Proving Einstein Right

The Daring Expeditions that Changed How We Look at the Universe

By: S. James Gates, Cathie Pelletier

Narrated by: S. James Gates, Beresford Bennett

Length: 12 hrs and 29 mins

Publisher's summary

A thrilling adventure story chronicling the perilous journey of the scientists who set out to prove the theory of relativity - the results of which catapulted Albert Einstein to fame and forever changed our understanding of the universe.

In 1911, a relatively unknown physicist named Albert Einstein published his preliminary theory of gravity. But it hadn't been tested. To do that, he needed a photograph of starlight as it passed the sun during a total solar eclipse. So began a nearly decade-long quest by seven determined astronomers from observatories in four countries, who traveled the world during five eclipses to capture the elusive sight. Over the years, they faced thunderstorms, the ravages of a world war, lost equipment, and local superstitions. Finally, in May of 1919, British expeditions to northern Brazil and the island of Príncipe managed to photograph the stars, confirming Einstein's theory.

At its heart, this is a story of frustration, faith, and ultimate victory - and of the scientists whose efforts helped build the framework for the big bang theory, catapulted Einstein to international fame, and shook the foundation of physics.

©2019 S. James Gates and Cathie Pelletier (P)2019 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"With a scientist's skill and a novelist's skill, this fascinating book chronicles the pioneering efforts to put Einstein's theory to the test, and offers insightful portrayals of the brilliant and intrepid scientists who led the enterprise." (Martin Rees, UK Astronomer Royal and author of On the Future)

"It's all there - adventure, science, history and drama - and wonderfully told." (Michael S. Turner, cosmologist, author of The Early Universe, and inventor of the term "dark energy)

"This is a fascinating and exciting adventure tale! It chronicles the quest of eclipse-chasing astronomers who strove to test if light deflected when passing near the sun according to Einstein's theory of general relativity. Their inspiring missions depict the graceful ballet between scientific theory and experiment. In an age when we are searching for the horizons of black holes and the ripples from the origins of the universe, this book will inspire us with the ongoing excitement of understanding our cosmos." (Walter Isaacson, author of Einstein: His Life and Universe, Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, Steve Jobs, and Leonardo da Vinci)

A Great Read/Listen

I am primarily a science fiction fan, so imagine my surprise and pleasure when t found such a great read/listen in a non-fiction tale. This book is well written, informative, and entertaining. The authors did a wonderful job of conveying the atmosphere and attitudes of the early 1900's. It is not often that I finish a book wishing there was more to read/hear. This book, although the story was complete, left me wanting more. I hope this is just the first of many collaborations between these authors and the narrator, Beresford Bennett.

Fantastic

Beautifully outlined. Honest and sometimes stark in its storytelling. Brilliantly written and absolutely for people of all ages and levels of experience with physics and relativity.

Boring

Incredibly boring. So bad, I couldn't bother to finish it. Very poor technical tie in. Just a continuous litany of obscure characters.

Dull

Not interesting at all. Just a bunch of names and facts all plopped together with little character development, few insights and no connectivity to a theme. I kept hoping it would get better but I’m stopping at chapter 7.