I'm not quite sure why I keep going back to these history of science books, but I enjoy them. E=mc2: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation is pretty much what it says. But if you're looking for just another Albert Einstein biography, author David Bodanis is mostly going to disappoint you here. It's more like a biography of the eponymous equation, examining each term (heck, even the equal sign) in great detail and giving a thorough accounts of the history of each piece and the impact it has had on modern living.

The book strikes just the right balance between physics lessons (don't worry, there's no math) and explaining the scientific achievements leading up to and following in the wake of the equation's discovery. I'm hard pressed to think of a subject that would include French aristocrats getting beheaded over the construction of a wall, Madam Curie's radioactive cookbooks, high-brow academic bickering, and detailed discussions of how make uranium atoms asplode real good. My favorite part was something that actually sounds more like the final level in some World War II video game than a physics textbook: a small group of Norwegian commandos (actually mostly former plumbers and machinists) creeping into a heavy water factory in order to sabotage it and derail the Nazis' 1942 atomic weapon program.

It's all very thorough and very readable and I had no idea that there was so much that went into and came out of the fact that mass and energy are the same thing in two different forms. The end of the book even looks forward billions of years to show how the equation predicts the Earth will end (in flames as the Sun gives one final cosmic belch) and how the universe itself will eventually sputter to a stop. But don't worry, you'll be long dead.

I am having a hard time not being impressed with myself because this is the second book in the "hard" scientific realm that I have just adored (the first being "A Short History of Everything"). It had such an impressively daunting title that I couldn't have explained except that it has something to do with Einstein. However, I am confident that I could explain the basics of this equation after reading this book. In addition, it has motivated me to find out more of how this equation influenced history of World War II. The fact that Einstein could relate mass and energy through the speed of light squared just by thinking about it and not doing any experiments, mostly makes him an interesting person. What also makes him an interesting person is also quoted as saying that if he had known his equation would have been used for such destruction as the atomic bomb that he would not have lifted one finger to write it.

A very well constructed story. Turned out to be of less scientific insight than I had hoped but was full of delightful historical factoids. Full review to follow.

This book includes the history behind the theory proposed by Albert Einstein in his miracle year, 1905. The different transcripts and citations help us to draw a conclusion that E=mc^2 came into existence due to thorough contributions from Einstein's predecessors. It was a team work spread over a period of two and half centuries. Sir Isaac Newton was the first one to initiate research in the domain, which was later carried forward by the Faradays and the Rutherfords. Albert Einstein was instrumental not only in proposing a strong logic behind E=mc^2, but was also the pioneer of Quantum Physics. David Bodanis puts forth the ideas behind each of the symbols; E, =, m, c, and square in this book. A very different kind of biography which lays emphasis on derivation of an equation. Of course, t h e y s a i d i r o n a g a i e n is the most interesting part of the book. An excellent Science manuscript which evolves by itself chapter by chapter to give rise to the most powerful equation ever discovered by mankind. E=mc^2 is indeed a revelation in itself. David Bodanis deserves a high five for this compilation.

We all have heard of the phrase "match made in heaven". But we limit its use mainly to couples. That very same phrase is applicable for this book too. Yes... Mr. Bodanis made a match out of 'History' and 'Science'.

History has always been a constant thorn in my life. There isn't any other subject that I have hated more than History (Civics is not too far away in the second spot). But I was relieved from the daily nightmares of History classes once I passed my secondary education. Phewww.... sigh of relief. Right? No... Then came another headache in the form of Physics in my junior college. I could say I have spent a considerable chunk of time on deciding which subject I hated most. Physics or History? I am still searching for an answer.

