General Relativity: The Essentials

‘General relativity is the most beautiful physical theory we have, and plays an increasingly central role in modern physics. Carlo Rovelli’s introduction is both concise and comprehensive, written by a master of exposition as well as of the material. I envy anyone encountering these ideas for the first time.’ Sean M. Carroll, Caltech; author of Spacetime and Geometry‘This book addresses general relativity at a more sophisticated level than in a popular-level account, emphasizing conceptual understanding and results over the mathematical details of a standard textbook. Most impressive is the author’s ability to distil important concepts into pithy statements illustrating deep physical insight. Rovelli’s concise book provides a solid grounding in the conceptual framework of general relativity as a starting point.’ Mike Guidry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; author of Modern General Relativity‘The book is interesting, well written, and fills an otherwise vacant niche. Recommended.’ Phillip Helbig, The Observatory‘Rovelli is a well-published author of popular and advanced physics books, primarily in loop quantum gravity. His latest effort is an introduction to Einstein’s general relativity, written with precision in the concise style for which he is acclaimed … Recommended.’ J. F. Burkhart, Choice Connect‘The book brims with surprising physical intuitions… but … also presents many technical, mathematical topics in their simplest possible form and then builds on them… It should be essential to those who want to understand where general relativity comes from and its conceptual core. It will also help serious students prepare for more mathematically difficult literature… Rovelli’s excitement about doing research at the edge of what is known is palpable. It provides students with a rare look into researchers’ ideas as they create them.’ Hal M. Haggard, Physics Today

Carlo Rovelli is Director of the Quantum Gravity group at the Centre de Physique Théorique of Aix-Marseille University; he also holds positions at the University of Western Ontario and the Perimeter Institute in Canada. Among his academic contributions in theoretical physics, he is best known as one of the formulators of Loop Quantum Gravity. He has written two monographs for Cambridge University Press, Quantum Gravity (2004) and (with Francesca Vidotto) Covariant Loop Quantum Gravity (2014). He is also the author of several international bestsellers in popular science such as Seven Brief Lessons on Physics (2016) and The Order of Time (2019).