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Guests | October 20, 2009

Vincent McCaffrey: IMG A Practical Matter



It was in a letter of 1897, about his cousin James Ross Clemens, that Mark Twain famously noted that "the report of my death was an exaggeration." He... Continue »
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1 Local Warehouse Physics- Relativity Theory

E=mc2: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation

by David Bodanis

E=mc2: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation Cover

ISBN13: 9780425181645
ISBN10: 0425181642
Condition: Standard
All Product Details

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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Already climbing the bestseller lists — and garnering rave reviews — this "little masterpiece" sheds brilliant light on the equation that changed the world.

Review:

"E=mc2, focusing on the 1905 theory of special relativity, is just what its subtitle says it is: a biography of the world's most famous equation, and it succeeds beautifully. For the first time, I really feel that I understand the meaning and implications of that equation, as Bodanis takes us through each symbol separately, including the = sign...there is a great 'aha!' awaiting the lay reader." St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Review:

"This is not a physics book. It is a history of where the equation [E=mc2] came from and how it has changed the world. After a short chapter on the equation's birth, Bodanis presents its five symbolic ancestors in sequence, each with its own chapter and each with rich human stories of achievement and failure, encouragement and duplicity, love and rivalry, politics and revenge. Readers meet not only famous scientists at their best and worst but also such famous and infamous characters as Voltaire and Marat...Bodanis includes detailed, lively and fascinating back matter...His acknowledgements end, 'I loved writing this book.' It shows." The Cleveland Plain Dealer

Review:

"Accessible...he seeks, and deserves, many readers who know no physics. They'll learn a handful-more important, they'll enjoy it, and pick up a load of biographical and cultural curios along the way." Publishers Weekly

What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
sockmonkey828, January 19, 2009 (view all comments by sockmonkey828)
I was captivated by this book. Not only were questions that I'd had answered in an easily understood manner, but fascinating questions I'd never considered were posed and their answers entertainingly described. The people, personalities and drama within the fields of mathematics and physics was engrossing. Hollywood types should take note of the potential motion picture material!
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780425181645
Subtitle:
A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation
Author:
Bodanis, David
Publisher:
Berkley Publishing Group
Location:
New York
Subject:
General
Subject:
History
Subject:
Force and energy
Subject:
Mathematical Physics
Subject:
Relativity
Subject:
Mass
Subject:
Physics
Copyright:
Edition Description:
Berkley trade paperback ed.
Series Volume:
5]
Publication Date:
October 2001
Binding:
Paper Textbook
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Yes
Pages:
352
Dimensions:
843x465x98 63

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