“Engaging and captivating, Grace in All Simplicity is filled with riveting stories of the ups and downs of the remarkable scientists who made key experimental and theoretical advances in the search for a fundamental theory that might explain it all. The last chapter on ‘The Best of All Possible Worlds?’ is itself worth getting this book.”

– E. William Colglazier, former science and technology adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State, former executive officer of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences

“Cahn and Quigg regale us with non-stop fascinating stories about the quirky characters and inventive experiments that have built our understanding of the physical world and how it works. And those physicists, their experiments—and the rules of our universe that they discovered—really are quirky! A rare insider view into the dramatic developments of particle physics and cosmology.”

– Saul Perlmutter, Nobel Laureate in Physics, Professor of Physics at University of California, Berkeley

“Grace in All Simplicity is an accessible and comprehensive narrative that reveals the history, personalities, experiments, accomplishments, failures, and metaphysical speculations involved in the rise of modern science. Cahn and Quigg deliver a realization of amazing grace in this extraordinarily satisfying and extremely educational read.”

– S. James Gates, Jr., Clark Leadership Chair in Physics and Public Policy, recipient of the National Medal of Science

“In this insightful and accessible book, Quigg and Cahn celebrate the people behind these discoveries, following their paths around the globe to explore the extraordinary experiments that probe the fundamental properties of the universe. The vast collective of minds that collaborate in this building, across space and time, is an astonishing feat itself—one driven by the most essential curiosity: that of our existence. A captivating book that reveals the interconnectedness of science’s most profound advances.”

– Kirkus Reviews

“A grand history of the brilliant physicists who answered the question of all questions: What is the whole universe made from?”

– Edward Tufte, statistician, visualizer, artist, and professor

"Cahn and Quigg’s marvelous book gracefully leads us on a promenade through the many wonders that physicists and cosmologists, like themselves, have uncovered in the past hundred plus years. In doing so, their writing is a model of lucidity. I remain in awe of their achievement."

– Gino Segrè, Professor of physics, University of Pennsylvania, author of The Pope of Physics

"Robert Cahn and Chris Quigg share an uncanny ability to open up complex and bedrock scientific concepts to ordinary people in a way that clarifies the mind, makes what seemed impenetrable clear, and most of all sparks curiosity. After any given page of this book, a reader wants to know more."

– Greil Marcus, author of Lipstick Traces

“At heart, this book is a travelogue that takes readers on a journey through conceptual landscapes so exotic they challenge the imagination. It’s a highly engaging account of how successive generations of scientists broke through to the strange reality that underpins the familiar world we inhabit, beautifully capturing the wonder and fun of it all.”

– J. Madeleine Nash,
former TIME senior science correspondent and author of El Niño: Unlocking the Secrets of the Master Weather-Maker

“Erudite yet accessible, Grace in All Simplicity interweaves scientific adventure with remarkable human stories. Grace is also personal, as the authors Cahn and Quigg themselves participated in—and were affected by—many of these great discoveries. This makes the book a fine embarkation for those just beginning their journey, for those already on a scientific path, or for anyone who has followed this great story.”

– David Saltzberg, Professor of physics and astronomy, University of California Los Angeles, Science Consultant for The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, and Oppenheimer

“A fascinating and accessible description of the incredible revolution physicists have made in understanding the world's smallest pieces.”

– Scientific American

"Cahn and Quigg’s joy at being able to share, and further, understanding of the Universe is catching and their sense of purpose inspiring. Their celebration of the 'elegance and economy' of particle physics, of scientific uncertainty and openness, of scientists and the science they explore, leaves the reader in a fever of gratitude. Grace in All Simplicity is an uplifting tale of science and scientific lives well lived. The book is a fantastic encapsulation of the brazen way science advances."

– Nature

"A vibrant history traces the triumphs and missteps of quantum, nuclear, and particle physics. What a joy, to pick up Grace in All Simplicity and encounter stunning true-life tales of passionate researchers grappling with the challenges of the natural world in all its rawness and danger. It is such human touches, along with colorful analogies and descriptions, that make Grace in All Simplicity shine. The authors paint vibrant portraits of so many of the principals involved in the histories of quantum, nuclear, and particle physics, along with related fields, and describe their contributions with exceptional clarity."

– Science

"Veteran physicists Quigg and Cahn produce a fascinating and accessible tour of the fundamental principles, particles, and processes that govern heaven and earth."

– Yale Alumni Magazine

"The journey, from particle physics on the smallest scale to the grandest cosmological queries, has perhaps never been better told nor made more accessible."

– Harvard Magazine

“Cahn and Quigg highlight the connectedness of the underlying concepts and the ways experiment and theory interact over time. The payoff is a wonderful and engaging dive into the last century of revolutionary physics."

– Booklist

“In Grace in All Simplicity, Cahn and Quigg share with us their ring-side view of the discoveries that led to our current picture of our most fundamental physical laws. Ironically, the path taken that led to our emerging view of the Universe is neither simple or graceful, but spell-binding and charming in all its human complexities.”

– Professor Steven Chu, Nobel laureate, Professor of Physics, Molecular and Cellular Physiology and Environmental Science and Engineering, Stanford University