Relativistic cosmology has in recent years become one of the most active and exciting branches of research, often considered to be today where particle physics was forty years ago, with major discoveries just waiting to happen. Consequently the part most affected by this second edition is the last part on cosmology. But there are additions, improvements, and new exercises throughout. The book's basic purpose is unchanged. It is to make relativity come alive conceptually, and to display the grand theoretical edifice that it is, with consequences in many branches of physics. The emphasis is on the foundations, on the logical subtleties, and on presenting the necessary mathematics - including differential geometry and tensors - but always as late and in as palatable a form as possible. Aided by over 300 exercises, the book seeks to promote an in-depth understanding, and the confidence to tackle any basic problem in relativity.

Introduction
1: From absolute space and time to influenceable spacetime: an overview
Part I: Special Relativity
2: Foundations of special relativity; the Lorentz transformation
3: Relativistic kinematics
4: Relativistic optics
5: Spacetime and four-vectors
6: Relativistic particle mechanics
7: Four-tensors; electromagnetism in vacuum
Part II: General Relativity
8: Curved spaces and the basic ideas of general relativity
9: Static and stationary spacetimes
10: Geodesics, curvature tensor, and vacuum field equations
11: The Schwarzschild metric
12: Black holes and Kruskal space
13: An exact plane gravitational wave
14: The full field equations; de Sitter space
15: Linearized general relativity
Part III: Cosmology
16: Cosmological spacetimes
17: Light propagation in FRW universes
18: Dynamics of FRW universes

Wolfgang Rindler , Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Dallas

Professor Wolfgang Rindler Department of Physics The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX 75083-0688 USA

`Rindler's writing is elegant, yet compact and logically precise. ... this book should be on the shelf of all who are intrigued by the startling modern advances in our understanding of space and time. ' American Journal of Physics

`An outstanding introductory treatise by one of the masters of the subject, this book belongs to the shelves of every physics library. ' Foundations of Physics

`... a self-contained and balanced work. Every sentence hits home, and no word is superfluous. Each chapter ends with a set of well-chosen and instructive exercises. ... it exposes the reader to the physics with inspiring and occasionally surprising arguments. ... a totally successful textbook and a must for all who study special and general relativity.' Physik Journal

`... a first-class presentation of the intellectual glory of the first century of relativity.' Times Higher Education Supplement