Einstein and Relativity: The Big Idea

The Big Idea: Scientists Who Changed the World

by Paul Strathern

A spellbinding, down-to-earth, and lucid exploration of the theories and discoveries of Albert Einstein, focusing on the Theory of Relativity, discusses the historical process that Einstein drew from and the significance of his achievement, as well as reviewing Einstein's life. Original.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Physics, Biography, Theory, Popular Science

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Paul Strathern (born 1940) is a English writer and academic. He was born in London, and studied at Trinity College, Dublin, after which he served in the Merchant Navy over a period of two years. He then lived on a Greek island. In 1966 he travelled overland to India and the Himalayas. His novel A Season in Abyssinia won a Somerset Maugham Award in 1972.

Besides five novels, he has also written numerous books on science, philosophy, history, literature, medicine and economics.

Reviews

[César Bustíos · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Una consecuencia de la teoría de Einstein era que a medida que la velocidad se acercaba a la velocidad de la luz, el tiempo iba más despacio y se detenía por completo cuando alcanzaba la velocidad de la luz. Cuando las velocidades alcanzaban la velocidad de la luz, el tiempo difería según el observador."

Los pequeños libros de Strathern de esta edición no son más que una introducción, y eso es exactamente lo que yo estaba buscando. Quería un rápida mirada a la vida de una de las mentes más brillantes de nuestra historia. Para algo más profundo y elaborado uno tiene que continuar con libros como Einstein: Su vida y su universo de Isaacson, por citar algún ejemplo.

[J.D. Steens · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a short book (87 pages). Much of it is biographical information on Einstein, so now the book is even shorter. Substantive ideas are repeats – same thoughts, same wording – of what has been said before. If the reader wishes for a fresh explanation, this is not the book to read.

Strathern states that Einstein’s E=MC2 “implied that matter is solidified energy.” Strathern doesn’t explain why he uses “matter” as opposed to mass, or explain the significance of light squared. If matter is solidified energy, is light to be understood as its counterpart: purified (of mass) energy? As light is a massless particle, and as gravity pulls light, is it accurate to say that gravity acts on (pure) energy as well as mass?* While mass and energy are equivalent, where does a light particle fit in? How is a light particle different from mass since it is massless and how is it different from energy as it’s a particle?

Strathern writes that “Einstein showed that when a particle traveled at a speed approaching that of light its mass increased, requiring ever vaster amounts of energy to propel it.” We know about Einstein’s thought experiments, but this still prompts a question: What particle? As light is a (massless) particle that travels at light speed, how would it increase its mass if it is massless? And, just to throw this in, what “propels” light?

Strathern says of Einstein that time becomes “zero at the speed of light.” As time involves duration, how does it become zero (no duration) when, for example, light is used to measure time across light years, which involves extensive duration? And, what is the distinction between speed of light and time when Strathern writes that “our entire notion of ultimate speed (and thus space, and thus time) depended upon the speed of light,” which ties them together? This exemplifies a problem with this book. Strathern makes many bottom-line statements without explaining how he got there.

*N.B. In his Lectures on Physics, Feynman writes: "Even light, which as an energy, has a 'mass.' When a light beam, which has energy in it, comes past the sun there is an attraction on it by the sun."

[Sadjad Abedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

کتاب جالب و خوبی بود. هم داستانی بود و هم علمی.

[Salutino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Los libros de Paul Strathern son una ventana al amplio conocimiento que estos personajes han logrado. Son de lectura facil de digerir, aparte de que deja extensiones de donde poder abordar más sobre las personas.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book #9 completed from Great Uncle Bob’s library. He read this in March 2005 and appeared to be quite interested in Einstein as he had several books on the man.

This is a short, compact book—only about 90 pages, with a larger-than-average font size. Strathern outlines Einstein’s life from his birth in Europe to his death in America, while gently explaining his major scientific accomplishments. The book focuses especially on Einstein’s remarkable 1905 papers, including special relativity, as well as his later development of general relativity.

Strathern also includes some details about Einstein’s personal life and his struggles at various points. The book was informative, though I did not learn a great deal that was new to me, aside from the interesting fact that Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel in the early 1950s. It took me about an hour to read, which fits with the author’s series of short books on science and philosophy advertised as taking about 90 minutes to read.

[Lizzie Murray · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a very short biography. As a summary of who Einstein was, his achievements and his upbringing it is an approving read.
Anything beyond that is thin or nonexistent.
Meh

[Carlos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although Strathern always shines most with historical topics to which he dedicates several hundred pages, his collection of short-descriptions of momentous scientific ideas are not bad at all. His explanations are clear while still giving the more familiar reader tid bits of information that may not have been known. Lastly, he is always good about putting them in a historical context that serves to highlight the innovative nature of the idea.

[João Sirius]

Ótima apresentação da biografia de Einstein. Mesmo eu conhecendo relativamente bastante a vida desse gênio, o livro, mesmo sendo breve, apresentou alguns fatos no qual eu desconhecia. Vale a pena para quem não tem um conhecimento muito aprofundado no gênio mais famoso do século XX.

[Armin Hashemi · Rating 5 out of 5]

کتاب خوبی بود ولی تغییراتی در عبارات داده بودند .

[Amir Ali Hamed · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was so brief. The bio should be informative and relevant to attract the right audience by revealing the personal details. I think Einstein deserves more than this book.

[Rouhollah Abdolvahab · Rating 4 out of 5]

درباره ی زندگی آلبرت اینشتین اطلاعات خوبی دارد. در مورد نسبیت هم به صورت کوتاه و در حین زندگی آلبرت توضیح می دهد.

[iman · Rating 4 out of 5]

due to quarantine i decided to read something I wouldn't usually. a very short book, I really liked it

[Anton Mohorčič · Rating 1 out of 5]

It is bs.

[Mateus Andrade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Strathern nos leva por um interessante passeio pela mente do gênio, destacando suas contribuições fundamentais para o desenvolvimento da ciência moderna.

Einstein, para além de suas equações revolucionárias, era um defensor apaixonado da paz, dos direitos civis e da justiça social. Eu sou fã dessa coleção, mas "Einstein e a Relatividade" foi o que mais me prendeu.

[Bryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable read, although at only 90 or so pages it predictably lacks the detail which a larger volume would afford. My key take-away from it was that Einstein conducted his greatest work while holding down a full-time office job and in a home that had a newborn baby in it. He wasn't even known in local academic circles! 'Genius' is a term too easily applied to people these days - this guy deserves it, it's like he's some sorta Einstein or summit.

[Rebecca Blackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun mini biography of the famous scientist. I was struck once again at how much pure geniuses fail in the conventional sense of education and family, but their accomplishments at the end of their lives are simply marvelous. It was sad that Einstein meant well in all of his research, but his research enabled the atomic bomb, something he was absolutely devastated about.

[Josue Garduño · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second book from Paul Strathern Ive read. Even though you are literally reading rocket science it is written in a way that allows everyone to get interested in the topic. The aproach to the work of every scientist that Strathern takes starts from their personal life and how every thing they faced among family and friends led to their success.

[Megan M · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short introduction to the life of Einstein and his major works. While this book does a very meh job of actually explaining relativity, it does drive home how revolutionary Einstein's work was and his struggle to be accepted by the academic community.

[Alethleia · Rating 5 out of 5]

«Si A es un éxito en la vida, entonces, A = x + y + z. El trabajo es x , y es diversión y z es mantener la boca cerrada»

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did some good at explaining the context and process, but picked up and dropped several interesting threads in a way that was frustrating.

[Augusto Gordillo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un libro fácil de leer que enseña lo básico sobre la personalidad y trabajo de Einstein.