Einstein's Mirror

by Patrick Walters, Tony Hey, Anthony J.G. Hey

Book Overview

Einstein's Mirror is a book on relativity with a difference. Following the successful format of their earlier book, The Quantum Universe, the authors blend a simple, non-mathematical account of the underlying theory of special relativity and gravitation with a description of the way these theories have been triumphantly supported by experiment. Applications of relativity in atomic and nuclear physics are wide-ranging, from satellite navigation systems,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521435323
• ISBN13: 9780521435321
• Release Date: September 1997
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 2.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.9" x 9.8"

Customer Reviews

a must read

This book contains a brief overview of Einstien's special and general theories of relativity, combined with historical accounts of his life and his scientific progression. If you read this book, you will no doubt have a list of topics and physicists names that you will be googling. I bought maybe 5 books after reading this one because many fascinating topics are brought up. Excellent general summary of Einstein and his work.

Einstein's Mirror

Well written for the non-professional scientist.

Light, as it should be

I could say that this one is a book that achieves a happy, delicate balance between lightness and heaviness. But why? In numbers: 291 pages, eleven chapters, one appendix, a glossary and, more important, hundreds of pictures with small comments that sometimes are biographies. This makes it "greater in quantity or quality than the average of its kind or class".But be sure, it is not a book only for those wanting to learn relativity and, also, it is not an Einstein's biography: it complements both with a lot of general information. The final chapter, "Relativity and science fiction", though not very complete, gives to the book a special taste. In brief: it makes a good companion to Kip Thorne's "Black holes and time warps" (cited in the book as a suggestion for further reading) and a very good (light, as it should be) introduction to Einstein's life and work and its influence in our culture.

Clear, understandable and Interesting

At last, a book that explains Einstein's Theories of Relativity in a concise, interesting and entertaining way. The book maps out the history of physics from the ancient Greeks to Richard Feynman with interesting and whimsical anecdotes about the people who try to figure out how things work. Well illustrated, even my mother will "Get It" Be sure to pick up the companion book "The Quantum Universe" I never thought Relativity could be light reading.