E=mc²
A Biography of the World’s Most Famous Equation
This is the first of my two books on Einstein: the story not of the man himself, but of his most famous equation. It touched a nerve – who doesn't want to know what E=mc² means? – and, translated into two dozen languages, worldwide sales have long since passed a million.
Here's how I first got the idea. Here's a first glimpse of Einstein in 1905 from within the book, as well as a look at how science was understood in his time (and how Einstein would see flaws with that). Next a separate account of how I wrote a central chapter; finally a section from the acknowledgements on what it was like fitting this writing into a busy day.
The book was later the basis for a drama-documentary, 'Einstein's Big Idea', jointly produced by PBS and the UK's Channel 4; the magnificent John Lithgow narrating in the US; Christopher Ecclestone in the UK. (It was also a ballet, choreographed by David Bintley, which had its London premiere at Sadler's Wells, but alas was never recorded.)
Reviews
“Both informative and highly readable … E=mc² is a wonderful romp through Einstein’s famous formula...this is everything a popular science book should be”
“The book fizzes in the reader’s imagination.”
“An outstanding introduction to relativity by a gifted practitioner.”