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Einstein's Universe
This brilliantly written book unlocks the astounding implications of Einstein's revolutionary theories on the nature of science, time & motion. It far surpasses any previous explanation of Relativity for laypersons.
164 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1979
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
October 21, 2022
This Calder book is disappointing. The author has a penchant for making bold statements about Einstein's theories on how the cosmos operates, but then he does not provide a clear description about what is meant by such statements. Thus, Calder states that because gravity affects light, gravity also affects time. This statement has a lot of potential but the reader fails to get a description about how, exactly, light is time. Or, in regard to Einstein's theory, the author states that the speed of light is more fundamental than space or time. Yet, how that is so is not clear. In his last chapter, Calder attempts to put Einstein's cosmology into the grandest of perspectives by saying that as time began with the big bang, the word "before" (the big bang) has no meaning. Calder then goes on to say that such insights constitute the convergence of all scientific, philosophical and religious thought. This is probably true, but Calder is not one to describe how this might be so.
To be sure, there is a responsibility of the reader to work at the material to dig out meaning. In this book, we understand that gravity's effect on space and time was central for Einstein. We also understand that gravity therefore abolishes the notion of absolute time and space. Thinking this through, we know that in Einstein's theory mass and energy are equivalent, that light (waves that move across time and space) is energy with (kinetic) mass and, therefore, subject to gravitation from massive bodies that bend (i.e., make non-absolute) space and time (light). We can understand bit by bit and, given that this is Einstein, perhaps that's all that can be done. Calder takes the reader a few steps further down the road, even though one hoped for more.
To be sure, there is a responsibility of the reader to work at the material to dig out meaning. In this book, we understand that gravity's effect on space and time was central for Einstein. We also understand that gravity therefore abolishes the notion of absolute time and space. Thinking this through, we know that in Einstein's theory mass and energy are equivalent, that light (waves that move across time and space) is energy with (kinetic) mass and, therefore, subject to gravitation from massive bodies that bend (i.e., make non-absolute) space and time (light). We can understand bit by bit and, given that this is Einstein, perhaps that's all that can be done. Calder takes the reader a few steps further down the road, even though one hoped for more.
July 13, 2012
This was one of the most exciting books I have ever read. It made me realise, when I was very young that I did have a passionate interest in science (which hadn't been awoken by school science lessons!) It has never left me and now I am writing science based scripts and novels and doing short science courses with the Open University. I can never thank Nigel Calder enough! Everyone should read it.
July 10, 2012
This one was amazing simply because it gave the greatest amount of information for the curious learner. I loved it becuase of it's easy descriptions and philosphical points. A great book to study and ponder for those curious in astrophysics.
August 21, 2019
The book is unquestionably awesome.
Read
May 10, 2023Det märktes att denna bok är skriven för över 50 år sedan och att man upptäckt många nya fenomen i rymden som man inte visste då/ hade bevis för då. Annars en intressant bok om fysik och Einsteins påverkan på vårt sätt att förstå världen
January 28, 2022
I decided to read this book because it is one that my husband read as a teenager, and it really influenced his understanding of physics. I quite enjoyed reading this. It was almost like having a conversation with my husband—a lot of the explanations were familiar to me. This book is old, but I still found it to be a useful explanation of Relativity. I’m not going to pretend that some of it still didn’t go over my head, because it did, but I gained some great understanding of the idea of Einstein’s Universe as described in his theories. I even had a couple of light bulb moments. I think Nigel Calder did a great job explaining Relativity, and I can see why this was such an influence on my husband’s understanding. There is definitely more to the story than what is in this dated work, but I think this still remains relevant as a non-mathematical explanation of Relativity and an enumeration of early experiments testing the theory.
March 7, 2008
This has, in effect, redefined the way I look at the world. Calder goes through both the special and general theories or relativity, strips out all the math, and explains everything in plain English with clear analogies. I think this was published somewhere around 1979, so much has transpired in the world of experimental physics since this was written. That, and it has only a glancing description of quantum mechanics at the end. However, this is an excellent springboard for anyone interested in revising their view of the universe.
