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Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity: Words That Changed the World
Understand how Einstein came to write the most famous equation in history and see how the world was changed forever.
Broken into 10 bite-sized chapters, this step-by-step journey through Einstein's mind takes his original manuscripts and makes them accessible to budding scientists everywhere.
Broken into 10 bite-sized chapters, this step-by-step journey through Einstein's mind takes his original manuscripts and makes them accessible to budding scientists everywhere.
64 pages, Hardcover
Published September 15, 2020
7 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 22, 2022
Świetna książka! Dużo ciekawych, prosto podanych informacji, do tego ilustracje są przewspaniałe.
February 22, 2021
3.5 stars
This book is gorgeous - huge format and visually striking - though as a librarian, I did think it would be hard to shelf. (It's almost A3-sized)
The authors have made a valiant effort in making this complex topic accessible. They've mostly pulled it off; even at this level of summarisation, Einstein's ideas and thought experiments are still highly abstract and hard to comprehend. You may find this less of an issue if you take the information at face value. I've tried to think through some of the ideas (such as time dilation) using my highschool physics and I struggled. The earlier sections (setting the scene) and the later sections (discussing the legacy of Einstein's ideas) are much easier to understand and are interesting and enjoyable.
Two gripes - there is a significant error on page 35 where the value of c (as in E=mc^2) is missing its first digit (!). This is in a copy of the UK edition. My other gripe is that I would like to see the values / constants (speed of light, Avogadro's number etc) quoted in both SI/metric as well as Imperial units. Surely it would be more universal to quote both!? It was disappointing and pretty meaningless for me to read the speed of light in miles per second (I would've expected to read 3.0x10^8 m/s as the "normal" quoted value, which is in standard scientific units; and even miles per hour would've been more meaningful).
It is actually quite hard to say what age this book will be suitable for; the format suggests upper primary onwards, but my personal experience suggests that you might need to be older to understand it properly!
This book is gorgeous - huge format and visually striking - though as a librarian, I did think it would be hard to shelf. (It's almost A3-sized)
The authors have made a valiant effort in making this complex topic accessible. They've mostly pulled it off; even at this level of summarisation, Einstein's ideas and thought experiments are still highly abstract and hard to comprehend. You may find this less of an issue if you take the information at face value. I've tried to think through some of the ideas (such as time dilation) using my highschool physics and I struggled. The earlier sections (setting the scene) and the later sections (discussing the legacy of Einstein's ideas) are much easier to understand and are interesting and enjoyable.
Two gripes - there is a significant error on page 35 where the value of c (as in E=mc^2) is missing its first digit (!). This is in a copy of the UK edition. My other gripe is that I would like to see the values / constants (speed of light, Avogadro's number etc) quoted in both SI/metric as well as Imperial units. Surely it would be more universal to quote both!? It was disappointing and pretty meaningless for me to read the speed of light in miles per second (I would've expected to read 3.0x10^8 m/s as the "normal" quoted value, which is in standard scientific units; and even miles per hour would've been more meaningful).
It is actually quite hard to say what age this book will be suitable for; the format suggests upper primary onwards, but my personal experience suggests that you might need to be older to understand it properly!
October 26, 2021
Like the Darwin book before it, the "Words That Changed the World" take on Einstein's Theory of Relativity doesn't quite know who its audience is.
- Is the book for kids? The spare illustrations seem to suggest so, but the science-heavy text does not.
- Is it a bathroom reader? The "quick facts about special physics" format seems to suggest so, but the book's enormous size does not.
- Is it for a casual adult audience? The quick yet complex explanations of relativity and associated concepts seem to suggest so, but the art and book size do not.
It's all over the place! I enjoyed it, for the most part. Even in an adulterated format, Einstein's Theory of Relativity sails over my head, so I was only able to parse about half the text. Better illustrations might have helped - the few train-based examples did remove some of the complexity of Einstein's theories. It's a neat read that looks great, but probably not the ideal book for any audience.
- Is the book for kids? The spare illustrations seem to suggest so, but the science-heavy text does not.
- Is it a bathroom reader? The "quick facts about special physics" format seems to suggest so, but the book's enormous size does not.
- Is it for a casual adult audience? The quick yet complex explanations of relativity and associated concepts seem to suggest so, but the art and book size do not.
It's all over the place! I enjoyed it, for the most part. Even in an adulterated format, Einstein's Theory of Relativity sails over my head, so I was only able to parse about half the text. Better illustrations might have helped - the few train-based examples did remove some of the complexity of Einstein's theories. It's a neat read that looks great, but probably not the ideal book for any audience.
January 18, 2022
Ma ei saanud mitttte sõnagi aru. Nagu. Mitte muffigi. Aga Einstein muutis palju. Ja teised teadlased ka olemas ja nad ka targad. Ja meie maailm on imeline.
