Gleiser (theoretical physics, Dartmouth College) says that superstring theory is wrong, that it will never be proven, and that we should be content with the idea that nature is messy. In accessible, approachable language, he proves it all here. He begins by examining one-ness, dealing with the human need for it, including human fear, transition, and belief, self-delusion (living the Pythagorean dream), and Kepler's mistake. He takes apart the universal theory of everything one strand at a time; he exposes the asymmetry of time (light, creation myths and the quantum, the faltering of the big bang model); he examines the asymmetry of matter (energy flows, matter dances, unification in transition); and the asymmetry of life and life forms (the "when, "where," and "how" questions, the chirality of life, mutants). Finally he evaluates the asymmetry of existence (Marilyn Monroe's mole, cosmic loneliness, and a new direction for humanity). The result is a well-reasoned and appealing plea for a hodge-podge, incoherent, mess of a universe. Dartmouth College Press is an imprint of University Press of New England. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)