September 20, 2010
Read this book twice .... and shall read it again in a year or so .... Every time I read it, Einstein's theories come to surface renewed, new invigorating angles and understanding of these theories being my main reward.
One can go through this book without a background in physics ... Calder is absolutely genie!!! There was also a BBC (TV) serial based on this book, with narrative by Peter Ustinov.
Please read!
One can go through this book without a background in physics ... Calder is absolutely genie!!! There was also a BBC (TV) serial based on this book, with narrative by Peter Ustinov.
Please read!
September 17, 2012
Excellent book - many ideas beautifully presented, although some of them not fully explained. For example photon energy and Doppler effect - my opinion is that the more space should have been reserved for that phenomena. Personally I needed some mathematics there, but that was probably not the original intention...
June 17, 2010
Mind-blowing... literally :)
July 2, 2024
Obviously the book is limited in scope for today because it was written before the last 40 years of scientific discovery, but I’d recommend it to anyone curious about relativity or what made Einstein’s discoveries so revolutionary
May 30, 2013
This is the third time around on this book - each time you move ahead just a wee bit more in trying to crack the Einstein code. There's much in the way to recommend in this book, but it's interspersed with weak spots for the general reader on several important questions, particularly related to the General Theory (Calder begins with Einstein's 1915 General Theory and only then goes back to the 1905 Special Theory). Regarding the weak spots:
1. In the reference to "falling objects," "falling" suggests downward, but Wheeler says objects free float in space and that Einstein did away with gravitational "pull" so what does it mean to say an object "falls"? For that matter, if there is no up and down in space (no fixed reference point), why doesn't an object "move upward?" Calder leaves it to the reader to figure something out. In warped space, there's always movement toward depressions in space (massive bodies). Is that "falling"?
2. Calder doesn't explain why a falling body doesn't always move into a larger body. What keeps them apart? Does the speed of a moving body, which Calder mentions almost incidentally, play a key role in keeping a body falling at the same rate as another (hence, orbits), and is there a balance" or equilibrium between having too much speed (escaping influence) or too little speed (falling into another body)?
3. Related to # 2, why does matter congeal to form mass? Does the lack of speed have a role. The author does not say.
4. Calder refers numerous times to "empty space". If space is a "fabric," what does it consist of? If space stretches due to a massive body, what is it that "stretches?" Calder is silent, although perhaps his answer is implicit as he does note that space is filled ("crisscrossed with") photons and we speculate now about dark energy and matter. Is all of this the "something" of space?
5. The author says space is dense near a massive body and that this slows down the speed of light. How is it that space both stretches (around a mass) and is also denser? Does a massive body create both effects?
6. Does a smaller mass moving toward a larger mass accelerate (move faster "downhill")? With acceleration, is there a gain of mass ("energy of motion") per Einstein, and an increased gravitational effect because of additional mass?
7. If under Einstein, there's a gain in mass with increased speed (energy of motion), does a runner then gain mass and not expend or shed energy as we believe to be the case? There's something wrong here.
1. In the reference to "falling objects," "falling" suggests downward, but Wheeler says objects free float in space and that Einstein did away with gravitational "pull" so what does it mean to say an object "falls"? For that matter, if there is no up and down in space (no fixed reference point), why doesn't an object "move upward?" Calder leaves it to the reader to figure something out. In warped space, there's always movement toward depressions in space (massive bodies). Is that "falling"?
2. Calder doesn't explain why a falling body doesn't always move into a larger body. What keeps them apart? Does the speed of a moving body, which Calder mentions almost incidentally, play a key role in keeping a body falling at the same rate as another (hence, orbits), and is there a balance" or equilibrium between having too much speed (escaping influence) or too little speed (falling into another body)?
3. Related to # 2, why does matter congeal to form mass? Does the lack of speed have a role. The author does not say.
4. Calder refers numerous times to "empty space". If space is a "fabric," what does it consist of? If space stretches due to a massive body, what is it that "stretches?" Calder is silent, although perhaps his answer is implicit as he does note that space is filled ("crisscrossed with") photons and we speculate now about dark energy and matter. Is all of this the "something" of space?
