Entwurf einer verallgemeinerten Relativitätstheorie und einer Theorie der Gravitation. [Outline of a Generalized Theory of Relativity and of a Theory of Gravitation]

Leipzig and Berlin: Teubner, 1913. First edition. Original wrappers. Very Good. FIRST EDITION, COMMERCIAL OFFPRINT ISSUE, of Einstein's breakthrough work on general relativity: the famous "Entwurf" paper. "In this book, Einstein and Grossman investigated curved space and curved time as they relate to a theory of gravity. They presented virtually all the elements of the general theory of relativity with the exception of one striking omission: gravitational field equations that were not generally covariant. Einstein soon reconciled himself to this lack of general covariance through the 'hole argument,' which sought to establish that generally covariant gravitational field equations would be physically uninteresting. Einstein did not adopt the gravitational field equations until late in 1915 in his final formulations of the general theory. Here, Einstein contributed the physics and Grossman the mathematics" (Calaprice, The Einstein Almanac, 40). Weil 59a. Offprint from Zeitschrift für Mathematik und Physik, volume 62. Leipzig and Berlin: Teubner, 1913. Octavo, original wrappers; custom box. Pencil notation on title. Small chips at spine ends. An outstanding copy, without any of the cover-foxing so common with this issue.