Ferraro, Rafael.
Einstein's space-time: an introduction to special and general
relativity. Springer, 2007. 310p bibl index; ISBN 9780387699462,
$79.95. Reviewed in 2008jan CHOICE.
This is an extraordinarily thorough and compact primer on special and
general relativity written and translated from the Spanish by astrophysicist
Ferraro (Institute of Astronomy and Space Physics, Universidad de Buenos
Aires). It is a remarkable resource for intermediate and advanced
undergraduates, as it introduces the more difficult mathematics with a minimum
of formalism. The first two-thirds is a comprehensive development of the
special theory, with historical notes on little-known episodes such as the Airy
and Hoek experiments, and unusual empirical commentary on the
"paradoxes" and experimental consequences of the theory. The last
third develops general relativity with a condensed but complete development of
Riemannian geometry and the Einstein field equations, followed by the
Schwarzschild and Robertson-Walker metrics and their consequences. For general
relativity, there are few comparably accessible books, the best known being
Michael V. Berry's Principles of Cosmology and Gravitation (CH, Feb'77) and J.
Foster and J. David Nightingale's A Short Course in General Relativity (3rd
ed., CH, Feb'06, 43-3444); this volume carries the better features of both
approaches and more. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower-division
undergraduates through faculty. -- P. D. Skiff, Bard College
CHOICE REVIEWS, Vol. 45 (5), January, 2008
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