General Relativity from A to B

By: Robert Geroch

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Synopsis: “One of the few books that treats the foundations of the theory of relativity seriously and in elaborate detail, at the non-specialist level.” —NatureFrom A to B may not seem a great distance to travel, but, as Robert Geroch demonstrates in his conversational style, our perception of distance is always relative to our position in space. For persons situated outside the speculative realms of physics and mathematics, Geroch’s tour from A to B is a thorough introduction to Einstein’s theory of general relativity. The early chapters are devoted to the development and modifications the crucial notion of space-time undergoes as it passes through the Aristotelian and Galilean viewpoints. From theories of absolute space and absolute time, Geroch then details modern ideas of a space-time in which neither space nor time is absolute, showing how our everyday conceptions are inappropriate to the physical world in which we live.“This beautiful little book is certainly suitable for anyone who has had an introductory course in physics and even for some who have not.” —Joshua N. Goldberg, Physics Today“An imaginative and convincing new presentation of Einstein’s theory of general relativity . . . The treatment is masterful, continual emphasis being placed on careful discussion and motivation, with the aim of showing how physicists think and develop their ideas.” —Choice