Customer Reviews

Einstein and Relativity: The Big Idea

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Paul Strathern is known for concise "in a nutshell" publications, such as his excellent "The Philosophers in 90 Minutes" series of books. However, "The Big Idea" doesn't live up to that legacy, and anybody with a few moments and an internet connection can find all sorts of web pages that are more elucidating than his "Big Idea" books.

While his books provide a historical viewpoint that presents pertinent background information about each subject, one is certainly better off with books such as The Elegant Universe, by Brian Greene which does everything Strathern tries to do but with much more substance (and all in just the first few chapters).

Strathern's "Big Idea" books, with their large 14-pt print are elementary\middle-school level reading; and while they would probably make great educational gifts, they don't have much value outside that age group.

Final verdict: If you're interested in physics and relativity, there read "Relativity Visualized" by Epstein or "The Elegant Universe" by Green; or better yet, spend some time browsing the net and you'll be surprised at what you can find.

This book, while interesting to read was a little basic in the scientific knowledge it displayed. It spent too long on Einstein's background and his general history and not enough on his ground breaking ideas that changed the view from the classical physics of Newton's era. The book describes Einstein's struggle for intellectual knowledge; how he was bored at school and ended up being expelled for not trying hard enough.

The book, while centring on Einstein does give concise information on the other physicists of his time and how there work helped Einstein's. Strathern discusses the scientific work done by such influential people as Heinrich Hertz, Max Plank and Isaac Newton.

Einstein's most famous theory, that of his paper on `General Theory of Relativity' is described by Strathern in an easily understood way but the skeleton of the theory remains. Einstein's theory is basically that over vast distances space and time become relative, only the speed of light remains constant. The formula that Einstein achieved and which eventually led to the bomb was that e = mc2 where e is energy released, m is mass and c is the speed of light. Also as a result of this theory scientists have been able to trace the history of the universe to within a fraction of a second after the Big Bang. Einstein's theory of relativity is truly one of the most revolutionary theories on parallel with that of Newton law and Darwin's theory of revolution.

Unfortunately while Einstein's work led to huge developments in physics and him being awarded the Noble Prize for physics in 1921 it also led to the worlds most powerful weapon and the ultimate killing machine; the atomic bomb. While Einstein warned Roosevelt in 1939 about the splitting of the atom his anti-nuclear stance led to him being investigated by the FBI and denounced by McCarthy.

Strathern has written this book in a historical and descriptive style; while also keeping the reader of the book informed about Einstein's work it does not over work his theories and instead keeps them short and to the point. Strathern uses an approach to Einstein that does not scare the reader of and entices them to read more. It is both understandable to the non-scientists while also being informative enough for those who want a more in depth view into Einstein.

If one wants a book based purely on Einstein's work this is not the one to read; but for the more curious reader who wants an introduction to life and work of a genius then the book will fulfil them.

As the official Amazon review for this book mentions, it is more about the man than the ideas. It's not until past page 30 of this 90 pager that we even come into contact within any ideas whatsoever. And when Strathern gets to the ideas, he doesn't do much to aid our understanding of the difficult concepts.

Strathern gives more space in this book to the life of Einstein than to his scientific work. Still he manages to give capsule descriptions of the four great papers of the annus mirabilis of 1905. He also discusses 'General Relativity' and tells an interesting story of how Einstein was in ecstasy for days after hearing about the confirming experiments in 1919. It was that event which made Einstein the mythic figure. Strathern claims that Einstein saw the absurdity in the idol- worship around him but also knew how to play the part of the 'distracted scientist' to the hilt.
I learned much about Einstein's life that I did not know. There are touching personal elements. His son Edward had been closely connected to him and then came to hate him when Einstein was divorced. There is not a lot about the familial situation, but apparently Einstein was not a cad. He gave his Nobel money the huge sum of thirty- two thousand dollars to his first wife, the mother of his children.
Strathern paints a picture of Einstein's life from 1919 on as a sad one. The whole story of his search for a unified - field- theory the publication of results which met with scientific silence. Einstein's famous 'God does not play dice' rejection of Quantum Theory is seen by Strathern as key element in his scientific isolation.
Strathern is very good in presenting the development of the young Einstein. Einstein virtually taught himself everything. His brief experience as the only Jewish child in a tough German military school made him a rebel and opponent to authority for life. Einstein went his own way asked his own questions, and changed our whole picture of the physical world by his doing so.
Strathern also commends Einstein for his letter warning about the dangers of the Bomb. He does not however say anything about the key role Einstein played in having Roosevelt move ahead with the Chicago Project to build the Atomic Bomb. Strathern also commends Einstein a lifelong Zionist for his wife refusal of the offer to be President of Israel. This kind of public role was of course unsuited to the character of Einstein.
This is a short book and there are many Einstein books which will provide far more information and analysis. But like all Strathern's books it is very well and clearly written, and a fine small book indeed.