The Big Picture

On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself

By: Sean Carroll

Narrated by: Sean Carroll

Does human purpose and meaning fit into a scientific worldview?

Already internationally acclaimed for his elegant, lucid writing on the most challenging notions in modern physics, Sean Carroll is emerging as one of the greatest humanist thinkers of his generation as he brings his extraordinary intellect to bear not only on the Higgs boson and extra dimensions but now also on our deepest personal questions. Where are we? Who are we? Are our emotions, our beliefs, and our hopes and dreams ultimately meaningless out there in the void?

In short chapters filled with intriguing historical anecdotes, personal asides, and rigorous exposition, listeners learn the difference between how the world works at the quantum level, the cosmic level, and the human level - and then how each connects to the other. Carroll's presentation of the principles that have guided the scientific revolution - from Darwin and Einstein to the origins of life, consciousness, and the universe - is dazzlingly unique.

Carroll shows how an avalanche of discoveries in the past few hundred years has changed our world and what really matters to us. Our lives are dwarfed like never before by the immensity of space and time, but they are redeemed by our capacity to comprehend it and give it meaning.

The Big Picture is an unprecedented scientific worldview, a tour de force that will be listened to alongside the works of Stephen Hawking, Carl Sagan, Daniel Dennett, and E. O. Wilson for years to come.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2016 Sean Carroll (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

Included on Brain Picking’s “The Greatest Science Books of 2016” List and included on NPR Science Friday’s “The Best Science Books of 2016” List

“Weaving the threads of astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, and philosophy into a seamless narrative tapestry, Sean Carroll enthralls us with what we’ve figured out in the universe and humbles us with what we don’t yet understand. Yet in the end, it’s the meaning of it all that feeds your soul of curiosity.” (Neil deGrasse Tyson, host of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey)

“With profound intelligence and lucid, unpretentious language, Sean Carroll beautifully articulates the worldview suggested by contemporary naturalism. Thorny issues like free will, the direction of time, and the source of morality are clarified with elegance and insight. The Big Picture shows how the scientific worldview enriches our understanding of the universe and ourselves. A reliable account of our knowledge of the universe, it is also a serene meditation on our need for meaning. This is a book that should be read by everybody.” (Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics)

"Vivid...impressive....Splendidly informative." (The New York Times Book Review)

True to its title

Engaging and accessible, this book provides an overview of many topics related to what we know about the nature of the universe.
I cannot emphasize enough, how interesting this book is. I listened to the whole thing without even noticing. Sean Carroll delivers one fascinating topic after another, to the point that he can really get to satisfy your curiosity in your most philosophical moments.
I left some room for improvement in the delivery. I think it becomes too much lecturing for my taste. But this is a small thing.
The book has its effect and it gives perspective as well.

Great book for everyone that wants to introduce themselves in physical concepts

I truly recommend to everyone that's will try to read or hear this book to be open minded to the different concepts that are postulated here.

Gonzalo

Bring the Cosmos to you

The material is amazing and the way the book brings you through the journey of philosophy and physics is enjoyable and thought provoking. Highly recommend this. I have gone back and listened to some sections multiple times because it's so informative. It's also nice to have the author reading it to you.

great book by a great intellectual

loved it the man puts complicated subjects into understandable reading. A must read for any science lover.

Deep, broad, fascinating

Would you consider the audio edition of The Big Picture to be better than the print version?

Having only engaged the audio version, I'll give it a big yes since I listen while commuting. Also, since it's narrated by the author, he always speaks in the appropriate tone and cadence, something I might've gotten wrong from time to time in reading to myself.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Big Picture?

I think it's a testament to the quality of the book that I enjoyed vast swaths of it. It's full of ideas soundly and interestingly argued. Including some I'd never considered.

Any additional comments?

The author would benefit from a pronunciation coach for some biological terms (that's my area, so the rare error jumped out) but as presented, it was perfectly clear what he was talking about. I generally don't favor authors reading their own works, as I believe these to be separate skills, but I believe Sean Carroll is strong in both areas (also, presumably, the Physics that's his day job!).

Great Book

Wasn’t sure I would enjoy this book as I started out, but on balance it was a great read. Learned a lot on lots of different topics.

This was wonderful

It's a big project (no titular pun intended) to combine theology, philosophy, physics, history,and probability and have it work toward a meaningful end. But this book does it. Well done.

The highest compliment I can pay it is that I will definitely be going back through large portions of it a second time, once I've finished digesting the initial listen.

Great on Science, Junk on Theology.

Great on Science, Junk on Theology. Plus, text to meet review software's fifteen words requirement.

It was very cool learning about the Big Picture, and the things we have no idea about

It was a long book, however it was extremely interesting and I enjoyed it. I think I got 1 more time run at this book to catch all the things I missed

The best big picture explanation imho

The best big picture explanation in my humble opinion. From the mysteries of quantum physics to the emergence of consciousness, morals and ethics.