42 of 43 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
this will blow your mind, January 28, 2005
as you can see from my title, i am a child of the 60's. einstein died when i was 4. i am of average intelligence, with a college degree in english. math and science were never my favorite subjects, nor was i very good at them.
with all that in mind, i was blown away by this book. it covers the biography of eistein only minimally and spends the majority of its fast paced, easy reading 235 pages talking about the discoveries of einstein and their impact on the sceintific community.
i won't try to improve on what the author does so well, and that is explain in simple terms the concepts of einstein. to be perfectly honest, i'm still not sure of them all exactly nor what they portend.
what further amazed me is how this genius thinks. he thought in pictures. "what if i traveled as fast as the speed of light, what would it look like?" "why when i fall do i become weightless?" his failure at the end of his life to solve his unified field theory was because he couldn't put it into a picture.
i always go back to the old movie "the paper chase". in it the harvard professor played by john houseman tells his students that it is his job to teach them how to think. i firmly believe that that is what the education system needs to do. teach people how to think. had i been taught physics with the concepts in this book, i would not have dreaded every minute i spent in that course.
read, enjoy, wonder! a great trip through an amazing mind.
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63 of 69 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
You don't have to be an "Einstein" to understand Einstein!!, November 4, 2004
+++++
This book, by Dr. Michio Kaku, deals with three main themes that are intertwined together:
(1)The life of Dr. Albert Einstein (March 1879 to April 1955)
(2)The all-important science of Einstein
(3)The important scientific contributions of others and some insight into their lives.
This slim book contains three parts each made up of three surprisingly easy-to-read chapters. Below I will give the title of each chapter (not necessarily the same as the book's) and what I consider to be the highlights of each chapter. For chapter nine, I will provide a overview only.
Part I:
(1) Physics before Einstein
The scientific discoveries of Isaac Newton and James Clerk Maxwell.
(2) The Early Years of Einstein
Einstein in school; Einstein and religion; Einstein's introduction to science, mathematics, and philosophy; his thinking; his loves; Einstein and authority; Einstein begins working for a living; his marriage.
(3) Special Relativity and the "Miracle Year of 1905"
Einstein's first thought picture; two simple principles by Einstein that "mark the most profound insights into the nature of the universe since Newton's work;" his famous equation; Einstein explains the photoelectric effect; he gives the first experimental proof of the existence of atoms; Einstein receives his Ph.D.: Einstein's guiding principle in physics; Experimental evidence confirms some of Einstein's ideas; Einstein becomes a professor of physics; the famous "twin paradox;" his marriage begins to "unravel;" Einstein meets his second love.
Part II:
(4) General Relativity (1915)
The concept of free fall; the difference between Newton's and Einstein's thinking; Einstein's second thought picture; Euclidian or flat-surface geometry versus non-Euclidian or curved-surface geometry; Einstein explains what causes gravity; Einstein focuses on three experiments that would eventually prove his ideas concerning the geometry of space and gravity; an outbreak of war; Einstein saves a close friend from execution; he suffers a breakdown; Einstein marries again.
(5) Einstein Becomes Famous
A solar eclipse of 1919 confirms Einstein's theory of gravity; he goes from professor of physics to a world figure, "a worthy successor to Isaac Newton;" Einstein's fame attracts many detractors; Einstein decides to promote other causes such as peace; he wins the Nobel Prize; Einstein visits the United States; his thoughts on philosophy and religion.
(6) Einstein's Universe
Einstein's static and finite universe; he introduces a "fudge factor" (cosmological constant) in his theory of general relativity; Edwin Hubble's discoveries "shake the foundations of astronomy"; Einstein's "greatest blunder of his life;" general relativity introduces unexpected concepts such as the expanding universe, the "big bang," black holes, neutron stars, gravity waves, and Einstein lenses & rings.
Part III:
(7) Unification and Quantum theory (1925)
Einstein begins work on the unified field theory (unifies his theory of gravity and the theory of electromagnetism) - this theory is also known as the "theory of everything;" marble versus wood; reformulation of Einstein's general relativity into five dimensions (four of space and one of time); problem: Einstein has no guiding thought picture to show him the way to develop a unified field theory; physicists become preoccupied with quantum theory or quantum mechanics; the dual nature of light; a famous wave equation; antimatter; the uncertainty principle; the historic Bohr-Einstein debate; a famous physicist's cat; Einstein's EPR experiment; wormholes.
(8) War, Peace, Death, and an Unfinished Theory
In December 1932, Einstein and some of his scientific colleagues leave Germany for good; Einstein goes to the Institute of Advanced Study at Princeton in the U.S.; Einstein's second wife dies and he is devastated; the atomic bomb in theory; neutron discovered (1932); nuclear fission of uranium (1938); verification of Einstein's famous equation; worry that the Germans would be the first to develop the atomic bomb; historic letter (signed by Einstein) given to President Roosevelt; the secret Manhattan Project; Einstein not chosen for this project since he "could not be trusted;" first bomb detonated July 1945; Einstein makes the cover of "Time" (1946); Einstein becomes chairman of the first major anti-nuclear organization; Einstein continues work on the unified field theory; time machines; Einstein's first wife and some friends die; Einstein dies (1955); unification field theory unfinished.
(9) Einstein's Legacy: This chapter is a truly fascinating one. Kaku explains:
"[S]cientific developments in the last few decades have given us an entirely new look into Einstein's legacy. Because his work was so fundamental...his impact continues to reverberate throughout physics...[C]rumbs that have tumbled off Einstein's plate are now winning Nobel Prizes for other scientists...This chapter discusses new developments in three areas where Einstein's enduring legacy continues to dominate the world of physics: the quantum theory, general relativity and cosmology, and the unified field theory."
This book reads like a novel. Considering the subject matter, I think being able to say this makes this book an extraordinary achievement. As well, this book contains no equations (except Einstein's famous equation). Kaku's main narrative is easy to read. He incorporates into the main narrative the actual words used by Einstein and others. I especially enjoyed Kaku's parenthetical statements he made throughout the book.
I'm not sure why but this book has no index. (A name index listing all the scientists and Nobel Prize winners would also have been an asset). Even though this is not absolutely necessary, it helps if you want to look up something quick. Also, there are no diagrams or pictures in this book. Again, these are not absolutely needed since the narrative is so clearly written.
Finally, I was surprised that there was no mention of the chemical element named after Einstein. It's called Einsteinium (symbol Es).
In conclusion, this book interweaves the story of Albert Einstein's scientific insights with his personal and political life. If you want a comprehensible tour of one of the most creative minds of the twentieth century, then this is the book to get!!
(first published 2004; preface; acknowledgements; 9 chapters; main narrative of 210 pages; (foot)notes; bibliography)
+++++
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