''Introducing Relativity'' is a 2002

graphic Graphics () are visual images or designs on some surface, such as a wall, canvas, screen, paper, or stone, to inform, illustrate, or entertain. In contemporary usage, it includes a pictorial representation of data, as in design and manufacture, ...

study guide to the

theory of relativity The theory of relativity usually encompasses two interrelated theories by Albert Einstein: special relativity and general relativity, proposed and published in 1905 and 1915, respectively. Special relativity applies to all physical phenomena in ...

and

Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...

written by Bruce Bassett and illustrated by Ralph Edney. The volume is, according to the publisher's website, "a superlative, fascinating graphic account of Einstein’s strange world," which, "plots a visually accessible course through the thought experiments that have given shape to contemporary physics." "The authors cover everything from

time dilation In physics and relativity, time dilation is the difference in the elapsed time as measured by two clocks. It is either due to a relative velocity between them ( special relativistic "kinetic" time dilation) or to a difference in gravitational ...

to black holes, string theory to

dark energy In physical cosmology and astronomy, dark energy is an unknown form of energy that affects the universe on the largest scales. The first observational evidence for its existence came from measurements of supernovas, which showed that the univ ...

," confirms '' Sky at Night Magazine'' reviewer Professor

Nigel Henbest Nigel Henbest (born 1951) is a British astronomer, born in Manchester and educated in Northern Ireland and at Leicester University, where he studied physics, chemistry and astronomy. He did postgraduate research at the University of Cambridge b ...

, and, "the going sometimes gets tough." However, "help is at hand," according to ''

New Scientist ''New Scientist'' is a magazine covering all aspects of science and technology. Based in London, it publishes weekly English-language editions in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia. An editorially separate organisation publish ...

'' reviewer

Marcus Chown Marcus Chown (born 1959) is a science writer, journalist and broadcaster, currently cosmology consultant for ''New Scientist'' magazine. Biography He graduated from the Queen Mary University of London in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science in physics ...

, "to get our heads around stretchy time, shrinking space, black holes, wormholes and the rest."

Publication history

This volume was originally published in the UK by Icon Books and in the US by Totem Books in 2002, and subsequently republished with different covers and the subtitle, ''A Graphic Guide''. Selected editions: * * * Related volumes in the series: * * * * * * * *

Reception

, writing in ''

'', describes the volume as, "a very attractive illustrated guide to arguably the greatest ever achievement by a single human mind," which, according to Professor

, writing in '' Sky at Night Magazine'', "has all the answers you need." Science writer Brian Clegg, author of ''Introducing Infinity'' (2012) in the same series, however finds the book, "good on content, not so good on bringing it down to the right level." "Cosmologist Bruce Bassett and mathematician-cartoonist Ralph Edney are awe-inspiring," according to Henbest, "in their attempts at a popular explanation of one of the most daunting areas of science." Chown states that the "remarkable amount of material," touched on by the writers goes, "from inertia to the theory of inflation; from singularity theorems to superstring theory; from unification to accelerating universes." However, Clegg speculates that Bassett's background as a lecturer in cosmology lecturer, "is reflected in the fact there is rather more cosmology in this book than a pure explanation of relativity would require," and in that it, "is much stronger on the theory than the history." "Unfortunately for a book that appears to be aimed at the absolute beginner," states Clegg, "there are parts that are roughly equivalent to material in the first year of a degree course." "It helps if you have a passing familiarity with some of the concepts," agrees Chown, and, "you’d probably need A-level physics to absorb all of the concepts fully," confirms Henbest. "Overall," concludes Clegg, "it's a noble attempt, with much (much) more meat in it than the companion Introducing Chaos book - but it would need more historical perspective and less inclination to jump to soon into formulae if it were to appeal to its target audience." Nonetheless, according to Henbest, "the format means it’s an easy book to dip into, making cutting-edge science available to everyone," and according to Chown, "anyone with an enquiring mind is bound to take away something as they dip in and out of this highly entertaining book."

References

{{Albert Einstein Non-fiction graphic novels Books about Albert Einstein Popular physics books Educational comics 2002 in comics