God's Equation

Einstein, Relativity, and the Expanding Universe

By: Amir D. Aczel

Narrated by: Kent Broadhurst

Length: 7 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's Summary

Are we on the verge of solving the riddle of creation using Einstein's "greatest blunder"?

In a work that is at once lucid, exhilarating and profound, renowned mathematician Dr. Amir Aczel, critically acclaimed author of Fermat's Last Theorem, takes us into the heart of science's greatest mystery. In January 1998, astronomers found evidence that the cosmos is expanding at an ever-increasing rate. 

The way we perceive the universe was changed forever. The most compelling theory cosmologists could find to explain this phenomenon was Einstein's cosmological constant, a theory he conceived - and rejected - over 80 years ago. 

Drawing on newly discovered letters of Einstein - many translated here for the first time - years of research, and interviews with prominent mathematicians, cosmologists, physicists, and astronomers, Aczel takes us on a fascinating journey into "the strange geometry of space-time," and into the mind of a genius. 

Here the unthinkable becomes real: an infinite, ever-expanding, ever-accelerating universe whose only absolute is the speed of light. Awesome in scope, thrilling in detail, God's Equation is storytelling at its finest. 

©1999 Amir D. Aczel
(P)2000 Random House, Inc.

Critic Reviews

Can't Get Into It...

I listened to this book for three days worth of commute, but was never able to become involved with the story. It felt very textbook rather than entertaining. I was much more engaged by the novel "A Short History of Nearly Everything."

Good Book

I enjoyed this book and felt I learned alot about Einstein and how he revolutionized physics. The relativity concepts were well presented and easy to understand. I could even see myself listening to this again. Highly recommended.

You do not want to listen to this book

I love science, and I am particularly fascinated with relativity, its development, and its impact. That having been said, this audiobook was painful.

The author did not know whether he wanted to dumb down the science or play it straight. As a result, the book includes both rough analogies and numerous equations. If you want to have equations full of Greek letters with subscripts READ TO YOU, this is the book for you, but I would not recommend it.

Moreover, although the author endeavored to talk about the people involved in the development of relativity, I question the aspects he chose to describe at length. Personally, I do not care about which apartments Einstein occupied. I also thought the details about the expeditions to photograph eclipses to prove Einstein's general theory was excessive.

In addition, I felt the narration was very, very dry.

If you want to listen to an excellent book on science that is both well-written and well-presented, that explains the science in a clear, understandable, and witty fashion, and that recounts fascinating stories about the scientists who made the discoveries, get Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything" (unabridged) - skip "God's Equation."

This is not just for egg heads - its a great read

What an excellent piece of work. I can not recommend it enough. There have been paragraphs written about it already, so I can only put my own personal perspective on it. Giants of science are shown as people, with characters and doubts and misgivings about there conclusions and proofs. Your shown how they arrived at final deliberations. Although primarily about Einstein it touches on the lives and goings on of all them people around him. How they discussed with others and tried again in various ways to see if what they believed was true. How they reasoned there way out of logical dead ends. Its well written and well narrated. Is it just for egg heads?, well no. My wife enjoyed it all the way to Scotland and although a wonderful and charming woman, she is no boffin, and we still discuss its ideas at dinner now. Perhaps thats the best measure of any book, for it to live with you long after its been read. Well done Mr Aczel

More biography than science

I was somewhat disappointed with this book, although I am otherwise a fan of this author. I purchased the book hoping for a history of the most famous equation in physics, but found that it was a somewhat disjointed history of Einstein's struggle to develop general relativity. While the insights into Einstein as a person are interesting, approach this as biography, not science.

more biography than science

While some reviewers lament the the lack of scientific detail, "God's Equations" was never meant to be a physics textbook. Nor should the reader be misled by the title into thinking there is much theology here. What we have is a good historical overview of how the man who shaped modern science developed his theories.

Witty, engaging, fun, mind expanding

I have listened to the book twice and will listen again. Everytime I have listened I pick up some new ways to see things. I have a degree in Physics and this book added to my knowledge and understanding. It also creates a great picture of Einstein and other great scientist, making them all just as human as us.

I highly recommend this book.

Casting pearls before swine

Acceptable treatment of relativity theory, but the connection to "god" smacks of the dark ages.

Not for Mr. Average

I found the approach to this material a bit dry for my taste. I preferred "A Short Hostory of Almost Everything" which was thorough and accessible.

Interesting, but a little like a history book

There is a lot of academic citation in this book, and the first 18 minutes are mostly spent thanking sundry people who helped with the book. Finding out how Einstein's theories were developed then proven is interesting, but the author does not have a gift for storytelling. Instead, he faithfully records the events, complete with the requisite names that have nothing to do with the story, but are acknowledged nonetheless. I would not buy this audiobook again. I wanted more theory and explanation and less formal writing.

Tedious in the extreme

The only audio book I have not finished. The narrator has the most tedious monotone I have heard and the book lacks compelling narrative.