March 5, 2022
Im jestem starsza, im więcej wiem, tym chętniej dowiaduję się czegoś o świecie, mimo że nie jestem obdarzona geniuszem. Czasem mi szkoda, że w dzieciństwie nie natrafiłam na nic co wywołałoby u mnie te odczucia już za młodych lat, ba, jestem wręcz na siebie zła, że nie czułam wówczas zainteresowania światem.
Bardzo doceniam naukowe książki przeznaczone dla dzieci, ich konstrukcja (głównie przystępność) zawsze mnie urzeka. Kiedy przeglądałam niektóre z siostrzeńcem, to zazdrościłam mu i cieszyłam się z ich treści chyba bardziej niż on.
Z tych powodów nie mogłam przejść obojętnie obok nowej serii - Myśli, które zmieniły świat.
Teoria względności
Już na samym początku byłam zakochana w ilustracjach, które ciekawią i umiejętnie obrazują treść. Książka urozmaicona jest też o cytaty Einsteina, pochodzące z jego listów i artykułów.
Treść początkowo nie spełniła moich oczekiwań, ponieważ miałam wrażenie, że wprowadza mi do głowy mętlik, ale dalej wszystko utworzyło całość i łatwiej było zrozumieć przekaz, bo nie ukrywam, że fizyka zawsze była dla mnie skomplikowanym tworem, więc doceniam jej łatwiejsze przedstawienie.
W książce ciągle dostajemy porównania - co było wiadome przed teoriami Einstaina, no i jak to spojrzenie wygląda teraz, krok po kroku poznajemy jego odkrycia oraz istotne dla niego teorie wymyślone przez innych. Dostajemy też informacje o przeprowadzanych eksperymentach w celu udowodnienia twierdzeń oraz do czego doprowadziły dane odkrycia. Nie zabraknie poruszenia tematu czarnych dziur. Końcowe rozdziały skupiają się na tym co dalej?, a ostatnie strony to słowniczek pojęć.
Jednak, tak szczerze, rozumiem, że autor nie chciał przytłoczyć młodszych czytelników, a jedynie ukazać zalążek, co zostało spełnione, więc biorąc pod uwagę grupę docelową nie mam się czego czepiać, ale dla mnie było to wszystko ciut niepełne. Taki niedosyt, a jednocześnie jest to dla mnie za trudne do samodzielnego zgłębiania. Może kiedyś poświęcę temu więcej czasu... No, ale podstawy można na spokojnie z nią opanować.
Jeśli też miewacie problemy z przyswajaniem skomplikowanej wiedzy albo chcielibyście zapoznać z nauką ścisłą kogoś młodszego to tędy droga! Bardzo polecam tę książkę, oczywiście jej przystępność nie zwalnia z myślenia, analizy i użycia wyobraźni, bo to jednak wciąż trudne tematy! Ale warto.
Bardzo doceniam naukowe książki przeznaczone dla dzieci, ich konstrukcja (głównie przystępność) zawsze mnie urzeka. Kiedy przeglądałam niektóre z siostrzeńcem, to zazdrościłam mu i cieszyłam się z ich treści chyba bardziej niż on.
Z tych powodów nie mogłam przejść obojętnie obok nowej serii - Myśli, które zmieniły świat.
Teoria względności
Już na samym początku byłam zakochana w ilustracjach, które ciekawią i umiejętnie obrazują treść. Książka urozmaicona jest też o cytaty Einsteina, pochodzące z jego listów i artykułów.
Treść początkowo nie spełniła moich oczekiwań, ponieważ miałam wrażenie, że wprowadza mi do głowy mętlik, ale dalej wszystko utworzyło całość i łatwiej było zrozumieć przekaz, bo nie ukrywam, że fizyka zawsze była dla mnie skomplikowanym tworem, więc doceniam jej łatwiejsze przedstawienie.
W książce ciągle dostajemy porównania - co było wiadome przed teoriami Einstaina, no i jak to spojrzenie wygląda teraz, krok po kroku poznajemy jego odkrycia oraz istotne dla niego teorie wymyślone przez innych. Dostajemy też informacje o przeprowadzanych eksperymentach w celu udowodnienia twierdzeń oraz do czego doprowadziły dane odkrycia. Nie zabraknie poruszenia tematu czarnych dziur. Końcowe rozdziały skupiają się na tym co dalej?, a ostatnie strony to słowniczek pojęć.
Jednak, tak szczerze, rozumiem, że autor nie chciał przytłoczyć młodszych czytelników, a jedynie ukazać zalążek, co zostało spełnione, więc biorąc pod uwagę grupę docelową nie mam się czego czepiać, ale dla mnie było to wszystko ciut niepełne. Taki niedosyt, a jednocześnie jest to dla mnie za trudne do samodzielnego zgłębiania. Może kiedyś poświęcę temu więcej czasu... No, ale podstawy można na spokojnie z nią opanować.
