Peter Atkins has the remarkable distinction of being the author of over fifty books, including a major textbook in physical chemistry and a popular Scientific American book, The Second Law. The four laws referred to in the book title are the zeroth, first, second, and third laws of thermodynamics. Atkins devotes each of Chaps. 1–3 and 5 to a law, and Chap. 4 to the concept of work availability. The preface suggests implicitly that the intended audience is sophisticated laymen and students doing supplementary reading. Unlike most popular science books, Four Laws that Drive the Universe often reads like a textbook. The writing is generally clear and well organized, albeit sometimes ponderous and pedantic.
The four laws of thermodynamics are certainly sweeping in their applicability, and the title gives the impression that they “drive the universe.” Although this might be true in some sense, it is also true that...