"Fascinating. . . . Distinctly readable and highly informative." — San Francisco Chronicle.

Since time immemorial, people have attempted to explain the origin of the world, from the creation myths of the ancients to the more sophisticated views that developed with the progress of observational astronomy. This lively and authoritative survey by an internationally famous physicist and one of the formulators of the Big Bang theory of cosmology offers captivating perspectives on the births of the galaxies, stars, chemical elements, and planetary systems.

The author of such popular books as One Two Three . . . Infinity, George Gamow has introduced millions of readers to the concepts of relativity, atomic and nuclear physics, and other scientific subjects. Illustrated with diagrams and Gamow's own drawings, this remarkably accessible book explains complex and difficult concepts in a direct and simple manner, with minimal references to mathematics. The Creation of the Universe addresses both the Big Bang and Steady State theories of cosmogony, and is equally suitable for scientists from every field, as well as nonspecialists. Preface. Appendix. Index. 40 figures.