Einstein's 1912 Manuscript on the Special Theory of Relativity [Paperback]

Albert Einstein (Author), Hanoch Gutfreund (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 17, 2004

Now in paperback, this volume presents Albert Einstein's 1912 manuscript on the special theory of relativity, one of the most revolutionary and influential scientific documents of the twentieth century. It includes faithful reproductions of each of the seventy-two handwritten pages along with an English translation of the original German text. A tribute to Einstein's genius, the book opens with a brief essay by Hanoch Gutfreund, a chronology of Einstein's life, a selection of quotes by Einstein, and, to introduce the manuscript, a detailed description of the manuscript, its contents, publication history, and provenance. The manuscript pages themselves then follow, reproduced in full colour, with the English translation facing each page. Subtle variations in paper and ink are clearly visible in the excellent reproductions, indicating where and when Einstein drafted certain parts of it. Because the manuscript shows extensive reworking, it reveals Einstein's thought processes more than any other of his handwritten works. Einstein's 1912 Manuscript provides a glimpse into one of the greatest minds of the last century.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The influence of Einstein's contributions on so many branches of physics is such that if one wanted to describe its full extent, it would be hard to know where to begin. His work and discoveries...are so fundamental that each achievement alone would have guaranteed him a prominent place in the history of physics. But what brought him unprecedented fame outside his own discipline is undoubtedly his theory of relativity, which revolutionized the old, established Newtonian picture of space, time, and gravitation.

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: George Braziller; Facsimilie ed of 1912ed edition (May 17, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807615323
• ISBN-13: 978-0807615324
• Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 7.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,115,990 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was born in Germany and became an American citizen in 1940. A world-famous theoretical physicist, he was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize for Physics and is renowned for his Theory of Relativity. In addition to his scientific work, Einstein was an influential humanist who spoke widely about politics, ethics, and social causes. After leaving Europe, Einstein taught at Princeton University. His theories were instrumental in shaping the atomic age.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very nice gift, December 17, 2000

By 

Alex Lopez-Ortiz (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Einstein's 1912 Manuscript on the Special Theory of Relativity: A Facsimile (Hardcover)

This book contains a facsimile of the hand written draft of the original relativity paper by Albert Einstein. The quality of the facsimile is great, and it is quite interesting to see the corrections made by A.E. to the draft.

The paper itself is surprisingly readable as the mathematical notation used is still very much current. Reading the paper requires first-year calculus and physics, so this book is definitely not for everybody.

The left side of the page contains a translation in English of the facsimile of the original in German, which appears on the right side of the page.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Einstein's notes, March 6, 2005

By 

William D. Tompkins (New York, New York USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Einstein's 1912 Manuscript on the Special Theory of Relativity (Paperback)

There are many beautiful elements fot hsi book:

1. The opening of the book has qotations of life observed from Einstein that have nothing to do with physics or math. They are priceless.

2. The layout is such that on the right --you have the actual notebook ledger in Einstein's handwriting. On the right, there is typed text, clearly defining what the text is.

The large layout of this book is done very well and is a treat to anyone who wants to see the details of this man's mind in action.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique Book, April 26, 2008

By 

Ian A. Schultz (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Einstein's 1912 Manuscript on the Special Theory of Relativity (Paperback)

The formatting of this book - such that you can see the actual handwritten manuscript, gives a unique insight into the thought process of Einstein. I think that anyone with a bit of calculus and physics (vector calculus is a must) will gain something worthwhile from the paper as a whole and from the hand-written copy in particular. I haven't spent too much time learning relativity and as such this was a difficult read for me, but I think that it is a particularly interesting look into of of humanity's greatest minds.