Customer Reviews

E=mc2: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first heard of this book from the TV show of the same name. The show, presented on PBS by Nova on October 11, 2005 was one of the highlights of the year so far. Asuming that the book would be better than the show I immediately went out and bought it. I was not disappointed. The show was great. The book is great. The show brings out the essense of the book in an extremely easy way. The book backs up the show with greater detail. The show will undoubtedly be repeated watch for it, go buy the book now.

Basically this book/show talks about each term in the famous equasion. What is energy, where/when did we start to think of it? And what's mass? And of course c, the speed limit of the universe. This book uses these terms as the starting point to explain how each of these terms were developed. And then Einstein put them together.

The way the book/show treats Lise Meitner is supurb. She was at the cutting edge of nuclear physics for 55 years. In 1992 the 109th element was named Meitnerium (Mt) in her honor (Einsteinium is number 99). One point not mentioned, at the time when she was developing the basic theory of radioactivity as depicted in the show, she was sixty years old, not the young actress playing her part. Einstein called her 'The German Madame Curie.'

In one scene in the show Einstein is talking to his first wife Mileva Maric. He is explaining the equasion. His wife asks if he would like her to check his mathematics. Mileva Maric was no dummy. Largely forgotten until the recent publication of the love letters Einstein wrote to her, she provided enough input into Einstein's theories that she probably should have been listed as a co-developer, but in those days women just couldn't do those things. Further, the show didn't quite bring out that the famous equasion had a very rigorous mathematical background based on the then newly developed tensor calculus.

Enough writing: Get the book, when it comes out buy the DVD of the show, buy the DVD of the PBS show 'Einstein's Wife.' They cannot be recommended too highly.

Even though I like math & science subjects, I do not normally put math, science and fascinating all together in the same sentence. E = MC2 is such an interesting story, mostly because it brings "life" into the process. The analytical work was well described for each of the respective persons, along with their human side.

Excellent! I will read more by this author!

I hate writing less than glowing reviews, but this almost excellent book disappointed me.

I was most impressed with this work- until I got almost to the very end. On the positive side, this is the first work I've read that clearly explains "the" equation in a manner even I could understand. It's done using a historical perspective using anecdotes. That makes most of the book a fun read.

Unfortunately, it's biased. In the closing portions of the book, when describing the use of the atomic bomb against Japan, it paints a very one-sided picture about our decision to use the bomb, only quoting sources who were (supposedly) opposed to its use. Some of the facts used were, simply put, stretched a bit, and others.... well, let's just say that my own reading and interviews with people involved paints a somewhat different picture. The author asserts that men such as Eisenhower, LeMay and others did not believe the bomb to be needed, and that's simply not true. The record itself shows that the controversy did not arise until much later- over 20 years later, to be exact.

When the author stays off of his soap box (as he does most of the time throughout the book), it's an excellent work. But I would caution any who read this work to take some of what is said regarding the use of the bomb against Japan with a grain of salt.

This book could be used to explain to Cameron Diaz the meaning of the famous equation.
I think what readers should expect from this work is to have an " idea " of the meaning of the equivalence of mass and energy, but not more. Inaccuracies are everywhere but who cares ?
This is not a book for physicists.

THis book is a really entertaining historical account of the way this equation came about, and has a short commentary on what it has done since, and what it may bring later. It was an eye opener on some of the implications of what the equation really means. Very readable, not a thick text book.

Human side stories of E=mc² with perfect blend of science, anecdotes, little biographies, humor, and tragedies for layman. Some of the stories are very interesting, hence I wouldn't forget the people and their contribution to science (relativity theory). Wondering why some of our science text books are not like this!

I am very impressed with the appendix containing the postscripts of the scientists contributed to E=mc² some or the other way and very long list of "suggestion for further reading". I have already noted down some books from that list.

Overall, a very enjoyable read without a bit of feeling of a science book.

This book is wonderful and easy to read. I found it to be quite a spiritual read for me, though I don't think that's what the author intended. I find God in nature, and this book easily explains nature's law, and therefore God's law, in my opinion. Very interesting historical data included as well...finally giving many overlooked scientists and inventors their long overdue credit. Great book!

I still talk about this book and I read it over a decade ago. I will have to read it again. I remember loving the historical stories and the tie-in to the larger picture of the development of this formula. Really well done - I have not read a book as good as this in this genre yet - but I've tried!

The idea of writing this book in the format to which it is written was brilliant. Totally loved the movie that introduced me to the book which is made by PBS Nova I think. Any way, get through the book and you will have a working idea of the equation that everyone knows but know one knows what it means. I was always curious and now my curiousity has been satisfied. I don't understand the idea indepth but I understand it to a point that I am very satisfied. This book is not heavy and very enjoyable to read. I recommend it highly.

Fascinating book, engrossing story. Highly recommended for sci-lovers & lay readers alike. HOWEVER, I bought the Kindle version & was disappointed to find that all of the photos are missing! The captions are there, but no photos display. Bummer. (hey Amazon, what gives??)