Einstein A to Z [Paperback]

Karen C. Fox (Author), Aries Keck (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471466743 | ISBN-13: 978-0471466741 | Publication Date: July 20, 2004 | Edition: 1

Einstein was the twentieth century's most celebrated scientist - a man who developed the theory of relativity, revolutionised physics and became an iconic genius in the popular imagination. Essays range from the reasonably scientific including the theory of relativity, to the odd and engaging, such as Einstein's brain, his favourite jokes and films. Einstein A to Z provides a vibrant overview of the man and his achievements.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

A is for absentmindedness, and yes, the greatest scientist of the 20th century was a stereotypically absentminded professor. E is for his famous equation on the relation between energy and mass, which is nicely explained here in a clear, comprehensible way. M is for McCarthyism, which Einstein openly decried, and also for Marilyn Monroe, whose link to Einstein is wholly fictional. Fox (The Big Bang Theory) and Keck, a science reporter for public radio station WHYY-FM in Philadelphia, say their alphabetic omnium gatherum "is designed to be as casual or as specific as the reader wishes," and that's a fair description. Details about Einstein's life, not just his science, are found in these alphabetical fragments, which cover the physicist's feelings on Israel and Judaism, on pacifism (which he espoused) and on quantum mechanics (which he famously rejected), as well as his relations with other scientists and with his own family. Novice students of physics and casual browsers can learn a fair amount from these entries, though, of course, it's no substitute for reading one of the many comprehensive books on Einstein's life and work.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Scientific American

Every Einstein book talks about relativity, but not many tell you about the mortician who ran away with his brain. From absentmindedness to Zionism, Fox and Keck offer sharp, bite-size pieces of Einstein-related people, concepts and quirks in a fun book ideal for trivia lovers and the science-wary.

Editors of Scientific American

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (July 20, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471466743
• ISBN-13: 978-0471466741
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,223,855 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Karen C. Fox is a veteran science writer who has covered physics and astrophysics for 18 years. Her writing has run the gamut from describing stellar fusion for children's books to magazine articles on particle accelerators to developing NIST's website on establishing national energy and environmental impact standards to producing a teacher's guide on low-temperature physics. She believes anyone can understand complex physics when explained properly, and prides herself on producing successful, factual, and enjoyable science translations for lay audiences.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, Accessible- Great Teaching/Research Guide, July 25, 2004

By 

K. Zacarias - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Einstein A to Z (Paperback)

A wonderful easy-to-read book on all the chapters on Einstein's life. Succinct, complete, and understandable descriptions of his theories as well as interesting analysis of his personal life. The book is arranged so one can quickly find the topic and read the short essays. FANTASTIC for research... the topics can be read out of order. Enlightening and amusing (this is not a dry text book) , I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn (in a quick, entertaining, and organized fashion) more about the science, myths, truths of Einstein's work and life.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I guess I AM the right audience. . ., July 30, 2004

By 

Jen (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Einstein A to Z (Paperback)

I picked this up and was amazed when it was 3 hours later and I'd let everything else I was supposed to do in the afternoon slip by me. I'm NOT a scientist, so perhaps it's not aimed at people who already know a lot about Einstein, but it was just the perfect level for me. I liked the stories about his life interwoven with information about his theories. The format of the book -- it's made of lots of entries on subjects from his relationships with women to his work on the atom bomb -- really worked for me, and I'd love to see other biographies organized like this!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Accessible information for the non-scientist, July 28, 2004

By 

C. Cooke (Delaware) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Einstein A to Z (Paperback)

This book is a great first-stop for students researching Einstein's life and works as well as those who want to gain some insight on Einstein but don't want to read a textbook. The book's easy-to-read sections teach you enough on that particular topic to feel satisfied by what you've learned or confident enough to take your research further with a more in-depth source. I really like books that can draw me into science by showing the human side of a scientist; for me, it makes complicated theories that much more accessible. I would even recommend this book to a book club. Whether you read it in its entirety or read just the sections of particular interest to you, the book could really open up a great discussion about one of the world's biggest science icons.