“Ball delves far beyond today’s headlines… substantial, impeccably researched and generally persuasive. For anyone who would like to learn about the intellectual ferment at the surprising junction of physics and social science, Critical Mass is the place to start.” Steven Strogatz, Nature
“Philip Ball makes physics sexy again in Critical Mass.” Vanity Fair
“Lively and wonderfully informative.” George Scialabba, Boston Globe
“Chock-full of stimulating hypotheses and well-told stories.” Ian Garrick Mason, San Francisco Chronicle
“Ball writes patiently and eloquently about both the history of political economy and developments in modern physics.” James Harkin, Independent on Sunday
“Contains material likely to annoy both liberals and conservatives, but will make them think.” John Gribbin, The Independent
“A highly provocative work of popular science.” Kirkus
Heinemann/Farrar, Straus & Giroux (2004) ISBN 0-434-01135-5