Albert Einstein

Relativity:The Special and the General Theory

There are plenty of books that will tell you about relativity, but there are advantages of hearing it 'straight from the horse's mouth' as it were. Albert Einstein's book Relativity:The Special and the General Theory gives you the chance to do this.

The book starts with a look at classical physics and geometry, and describes how the propagation of light didn't fit in to the principles of relativity found elsewhere in physics. Einstein then introduces his famous argument involving lightning strikes seen from a train and from the ground and goes on to derive the equations of special relativity. This is followed by an explanation of how space and time become united into four-dimensional spacetime.

The second part of the book moves on to general relativity, looking at curvature in space and space time, and discussing the equivalence principle and it's consequences. This is followed by a discussion of the models of the universe which can be obtained from GR (although this was before most of the work in this area). There are several appendices, including one with a discussion of the nature of space.

There is some of the usual mathematics for the derivation of SR, but the later parts of the book are wholly non-mathematical. The book will be of historical interest to those who have learnt about relativity, but I think it will also be of interest to novices in the subject who can thus find out what relativity is about.

Amazon.com info

Paperback 288 pages
ISBN: 0452287847
Salesrank: 791266
Weight:0.45 lbs

Published: 2006 Plume

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Amazon.co.uk info

Paperback 124 pages
ISBN: 1406517879
Salesrank: 680864
Weight:0.05 lbs

Published: 2007 Dodo Press

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Amazon.ca info

Paperback 288 pages
ISBN: 0452287847
Salesrank: 965019
Weight:0.45 lbs

Published: 2006 Plume

Amazon price CDN$ 10.47

Marketplace:New from CDN$ 5.10:Used from CDN$ 25.61

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Product Description
Albert Einstein’s classic guide to the theory of relativity—with insights from today’s leading experts This new edition of Relativity—the first updated version in over fifty years—includes a wealth of original material written by some of today’s foremost scientific authorities. Bestselling author and physicist Roger Penrose puts Einstein’s work in historical context and details major developments in relativity theory over subsequent years. Relativity expert Robert Geroch provides commentary on key aspects of the special and general theories; and historian David Cassidy explores the profound impact of Einstein’s ideas on our culture at large. Now, over ninety years after its first publication, this definitive edition brings a classic text into the new millennium. BACKCOVER: “The additions to the original text give considerable insight and are a valuable addition, particularly for anyone approaching the subject for the first time.” —Choice “It’s as though you are sitting in his classroom, watching [Einstein] alternate between gesticulating and chalking equations onto the blackboard.” —The Washington Post Book World

Product Description

Albert Einstein’s classic guide to the theory of relativity—with insights from today’s leading experts

This new edition of Relativity—the first updated version in over fifty years—includes a wealth of original material written by some of today’s foremost scientific authorities. Bestselling author and physicist Roger Penrose puts Einstein’s work in historical context and details major developments in relativity theory over subsequent years. Relativity expert Robert Geroch provides commentary on key aspects of the special and general theories; and historian David Cassidy explores the profound impact of Einstein’s ideas on our culture at large. Now, over ninety years after its first publication, this definitive edition brings a classic text into the new millennium. BACKCOVER: “The additions to the original text give considerable insight and are a valuable addition, particularly for anyone approaching the subject for the first time.”
—Choice

“It’s as though you are sitting in his classroom, watching [Einstein] alternate between gesticulating and chalking equations onto the blackboard.”
—The Washington Post Book World

This is a HORRIBLE Kindle Version *
This was my first bad experience with the Kindle. Had I picked this book up at a store, I would've flipped through the pages and realized that it was poorly formated. There are carriage returns at all the wrong places, it's nearly impossible to read. I wish I'd paid a few bucks more and gotten one of the other versions. If you're a kindle owner - go elsewhere.

