Good technical GR history/Einstein bio?

  • Context: History 
  • Thread starter Thread starter ramparts
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Gr
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
Sign up Log in
2 replies · 2K views
ramparts
Messages
44
Reaction score
0
Hey folks,

I've been looking for a good biography of Einstein, but I'm especially interested in the story of his development of relativity (both of them!) from a technical standpoint. Most of the Einstein bios at, say, the local Barnes and Noble are geared towards a general audience and have scarcely a plus sign, much less a tensor or two! Meanwhile, textbooks explain the theories after we've had a century or so to work them out more cleanly. Can anyone recommend a good book that focuses on the history of relativity as well as the science?
 

Discussion

Physics news on Phys.org
One book that I would highly recommend is "Einstein: His Life and Universe" by Walter Isaacson. It is a comprehensive biography that delves into Einstein's personal life as well as his scientific achievements. Isaacson also does a great job of explaining the concepts of relativity in a way that is accessible to non-scientists, while also providing enough technical detail for those with a deeper understanding of the subject. Additionally, the book includes many letters and documents from Einstein himself, giving readers a firsthand look at his thought process and development of his theories.