Einstein's 1912 Manuscript on the Special Theory of Relativity

The influence of Einstein's contributions on so many branches of physics is such that if one wanted to describe its full extent, it would be hard to know where to begin. His work and discoveries...are so fundamental that each achievement alone would have guaranteed him a prominent place in the history of physics. But what brought him unprecedented fame outside his own discipline is undoubtedly his theory of relativity, which revolutionized the old, established Newtonian picture of space, time, and gravitation. Professor Hanoch Gutfreund, from the Introduction This volume, an abridged version of our cloth, slipcased edition, presents one of the most influential scientific documents of the twentieth century: Albert Einstein's exposition of the theory of relativity. Each of the seventy-two handwritten pages are reproduced and are accompanied by an English translation of the original German text. A tribute to Einstein's genius, Einstein's 1912 Manuscript on the Special Theory of Relativity opens with a brief essay by Hanoch Gutfreund, a chronology of Einstein's life, a selection of quotes by Einstein, and, to introduce the manuscript, a detailed description of the manuscript, its contents, publication history, and provenance. The manuscript pages themselves then follow, reproduced in full color, with the English translation facing each page. Subtle variations in paper and ink are clearly visible in the excellent reproductions, indicating where and when Einstein drafted certain parts. Because the manuscript shows extensive reworking, it reveals Einstein's thought processes more than any other of his handwritten works. Providing a glimpse into one of the greatest minds of the last century, Einstein's 1912 Manuscript is for anyone fascinated by Einstein and the impact of his revolutionary theory. 72 color pages.