This is a HORRIBLE Kindle Version *

This was my first bad experience with the Kindle. Had I picked this book up at a store, I would've flipped through the pages and realized that it was poorly formated. There are carriage returns at all the wrong places, it's nearly impossible to read. I wish I'd paid a few bucks more and gotten one of the other versions.

If you're a kindle owner - go elsewhere.

Harder than it needs to be *
This Dodo Press edition is riddled with annoying typos -- even in some equations and variable names. In addition the section numbers referred to in the text are only found in the table of contents, making navigation cumbersome. A classic like this deserves better. Look for another edition.

Harder than it needs to be *

This Dodo Press edition is riddled with annoying typos -- even in some equations and variable names. In addition the section numbers referred to in the text are only found in the table of contents, making navigation cumbersome.

A classic like this deserves better. Look for another edition.

Bah! *
No, Einstein's Relativity IS amazingly brilliant and eloquent, I assure you of this. My review, although, is a buyer beware scenario. I ordered this exact copy of the text and the one that arrived had all sorts of horrendous typos. One? Two? No, more like...a ton. In an example of this, the 'aether' where the character 'ae' is a single one, somehow in the process of printing it, the character got repaced by a space and question mark! So when Einstein talks about the 'process by which the? ther happens...' or some such example, I translate it as 'bad' and not 'aether'. By all means, buy Einstein's copy of Relativity, but please be cautious when ordering from this particular publisher. I'm unaware of whether or not this problem is widespread, but to those who get the one with the maddening typos riddled all over it, just bear through it and appreciate Einstein's eloquence and not the translator or publisher's, in my own personal opinion, bad spellchecking.

Bah! *

No, Einstein's Relativity IS amazingly brilliant and eloquent, I assure you of this. My review, although, is a buyer beware scenario. I ordered this exact copy of the text and the one that arrived had all sorts of horrendous typos. One? Two? No, more like...a ton. In an example of this, the 'aether' where the character 'ae' is a single one, somehow in the process of printing it, the character got repaced by a space and question mark! So when Einstein talks about the 'process by which the? ther happens...' or some such example, I translate it as 'bad' and not 'aether'.

By all means, buy Einstein's copy of Relativity, but please be cautious when ordering from this particular publisher. I'm unaware of whether or not this problem is widespread, but to those who get the one with the maddening typos riddled all over it, just bear through it and appreciate Einstein's eloquence and not the translator or publisher's, in my own personal opinion, bad spellchecking.

Clear, concise, brilliant *****
You know, Albert Einstein was a genius. I mean, he would have been a genius without ever communicating a single thought clearly to any other human being. But this book makes him, like, genius squared. The first part of this book covers special relativity. It's about 62 pages. I've never read anything like it. I'm not exaggerating when I say special relativity is a difficult topic. Einstein's presentation is clearer than I would ever have thought possible, concise but never rushed. Some pages may require many readings. But everything you need is there on the page. I would appreciate a looser translation; in a few places Lawson's translation reads to me like German with English words. Nonetheless: 5 stars. One of the most enlightening science books you'll ever read.

Clear, concise, brilliant *****

You know, Albert Einstein was a genius.

I mean, he would have been a genius without ever communicating a single thought clearly to any other human being. But this book makes him, like, genius squared.

The first part of this book covers special relativity. It's about 62 pages. I've never read anything like it. I'm not exaggerating when I say special relativity is a difficult topic. Einstein's presentation is clearer than I would ever have thought possible, concise but never rushed.

Some pages may require many readings. But everything you need is there on the page.

I would appreciate a looser translation; in a few places Lawson's translation reads to me like German with English words. Nonetheless: 5 stars. One of the most enlightening science books you'll ever read.

