R. Stephen Berry is James Franck Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago and a 1983 MacArthur Fellow. His work has contributed to the understanding of the atomic origins of freezing, melting, crystallization, and glass formation.

“It was a pleasure to read how the English language becomes a powerful weapon in the hands of one who can write simply while explaining very abstract ideas.”— Ian Lipke, Queensland Reviewers Collective  “The second law of thermodynamics may be the most poorly understood and taught of all of our laws. This bold book meets this admirable challenge, explaining thermodynamics to a popular audience.”—John Wettlaufer, Yale University“This concise and lucid book pays tribute to the utility and majesty of thermodynamics, evolved from puffs of steam to rank among the mightiest of the sciences.”—Dudley Herschbach, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 1986“The author draws on his mastery of thermodynamics to produce a valuable contribution that is entertaining, informative, and eminently readable.”—David J. Wales FRS, University of Cambridge“This is a fascinating, thoughtful, and carefully constructed journey through the concepts, development, and significance of a fundamental part of science, its interdependence on technological development, and science’s continuing evolution.”—Ilan Chabay, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies“Whether you’re new to this fundamental science or a seasoned pro, this terrific book makes thermodynamics come alive.”—Harry Gray, California Institute of Technology

R. Stephen Berry is James Franck Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago and a 1983 MacArthur Fellow. His work has contributed to the understanding of the atomic origins of freezing, melting, crystallization, and glass formation.

“It was a pleasure to read how the English language becomes a powerful weapon in the hands of one who can write simply while explaining very abstract ideas.”— Ian Lipke, Queensland Reviewers Collective  “The second law of thermodynamics may be the most poorly understood and taught of all of our laws. This bold book meets this admirable challenge, explaining thermodynamics to a popular audience.”—John Wettlaufer, Yale University“This concise and lucid book pays tribute to the utility and majesty of thermodynamics, evolved from puffs of steam to rank among the mightiest of the sciences.”—Dudley Herschbach, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 1986“The author draws on his mastery of thermodynamics to produce a valuable contribution that is entertaining, informative, and eminently readable.”—David J. Wales FRS, University of Cambridge“This is a fascinating, thoughtful, and carefully constructed journey through the concepts, development, and significance of a fundamental part of science, its interdependence on technological development, and science’s continuing evolution.”—Ilan Chabay, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies“Whether you’re new to this fundamental science or a seasoned pro, this terrific book makes thermodynamics come alive.”—Harry Gray, California Institute of Technology

R. Stephen Berry is James Franck Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago and a 1983 MacArthur Fellow. His work has contributed to the understanding of the atomic origins of freezing, melting, crystallization, and glass formation.

“It was a pleasure to read how the English language becomes a powerful weapon in the hands of one who can write simply while explaining very abstract ideas.”— Ian Lipke, Queensland Reviewers Collective  “The second law of thermodynamics may be the most poorly understood and taught of all of our laws. This bold book meets this admirable challenge, explaining thermodynamics to a popular audience.”—John Wettlaufer, Yale University“This concise and lucid book pays tribute to the utility and majesty of thermodynamics, evolved from puffs of steam to rank among the mightiest of the sciences.”—Dudley Herschbach, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, 1986“The author draws on his mastery of thermodynamics to produce a valuable contribution that is entertaining, informative, and eminently readable.”—David J. Wales FRS, University of Cambridge“This is a fascinating, thoughtful, and carefully constructed journey through the concepts, development, and significance of a fundamental part of science, its interdependence on technological development, and science’s continuing evolution.”—Ilan Chabay, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies“Whether you’re new to this fundamental science or a seasoned pro, this terrific book makes thermodynamics come alive.”—Harry Gray, California Institute of Technology