"THE IMPACT UPON 20TH-CENTURY SCIENCE AND THOUGHT CAN HARDLY BE OVERSTATED": EINSTEIN'S SPECIAL AND GENERAL RELATIVITY, FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH

EINSTEIN, Albert. Relativity. The Special & The General Theory. A Popular Exposition. London: Methuen & Co., (1920). Octavo, original red cloth. $3800.

First edition in English of Einstein's own explanation of his special and general relativity theories, including the first appearance of "The Experimental Confirmation of the General Theory of Relativity" written by Einstein specially for this translation.

Einstein's theories are the most important discoveries of 20th-century physics. "The theory's impact upon 20th-century science and thought can hardly be overstated" (Norman, 252). "From the general theory of relativity issues all of 20th-century cosmology—from an explanation of the 'red shift' that indicates the universe is expanding, to the notion of black holes" (Simmons, The Scientific 100). In this "Popular Exposition," Einstein endeavors to present "in the simplest and most intelligible form," the revolutionary ideas he revealed to the scientific community in his famous Annalen der Physik articles of 1905 and 1916. An especially noteworthy feature of this first English language edition is "Appendix III, on 'The Experimental Confirmation of the General Theory of Relativity'…written [by Einstein] specially for this translation" (from the Translator's Note). Also includes "Considerations on the Universe as a Whole." Originally published in Germany in 1917, under the title Über die spezielle und die allgemeine Relativitätstheorie, Gemeinverständlich. Translation by Robert Lawson; frontispiece portrait of Einstein by Hermann Struck. Without the rare dust jacket; with eight-page publisher's catalogue at rear. Inked owner name dated Aug. 25, 1920.

Text clean, offsetting to endpapers; minor toning and spotting to spine. An extremely good copy.