Short History of the Universe (Scientific American Library)

Most cosmology books are woefully lacking in illustrations, which is odd considering how our information about the universe is visual. Not so A Short History of the Universe, which continues Scientific American Library's policy of providing clear, authoritative, beautifully illustrated surveys of important topics. Joseph Silk is one of the most influential cosmologists, and he leads us on a tour of the universe with enough pictures, graphs, and equations that we can actually get an idea of what astrophysicists think is going on. Nature calls this book "the best introduction to cosmology for the general public."