And then, years later (7 years to be precise), came a normal day in my PG course (a week or so back). My professor (who also happens to be my mentor) walked into the classroom and started talking about his struggles and how he hated thermodynamics and then the topic took a turn on to his PhD thesis. One thing lead to another which lead him to asking all of us if we have read the book E=mc2. Of the 13 students in my class, I can say I would be among the precious few who read books (mostly fiction, but a book is a book). No one raised their hands (not at all a surprise). Then he pointed at a few of us and made us sweat in shame by asking if we have ever gone through his library collection (which, btw, can be accessed by anyone of his students). I am not new to being shamed in class (for the right or the wrong reasons). But this hit me where it was supposed to hit not because he opened my eyes on how precious little I have read. But because there was a person of interest (for me) in the class and being mocked in front of that person was a dent in the mischievous plan that I am weaving. And that's how I took this book from his library at the very next week.

Going by the cover I was taken back to my nightmares during secondary education and junior college. History and Science? That too together? Double nightmare time. But I still wanted to see what was so special about this. I read one page...Hmm...Interesting. Read the second page...Hmm...looks good. Then I kept on reading and turning pages. Before long I read half of the book. I didn't want to finish the book in a day. So I kept it aside and did ration reading (a phrase coined by me which means reading only a particular number of pages per day). I finished it within three days and I was left wondering why the author had to bring the book to an end.

The word 'Biography' is truly made meaningful in this book. This books gives a detailed account on the birth, ancestry and adulthood of the equation. Are you wondering what BS am I talking? Why don't you find it out for yourself?

Another book which blended History with science was 'Cosmos'. But that dealt with astrophysics mainly. And that branch of physics is something that I wish that I majored in. So, even if the book would have been a drab (which is far from the truth) I would still have enjoyed it. That makes this one all the more spectacular. Bringing two different areas, which I hate from head till toe, together.

The only science book that I have read so far which didn't have any pictures and yet made sense to me what the author was saying. The way of writing followed in this book by linking scientists and different timelines together is something of a marvel.

P.S. I have to thank Cameroon Diaz from the bottom of my heart. Once you read the first paragraph from the book, you would understand why.

It may not seem strange that I include a history book in my top 20...until you consider that the history book is not about a person--or a civilization--or an era. It is about an equation. E=mc2.

There are lots of biographies of Einstein, and I think the best may have just been published(I am currently reading "Einstein: His Life and Universe" by Walter Isaacson.)

But rather than write about the professor, Bodanis discusses each of the five elements of the equation. He also talks about the people and mini-dramas of science that led to the famous discovery in 1905. It is easy on science and numbers--which is fine for me. The hard-core readers can find number-crunching equations on the book's website. It is bursting with stories that are seldom heard in the textbooks--making it easy and fun read.

While I don't agree with some of his conclusions in later chapters, he does make you think.

I recommend this to any of my friends with the slightest bit of interest in physics.

It looks like I cannot get enough of Historical Science books. This is yet another book that surprised me. In this book, the Author presents History and the impact of Einstein's famous equation. He initially tries to give a decent historical account of how the equation came about.

The book has its downsides. I really felt the equation could have been explained in much more exciting way than the Author did. But, I did like the fact that the Author focused in great detail about making of the Atomic Bomb (The Manhattan Project) and its destructive force that led to the surrender of Japan. Even though I was aware of most of the things described in this book from some of the other books I have read before, I still enjoyed going over them again thoroughly. Definitely a good read.

This book is not what's advertised. It's mostly (counting pages) about the building of the first nuclear bomb. If you're into war history, you may like this book. If you want to learn about the equation E=mc^2, try reading a real science book. Which this is not.

The author writes like an outsider looking in. I didn't feel like he had a firm grasp of the physics. He uses really poor analogies to try and describe the physics to the layperson instead of just explaining the physics like it is. Such half-wrong analogies are worse than useless because it later takes time to cure the lay reader of the resulting misconceptions. Why plant them in the first place?

The book even ends on an anti-intellectual tone, where it's claimed Einstein was a "profit" bringing down knowledge from "on high". This is the absolute opposite of the truth. Physics is accessible to anyone who is interested enough to spend the time and energy it takes to learn.

