Relativity Readings

Before listing some of my favorite books related to relativity, let me emphasize that they are not required for the class. Depending on your background, interests, and inclinations, they can be useful supplements.

Edwin Taylor and John Wheeler, Spacetime Physics, W.H. Freeman & Co. (ISBN: 0716723271)
The class makes extensive use of this book. It is readable and fun. I strongly recommend it.
Click here to order.Spacetime Physics

Albert Einstein, Relativity, Crown Publishers (ISBN: 0517884410)
Relativity explained by its author.
Click here to order.Relativity

Einstein, et al., The Principle of Relativity, Dover Publications (ISBN: 0486600815)
This book is an anthology of the early papers on relativity by its originators (Einstein, Lorentz, Minkowski, and Weyl).
Click here to order.Relativity

Stephen Hawking, A Brief History of Time, Bantam Books (ISBN: 0553380168)
A bestseller that gives a good overview of some of the advanced topics.
Click here to order.Hawking

Kip Thorne, Black Holes and Time Warps, W. W. Norton (ISBN: 0393312763)
A wide-ranging book that covers everything you want to know about black holes and other exotica of General Relativity.
Click here to order.Thorne

Edwin A. Abbott, Flatland, Dover (ISBN: 048627263X)
An amusing introduction to multi-dimensional space. Helpful in understanding spacetime.
Click here to order. Flatland
This book is available as e-text at Project Gutenberg.

George Gamow, Mr Tompkins in Paperback, Cambridge (ISBN: 0521447712)
Brings relativity and quantum mechanics into the realm of everyday experience through the adventures of Mr. Tompkins, a British bank clerk.
Click here to order.Mr. Tompkins



These books can be obtained at your local bookstore or one of the many online stores.


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