13.8: The Quest to Find the True Age of the Universe and the Theory of Everything

13.8: The Quest to Find the True Age of the Universe and the Theory of Everything

by John Gribbin

4.5 (303)

4.5 stars from 303 reviews

256 pages~4.3 hr readPublished by Icon Books LtdPublished 2015-01-01

$17.99At peak price

Last checked: Jul 17, 2026

Price history: $1.99 $17.99

Full price — consider adding to your watchlist for a better deal.

Price range: $1.99 $17.99

Buy on Amazon - $17.99

0 readers are tracking this book's price

Fans of these authors will like this...

  • Brian Greene
  • Sean Carroll
  • Carlo Rovelli

Fans of these books will like this...

  • Astrophysics for People in a Hurry
  • The Elegant Universe
  • A Brief History of Time

Perfect for you if...

  • You love science history and want to understand how physicists actually solved the universe's biggest puzzles, not just hear about them.
  • You're curious about cosmology but find most popular science books either too dumbed-down or unnecessarily maths-heavy.
  • You appreciate when a writer weaves together biography, discovery, and genuine drama without talking down to you.

Maybe not for you if...

  • You want a book that explores speculative physics or cutting-edge theories beyond established science.
  • You're looking for a deep mathematical treatment of relativity and quantum theory rather than the story behind them.
  • You prefer narrative-driven popular science over historical exploration of how we came to know what we know.

About this book

John Gribbin presents an account of how astronomers determined the age of the universe. The twentieth century produced two major theories of physics: general relativity, which describes the behavior of very large objects, and quantum theory, which describes the behavior of very small objects. Gribbin explores the decades-long search for a unified "Theory of Everything"—a single mathematical framework combining these two theories into one equation. Drawing on science, history, and biography, Gribbin examines how these two great theories are compatible and what they reveal about the nature of existence. The answer, he argues, lies in the age of the universe: 13.8 billion years. The book traces the scientific work and discoveries that led to this measurement and the ongoing effort to reconcile relativity and quantum mechanics into a comprehensive theory.

Get the best deal every time

We track price drops, sale patterns, and predict when this book will go on offer next.

Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

Sign up to unlock
Free$8.99$17.99Apr '21Aug '23Nov '24Jul '26
$1.99$17.99

Price has dropped 40 times over the last 5 years. Goes on sale roughly every 47 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Sign up to unlock
#2,841#490,789#978,737May '18Aug '23May '25Jul '26

Currently around #39K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller. Climbing the charts — 30% improvement recently.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Sign up to unlock
4.0★4.5★5.0★May '23Apr '24Nov '24Feb '26RatingReviews

Currently 4.5★ from 303 reviews

Gaining approximately 2 new reviews per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.5 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Sign up to unlock
Free$8.99$17.99Apr '21Aug '23Nov '24Jul '26PredictedJul '26

Actual Predicted

This book goes on sale roughly every 47 days. Next drop estimated in about 7 weeks. Typical discount: 89% off.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.

Curious how prices and deals move across the whole Kindle store? See the latest findings in The Kindle Report

Never miss a deal on this book

Create a free account to unlock full price history charts, sale predictions, and get notified instantly when the price drops.

John Gribbin

1 book on Vagrant Press

View all books →

More Nonfiction books you might like

View all Nonfictionbooks →

Today's Best Deals

View all deals →
Morning Star
Morning Star

by Newcomb, Kerry

$0.99DealHidden GemHighly rated but flying under the radar. Fewer readers have found this one yet.
4.6 (47)
Free$4.99
Mexican Gothic
Mexican Gothic

by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

$10.99Deal
4.1 (34,728)
$1.99$13.99
What to Expect When You're Expecting: (Updated in 2025)
What to Expect When You're Expecting: (Updated in 2025)

by Heidi Murkoff

$8.99Deal
4.8 (30,761)
$2.99$11.99
Where'd You Go, Bernadette: A Novel
Where'd You Go, Bernadette: A Novel

by Maria Semple

$1.99Deal
4.2 (36,730)
$1.99$7.99
Wizard's First Rule (The Sword of Truth Book 1)
Wizard's First Rule (The Sword of Truth Book 1)

by Terry Goodkind

$7.99Deal
4.6 (15,913)
$1.99$10.01
Buy 13.8: The Quest to Find the True Age of the Universe and the Theory of Everything on Amazon - $17.99

Affiliate link. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.