Cheap NOVA: Einstein's Big Idea (DVD) Price

Related Products

Customer Reviews of NOVA: Einstein's Big Idea

What Every Documentary Should Be
EINSTEIN'S BIG IDEA is an absolutely fabulous documentary. This film truly sets the standard for NOVa and makes me lament the fact that more programming isn't done like this. If only the amount of money that goes into general programming went into PBS. That would be something else. <
> <
>But enough of my own ridiculous desires. EINSTEIN'S BIG IDEA chronicles some of the most fascinating scientific work that has been done in the last couple of centuries. It is an idea so big that its implications have been vast, not just within the fields of science & mathematics, but in our society and culture at large. NOVA also shows how Einstein's achievement was not the happy accident we often see it as. Instead, this documentary seeks to situate his discovery by exploring the lives of other pioneers in related fields, richly filling out the personal lives of these scientists and, above all, situating their achievements in a rich history and context. <
> <
>In the end, EINSTEIN'S BIG IDEA accomplishes two goals. First, I came away from the program with a bunch of ideas and information swimming in my head, the result of handing me the information in a digestible format. Second, I was entertained throughout the entire program. It truly didn't feel like I was learning--I was being entertained. <
> <
>If only I could go back and replace some of the boring school films I had to watch in middle/high school with the sharp work of NOVA. It would have been a treat! If you haven't seen the excellent NOVA lineup, I suggest that you remedy it with a liberal dose! Happy viewing!

---

Einstein's Big Idea -- a masterpiece of a documentary
What's most impressive about this story is the presentation of science as a human endeavor, undertaken by people who struggle with issues of class, gender, politics and ego, just like the rest of the world does. It's a bit reminiscent of the James Burke "Connections" programs PBS ran years ago in that each element of the famous equation (E=mc2) has a fascinating story behind it involving fascinating people. This is groundbreaking work for NOVA, and I hope it indicates that more programs of this quality are in their production pipeline.