What Is Relativity? An Intuitive Introduction to Einstein's Ideas, and Why They Matter

The theory of relativity is one of those areas of science that seems daunting to non-physicists. Although the experts agree that the theory is accurate and eloquent, most literature explaining it is too complex for the lay reader to grasp fully. Bennett (Beyond UFOs), an astrophysicist who has coauthored many science textbooks, tries a different approach. First, he keeps the math out of it. The only equation in the book is E=mc2. Instead he relies heavily on thought experiments. Einstein himself used thought experiments to understand how to make sense of the shortcoming of Newtonian physics. Bennett takes the reader step by step from the special theory of relativity through the broader general theory of relativity. At each step he starts with what is known to us more or less through common sense and then moves slowly into new material. For example, he uses an intuitive concept like the earth being round to help explain how space-time can be curved, a concept that may not be intuitive. A generous dose of graphs and charts also helps illuminate his discussion.