Jeśli też miewacie problemy z przyswajaniem skomplikowanej wiedzy albo chcielibyście zapoznać z nauką ścisłą kogoś młodszego to tędy droga! Bardzo polecam tę książkę, oczywiście jej przystępność nie zwalnia z myślenia, analizy i użycia wyobraźni, bo to jednak wciąż trudne tematy! Ale warto.
June 6, 2022
„Teoria względności” jest wielka. Dosłownie, gabaryt tej książki sprawia, że nie mieści się na moim regale. Znalazłem jej miejsce w pokoju dziecka, skąd notorycznie podkradam. Bo „Teoria” jest wielka także treścią.
Einstein powiedział, że jeżeli nie potrafisz wyjaśnić czegoś w prosty sposób, to tak naprawdę tego nie rozumiesz. Trochę kiepsko to o mnie świadczy. Bo gdybym miał uczciwie przyznać, czy potrafię prosto i zgrabnie wyjaśnić prawo ciążenia, albo teorię względności, to… no właśnie.
Dlatego z ochotą przerzucam kartki, bo takie usystematyzowanie wiedzy dobrze mi zrobi. Einstein był niezwykle ciekawą postacią, a jego wkład w rozwój nauki i cywilizacji nie podlega dyskusji. Książka ma postać albumu, w którym biografia splata się z naukowymi odkryciami. Informacje okraszone są naprawdę pięknymi ilustracjami, pod tym względem duży plus.
I tylko ten format, dla którego musiałbym przebudować regały. Mocne polecanko!
Einstein powiedział, że jeżeli nie potrafisz wyjaśnić czegoś w prosty sposób, to tak naprawdę tego nie rozumiesz. Trochę kiepsko to o mnie świadczy. Bo gdybym miał uczciwie przyznać, czy potrafię prosto i zgrabnie wyjaśnić prawo ciążenia, albo teorię względności, to… no właśnie.
Dlatego z ochotą przerzucam kartki, bo takie usystematyzowanie wiedzy dobrze mi zrobi. Einstein był niezwykle ciekawą postacią, a jego wkład w rozwój nauki i cywilizacji nie podlega dyskusji. Książka ma postać albumu, w którym biografia splata się z naukowymi odkryciami. Informacje okraszone są naprawdę pięknymi ilustracjami, pod tym względem duży plus.
I tylko ten format, dla którego musiałbym przebudować regały. Mocne polecanko!
January 17, 2022
Põnev raamat füüsikahuvilisele noorele Albert Einsteinist ja relatiivusteooriast. Tavalugejale võib keeruliseks jääda, kuid proovida tasub. :)
September 3, 2024
This book is BEAUTIFUL and BRILLIANT 🤩 Yes, the kids will love it but it's really for ALL ages 😁
September 14, 2020
ARC received through NetGalley - Thank You Laurence King Publishing
3.5/5
Carl Wilkinson’s Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity is a collection of Albert Einstein’s theories condensed in bit-sized and beautifully illustrated pieces. The book covers what was known of different concepts such as light, space and gravity before Einstein’s time and what eventually came of his work in the field of physics.
Written in an engaging way, Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity works sufficiently as an introduction book for adults and preteens alike, but does include some rather complex wording at times. There also was a focus put on some details (such as the history of the Nobel prize) that could have been substituted with more detailed explanations and examples of Einstein's theories. In the same manner, I wish more focus would have been put on Einstein's life outside his work in physics.
I think that the illustrations by James Weston-Lewis did greatly benefit the story as they did provide context to the text and thus also helped the reader understand the theories better. The illustrations and the page layouts all in all were well-thought-out and beautiful, making the reading experience very pleasant.
3.5/5
Carl Wilkinson’s Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity is a collection of Albert Einstein’s theories condensed in bit-sized and beautifully illustrated pieces. The book covers what was known of different concepts such as light, space and gravity before Einstein’s time and what eventually came of his work in the field of physics.
Written in an engaging way, Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity works sufficiently as an introduction book for adults and preteens alike, but does include some rather complex wording at times. There also was a focus put on some details (such as the history of the Nobel prize) that could have been substituted with more detailed explanations and examples of Einstein's theories. In the same manner, I wish more focus would have been put on Einstein's life outside his work in physics.
I think that the illustrations by James Weston-Lewis did greatly benefit the story as they did provide context to the text and thus also helped the reader understand the theories better. The illustrations and the page layouts all in all were well-thought-out and beautiful, making the reading experience very pleasant.
December 21, 2020
Although meant for a young audience, has a clear and welcome explanation of ideas that can be difficult to grasp. Filled with quotes by Einstein to give you a more personal window into the man.
" A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of the truth."
