An authoritative and richly illustrated biography--published on the
centenary of Einstein's general theory of relativity
"The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility ... The fact
that it is comprehensible is a miracle."
--Albert Einstein, 1936
Albert Einstein's universal appeal is only partially explained by his
brilliant work in physics, as Andrew Robinson demonstrates in this
authoritative, accessible, and richly illustrated biography. The main
narrative is enriched by twelve essays by well-known scientists,
scholars, and artists, including three Nobel Laureates. The book
presents clearly the beautiful simplicity at the heart of Einstein's
greatest discoveries, and explains how his ideas have continued to
influence scientific developments such as lasers, the theory of the big
bang, and "theories of everything." Einstein's life and activities
outside of science are also considered, including his encounters with
famous contemporaries such as Chaplin, Roosevelt, and Tagore, his love
of music, and his troubled family life. The book recognizes that
Einstein's striking originality was expressed in many ways, from his
political and humanitarian campaigns against nuclear weapons,
anti-Semitism, McCarthyism, and social injustices, to his unconventional
personal appearance.
Published in association with the Albert Einstein Archives at the Hebrew
University of Jerusalem, the book draws on this exceptional resource of
Einstein's private papers and personal photographs.
This new edition, published to recognize the centenary of the
publication of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, includes an
important new afterword by Diana Kormos Buchwald, the director of the
Einstein Papers Project at the California Institute of Technology.
The contributors are Philip Anderson, Arthur C. Clarke, I. Bernard
Cohen, Freeman Dyson, Philip Glass, Stephen Hawking, Max Jammer, Diana
Kormos Buchwald, João Magueijo, Joseph Rotblat, Robert Schulmann, and
Steven Weinberg.
