Coffeetable Books
Remembrance of Things Past
By Barry Johnson, Fri., Dec. 17, 1999
The Story of Time
edited by Kristen LippincottMerrell Holberton, 304 pp., $45
Finally, a legitimate excuse to jump aboard the millennium bandwagon: time! Focusing less on prophetic musings and more on the reason why people debate when the new millennium actually begins, The Story of Time is a collection of essays from authors such as Umberto Eco that divides time into five areas: creation, measurement, depiction, experience, and finality. Ever wonder why the traditional seven-day week is the only system not based on astronomical cycle, or how that rabbit ever found its way into the moon? Or the origin of seasons and anniversaries with relation to the sun, moon, and stars? The Story of Time answers these questions with an informative, intriguing approach. Filled with resplendent images taken from across the globe, The Story of Time is a valuable addition to a subject that, pardon the pun, couldn't be more timely.
