Perspective

The perspective changes throughout the book as the author makes use of explanatory examples, history, and his own experiences. The books covers a wide range within its subject matter, taking it from Isaac Newton in the 1700s to Einstein's 1900 theory of relativity to present day (and beyond). It moves into first person as Greene reaches the more recent development in string theory, in which he plays an important part. He gives a first-person account of his background, experiences, and discoveries with string theory, then slowly phases out of the very direct first person perspective in subsequent chapters, returning to slightly more detached first and second person perspectives in the beginning of the book.

Greene is a celebrated physicist, and is active in researching string theory as well as teaching string theory. His quest to write a string theory book that is accessible to the masses is fully realized...