This textbook fills a gap in the existing literature on general relativity by providing the advanced student with practical tools for the computation of many physically interesting quantities. The context is provided by the mathematical theory of black holes, one of the most successful and relevant applications of general relativity. Topics covered include congruences of timelike and null geodesics, the embedding of spacelike, timelike and null hypersurfaces in spacetime, and the Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formulations of general relativity.

《广义相对论(英文版)》内容简介：Einstein's general theory of relativity requires a curved space for the description of the physical world. If one wishes to go beyond a superficial discussion of the physical relations one needs to set up precise equations for handling curved space. There is a well-established but rather complicated mathematical technique that does this. It has to be mastered by any student who wishes to understand Einstein's theory.
This book is built up from a course of lectures given at the Physics Department of Florida State University and has the aim of presenting the indispensible material in a direct and concise form. It does not require previous knowledge beyond the basic ideas of special relativity and the handling of differentiations of field functions. It will enable the student to pass through the main obstacles of understanding general relativity with the minimum expenditure of time and trouble and to become qualified to continue more deeply into any specialized aspects of the subject that interest him.