From The Greats
The Elegant Universe
Editorial guidance
Explore an introduction to modern theoretical physics.
Recommended by Steven Weinberg — recommendation evidence.
Open the bookBooks recommended by scientists
Explore scientists’ documented reading across all subjects, from science to fiction and history. Each book retains its actual recommendation evidence.
Scientist recommendationsNo unsourced additionsBook profiles linked
52Evidence records
15People
44Books
Start here
For readers exploring scientific explanation, discovery, and natural history.
Editorial starting points from From The Greats. Level, prerequisites, learning goals and reading order are our guidance, not statements attributed to the recommenders. Inspect their actual recommendation evidence below.
The Selfish Gene
Editorial guidance
Explore a gene-centered account of evolution.
Recommended by Steven Weinberg — recommendation evidence, Brian Greene — recommendation evidence.
Open the bookThe Making of the Atomic Bomb
Editorial guidance
Follow the scientific and historical development of nuclear weapons.
Recommended by Steven Weinberg — recommendation evidence.
Open the bookFeatured people
Explore a selection of people with documented recommendations in this collection.
Steven Weinberg
Theoretical physicist
13 books recommended here
Jerry Coyne
Evolutionary geneticist
3 books recommended here
Richard Dawkins
Evolutionary biologist
4 books recommended here
Brian Greene
Theoretical physicist; superstring theory researcher
3 books recommended here
Carlo Rovelli
Theoretical physicist; loop quantum gravity researcher
3 books recommended here
Demis Hassabis
Co-founder & CEO, Google DeepMind
3 books recommended hereFeatured books
Start with these books, then open their profiles to see who recommended them and why.
On the Origin of Species
Recommended by Steven Weinberg, Jerry Coyne, Frank Wilczek.
Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!
Recommended by Demis Hassabis, Jim Al-Khalili.
The Double Helix
Recommended by Jennifer Doudna, Venki Ramakrishnan.
The Inflationary Universe
Recommended by Steven Weinberg, Sean M. Carroll.
The Selfish Gene
Recommended by Steven Weinberg, Brian Greene.
Letter to a Christian Nation
Recommended by Richard Dawkins.
The Folly of Fools
Recommended by Richard Dawkins.
Anna Karenina
Recommended by Carlo Rovelli.
Featured recommendation evidence
A preview of documented recommendations. Mention-only and citation-only records are separate context; documented citations classified as recommendations are included.
Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission when you buy through some links. Recommendations are included because of the source, not because of the retailer. Details
Letter to a Christian Nation
Richard Dawkins
Read it if it is the last thing you do.
Strongly recommended · Exact quote
Source: Sam Harris
Evidence details
Letter to a Christian NationSam Harris's official book page prints Dawkins's attributed foreword quote for Letter to a Christian Nation.
The quote is taken word for word from the source.
Sam Harris · September 2006 · accessed 2026-06-23
Official source · Official book page
The official book page prints an attributed Richard Dawkins quote from the UK edition foreword telling readers to read the book.
The Folly of Fools
Richard Dawkins
Strongly recommended.
Strongly recommended · Exact quote
Source: Hachette Book Group / Basic Books
Evidence details
The Folly of FoolsHachette/Basic Books prints Dawkins's attributed blurb for Robert Trivers's The Folly of Fools, ending with explicit recommendation language.
The quote is taken word for word from the source.
Hachette Book Group / Basic Books · 2014-01-07 paperback page · accessed 2026-06-23
Publisher · Publisher blurb
The publisher page prints an attributed Richard Dawkins blurb for The Folly of Fools that ends with the words Strongly recommended.
On the Origin of Species
Steven Weinberg
Included in Weinberg's list of the 13 best science books for general readers.
Recommended · Wording not verified
Source: The Guardian
Evidence details
Steven Weinberg's 13 best science books for the general readerWeinberg authored a Guardian list of science books for general readers and included Darwin's On the Origin of Species.
This text documents what the source says, but it is not verified as a word-for-word quote.
The Guardian · 2015-04-03 · accessed 2026-06-21
Article · Authored best-books list
The Guardian article is authored by Steven Weinberg and lists On the Origin of Species among his selected science books for general readers.
On the Origin of Species
Jerry Coyne
2 sources
Jerry Coyne recommends On the Origin of Species in his evolution interview.
Recommended · Wording not verified
Source: Five Books
Evidence details
The best books on EvolutionCatalog summary of own reading selection; no source excerpt copied.
This text documents what the source says, but it is not verified as a word-for-word quote.
Five Books · undated · accessed 2026-10-01
Interview · Own reading selection
Own explicit reading recommendation, with preference for the annotated first-edition facsimile. James Costa’s annotation role does not alter the existing Charles Darwin author identity. Displayed2018 publication is republication of an interview already linked in2017; exact original date unset.
Jerry Coyne selects On the Origin of Species among books that inspired his science.
Recommended · Wording not verified
Source: Why Evolution Is True
Evidence details
The science books that inspired eight science writers (and me)Catalog summary of own reading selection; no source excerpt copied.
This text documents what the source says, but it is not verified as a word-for-word quote.
Why Evolution Is True · 2017-07-11 · accessed 2026-10-01
Reading list · Own reading selection
Author’s own list and positive selection, not the Guardian survey of other people or reader comments. Separate own writing event from the linked Five Books interview.
On the Origin of Species
Frank Wilczek
Selected by Frank Wilczek among the best popular-science books for its accessible, self-contained explanation.
Recommended · Wording not verified
Source: IOP Publishing / Physics World
Evidence details
Shelf life: Frank WilczekWilczek’s own reader-facing selection, conservatively paraphrased as a documented citation.
This text documents what the source says, but it is not verified as a word-for-word quote.
IOP Publishing / Physics World · 2004-11-03 · accessed 2026-10-01
Interview · Direct reading interview
In his direct interview answer to the three-best-popular-science-books question, Wilczek selects Darwin’s work. Article writes Origin of the Species; identity is Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species.
The Selfish Gene
Steven Weinberg
Included in Weinberg's list of the 13 best science books for general readers.
Recommended · Wording not verified
Source: The Guardian
Evidence details
Steven Weinberg's 13 best science books for the general readerWeinberg authored a Guardian list of science books for general readers and included Dawkins' The Selfish Gene.
This text documents what the source says, but it is not verified as a word-for-word quote.
The Guardian · 2015-04-03 · accessed 2026-06-21
Article · Authored best-books list
The Guardian article is authored by Steven Weinberg and lists The Selfish Gene among his selected science books for general readers.
The Selfish Gene
Brian Greene
Brian Greene recommends Dawkins’s account of gene-level natural selection as engaging popular science.
Recommended · Wording not verified
Source: The Week
Evidence details
Best books chosen by Brian GreeneConservative paraphrase of a direct positive reading endorsement; no verbatim quote asserted.
This text documents what the source says, but it is not verified as a word-for-word quote.
The Week · undated · accessed 2026-10-01
Article · Direct reading endorsement
Attributed contributed positive selection; source kept undated rather than assigning its update date.
The Inflationary Universe
Steven Weinberg
Included in Weinberg's list of the 13 best science books for general readers.
Recommended · Wording not verified
Source: The Guardian
Evidence details
Steven Weinberg's 13 best science books for the general readerWeinberg authored a Guardian list of science books for general readers and included Guth's The Inflationary Universe.
This text documents what the source says, but it is not verified as a word-for-word quote.
The Guardian · 2015-04-03 · accessed 2026-06-21
Article · Authored best-books list
The Guardian article is authored by Steven Weinberg and lists The Inflationary Universe among his selected science books for general readers.