In this astonishing and profound work, an irreverent sleuth traces the riddle of existence from the ancient world to modern times.

Whether framed philosophically as “Why is there a world rather than nothing at all?” or more colloquially as “But, Mommy, who made God?” the metaphysical mystery about how we came into existence remains the most fractious and fascinating question of all time. Following in the footsteps of Christopher Hitchens, Roger Penrose, and even Stephen Hawking, Jim Holt emerges with an engrossing narrative that traces our latest efforts to grasp the origins of the universe. As he takes on the role of cosmological detective, the brilliant yet slyly humorous Holt contends that we might have been too narrow in limiting our suspects to God vs. the Big Bang. Whether interviewing a cranky Oxford philosopher, a Physics Nobel Laureate, or a French Buddhist monk, Holt pursues unexplored and often bizarre angles to this cosmic puzzle. The result is a brilliant synthesis of cosmology, mathematics, and physics—one that propels his own work to the level of philosophy itself.

a low-voltage journalist who splits his time between New York and Paris. I write mainly about philosophical and scientific subjects, occasionally also producing what could charitably be described as "humor." I contribute fairly regularly to The New Yorker, The New York Times Book Review, The New York Times Magazine, Slate, The New York Review of Books, The American Scholar, etc. For about ten years I did a weekly radio spot on BBC Wales called "Living in America, with Jim Holt." I used to appear on TV now and then--William Buckley's "Firing Line," NBC News with Brokaw, CNN--but I write about such esoteric subjects that I am rarely asked anymore. For one year (1997) I was the editor of a venerable and pinkoid political magazine called The New Leader. And I have a book forthcoming on the history of the idea of the infinitesimal, "Worlds Within Worlds." I knew Andy Warhol fairly well. I have a girlfriend in Paris and a miniature dachshund named Renzo. That is undoubtedly more than you wished to know.