First Steps in Space-Time

Reviews / Votes

This is a lovely book on one of the most profound theories of the modern physics. Ed Macaulay has taken an incredibly gentle approach to introducing the main concepts, using the bare essential of mathematics to construct the scaffolding of, what often seems like, bizarre phenomena which arise if one embraces the Special Theory of Relativity. The pacing is just right, one idea at a time, suitably backed up by a calculation and with the consequences clearly laid out. He takes pleasure in writing it clearly and concisely but is also inspired by the narrative style of another era making it a real pleasure to read.

- Professor Pedro Ferreira, University of Oxford, May 2025 (author of The Perfect Theory and The State of the Universe)

First Steps in Spacetime is a fantastic introduction to special relativity, and a must-read for anyone who wants to extend their knowledge beyond the popular science shelf without picking up a university textbook. Written clearly and compellingly, the book takes the reader on a journey of discovery, starting with simple observations and building to explain the momentous revelations that, at the start of the 20th Century, rocked physics to its core. Anyone looking to dig a little deeper into the science and maths behind relativity will find plenty to enjoy here. Very readable!

- Dr Matthew Bothwell, University of Cambridge, June 2025