Einstein: His Life and Universe

by Walter Isaacson

Book Overview

By the author of the acclaimed bestsellers Benjamin Franklin and Steve Jobs , this is the definitive biography of Albert Einstein. How did his mind work? What made him a genius? Isaacson's biography shows how his scientific imagination sprang from the rebellious nature of his personality. His fascinating story is a testament to the connection between creativity and freedom. Based on newly released personal letters of Einstein, this book explores how...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743264738
• ISBN13: 9780743264730
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 675 Pages
• Weight: 2.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 2.0" x 6.5" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

The Person of the XX Century

I always wanted to read a good biography of Albert Einstein. This is it. I read Isaacson's Benjamin Franklin biography and I loved it, so when this new Isaacson book was published, I knew I could not go wrong. I am not a scientist guy, so it is difficult for me to follow the explanations about the Physics in the book (specially the Quantum mechanics), but despite of that, the life of Einstein is so full of so many other interesting things, that this biography is a completely triumph. It is very difficult to write a book like that and please everyone. I could even say there are parts of the book that lack depth. For example, I don't recall Isaacson telling us about Einstein reaction to the Holocaust. Also, we have a lot of information about Einstein as a musician, playing the violin, and his love for Mozart. But we don't have a lot of information about Einstein's daily routine, like what he used to eat, if he liked to take walks, or ride a bike, how he used a handkerchief to protect his head from the sun, etc. Again, nothing is perfect and still Isaacson book is brilliant. By reading this book I've become very much interested to go beyond and learn some Physics. I've been asking to some colleagues of mine who teach Science in High School, but it seems they don't even undestand these theories themselves (which is pretty sad and also explains why our students' standards nowadays are so low). I might try the Einstein General and Specific Theory of Relativity book and see if I can understand it myself. I also went to Youtube and searched for videos about his theories and his life and I found some very interesting things. On the other hand, I also want to learn more about the Jews, which is something I've been trying to learn for so long because I am not Jewish but I have a huge respect and interest for their culture and history. Also funny, when I ask some of my Jewish friends about the creation of the State of Israel, and the conflict between Israel and Palestine, they politely avoid an answer by saying 'Oh! You need to ask someone else, because I don't know exactly how that happened ...' So again, I am going to have to learn it by myself. To finish with this review, the bottomline is this is a wonderful biography of Einstein that I strongly recommend to everyone. P.S. If you like my review vote YES. You can read all my other reviews if you wish to. I modestly write them to help people form an opinion about movies, music and books, but if nobody reads them (if you don't vote I do not know if you did) there is no point in writing them

Awesome book about a larger than life scientist...

Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson is an awesome book about a man who was larger than life. Did I understand all of it? Nope. But that didn't keep me from enjoying it immensely. Walter Isaacson is known for his well-researched and well-written biographies of great men, and he was aided by the discovery of many of Einstein's previously unknown private letters in 1986. After going through the basics, the author alternates between Einstein's personal life, his scientific work and his political beliefs. As a physicist, Einstein possessed a brilliant mind. In 1905, he published four new theories that would change science forever. An uninspired student in college, he was unable to get a teaching job upon graduation. Instead, he ended up working for the Swiss Patent Office. This actually proved beneficial as it allowed him extra time to work on his theories. A humble man, Einstein believed that "knowledge is limited" and that curiosity and imagination were responsible for his discoveries. Isaacson tries to explain these in an easy-to-understand manner, but I still found my eyes glazing over in spots. By the end of his career, Einstein was no longer the innovative rebel but instead, the more conservative sage of Princeton. As for Einstein's personal life, the newly discovered letters allow Isaacson to write in more detail about the famous scientist than any other biographer. This new treasure trove sheds new light on his first marriage to Meliva Maric. Einstein had complicated relationships with both wives and his two sons, and he didn't always treat them admirably. Yet, he was a very social man and had dozens of life-long relationships with other scientists and mathematicians. Einstein was described as "kind, good-natured, gentle and unpretentious." This quiet and unassuming man became our first celebrity scientist and hoards of fans flocked to see him. In these respects, Einstein was much like Ben Franklin--another one of Isaacson's subjects. Einstein had strong political beliefs. He was both a socialist and a strong pacifist. But Hitler and Nazi anti-Semitism caused him to not only abandon his native Germany but also, to throw his weight behind the war effort. Einstein also decried racism. When Marian Anderson came to Princeton in 1937 to perform, the Nassau Inn refused her a room. Einstein opened his Princeton home to her. Although Isaacson's biography is exhaustive, he leaves just a few questions unanswered. First, whatever happened to his house in Caputh, Germany after the war? I discovered on the internet that it has a fascinating history that I'm sure Isaacson's readers would enjoy. Also, I wonder how the advent of the computer might have changed Einstein's accomplishments. But these are only small issues in an almost perfect book. I was never very interested in Albert Einstein, but Isaacson has piqued my interest. He succeeds in bringing to life this "locksmith" who "knows that math is the lan

You Don't Have to be a Student of Physics to Enjoy this Book

In my experience, biographies of great scientists often leave the reader in a fog of technical complexity. While this book is not "Physics in One Simple Lesson," Walter Isaacson did a wonderful job of telling the story of the man and making the scientific aspects sufficiently understandable to be useful in grasping the magnitude of Einstein's intellect. This book is meticulously researched and sourced, yet written in a witty and entertaining way that makes reading it a pleasure. The central lesson that I was left with was the importance of independent thinking in any context. Einstein made it clear that conventional wisdom is often neither practical, nor wise. I was struck by his resiliance in his early years and his good humor in really tough times. I also appreciated the fact that the author was willing to examine all aspects of Eintein's personality, both favorable and unfavorable.

RADIANT BIOGRAPHY THAT HUMANIZES A GREAT MIND, WARTS AND ALL

If you, like me, think that the last thing you need is yet another treatise on a dead genius scientist with disheveled gray hair, while his Wikipedia entry just keeps swooning, well think again! This is a delightful romp through the many facets of his life, in the accessible vein of Richard Feynman. Isaacson doesn't blindly trump his subject's greatness, which would have been a convenient way to handle the daunting task of sketching someone of Einstein's color and magnitude. For the first time since Einstein's private archives were opened, we can fully assess the link between his private life and his scientific endeavors. Not surprisingly, they are connected and reflect similar convictions. Einstein was well and truly a maverick, and displayed the same disregard for everyday conventions that his theories bear upon conventional notions of time, space, and the order of the universe. His political letters reveal his almost unapologetic belief that no one should have to give up personal freedoms to support the state. One big question that neophytes such as myself would doubtless ask themselves before picking up anything on Einstein: "Will I learn anything about the theory of relativity?" The answer to that question is a very cheerful and resounding yes. I found the author's treatment of this aspect clear and comfortable, and while more scientifically inclined readers may lament the brevity of this discourse, I found it in favor of accessibility. Einstein lived through both the world wars, and as an important thinker of his time, he was inevitably embroiled in the political race to apply his equations to the creation of the atom bomb. I suppose the more sensitive readers will find these bits of the book contentious, as the impassioned commentary on this site will already demonstrate, but such are the vagaries of fame and influence. I found this a very balanced, affectionate portrait with an immensely charming man at its core. His letters even reveal a sense of humor! They bring to life the much-unknown man behind the much-lauded scientist, a man who was above all else an imaginative free thinker with an incredibly broad range of interests. For a lay reader who is not interested in splitting hairs over Einstein's sinister predilections or anything quite that theatrical, I wholeheartedly recommend this fantastic read. It's a bestseller for a very good reason.