General Theory of Relativity |  | Author: P. A.M. Dirac
Publisher: Princeton University Press
List Price: $23.95
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Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 407884
Media: Paperback
Pages: 68
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6 x 0.3
ISBN: 069101146X
Dewey Decimal Number: 530.11
EAN: 9780691011462
ASIN: 069101146X
Publication Date: January 8, 1996
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Einstein's general theory of relativity requires a curved space for the description of the physical world. If one wishes to go beyond superficial discussions of the physical relations involved, one needs to set up precise equations for handling curved space. The well-established mathematical technique that accomplishes this is clearly described in this classic book by Nobel Laureate P.A.M. Dirac. Based on a series of lectures given by Dirac at Florida State University, and intended for the advanced undergraduate, General Theory of Relativity comprises thirty-five compact chapters that take the reader point-by-point through the necessary steps for understanding general relativity.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 18
 GR in 2 pages per Chapter November 12, 2009
T. Sananton (Barcelona)
Yes, that's exactly the way i've entitled it. So, it should be used just as a quick reference guide to find some equation(s) you need when you already have studied and understood them. I mean, don't expect to understand GR from this small (nice)book. It is like a sumary of the whole theory as it was standing at the time Dirac wrote it. Therefore it does not contain solutions to Einstein equation but the Schwarzschild one. No Black Holes, no Kerr-solution, no Finkelstein coordinates,...
But anyway, maybe we could say it is the most fast/first-level source you can take a look to find clear equations and clear 1-paragraph-explanations.
For the price you can have it, I think it is a good purchase once you have passed through really teaching books like i.e.: Schutz, Weinberg, Wald, Hawking-Ellis...(in order of increasing mathematical hardness).
Math notation friendly.
No exercices.
Just what i said, 2 pages per chapter.
one of the most important surveys on general relativity already published August 18, 2009
Cesar Vasconcellos (Brasil)
Paul Dirac was one of the most celebrated physicists in the history of physics. His "General Theory of Relativity" is a survey on the topic, but what a survey...
 A pleasant way to review differential geometry July 25, 2009
Neil Frazer (Kailua, HI United States)
I've no interest in general relativity, but I have twice enjoyed reading the first part of the book because it is a succinct, elegant review of differential geometry. Light of mass and heavy of meaning, it makes a great companion on a long airplane flight.
You hear him speak April 8, 2009
A. Zeller (Holt, MI USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I took the course the book is based on in the Spring of 1973. We students took turns taking notes until the last few where for some reason we ran out of volunteers. The book is an excellent condensing of the lectures. Many of the steps are left out that were presented in the lectures or left for the students to fill in. While there are no explicit exercises in the book, going from one step to the next provides an excellent opportunity to test your understanding. I am in no way an expert in mathematics, but the equations are sufficient to follow point to point.
When I read this book, I can hear him speaking. He would have the day's lecture on a 3x5 card that he would look at at the start and perhaps one more time during the lecture. He had the ability to lecture on GR or quantum mechanics and you would sit there and say "Yes, that makes sense. Now I understand." They you would walk out and start thinking and come to the conclusion that you really didn't understand and that you needed to study it some more. This book lets you do that.
Crash course in Diff. Geometry aspects of General Relativity September 16, 2007
TOE (Paris, France)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is a marvel of presentation and concision.
However, you should not regard it as a first course on the subject, unless you merely want to learn its formal aspects.
As such, the subject would appear as a mere pot-pourri of formulas and mathematical concepts directly borrowed from a differential geometry course, with just a little grain of physics ideas.
Almost no mention is made of general relativity experimental tests or the ideas that led Einstein to formulate this theory ; nothing deep and elaborate on stars, the expanding universe ; there's not much on black holes beyond the section about the Schwarzshild coordinate singularity.
To really grasp the subject, you will have to be committed to much more hard and patient work from thicker books.
Reading this book, would be excellent for motivational purposes.
With such warnings in mind, go for it.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 18
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