Preview
  • A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe

  • Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science
  • By: Michael S. Schneider
  • Narrated by: Al Kessel
  • Length: 12 hrs and 48 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (14 ratings)

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A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe

By: Michael S. Schneider
Narrated by: Al Kessel
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Publisher's summary

Michael Schneider leads us on a spectacular, lavishly illustrated journey along the numbers one through 10 to explore the mathematical principles made visible in flowers, shells, crystals, plants, and the human body, expressed in the symbolic language of folk sayings and fairy tales, myth and religion, art and architecture.

This is a new view of mathematics, not the one we learned at school but a comprehensive guide to the patterns that recur through the universe and underlie human affairs.

A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe shows you:

  • Why cans, pizza, and manhole covers are round.
  • Why one and two weren't considered numbers by the ancient Greeks.
  • Why squares show up so often in goddess art and board games.
  • What property makes the spiral the most widespread shape in nature, from embryos and hair curls to hurricanes and galaxies.
  • How the human body shares the design of a bean plant and the solar system.
  • And much more.
©1994 Michael S. Schneider (P)2020 Tantor
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What listeners say about A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe

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    4 out of 5 stars
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The information is wonderful!

I own this book and thought it would be nice to listen to it as well.
I love the book! The narration is absolutely painful. I say that as a 50 year old. It sounds as if it would be good for children. It’s halting and sounds as if this a cold read.
I’m trying very hard to get through it, but I think I may return.

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6 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Pretty neat

I’ve been trying to read this for about 15 years, but never quite got rolling with it- This audiobook finally made it happen, and it was neat as hekk. Really good brain food.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Quit after 35 minutes

I was determined, after reading others’ reviews, that I wouldn’t let the narration bother me, since I really wanted to listen to this book. I couldn’t do it. The narrator was SO bad. I’ll get around to reading it one day.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

The ai generated narration is unbearable

I recognize the voice and monotonous inflection from the ai generated voiceovers people use on YouTube. The content is beautiful and exciting but the narration captures none of it, which completely defeats the purpose of this format.

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars

Excellent book, Horrid Reader

I own the hardcopy and wanted to listen as well. The book information is excellent and inspiring.

Not a fan of the reader. Sounds like old Uncle Saul. I'm 51 years old so I am no kid. But seriously please get a new reader.

Edited: I'm returning the book. The reader is god awful. I don't even recognize what book he is reading.

We need a confident strong reader. No halting up and down cadence. Please. Ugh.

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2 people found this helpful