The Foundations of Einstein’s Theory of Gravitation by Erwin Freundlich, preface by Albert Einstein

FREUNDLICH, Erwin; Albert EINSTEIN (preface). The Foundations of Einstein’s Theory of Gravitation. With a preface by Albert Einstein, PhD. London, Methuen & Co, 1924.

Second English edition, much revised and enlarged, of this important exposition of Einstein’s theory gravitation, retaining its rare dust jacket.

Translated from the original German by the Australian physicist Henry Brose, this edition features two essays by Brose and an introduction by the British astronomer Herbert Hall Turner. The first English edition, a slim 60-page pamphlet published in 1920, underwent significant expansion in the present second edition, effectively constituting a new book.

One of Einstein’s close collaborators, Erwin Freundlich (aka Erwin Finlay-Freundlich) was among the first scientists to grasp the implications of the theory of relativity for astronomy and to conduct empirical astronomical tests on Einstein’s theory of gravitation. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of the ‘Einstein Tower,’ an astrophysical observatory and laboratory near Potsdam, and was the first to introduce Einstein’s work to a broader audience.

Octavo, pp. xvi, 180; near fine in publisher’s grey-coloured cloth, spine lettered and ruled in black, front cover lettered in black within a single black fillet border, bottom edge untrimmed, printed dust jacket (extremities slightly worn, spine toned with residue from old sticker); City Book Agengy labe to front fly leaf.