Book description
At a moment of great discovery, one Big Idea can change the world...
E = mc2 is the world's most famous equation, but what does it
mean and why were Einstein's theories so groundbreaking? Einstein's
revolutionary papers on his Theories of Relativity changed mankind's
view of the world and universe for ever, establishing him as one of
our greatest scientific minds - but when he died, he considered
himself a failure.
Einstein & Relativity tells the gripping story of Einstein's
early life (in which he failed all subjects except maths and physics)
through to his most important research. After publishing his two
innovative Theories of Relativity, he then wasted over two decades
searching for a comprehensive theory, in contradiction to his previous
work. The Big Idea: Einstein & Relativity is accessible and
absorbing, placing Einstein's life and work into the context of
science up to that point and distilling his complex theories into
bite-size pieces for anyone and everyone.
The Big Idea series is a fascinating look at the greatest
advances in our scientific history, and at the men and women who made
these fundamental breakthroughs.
Paul Strathern was born in London and studied philosophy at Trinity
College, Dublin. He was a lecturer at Kingston University where he
taught philosophy and mathematics. He is a Somerset Maugham
prize-winning novelist of
A Season in Abyssinia
, as well as four other novels. He is also the author of the
Philosophers in 90 Minutes
series
.
He wrote
Mendeleyev's Dream
which was shortlisted for the Aventis Science Book Prize,
Dr.
Strangelove's Game: A History of Economic Genius
,
The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance
,
Napoleon in Egypt
and most recently,
The Artist, The Philosopher and The Warrior
,
which details the convergence of three of Renaissance Italy's most
brilliant minds: Leonardo Da Vinci, Niccolo Machiavelli and Cesare
Borgia. He lives in London and has three grandchildren.