The author's apparent lack of expertise is also on display in the many subtle mistakes in the book. For example, he says that GPS satellites need a "relativistic fix" because the satellites are "traveling so fast". Sure, there's a 7 microsecond delay due to special relativity from their twice daily orbit around the Earth. But that's ignoring the larger, 45 microsecond delay due to general relativity from the Earth's gravity well! (source)

I would go so far as to say this book contains "scientism". I hate that word and it's almost exclusively used inaccurately by Creationists. But it happens to fit what this book has in it. It's claimed, over and over again, that the bombs dropped on Japan were somehow due to the equation. Which they weren't. The discoveries of radioactivity and the theory behind radioactive criticality had nothing to do with the equation. That equation explains where the energy comes from in terms of a conservation law (mass/energy). But it's ridiculous to say the equation "allowed", "enabled", or "caused" nuclear bombs to detonate over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Since it's the thesis of the book, this poor philosophy is repeated throughout the book. Each time I read that the equation "made" something possible, or that something happened as "a result of" the equation, I wanted to stab out my eyes with an ice pick.

Heel leuk. Is ook in Nederlands. Makkelijk leesbaar, begrijpelijk. 384 blz in drie dagen uit!

The book is definitely for non-physicists and it takes a new approach to describing the equation, the Theory of Relativity (General and Special), and how the equation is applied. The first section takes each of the components of the equation and gives a brief history, often by way of a scientist who worked on that particular component. The next sections follow the "life" of the equation from its early days through current applications - from discussions of space-time to the atomic bomb to black holes to a mention of the unifying theory.

Having read several books on similar topics, I found this to be a fun and interesting approach. Given that it focuses on the people as well as the equation, and does not get to into the tech-y aspects of the physics and math behind the equation, it has more of a gossipy quality to it. Now, if you are looking for a "popular" book on physics that really gets into describing complex things for the (somewhat informed) masses, this book may not be for you. But, it you would like something that takes a light-hearted approach to how the universe works, give it a try.

You may even get an evil chuckle out of seeing that Otto Hahn "lost" his element on the periodic table and Lise Meitner got one!

Il titolo: E=mc² spiega un po’ da sé quello che l’autore con un romanzo ha voluto sottintendere. David Bodanis, docente all'Università di Oxford, nel libro raffigura la formula della relatività del fisico ebreo Einstein Alberto (1879 – 1955). La narrazione non è soltanto l’apice della storia biografica dello scienziato, premio Nobel per la fisica l’anno 1921. Tanto meno è un libro di fisica dove Bodanis si cimenta nel spiegare passo per passo la teoria della relatività, cosa che sicuramente moltissimi lettori stenterebbero nel capirla a causa della complessità. Ma nella maniera più semplice ha ripreso lettere e simboli matematici per mettere in luce quelle che furono le scoperte scientifiche più avvincenti; il racconto ai tempi del liceo sarebbe potuto essere noioso invece Bodanis nella stesura è riuscito a convertirlo in un avvenimento di facile comprensione.

In questo entusiasmante viaggio storico dal quale furono scritte intere enciclopedie al fine di spiegare la scoperta della relatività, tuttavia dovendo separare i capitoli fra loro in maniera da far comprendere gli stessi sottotitoli, il docente universitario ha rievocato alcuni dei personaggi storici e famosi che a seguito marciarono attorno alla formula. Con dimestichezza si è avvicinato al significato dell’equazione di Einstein e da una rappresentazione sintetica spiega il titolo del libro, E=mc²: la E ‘sta per energia; il segno = rimane invariato da quello della matematica; il segno M per la massa; la C attinge alla velocità della luce mentre il numero 2 finale lo dà come il processo di espansione, quello che poi rende l’effetto al prodotto tipo il risultato di una cosa vista con la lente d’ingrandimento. Da qui, una volta che l’equazione era ormai consolidata da eventuali variazioni l’autore rammenta che questa diede supporto a diverse persone per l’approfondimento di eventuali studi, ad esempio: Marie Curiese con i primi esperimenti della radioattività; la struttura dell’atomo scoperta da Ernest Rutherford e chi scavò poi all’interno del suo nucleo, ossia Enrico Fermi. Da questi ultimi due scienziati sino a Lise Meitnerr che intuì la scissione; tutte persone che conseguentemente hanno studiato e lavorarono intensamente per quello che sarebbe stato l’effetto violento di una bomba chimica.
Una volta narrata sinteticamente la rappresentazione della relatività e coloro che furono da supporto ci fu una lotta contro il tempo nei confronti di un’inarrestabile distruzione mondiale: con altre parole, ci fu una corsa per sviluppare la bomba atomica, atto che avrebbe cambiato il mondo irrevocabilmente poiché l’energia di massa quando condensata e concentrata sotto le giuste circostanze ondeggia come una forma alternativa di massa e distrugge tutto ciò che è in prossimità dell’influenza del suo raggio d’azione. L’ingegno dell’equazione dello scienziato in maniera pragmatica si dimostrò con la distruzione di Hiroshima. Inoltre, prima di giungere a l’effetto catastrofico della bomba, Bodanis soffermandosi su determinate circostanze era inevitabile che non rimembrasse i predecessori che furono d’appoggio alla formula che segnò il ventesimo secolo, come per esempio il nome di Maxwell, Faraday e quello del chimico francese Lorenzo Antonio Lavoisier. Magari queste prime persone non ottennero la popolarità che raggiunse Einstein ma al fisico sono ugualmente serviti per salire di gradino e stabilire definitivamente l’equazione: E=mc².

