The Road to Relativity: The History and Meaning of Einstein's "The Foundation of General Relativity", Featuring the Original Manuscript of Einstein's Masterpiece
Hanoch Gutfreund and Jürgen Renn
Abstract
This richly annotated facsimile edition of “The Foundation of General Relativity” introduces a new generation of readers to Albert Einstein's theory of gravitation. Written in 1915, this remarkable document is a watershed in the history of physics and an enduring testament to the elegance and precision of Einstein's thought. Presented here is a beautiful facsimile of Einstein's original handwritten manuscript, along with its English translation and an insightful page-by-page commentary that places the work in historical and scientific context. The concise introduction traces Einstein's intelle ... More
This richly annotated facsimile edition of “The Foundation of General Relativity” introduces a new generation of readers to Albert Einstein's theory of gravitation. Written in 1915, this remarkable document is a watershed in the history of physics and an enduring testament to the elegance and precision of Einstein's thought. Presented here is a beautiful facsimile of Einstein's original handwritten manuscript, along with its English translation and an insightful page-by-page commentary that places the work in historical and scientific context. The concise introduction traces Einstein's intellectual odyssey from the special to the general theory of relativity, and the chapter “The Charm of a Manuscript” provides a delightful meditation on the varied afterlife of Einstein's text. The book also includes a biographical glossary of the figures discussed in the book, a comprehensive bibliography, suggestions for further reading, and numerous photos and illustrations throughout.
Keywords:
theory of gravitation,
Albert Einstein,
special relativity,
general theory of relativity,
physics,
manuscript,
The Foundation of General Relativity
Bibliographic Information
Print publication date: 2017 |
Print ISBN-13: 9780691175812 |
Published to Princeton Scholarship Online: May 2018 |
DOI:10.23943/princeton/9780691175812.001.0001 |