Aimed at those who may find the history of science compelling but have not themselves studied it, this series installment summarizes thousands of years of human understanding of the physics of how the world works—in an attractive, coffee-table style volume. Each of the 100 entries names a concept; gives an extremely broad, sometimes multicentury explanation of its origins; and describes the idea in half a page to a spread. UK author Jackson concludes with a look ahead, a summary of what we know, and some major questions we still need to answer. While the overall progression of entries is chronological, each one can treat decades, especially in the early sections (e.g., "Understanding Magnets" covers the topic from the fourth century BCE to 1600 CE). The arrangement of entries—within the broad categories "The Dawn of Science," "The Scientific Revolution," "From Classical to Modern Physics," "The Subatomic Age," and "Modern Physics"—can thus in fact be unintuitive. Copious illustrations and a foldout time line make for a visually appealing layout and add helpful background information. VERDICT This broad overview for the general reader—and for YA and high school students—can serve as a springboard to deeper study for those whose interest it piques. Recommended.—Marcia R. Franklin, St. Paul