This highly unusual book is a serious inquiry into Schroedinger's question, What is life? , and at the same time a celebration of life itself. It takes the reader on a voyage of discovery through many areas of contemporary physics, from non-equilibrium thermodynamics and quantum optics to liquid crystals and fractals, all necessary for illuminating the problem of life. In the process, the reader is treated to a rare and exquisite view of the organism, gaining novel insights, not only into the physics but also into the poetry and meaning of being alive . This book is intended for all who love the subject.