5. The author says space is dense near a massive body and that this slows down the speed of light. How is it that space both stretches (around a mass) and is also denser? Does a massive body create both effects?
6. Does a smaller mass moving toward a larger mass accelerate (move faster "downhill")? With acceleration, is there a gain of mass ("energy of motion") per Einstein, and an increased gravitational effect because of additional mass?
7. If under Einstein, there's a gain in mass with increased speed (energy of motion), does a runner then gain mass and not expend or shed energy as we believe to be the case? There's something wrong here.
September 19, 2007
I read this book in 7th grade, and it definitely got me riled up about post-Newtonian physics. I wouldn't call it the definitive pop-sci book in this category, but a very solid background nonetheless. It pretty much sticks with Einstein's theories and work, which was just a starting point for particle physics and astrophysics. But it captures the excitement of the early years of these disciplines famously, much the way Chaos by James Gleick did for Chaos theory.
December 17, 2008
An excellent introduction to Special Relativity and Einstein's physics. My rating may be higher because it was one of the earlier books I read that I really enjoyed on the subject of modern physics. I'd already read some of Einstein's own writings on the subject but this book made it make a lot more sense (Einstein was a genius but his writing doesn't groove with me well.)
August 3, 2011
Excellent explanation of general and special relativity. Calder does something no else does and starts with general relativity, which seems weird at first but actually makes sense (since special relativity is the "special" case).
February 14, 2007
excellent and well written study of astrophysics!
January 13, 2012
Have been opening this book for ages - finally made it through, even if it made my head spin!
March 6, 2010
I agree with the San Francisco Chronicle's review "Calder's figt for simplifying the complex has rarely beenb better demonstrated."
September 20, 2014
Blew my mind.
August 6, 2011
Einstein's General and Special Relativity in layman's terms. A great book I would recommend to anyone with an interest in the genius of Einstein.
June 16, 2020
আগেই বলে নিই যে এটা জটিল ভাষায় লেখা কোন তত্ত্বীয় বই নয়। আপনি যদি খটমটে তাত্ত্বিক আলোচনা এড়িয়ে গিয়ে আধুনিক বিজ্ঞানের সাথে পরিচিত হতে পছন্দ করেন তবে নিঃসন্দেহে এই বই আপনার জন্য। লেখক টেকনিক্যাল বিষয়গুলো খুব সুন্দর ও সহজভাবে উপস্থাপন করার চেষ্টা করেছেন। তবে গুরুত্ব দিয়েছেন রিলেটিভিটি থিওরির সাথে সম্পর্কিত বিভিন্ন ফলাফলগুলোকে। রিলেটিভিটি থিওরি আমাদের কী দিয়েছে, মানে এর প্রয়োগ ও মহাকাশবিজ্ঞানে এর অবদান সম্পর্কে একটা সম্যক ধারণা পাওয়া যাবে এই বই থেকে। বইটি প্রকাশ করেছে পেঙ্গুইন বুকস। ব্রিটিশ লেখক নিগেল ক্যালডার বিজ্ঞান ম্যাগাজিন "নিউ সায়েন্টিস্ট"- এর প্রতিষ্ঠাতাদের একজন এবং একসময়ের সম্পাদক ছিলেন। বইটির বাংলা অনুবাদ বের করেছে কলকাতার বেস্ট বুকস। অনুবাদ করেছেন ডঃ শঙ্কর সেনগুপ্ত।
Contents: 1. Cosmic Whirlwind 2. The wasting sun 3. Energy of creation 4. The ultimate waterfall 5. Einstein's clock 6. Weightlessness 7. Shells of time 8. Directed futures 9. The shifting stars 10. Timelines in the sky 11. Waves of gravity 12. The Galileo mystery 13. Methuselah in a spaceship 14. The universal correction 15. The speed of light 16. Where time flies 17. The simple universe 18. A choice of histories 19. Judging fate 20. Timeless viewpoint
Contents: 1. Cosmic Whirlwind 2. The wasting sun 3. Energy of creation 4. The ultimate waterfall 5. Einstein's clock 6. Weightlessness 7. Shells of time 8. Directed futures 9. The shifting stars 10. Timelines in the sky 11. Waves of gravity 12. The Galileo mystery 13. Methuselah in a spaceship 14. The universal correction 15. The speed of light 16. Where time flies 17. The simple universe 18. A choice of histories 19. Judging fate 20. Timeless viewpoint
December 12, 2022
Not the Universe – Einstein’s Universe
Be aware that the copyright is 1979 so the universe has changed and even the history of Einstein has been redefined since this book came out. However, the book is still relevant as it tells the tale of Einstein’s theories and discoveries.
