Einstein: His Life and Universe

Einstein: His Life and Universe

Einstein: His Life and Universe

Details:

Walter Isaacson
Simon & Schuster

As a scientist, Albert Einstein is undoubtedly the most epic among 20th-century thinkers.
Albert Einstein as a man, however, has been a much harder portrait to paint, and what we
know of him as a husband, father, and friend is fragmentary at best. With Einstein: His Life
and Universe, Walter Isaacson (author of the bestselling biographies Benjamin Franklin and
Kissinger) brings Einstein's experience of life, love, and intellectual discovery into brilliant
focus. The book is the first biography to tackle Einstein's enormous volume of personal
correspondence that heretofore had been sealed from the public, and it's hard to imagine
another book that could do such a richly textured and complicated life as Einstein's the same
thoughtful justice. Isaacson is a master of the form and this latest opus is at once arresting
and wonderfully revelatory. --Anne Bartholomew

<br />In addition to being informative on the technical and personal aspects of his life,
the book described how he was not limited by the "usual", and was able to think "out of
the box" and not worry about what "others" thought of him. Many have had as much or
more ability than him, but I feel he was able to make his accomplishments because of
his creative, unlimited thought processes. <br /> <br />It was very inspirational to me.
Even without the innate ability Einstein had, how much can we all accomplish in any field
using his methods and imagination?

Walter Isaacson does a remarkable job of writing about Einstein in a compelling and
elegant way. Both the author and subject are equally interesting. I work as a Life Coach
and Business Coach and quote both Einstein and Isaacson regularly. This is a must
read and a real literary delight.

It's hard to determine who to admire more from reading this amazing book, <br />Einstein
or Isaacson. Isaacson's writing presents a very personal picture of the astonishing,
brilliant, and even surprising life of Mr. Einstein. The concepts of Einstein's Theory of
Special and General Relativity are challenging but understandable through the writing;
however, the many other sides of his life are also quite absorbing - highly dimensional,
just like his theories. An excellent read that bears repeating on a regular basis.

Very well-researched and thorough. Too science-heavy. Could have been better outlined
with appendices that go into the theories in depth. <br /> <br /> Will be appreciated more
by science students and historians than by the regular avid reader. Does not have the
narrative drive and hooks of McCullough's biographies.

I began reading this book the day I received it. I was particularly interested in the chapter:
Einstein's God, p.384. The greatest value of the book is its reflection of Einstein's larger
collection of his private papers, just released. Einstein was NOT an atheist; too much
order and design in the universe to be an atheist. But, he did not believe in a personal
God. I will be keeping this book by my side for years to come as a ready, authoritative
reference to the life of this legendary man.