This is not a bad read, but it has some major flaws.

For one, this book is aimed at kindergartners.

Fay Weldon, in an ebullient blurb, claims that by reading this book she achieved an understanding of Einstein’s theory of relativity “by osmosis”. I’m afraid my brain does not work that way. For me, insight is based on facts, concepts and reasoning. And some concepts are not easy, and some sophisticated reasoning is sometimes necessary to "get" a difficult theory. In principle, even very hard concepts can be explained in simple terms, but it takes a very talented and patient author to do this well.

Mr Bodanis does not rise to the challenge. He aims his book squarely at readers who have no mathematics, no physics and no chemistry whatsoever, and who are not expecting to pick up any here. For instance, he patiently explains the concept of squaring: four squared is not eight but, don't be surprised, sixteen. Any concept more difficult than this he is afraid to tackle, so most of what we get are broad generalizations, egregious simplifications, rough approximations, not-very-apt similes and repetitions.

On page 50, the author suddenly asserts “That’s why it’s speed can be an upper limit” [he’s talking about the speed of light here] and a few pages further on “That’s what explains ‘c’ in the equation” [light again]. Alas, nothing in the preceding paragraphs or pages warrants these bold statements: we know the speed of light IS an upper limit, but WHY that is so not even the most intelligent and dedicated reader will have fathomed, there simply not being enough explanatory power applied here.

Another thing I find grating in a science book is that Bodanis loves to talk about God whenever given half a chance.

He comes up with a highly original take on Michael Farraday’s work on magnetism : it was inspired by his Sandemanian religious beliefs. Scientists are used to think in straight lines, Bodanis posits, but in church the circle is more important: “I will help you, and you will help the next person, and that person will help another, and so on until the circle is complete”. So that’s why Michael went looking for circular lines around his magnets, duh! Somehow I am not surprised no historian of science ever thought of this before.

And while Bodanis does not discuss Einstein’s religious beliefs explicitly, he disingenuously suggests that the latter was a believer. Twice he mentions that The Wild Haired One referred to God as “The Old One”, and he ends his book with a sentence strongly suggesting Einstein was a theist (…the divine library that he was convinced awaited…). In fact, though he disliked the label “atheist” and on occasion flirted with pantheism, Einstein called a belief in a personal god “childlike” and often defined himself as an agnostic.

If you made it this far down my review, you earned this confession: I only scored this book two stars to mark my displeasure with the overblown blurb on the cover, and the overly generous score on Goodreads. In fairness, this merits three stars.

There are some good stories here, competently told. The author gives pride of place to female scientists whose contributions were at one time underappreciated, which is laudable of course. And the voluminous notes at the end of the book partly offset my criticism about egregious simplification.

So if you find this in a yard sale, go ahead, spend a few cents, it is worth a read. But it has some major flaws. (Da capo)