Primordial Cosmology , Giovanni Montani, Marco Valerio Battisti, Riccardo Benini, and Giovanni Imponente World Scientific, Hackensack, NJ, 2011. $199.00 (591 pp.). ISBN 978-981-4271-00-4
The interdisciplinary nature of physical cosmology is responsible for its wide appeal; its breadth also poses a challenge to anyone who wants to write a comprehensive textbook on the subject. In particular, my specialty, early universe cosmology, necessitates interplay between general relativity, quantum field theory, particle theory, and some knowledge about the various approaches to quantum gravity.
The physics of the early universe helps to address the mysteries facing modern cosmology, such as dark matter and cosmic acceleration. Conversely, an understanding of the mysteries of the early universe, such as the nature and resolution of the Big Bang singularity, and the dynamics of cosmic inflation and alternative theories can provide a coherent microphysical mechanism for the origin of the large-scale structure we see...
