In a rare blend of scientific insight and writing as elegant as the theories it explains, Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding string theory to reveal a universe that consists of eleven dimensions, where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter -- from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas -- is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy. And with the potential to unify all the forces of nature, some have even hailed string theory as a "Theory of Everything". Greene uses examples ranging from an amusement park ride to ants on a garden hose to illustrate the beautiful yet bizarre realities that modern physics is unveiling. Dazzling in its brilliance, unprecedented in its ability to both illuminate and entertain, The Elegant Universe is a tour de force of science writing -- a delightful, lucid voyage through modern physics that brings us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works.