Still the Best *****
The first edition of this book was published just after the original paper on the general theory of relativity. In the ensuing ninety years, no one has produced a better layman's introduction to the special and general theories. The alert reader will achieve not only a clear intuitive understanding of the important physics but will learn much about the awesome intellect that produced it. In the centenary of Einstein's annus mirabilis, a number of reprints of this classic have appeared, some adorned with introductions by such luminaries as Roger Penrose or with additional appendices added in later editions. I have a personal preference for the Dover version because it reproduces the type face of the orginal 1916 translation that was the first science text I read at age seven. And the cover phtograph alone is worth the price of the book. Enthusiastically recommended.

Still the Best *****

The first edition of this book was published just after the original paper on the general theory of relativity. In the ensuing ninety years, no one has produced a better layman's introduction to the special and general theories.

The alert reader will achieve not only a clear intuitive understanding of the important physics but will learn much about the awesome intellect that produced it.

In the centenary of Einstein's annus mirabilis, a number of reprints of this classic have appeared, some adorned with introductions by such luminaries as Roger Penrose or with additional appendices added in later editions. I have a personal preference for the Dover version because it reproduces the type face of the orginal 1916 translation that was the first science text I read at age seven. And the cover phtograph alone is worth the price of the book.

Enthusiastically recommended.

Do not buy this edition!!! *
I have been buying books from amazon for years now. This book has got to be the worst print/edition ever! The listing says that this edition is the "illustrated edition". In fact, there are no new illustrations, just the same old ones found in other earlier texts by other publishers. The written text is of average quality print. The very few diagrams present look as if they were done by a mid 1980s dot matrix printer. Some of the line diagrams actually appear 'fuzzy'. The binding is flimsy and of poor quality. Clearly this book will not last. If you try and contact the publisher, dodo press at www.dodopress.co.uk you will be re-directed to another website of a book seller. There is no direct telephone number to dodo press. Einsteins Relativity: The Special and the General theory is of course a classic. But this print by dodo press is a disgrace. Do not make the same mistake as i did, and instead buy one of the other prints by Penguin, Routledge, crown publications or even dover. Sorry to be so negative, but l felt compelled to warn fellow amazonians. Regards

Do not buy this edition!!! *

I have been buying books from amazon for years now. This book has got to be the worst print/edition ever!
The listing says that this edition is the "illustrated edition". In fact, there are no new illustrations, just the same old ones found in other earlier texts by other publishers.
The written text is of average quality print. The very few diagrams present look as if they were done by a mid 1980s dot matrix printer. Some of the line diagrams actually appear 'fuzzy'.
The binding is flimsy and of poor quality. Clearly this book will not last.
If you try and contact the publisher, dodo press at www.dodopress.co.uk you will be re-directed to another website of a book seller. There is no direct telephone number to dodo press.
Einsteins Relativity: The Special and the General theory is of course a classic. But this print by dodo press is a disgrace. Do not make the same mistake as i did, and instead buy one of the other prints by Penguin, Routledge, crown publications or even dover.
Sorry to be so negative, but l felt compelled to warn fellow amazonians.

Regards

A concise book that captures the essence. ****
I own this book and have read it a few times and each time I am impressed by the clarity with which it is written. It explains the concepts of relativity in words. It avoids (technical) calculations and formulas, not for the usual 'commercial' reasons, but because the author shows he can do without. And ask yourself: how many authors are capable of doing that? The strength of the book is its compactness: the author forces you to think things through, before moving on to the next chapter. I think this little book is great to own next to a more advanced textbook because it really adds value, for a small price. Buy this book for its content only: it contains no fancy graphics or other 'eye catchers'.

A concise book that captures the essence. ****

I own this book and have read it a few times and each time I am impressed by the clarity with which it is written. It explains the concepts of relativity in words. It avoids (technical) calculations and formulas, not for the usual 'commercial' reasons, but because the author shows he can do without. And ask yourself: how many authors are capable of doing that?

The strength of the book is its compactness: the author forces you to think things through, before moving on to the next chapter. I think this little book is great to own next to a more advanced textbook because it really adds value, for a small price.

Buy this book for its content only: it contains no fancy graphics or other 'eye catchers'.