Contents:
Cosmic Wind
The Wasting Sun
Energy of Creation
The Ultimate Waterfall
Einstein’s Clock
Weightlessness
Shells of Time
Directed Futures
The Shifting Stars
Tramlines in the Sky
Waves of Gravity
The Galileo Mystery
Methuselah in a Spaceship
The Universal Correction
The Speed of Light
Where Time Flies
The Simple Universe
A Choice of Histories
Judging Fate
Timeless Viewpoint
Einstein’s Successor
If you already know the Einstein story then you can pretty well guess what each chapter is about. If you are not familiar with Einstein you get a good “mathless” overview with pictures and diagrams.
Then a quickie introduction to Niels Bohr, Max Planck, and a tad of Stephen Hawking.
Be aware that the copyright is 1979 so the universe has changed and even the history of Einstein has been redefined since this book came out. However, the book is still relevant as it tells the tale of Einstein’s theories and discoveries.
Contents:
Cosmic Wind
The Wasting Sun
Energy of Creation
The Ultimate Waterfall
Einstein’s Clock
Weightlessness
Shells of Time
Directed Futures
The Shifting Stars
Tramlines in the Sky
Waves of Gravity
The Galileo Mystery
Methuselah in a Spaceship
The Universal Correction
The Speed of Light
Where Time Flies
The Simple Universe
A Choice of Histories
Judging Fate
Timeless Viewpoint
Einstein’s Successor
If you already know the Einstein story then you can pretty well guess what each chapter is about. If you are not familiar with Einstein you get a good “mathless” overview with pictures and diagrams.
Then a quickie introduction to Niels Bohr, Max Planck, and a tad of Stephen Hawking.
December 23, 2025
this review of relativity is quite a lot to take in, i had to stop often to contemplate on things and do some updated further readings, as this was published in the late 70s. but nothing has really changed, we exist in a universe laid bare by Einstein more than a century ago. now, a quarter into the new millenium, we know that the universe does not seem to stop on expanding (as gravity in fact accelerates the expansion and does not hinder it); we also had the first photograph of a real black hole— the real thing at the center of the distant galaxy M87… boy, am i exhilarated on what is yet to come. i hope another genius appears to finally unify the pillars of physics: general relativity and quantum mechanics.
February 12, 2017
Calder in his 1979 book "Einstein's Universe" reminded me of Aristotle's notion that "Wonder is the beginning of philosophy." After reading the book and watching at the theatre the wonderful movie "Hidden Figures," I am convinced Calder and Aristotle are right. Calder concludes his book with the observation: "The grand objective of physics is to understand the universe in terms as simple as possible." Despite the absence of reference notes, Calder has achieved a remarkable simplicity in writings that explains Einstein's cosmic physics in a way that informs and enriches the reader.
July 17, 2020
Highly recommended for knowing about Einstien's theories of relativity. I can't say it's really for the layman, I think it's more suited for someone with at least a fresh knowledge of high-school Physics.
November 20, 2022
Absoluut geen beginners boek zoals velen in de comments doen blijken. Complexe materie rondom de relativiteitstheorie. Super interessant, had vijf sterren gekregen als ik alles kon begrijpen. Had het gevoel dat het soms wat makkelijker uitgelegd kon worden.
March 20, 2019
interesting
August 16, 2019
Very easy to follow history of the science and the man
December 14, 2021
i just don't know how to read book from this website, but i surely this a fantastic book that it's name look quite popular.hope so
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2022
Einstein’s theories are difficult to grasp. This book is written for the general audience interested in them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews