Born-Einstein Letters, 1916-1955
Friendship, Politics and Physics in
Uncertain Times
by Albert Einstein and Max Born
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Reviews
'A new edition of The Born-Einstein
Letters charts the fascinating story of their friendship. A preface
by Kip Thorne and Diana Buchwald provides and excellent survey of
the conceptual and philosophical issues that came to divide the two
men' Guardian
'With a well-informed introductory essay by Buchwald and Thorne, the correspondence is a delight, enabling us to trace the development of the intriguing friendship between the two physicists and to read their views on the great themes of physics and politics of their time.' Times Higher Educational Supplement
'The new preface contains valuable brief accounts of the way that physics continued along lines these two great minds had
pursued' Nature
'An immensely readable personal account of Einstein's struggles with other
physicists' David Bodanis author of E=mc2 in Washington Post
'Diana Buchwald and Kip Thorne have added a preface that helps the modern reader understand the implications of what they come across...Great
stuff!' www.popularscience.co.uk
'This
fascinating correspondence between two of the great and subtle
figures of 20th-century physics provides a wonderful insight into
the ethos of a unique period in history, as well as into the
thinking of these remarkable individuals.' - Professor Sir Roger
Penrose, FRS
'Behind every icon lies a human being. Einstein, the man, emerges
from this correspondence with Max Born as thoughtful, engaged and
witty, charting the ebb and flow of fortune as he grapples with the
scientific and social tumult of the early 20th century. A priceless
resource for historians, and a fascinating read for scholars of all
disciplines.' - Professor Paul Davies, author of How to Build a
Time Machine
'These letters display an engaging intimacy, wit, erudition and
humanity. They reveal two powerful minds tackling revolutionary
ideas while confronted by unprecedented challenges of academic and
public life, in an era of profound intellectual and political
upheaval. They are vivid reflections of their time, but also
timeless.' - Dr Philip Campbell, Nature
'Inspiring bedtime reading for the Year of Physics' - Professor
Dennis Weaire FRS, Chair of History of Physics Division, European
Physical Society
Description
Albert Einstein and Max Born were great friends. Their letters span 40 years and two world wars. In them they argue about quantum theory, agree about Beethoven's heavenly violin and piano duets (that they played together when they met) and chat about their families. Equally important, the men commiserate over the tragic plight of Europe's Jewry and discuss what part they should play in the tumultuous politics of the time. Fascinating historically, The Born-Einstein Letters, 1916-1955 is also highly topical: scientists continue to struggle with quantum physics, their role in wartime and the public's misunderstanding. First published by Macmillan in 1971, this book is re-issued with a new preface as part of 2005's Relativity Centenary celebrations.
Contents
Introduction by Werner Heisenberg
Foreword by Betrand Russell
New Preface by Kip Thorne and Diana Buchwald
Correspondence between Max and Hedwig Born and Albert Einstein 1916-1955 with Commentaries by Max Born. Translated by Irene Born.
Author Biographies
ALBERT EINSTEIN (1879-1955) is one of the most influential figures of the modern era. Working in Germany, Switzerland and USA, he radically transformed our understanding of the universe and took an outspoken stance on the significant political and social issues of his time. He was the father of the theory of relativity and a major contributor to quantum theory yet always found time for the political causes close to his heart.
MAX BORN (1882-1970) won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1954 for his fundamental research in quantum mechanics. He worked at the Universities of Breslau and Göttingen before Nazism forced his family to flee to the UK, where he held chairs first at Cambridge and later at Edinburgh University. He collaborated with
Pauli, Heisenberg, Fermi, Dirac, Raman, and Oppenheimer among others, while also writing and speaking frequently on the social responsibility of scientists.
This publication includes contributions from:
WERNER HEISENBERG (1901-1976), famed for his Uncertainty Principle. He was the founder of quantum physics and led Germany's nuclear project in WWII.
BERTRAND RUSSELL (1872-1970) was a Nobel prize-winning philosopher renowned for his spirited anti-war and anti-nuclear speeches and writings.
KIP THORNE is a leading US physicist and populariser of science.
DIANA BUCHWALD is Director of the Einstein Papers Project