We use cookies to make your experience better. By continuing to browse our site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn more.
Einstein: A Life in Science and Music by Brian Foster (Hardback)
£49.99
Available
Product Ref. (e.g. ISBN, SKU)
9780198794875
Published:
01 Dec 2025
Format:
Hardback
Number of pages:
688 pages
Dimensions:
246x171mm
Weight:
0.000kgs
Author:
This book is the first to explore in detail Einstein's passion for music. As well as physics, music played a dominant part in his life. By unearthing new details on his life in music, Foster throws a new light on the "annus mirabilis" of 1905 and the creation of General Relativity in the next decade.
Albert Einstein had two lifelong passions, physics and music: this is the story of Einstein's life told through these twin lenses. Thoughtfully and rigorously illustrating the ways in which Einstein's musical life and personal and scientific life were mutually influenced, this book illuminates new and different aspects of his complex personality. Throughout Eistein's life, music became an escape both from the intellectual demands of revolutionising twentieth-century science and from the social obligations and commitments in his personal life. Although the central theme of the book is Einstein's musical life, descriptions of his main contributions to physics, the special and general theories of relativity, are also given in terms understandable to those with no prior knowledge of physics or mathematics. Tracing his life through his formative years in Germany, his flight to Italy, and then education in Switzerland, the book goes on to cover his rise to eminence through the four papers written in his annus mirabilis of 1905 and the eclipse observations in 1919 which propelled him to world fame. Through the examination of Einstein's relationship with music, this book throws new light onto the personal and professional life of arguably the greatest of all scientists.
About the Author: Brian Foster obtained his D. Phil from Oxford in 1978. He then went on to lead the particle physics group at Bristol until 2003, subsequently returning to Oxford as head of Particle Physics from 2004 to 2011. In 2010 Foster was awarded an Alexander von Humboldt Professorship at the University of Hamburg/DESY. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Physics, Fellow of the Royal Society and was its Vice-President in 2018. In 2003, he won the Max Born Medal and was appointed OBE. He is Donald H. Perkins Professor Emeritus of Experimental Physics at Oxford and Emeritus Fellow of Balliol College.
| Number of pages | 688 |
|---|
We will despatch your order as quickly as we can. If, for whatever reason, a product is out of stock we will contact you to discuss the likely delivery time or an alternative product.
| First Item | 2 Items & Over | |
|---|---|---|
| UK | £3.75 | £5.00 |
| EU | £15.00 | £30.00 |
| USA & Canada | £30.00 | £50.00 |
| Rest of the World | £45.00 | £60.00 |
| Collect in Store | free | free |
Additional Delivery Information (and some really important bits):
UK Delivery
Orders for delivery in the UK are normally despatched by Royal Mail, using the RM 48 Tracked Service with most orders delivered to you within a few days of placing your order with us. For larger parcels, Courier and Signed For delivery services may be used. Signed Books are shipped in our specially made book mailing cartons, with the books themselves wrapped in paper to protect them. Sometimes we may ship your order in several parts, particularly if you have 'Pre-Order' titles in your order or titles which are held in stock with our publishing partners.
The Really Important Bit: Because we use tracked, courier and signed for delivery services, please use an address at which your parcel can be received during the normal working day, for example, you may want to have your order delivered to your work address if you're not at home during the day.
First Item @ £3.75 (sometimes a shipping supplement may be added for particularly heavy books or specific postcodes*)
2 Items & over @ £5.00 in total
Another Really Important Bit: There are a number of Postcodes in the UK for which we will need to charge a shipping supplement, this will be calculated once we know the size and weight of the shipment. For these orders we will contact customers to agree a suitable and economic method of shipping. There may also be additional time required for delivery to some areas of the United Kingdom. Where possible, we will ship book orders (under 2kg) by Royal Mail to all UK postcodes. Large multiple book orders and books over 2kg are often shipped via APC Overnight or similar, regardless of Postcode.
Overseas Delivery
Shipments to EU countries:
First Item @ £15.00 (sometimes a shipping supplement will be added for particularly heavy books)
2 Items & over @ £30.00 in total
A really, really important Brexit bit: From 1st January 2021 shipments to EU addresses may incur additional costs which could be requested by Fed Ex at the time of delivery. These costs may vary from country to country and are not within our control and will be in addition to the costs paid to us for your delivery. If in any doubt, please check with your local Fed Ex office what, if any, additional costs will be applicable to your order - https://www.fedex.com
From 1st July 2021, VAT will be applicable to those EU countries where VAT is applied to books - this additional charge will be collected by Fed Ex (or the Royal Mail) at the time of delivery.
Shipments to the USA & Canada:
First Item @ £30.00
2 Items & over @ £50.00 in total
Shipments to the Rest of the World:
First Item @ £45.00
2 Items & over @ £60.00 in total
All overseas orders are shipped using a 'signed for' courier service - please provide an address at which your parcel can be signed for on receipt. We use the same packaging materials for our overseas deliveries as we do those in the UK. In some cases, particularly large and heavy books, or books being shipped to remote areas, may incur an additional shipping charge - if this is the case with your order, we'll notify you as quickly as possible of these charges and to arrange the additional payment. You can of course cancel your order with an immediate refund should you not wish to accept these additional costs. Shipments to overseas territories may incur additional Duty & Tax costs which could be requested by Fed Ex at the time of delivery. These costs may vary from country to country and are not within our control and will be in addition to the costs paid to us for your delivery. If in any doubt, please check with your local Fed Ex office what, if any, additional Tax & Duty costs will be applicable to your order - https://www.fedex.com
Collect in Person at Coles Books
We're open Monday - Saturday, 9:00am - 5:30pm. If you're collecting your order, please wait until you get the text, phone call or email from us, just to be on the safe side and to ensure we have your order ready for you on arrival (we'll use the contact information provided during checkout). Not everything on our website is available for immediate collection, please do wait for the text, call or email - if time is of the essence, we'd suggest you call us on 01869 320779 and check availability prior to placing your order. You can pick up your order from the till, please bring a copy of your email receipt (electronic or printed is fine).
Coming by Car
If you're coming to Coles by car, why not take advantage of the 2 hours free parking at Sainsbury's Pioneer Square - just follow the signs for Pioneer Square as you drive into Bicester and park in the multi-storey car park above the supermarket. Come down the travelators, exit Sainsbury's, turn right and follow the pedestrianised walkway to Crown Walk and turn right - and Coles will be right in front of you. You don't need to shop in Sainsbury's to get the free parking!
Where to Find Us
Coles Books
22 Crown Walk
Pioneer Square
Bicester, Oxfordshire
OX26 6HY, United Kingdom
It was the most impressive packaging that I have EVER SEEN!!! The books were in perfect condition!!!!!
Super fast delivery and well packaged. Quality item and service!