The Einstein Theory of Relativity by Hendrik Antoon Lorentz

One doesn't need a big science vocabulary, and you aren't asked to ponder any equations, but you do have to noodle out what the author is saying to get value out of the reading. So the question the reader needs to ask themselves-provided they haven't had physics since high school or their freshman year of college-is whether they are willing and able to grind through reading that will require them to think hard the whole way. (Though the section on deflection of light does get into measurements and is bit technical.) (With the exception of a moving car analogy early on that gets bogged down.) However, there're no equations or highly technical and jargon-suffused discussions. It doesn't lay the subject out in clear, simple, and entertaining analogies. On the other hand, if you want to write for technical people, you should probably feel free to show your math and sling the technical jargon. In other words, one has to write like Brian Greene or Michio Kaku do in their popular works. not well-trained in science), this means one has to accept a lot less precision in exchange for clarity. One has to pick an audience and carefully write for that audience.

Science writing, particularly on subjects as arcane as relativity, is a challenge. It's hard to complain about this book because: a.) it's a free kindle book, b.) the author was brilliant, a Nobel Laureate, and a man whose work contributed to the discoveries of Einstein, and c.) it's a very short book, clocking in at about 60 pages, and so it's not a huge time investment-though for most it will be a bigger time investment than its page count would suggest.Īll that being said, I'll be upfront and tell you that his work is the product of a different era and doesn't establish its audience clearly.

The Einstein Theory of Relativity by Hendrik Antoon Lorentz