Everything we know is governed by four physical forces, but there is only one of them that is immediately obvious - gravity. Although ludicrously weak compared to the other forces (a tiny magnet can hold up a piece of metal against the gravitational attraction of the whole Earth), gravity permeates our everyday life and being. We begin with humanity's earliest ideas of how we remain stuck to the ground - a significant consideration when you realize that despite the myths, educated people have known the Earth was a sphere since the time of the Ancient Greeks.

Along the way we'll see how the Arabic scholars explained the force of gravity, why Galileo didn't need to drop balls off the tower of Pisa, exactly how Newton came to his conclusions and why he refused to 'frame hypotheses' about gravity.

We will explore the concept of action at a distance, and see how Einstein transformed our understanding of gravitation with general relativity and consider whether the graviton will ever be discovered. We will see how birds, bees and rockets seem to defy gravity, and whether the concept of anti-gravity can move from pure science fiction to possible fact.

Gravity never fails to fascinate...

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Although by far the feeblest of the four universal forces, gravity is the only one we experience continuously. Every inquisitive person should read a book about it, preferably this one by prolific British science writer Clegg (How to Build a Time Machine: The Real Science of Time Travel, 2011, etc.)... The downside (for readers) is that Einstein's version of gravity is more complicated than Newton's, but Clegg's skills never flag, and his account remains lucid and free of jargon, bad jokes and math phobia. Kirkus Reviews (STARRED)

As the most familiar physical force in the universe, gravity may not seem exciting, but British science writer Clegg shows how this “omnipresent” force is anything but simple... Clegg’s accessible presentation offers insights into everything from Aristotelian science to black holes and string theory as it reveals the complexities and surprises of a familiar force that continues to surprise scientists. Publishers Weekly

Clegg’s book reminds us of the simplicity of the physical law of gravity. He devotes a chapter to Newton’s amazing discovery and a chapter on Einstein’s theory of warped space-time... Gravity by Brian Clegg is a worthwhile read and a handy primer for learning the language of a quantum theory of gravitation. Book Kvetch (Rebecca Aguilar)