Secrets of the Old One: Einstein, 1905 free download online
Title: Secrets of the Old One: Einstein, 1905 Author(s): Jeremy Bernstein Pages: 200 Publisher: Springer; 1 edition Publication date: 2005 Language: English Format: PDF ISBN-10: 0387260056 ISBN-13: Description: From Publishers Weekly
In just one year, 1905, Albert Einstein published four papers that transformed the field of physics and ushered in the modern world of science. Veteran science writer Bernstein (Oppenheimer: Portrait of an Enigma) examines each of these papers, attempting to explain their significance and provide a social and cultural context for them. Bernstein's task is a complex one given the nature of the physics involved, and his efforts come up short. On one hand, the book is peppered with mathematical formulas. Additionally, Bernstein provides minimal background in physics. making it unlikely that readers will be able to grasp either the import of the papers or their scientific context. On the other hand, while Bernstein does a better job of providing the social setting for Einstein's remarkable work, here, too, his minimalist approach leaves much to be desired. For example, Bernstein gives only the briefest discussion of Michele Besso, the sole person Einstein acknowledges in his paper on relativity. And Bernstein can natter on at length and irrelevantly about himself. Bernstein's title comes from Einstein's calling God "the Old One," but very few secrets are revealed in this short and frustrating volume. B&w illus. (Nov.)
Review
Secrets of the Old One is one of the best scientist-sketches and adds to Bernstein's long list of such successes.
Peter L. Gallison, American Scientist, Volume 94, Number 3, May-June 2006
Bernstein's book is wonderful and, as far as I can judge as a professional physicist, very pedagogical for non-specialists.
Andre Martin, CERN Courier, Volume 46, Number 3, 2006
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Title: Secrets of the Old One: Einstein, 1905