Customer Reviews

Relativity Visualized

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I have tried to read several books on the subject of relativity. I am very interested in it as a hobby and have read zillions of explanations of relativity. I read about passing space ships, traveling twins and whistling trains. However, I never truly understood what is was all about, until I came across this book.

When I read chapter 4, I couldn't help but giggle aloud and shout "Eureka" all through it, because now I felt I really understood it. For the first time EVER.

The illustrations are so vivid, the diagrams so clear and the explanation so simple that anybody can understand it. If you are interested in Einstein's theories, get this book. You won't be disappointed, garantueed.

Epstein is the best teacher of this difficult subject you will ever encounter. His book breaks new ground in relating space, time, and mass in a geometrical way that is -- at last -- simple to visualize. Albert Einstein's own book on relativity, though a model of clarity, does not provide this all-important geometric model of four dimensional space/time. Epstein has understood everything that is difficult for us about relativity at a gut level, and thoroughly demystifies it, without ever making the kind of deep conceptual errors to which authors of "popular" books on physics are apt to be prone. Through the simplest kind of geometry diagrams and inspired thought experiments, he shows that relativity's famous paradoxes are all simply tricks of perspective characteristic of a universe that has four spatial dimensions, not three. Relativistic "special effects" are exactly analogous to perspective effects in painting, but involve time and a fourth dimension. This geometric interpretation of relativity is the only way to grasp it other than algebraically, and therefore it is the only route that does not involve significant mathematics. Even to the mathematically inclined, it may provide an eye-opening intuitive "ah-hah!" that the equations never elicited. Not since Minkowski proposed his original geometric interpretation of Einstein's special relativity has there been such a cogent advance in our perspective (literally) on the shape of space, and its relation to time and mass, the three measurable quantities related by relativity. The reader who finds this book stimulating should also look at H.S.M. Coxeter's "Regular Polytopes", the definitive introduction to the Euclidean geometry of more than three dimensions, which will give him the power to actually visualize the fourth dimension, if any book can. In tandem these two writers lay relativity and its fourth dimension bare.

As a Ph.D. in astrophysics, I studied relativity as part of my professional education. I've read many textbooks and popularizations. This is simply the best popularization, bar none. Anyone should be able to understand it. Even the professional physicist is likely to learn something, if not about the substance of relativity, then about how to teach it to undergraduates. Outstanding!

I'm not a physicist or physics major, but I do like reading physics on a lay-level. When I hit special relativity in college physics, it was no surprise--because I'd read Epstein's book and gotten past the biggest hurdle, being able to conceptualize what's going on. (I can tell you that as far as math goes, special relativity at this level isn't difficult at all as long as you don't get your frames of reference screwed up...which I usually do.)

And that's where Relativity Visualized excels: helping you get your brain around these strange, strange, STRANGE ideas. No math. A little geometry, and believe me, you don't need to remember much from HS geometry to make sense of this, if you're curious about relativity. While I've no complaints about my college prof's treatment of relativity :-) this would have helped the poor freshman engineer in my class who, upon learning why the twin paradox isn't a paradox, said in bewilderment, "But that's stupid!" It isn't--it's just hard to accept.

This book was a revelation when I read it; I didn't think physics books could be this clear! By replacing equations with diagrams, this book allows non-specialist readers to fully understand the concepts in relativity without the slow, painful progress so often associated with this sort of book. If you want just one book on relativity, that will allow you not only to know how relativity works, but to intuitively understand it, then this is definitely the book for you. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Simply put, this is the best book on relativity (special and general) currently available. Anybody can read it: shoe salesmen, physics students, whatever. It includes a very small number of elementary equations (on the scale of things like distance = velocity times time) and yet manages to convey the essence of the general theory of relativity to the reader. It certainly dispels the aura of mystery around this quite simple theory and when you have finished reading this slim book you'll be able to effectively argue with advanced physics students (hey, I'm an advanced physics student and, believe me, you know _alot_ after reading this!). Too bad Mr. Epstein hasn't also written such a book on Quantum Mechanics or Field Theory, where the inaccessibility of the texts for most people is legendary. Thus, in short: buy this book, you'll love it.

I've read it twice. Great for those interested in physics but who are not physicists. Well written. Book builds your knowledge chapter by chapter. Lots of thought problems to check your understanding. Diagrams are very helpful and plentiful. Covers theories preceding and superceding theories of relativity. Very good explanation of string theory.

In attempting to learn Einstein's theories of relativity (both special and general) I've accumulated pounds of books and DVD's, and no kidding, this is the best one yet. Not only is this book better than all of the others combined, but it's really all you need. As the title implies, the author uses primarily a visual approach to explain these theories.

Most of the book deals with special relativity (linear-moving frames of reference with no forces at all acting on them), and I already had a pretty good handle on that. My motive in buying this book was that it also deals with general relativity (gravity) and none - absolutely none - of my other books or DVD's covered that in any detail whatsoever.

Now, just because this book seems (to me) to be complete and understandable, this does not mean it's an easy ride - Mr. Epstein is excellent trail guide, but the trail is rough. There are equations, which means you'll have to remember your high school algebra-I, but the equations are not all that bad. If my 66-year-old brain, over a half-century removed from high school, can make sense of these equations, I'm sure you'll be fine.

More importantly, many things that you have found intuitive and common-sense to this point are going to be significantly challenged as speeds become relativistic (i.e. a significant percentage of the speed of light). Don't be surprised if you have to re-read chapters until you get the picture. Relativity is not intuitive and takes a lot of getting used to, but it's achievable.

In the arena of general relativity, this book really shines. Explaining general relativity on a two-dimensional page is next to impossible, so the author gives you some home experiments (paper, pen and scissors) where you can demonstrate the principles to yourself. The author's explanations of this not-at-all-easy subject borders on genius. On your first read, you may bypass the experiments, but I'll bet you get to them eventually. These experiments and explations are so clear, a high school senior could use them to build a legitimate science-fair project.

As I went through the book, I checked to see if a) the author covered all the ground that my other media did and if b) he added to my knowledge. The author passed with flying colors for special relativity, and for general relativity this author provided almost ALL my knowledge.

But there's bad news. This book is no longer in print, and as of the time of this posting, not an awful lot of used copies are being offered. If you want to learn the concepts of relativity, or know someone who does, I'd get a copy fast, because I don't think many owners of this book are going to be parting with it. In my case, this book will become part of my estate.

While attending MIT, I thought of writing a book on General Relativity, one that would explain the inherently deep concepts contained therein, but without the extremely complicated math! Then I discovered it had already been done....! This book surpasses my loftiest dreams. Could it be this simple... YES, it is. And what fun, to boot! Get this book, you will not regret it.

It has been a while since I read this book, so I can not review it in detail. After having started it, I could not wait to continue. After finishing, I was so excited that I bought a copy for a friend and the videotape for my children. Having tried to grasp relativity through a number of other texts, including Einstien's own, this book gave me the first (glorious) experience of understanding a good part of it. Although my copy is not hard bound, I have, nevertheless, placed it in a prominent position on my bookshelf.