Books by author: Alan Lightman

This novel is abysmal compared to Lightman's other work. The abundance of typos in the email messages contained in the book is supposed to add an element of verisimilitude, but they are ridiculous; they take away rather than add to the story.

This novel (actually a collection of ultra-short sketches) reads like something from Calvino. It is reminiscent of Invisible Cities, for example. The prose is poetic and engaging, and the whole thing doesn't feel contrived, even though it is. This novel is short enough to be read in a single sitting, but it is worth savoring.

This was a serendipitous find at $2.98 (hardcover) in the remainder shelves at the Harvard Bookstore. Lightman's other novel ( Einstein's Dreams) had been highly recommended, so I've had an eye out for his work for a while.

Lightman is a good writer. While his work isn't likely to last for centuries, there are no obvious problems with this novel, the lyrical quality of the prose is enjoyable, and Lightman's insight into the scientific mind is striking. I particularly enjoyed Bennett's "apprentice" physics problem (two 'particles' interacting gravitationally) as a metaphor for the relationship between two lovers.