyed. It made me think deeply and try to grapple with the complex concepts presented. However, it is clear that the book could have been improved with better editing and more lucid explanations.

Perhaps with some revisions, this book could become a more valuable resource for those interested in modern physics, providing a more understandable and engaging exploration of this fascinating field.