None of Einstein's teachers found him to be exceptional and none acted as his mentor making his accomplishments all the more impressive.
"Imagination is more important then knowledge for knowledge is limited, whereas imagination encircles the world."
Einstein thought in images rather than words enabling him to visualize complex ideas more easily. WOW! Worth reading the book just for this one insight. Children must do this all the time. When do we lose this ability? Can we get it back? Is this why we don't remember our early years very well?
Time slows down the faster your travel. Will this be the key to eternal life?
There is no absolute time, there is no absolute space; wouldn't it be fabulous if we could live our life thinking this way?
" A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of the truth."
None of Einstein's teachers found him to be exceptional and none acted as his mentor making his accomplishments all the more impressive.
"Imagination is more important then knowledge for knowledge is limited, whereas imagination encircles the world."
Einstein thought in images rather than words enabling him to visualize complex ideas more easily. WOW! Worth reading the book just for this one insight. Children must do this all the time. When do we lose this ability? Can we get it back? Is this why we don't remember our early years very well?
Time slows down the faster your travel. Will this be the key to eternal life?
There is no absolute time, there is no absolute space; wouldn't it be fabulous if we could live our life thinking this way?
September 18, 2020
Einstein’s theory of relativity is magnificent. It is imaginative, surprising and, up to this day, accurate and reliable.
This book, written by Carl Wilkinson and illustrated by James Weston Lewis, presents it in an excellent, clear and attractive way.
First of all it is a book to leaf through, to admire its full-page images: images of spaceships, prisms, rainbows, superfast trains, watches, curved rays of light, heavy planets, ghost stars...
The text boxes are clear and well built, providing the right amount of information at the right time.
If you have never read anything about relativity, this book is perfect for (starting to) understand it. If you already know the subject, you will appreciate the elegance and richness of these pages.
In short, it is a very beautiful book, well-edited, super in format and content. Suitable for everyone, including you and me.
This book, written by Carl Wilkinson and illustrated by James Weston Lewis, presents it in an excellent, clear and attractive way.
First of all it is a book to leaf through, to admire its full-page images: images of spaceships, prisms, rainbows, superfast trains, watches, curved rays of light, heavy planets, ghost stars...
The text boxes are clear and well built, providing the right amount of information at the right time.
If you have never read anything about relativity, this book is perfect for (starting to) understand it. If you already know the subject, you will appreciate the elegance and richness of these pages.
In short, it is a very beautiful book, well-edited, super in format and content. Suitable for everyone, including you and me.
May 21, 2023
LE RECENSIONI DEI MIEI STUDENTI
(Nomi di fantasia, recensioni vere)
- Ileana: “Consigliato alle persone un po’ intelligenti”
- Antonio: “Mi è piaciuto molto. Mi piacciono gli argomenti trattati anche se complessi. Gli esempi sono molto chiari. Lo consiglio a chi ama la fisica e vuole mettersi concentrato a capire argomenti difficili”.
- Silvio: “Mi è piaciuto molto, però alcune teorie sono molto difficili”
(Nomi di fantasia, recensioni vere)
- Ileana: “Consigliato alle persone un po’ intelligenti”
- Antonio: “Mi è piaciuto molto. Mi piacciono gli argomenti trattati anche se complessi. Gli esempi sono molto chiari. Lo consiglio a chi ama la fisica e vuole mettersi concentrato a capire argomenti difficili”.
- Silvio: “Mi è piaciuto molto, però alcune teorie sono molto difficili”
September 30, 2020
This is a large-format picture book detailing Einstein's theory of relativity. There are full-page illustrations overwritten with paragraphs of text. The text is quite "heavy" in parts, so while a pre-teen might flick through it and read parts, it is more suitable for older readers.
I thought that some of the text was written in extremely small font considering the size of the book and the space the book designer had to play with.
I thought that some of the text was written in extremely small font considering the size of the book and the space the book designer had to play with.
December 24, 2022
I loved this book. It made so much sense and I enjoyed how all the hard topics of physics where described with playful ease. I warn you that I am somewhat biased as I have a degree in physics 🤣 Also, I really enjoyed the colorful and engaging artwork of the book. The version I read was bought as a gift and now I'm still thinking I should buy one for myself also 😅
May 15, 2024
This book isn’t for kids. It’s just enough technical and lengthy to drive kids away, irrespective of the illustrations. As a techno student, I had a great time with this book, it was like refreshing the concepts. It touches upon the most important aspects of the legend’s life, and paints a pretty picture.
February 18, 2021
facinating!
Read
April 16, 2021Amazing! Inspirational info really opens your thinking...and the illustrations are gorgeous!
March 27, 2023
The book is interesting, though I wouldn't say it is for kids. The illustrations and colors are okay. The format is awful! it is huge! even horizontally I have troubles to make it fit in the library.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews