Book Description

Already climbing the bestseller lists-and garnering rave reviews-this "little masterpiece"* sheds brilliant light on the equation that changed the world.

"This is not a physics book. It is a history of where the equation [E=mc2] came from and how it has changed the world. After a short chapter on the equation's birth, Bodanis presents its five symbolic ancestors in sequence, each with its own chapter and each with rich human stories of achievement and failure, encouragement and duplicity, love and rivalry, politics and revenge. Readers meet not only famous scientists at their best and worst but also such famous and infamous characters as Voltaire and Marat...Bodanis includes detailed, lively andfascinating back matter...His acknowledgements end, 'I loved writing this book.' It shows." (The Cleveland Plain Dealer)

"E=mc2, focusing on the 1905 theory of special relativity, is just what itssubtitle says it is: a biography of the world's most famous equation, and it succeeds beautifully. For the first time, I really feel that I understand the meaning and implications of that equation, as Bodanis takes us through each symbol separately, including the = sign...there is a great 'aha!' awaiting the lay reader." (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

"'The equation that changed everything' is familiar to even the most physics-challenged, but it remains a fuzzy abstraction to most. Science writer Bodanis makes it a lot more clear." (Discover)

"Excellent...With wit and style, he explains every factor in the world's most famous and least understood equation....Every page is rich with surprising anecdotes about everything from Einstein's youth to the behind-the-scenes workings of the Roosevelt administration. Here's a prediction: E=mc2 is one of those odd, original, and handsomely written books that will prove more popular than even its publisher suspects." (Nashville Scene)

"You'll learn more in these 300 pages about folks like Faraday, Lavoisier, Davy and Rutherford than you will in many a science course...a clearly written, astonishingly understandable book that celebrates human achievement and provides some idea of the underlying scientific orderliness and logic that guides the stars and rules the universe."(Parade )

"Bodanis truly has a gift for bringing his subject matter to life." (Library Journal [starred review] )

"Entertaining...With anecdotes and illustrations, Bodanis effectively opens up E=mc2 to the widest audience." (Booklist )

"Accessible...he seeks, and deserves, many readers who know no physics. They'll learn a handful-more important, they'll enjoy it, and pick up a load of biographical and cultural curios along the way." (Publishers Weekly)

... Read more

Reviews (75)

Science is great, history is not
I would give him five stars for his comprehensible explanation of the physics and the time he spent thinking of metaphors for the equation that make its effects understandable. However, his portraits of figures like Oppenheimer and Heisenberg are way off--extreme readings of uncited evidence that is frankly in conflict with both the historical record and the way that contemporary historians interpret it. Heisenberg was NOT a convinced Nazi--he was a German nationalist. There's a difference. Oppenheimer's personality problems were not at the basis of his later exclusion from further government nuclear research--his communist sympathies were the reason. Bodanis makes Teller sound like a crazy and not like the venerable scientist he was. What's sad about all of these misportraits is that they cast doubt on things I want to believe, about Lise Meitner and Celia Payne, for example. Read with care, and compare to a real book about the Manhattan Project (like Richard Rhodes' "Making of the Atomic Bomb") before you swallow this picture whole. For a much more balanced picture of some of the personalities involved that includes a readable account of the science, check out Freeman Dyson's "Disturbing the Universe."

A bumpy ride through Relativity
This is a mildly eccentric book on Relativity. David Bodanis claims at the start that he won't be talking about physics and Einstein --- he's just going to tell you about The Famous Equation. But once he's done with the first chapter, which goes through the basic principles of the equation step-by-step, he gets into physics and Einstein. He loses his focus quickly, but he's always entertaining.

Bodanis loves colorful anecdotes about physicists, the art of discovery, contributions by neglected scientists (primarily women), and the prospect of the Nazis building an atomic bomb. It's this last topic that weakens the book. Frankly, the Nazis never came close to building an atomic bomb. Yes, they would have had a Fat Man or a Little Boy if they built reactors and had heavy water and understood the physics and had a team of scientists working on it and they tested it. But they didn't have any of it. "Might have" doesn't cut it.

The second half of this book is made up of biographies of scientists and extensive footnotes. Bodanis makes good use of the notes, giving you plenty of sources and a lot of additional information. His personal interests are on full display here, as he mentions whatever concept or story that the footnoted information triggers in his mind. It's fun to read, although it does tend to wander.

I recommend this book to anyone who's read a little bit about Relativity. It's a useful refresher, an eccentric view of the topic that will keep your interest. If you've never read about Relativity, try Gribbin and White's biography of Einstein first --- or, better yet, Richard Wolfson's book on Relativity (which is still the best).

Reading this book requires E.
The simple equation having only 5 symbols is deep in meaning. It took the genious of Einstein to put the equation together way back in 1905 - - - What E found was: Energy equals mass when you accelerate mass to the speed of light squared. That's 670,000,000 mph times itself.
C stands for 'celeritis' in latin and it means, 'swiftness.' C squared is 448,900,000,000,000,000 mph!
No speedometer exists on Earth that can travel that fast! WOW!
Einstein knew that energy could naturally transform itself into mass under specific and unique condtions.
The equation was published in 1905 and essentially remained dormant and untested until the war.
Then it became a horrifying reality that Einstein himself wished he never uncovered all those years ago.
Other scientists converged their great minds together in a think tank called the Manhatten Projet, and the world changed for the worse --- upon their nuclear discoveries.
Did Fat Boy really need to do what he did?
NEVER! THe controversy broils to this day.
It is so strange to contemplate that in the pool of the most intelligent men on Earth, not a one of them was smart enough to forsee the evil that they created.
Like the saying goes, "You can lead a man to wisdom, but you can't make him think."
None of them thought about what this nuclear power could do when left in terrorist grips.
This book tells the story behind the famous little equation.
Einstein did play a part in developing nuclear arsonel, even though he later denied he encouraged it.
Please see his letter to President FDR on pages 117 - 18.
The reader is left to draw thier own conclusions on that.
Regardless of the controversy, I read this book and must give it my highest recommendations to all who ever wondered what this equation means. It's deep but not complex.
It's complex but not inaccessable by average minds.
What's really chilling is reading what is not said in between the lines of this book.
Could we have avoided the discovery of the Atomic bomb?
Imagine our world without it.....and to think, the Germans weren't all that close to uncovering the secret behind the destruction.
This is a good book about E = mc 2.
Read it and learn that all discoveries have a dark side.

meandering history of relativity
In this slim and easy-to-read volume, David Bodanis gives us a meandering history of relativity. First, he looks at each of the individual pieces of the equation (even the equals sign gets its own chapter). Then, he builds up a discussion of other relevant work that led to Einstein's famous equation. He next discusses its applications. The book closes with an immense amount of back matter, including the footnotes and suggested further reading on the topic.

This book is not for physics students who are already intimately familiar with the requisite mathematics and physics. It is intended for a general audience that probably can't remember calculus (or was never introduced to it in the first place). Bodanis engages in a bit of handwaving to make the more difficult parts easier to accept; in general, he acknowledges this. I can't fault him for this decision, although the mathematician in me occasionally found it a bit frustrating.

Make sure that you read the footnotes! It's not necessary to flip back and forth between the main text and the footnotes, but at least read them when you've reached the end of the chapter. Scan past the ones that are simply listing the source material, and read the ones that are longer. There's a lot of great information to be found in those footnotes that doesn't quite fit into the main text. Some of it tells you a bit about what was going through the author's mind when he wrote his book, other material elaborates on what is in the book.

Also, read through the list of suggested readings. It's like getting book recommendations from a well-read friend. The suggestions are thorough, insightful, and often entertaining.

Transforming human mass into energy for good
It is easy to think of technology in the context of hard science and with the intellect. Bodanis gives lay readers an appropriate level of insight about how math and science evolved through several hundred years to propel our species toward the elegant equation that changed the world. This historical journey enlivens many forgotten but critical thinkers who made it possible for a restive patent clerk to make the essential creative leap into the intellectual unknown. But this book accomplishes something else, even greater. The author's brilliant chapter describing in micro-second details the detonation of the atomic bomb over Hiroshima creates a powerful, sobering perspective of this fearsome technology and dispassionately reminds all of us of the threats looming. The author uses his beloved science to bring into searing perspective the human face of thermonuclear war. The power to manipulate the atom has the capacity for good in medicine and other human advancements, but it is also a power capable of planetary destruction. It is wise for lay readers to understand E=MC2 beyond science. Our survival is at stake. ... Read more

Book Description

Everyone has heard of Albert Einstein-but what exactly did he do? How much do kids really know about Albert Einstein besides the funny hair and genius label? For instance, do they know that he was expelled from school as a kid? Finally, here's the story of Albert Einstein's life, told in a fun, engaging way that clearly explores the world he lived in and changed. ... Read more

Book Description

Albert Einstein, among the greatest scientists of all time, was also a man of profound thought and deeply humane feelings. His collected essays offer a fascinating and moving look at one of the twentieth century's leading minds.

Covering a fifteen year period from 1934 to 1950, the contents of this book have been drawn from Einstein's articles, addresses, letters and assorted papers. Through his words, you can understand the man and gain his insight on social, religious, and educational issues. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Good Collection of Einstein's Thoughts
This is not a book of mathematic formulas or theoretical physics concepts, it is a book of short essays by Albert Einstein on life, freedom, and some aspects of science. This book really gives us a look into the life of Albert Einstein. Not only was he a great physicist, but he was also a great thinker and a person. This is a truly remarkable read.

Perfect for Travel, Quick Reads
Out of my Later Years is a collection of Einstein's speeches and articles covering not just physics but his thoughts on the social condition of man, of Jews, and of war as well as several speeches about the likes of Max Planck, Mahatma Gandhi, and Marie Curie.

As letters and speeches, these are written as the ordinary man that Einstein once was - very easy to read and understand. Even some of the physics lectures are understandable. Each is relatively short making this perfect for when you want to read something of substance but don't have much time.

The sections on Public Affairs are especially haunting as Einstein presents his arguments for the "global village" and advocated someting akin to the current U.N. - things that began to come into their own after his passing. In particular, there is an interchange between him and a group of Communist scientists that underlines the Cold War tension in its height and is a chilling read now in the Post Soviet Union age.

A different man
I found Einstein's desire to start a rock band at such an early age very surprising. A man before his time for sure. Singing about relativity while distancing himself from the groupies must have been difficult. The book reads like a good guitar riff, jolting one's mind from time to time. Excellent! ... Read more

Book Description

The name of Albert Einstein has become synonymous with supreme wisdom and benignity. Not only was he responsible for the fundamental remapping of our understanding of the physical cosmos, he also left a legacy of outspokenness on the crucial moral, political, and religious issues of the twentieth century. Drawing on an unprecedented number of sources, Albrecht F|lsing throws into fresh relief the remarkable life of Einstein, approaching the man through the science and situating him in the creatively charged times in which he thrived.Albert Einstein is both an engaging portrait of a genius and a distillation of scientific thought. F|lsing sheds light on Einstein's development and the complexity of his being: his childhood idiosyncrasies, his views on war and peace, his stimulating friendships with colleagues, and his intense relationships with women. This is a serious yet highly readable and intimate account of the genius who expanded our understanding of nature and of the singular man who played such an exceptional role in the cultural growth of this century. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Breathtaking Imagination
At the height of Einstein's career it was joked that only about a dozen people in the entire world actually understood the master's theory of relativity, which leads to the question of whether we mere mortals should even attempt this 882-page tome. The answer is a resounding yes. Albrecht Holsing never forgets that he is writing a biography, not a physics text. The result is a colorful biography of a learning disabled civil servant with perhaps the most fertile imagination in the history of science. Holsing's Einstein is a man without a country, an unabashed lover, an avowed pacifist, a born-again Zionist, bon vivant and alleged subversive. And yes, smart and eccentric as hell.

Between 1905 and 1920 Einstein, a patent claims inspector, produced a series of papers on the subject of physics so outlandish that the world collectively gasped. Put simply, Einstein postulated connections between dimensions that had been considered unbridgeable until his day. He was not a scientist in the way we traditionally think of the discipline. He was in reality a science fiction writer who challenged the white coats to prove he was wrong. Most of the time they could not, to their own amazement. And when they did, he seemed to delight even more. God, he remarked, may be mysterious, but never malevolent. For Einstein the universe was a playground.

Einstein enjoyed wonderful timing. By 1900 the telescope and the microscope had been perfected to the point that the bigness and the smallness of the natural world began crashing into the complacency of Newtonian physics and Euclidean geometry. Einstein, whose own spacial-temporal development was delayed until early adulthood, began to play with possibilities. Is the universe so big that the traditional absolute theorems of geometry might be disproved? Consider the classic geometric postulate that two parallel lines will stretch into infinity without ever touching. Einstein dared to question such a basic law in several ways: if the universe itself is not linear but perhaps curved, the lines would eventually meet. And second, what influence would gravitation play upon these two lines? It was these daring interplays of factors that set Einstein apart and led to his famous speculations about relationships between mass, time, and energy.

It is a credit to Holsing that he is able to describe Einstein's mental journeys as lucidly as he does. This is not to say there is no hard work required. Einstein had a hand in nearly all branches of physics, including optics, electricity, and radiation, and he was in constant dialogue with other noted thinkers of his age, including Niels Bohr and Max Planck. For an older reader unfamiliar with quantum physics, the scientific debates over the nature of light may as well be written in Vulcan. Be that as it may, the faithful reader will probably take away enough science to be dazzled and deeply impressed when Einstein's most audacious speculation-that light is bent by gravitational pull-is dramatically proven during a total eclipse of the sun in 1918.

For all practical purposes, Einstein's creative career ended around 1920, the same time he began to attract respectable university and lecture fees. The years between 1920 and 1955 are remarkable in their own way: Einstein became one of the world's most recognized celebrities in an era of renewed interest in popular science. Like many celebrities he grumbled about the distractions but rarely missed a good dinner. Universities that hired the grand thinker after 1920 did so at their own risk: Einstein traveled widely and allowed his life to be governed by the Muse of creativity. He spent three decades working unsuccessfully to eliminate mathematical kinks from his general theory of relativity. [Ironically, since 1995 astronomical discoveries of the magnitude of dust and gas in the universe have tended to smooth out the rough edges of the relativity theory.]

Although he lived and worked in Germany for many years, Einstein carried a deep-seated suspicion of German militarism. He was disillusioned with the conduct of most of his scientific colleagues during World War I, and he was early to see the direction of Nazi policy. Relocating to Princeton, New Jersey, he lived the final two decades of his life in the United States. As Folsing tells it, the United States government kept Einstein at arm's length, perhaps due to a 1930 speech in which he remarked that if as few as 2% of a nation's draftees refused to serve, its military force would crumble. The speech made Einstein an icon among pacifists, and "2%" buttons became popular leftist items throughout the 1930's. Given Einstein's political leanings, it is one of history's better fortunes that Franklin Roosevelt took seriously Einstein's warnings about German development of a fission bomb. However, Einstein was considered too much of a security risk to be considered for the Manhattan Project and was systematically excluded from any information about the project.

Folsing chronicles the struggles of Einstein's two marriages and the somewhat flagrant adulteries of his middle years. Contrary to popular belief, Einstein was in fact a handsome and captivating younger man. It was only in later years that hygiene and fashion tended to deteriorate, perhaps as a statement of sorts to his prim Princeton neighbors. Folsing captures Einstein's wit: once, when the mayor of his town apologized for sewerage fumes from a treatment plant wafting toward the Einstein residence, the good scientist confessed that on occasion he had "returned the compliment."

Gets his life right, but the science is too dense for me
Albert Einstein led an interesting life, from his beginnings as a mathematical prodigy, to his heyday when he popularized physics, to his old age where his status as a living legend afforded him many opportunities. Folsing does a great job detailing Einstein the man in each of these sections. Generally he uses Einstein's own writings, either in letters or in papers, a technique that some find off-putting but I found useful and relevant.

Two things about this book, though, did trouble me. First, it was overlong. There were some sections that felt either redundant or padded, and did little to provide further insight into Einstein the man. Second, the physics explanations went over my head. As a layman, I wasn't expecting a dumbed-down approach meant to pander to the dimmest of readers. I do have some math background, and usually take to the subject easily. But Folsing never gave me a chance. I went in hoping for some comprehensible explanations regarding the special and general theories of relativity, but got nothing more than page after page of jargon that assumed plenty of prior knowledge. Even an explanation of why they (along with the equation "E=mc2") received critical and popular acclaim was missing.

Now, I'm willing to concede that something got lost in the translation, for the book was originally written in German. Folsing is by trade a physicist, and later a science journalist, so should know his stuff and have the skills needed for concise explanation. I suppose it was enough to ask that he attempt to share some of his knowledge of Einstein's science, while making Einstein's life a gripping and interesting tale.

A wonderful biography of a twentieth century giant..
This is the BEST biography of Einstein that I have read. The writing style is 'European' in that all dimensions of Einstein are explored and referenced. A strong point of this biography is the extensive research and documentation that backs up the text. Einstein's life in science AND out of it are explored thoroughly. My only quibble is that the quality of pictures in the text is shoddy. I have the Penguin edition. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. If you want a quick superficial biography try Banesh Hoffman's Einstein (still in print?). If you want a fairly good biography I recommend Denis Brian's Einstein. If you want a very precise and detail biography get this one and enjoy!

An interesting and detailed book.
I felt that this was a first rate reference guide, but as a novel it was lacking in readability. The science and history aspect was outstanding but because of the way it was written and the layout it was difficult to follow at times despite its accuracy. Another problem was that there was too much detail and some chapters seemed to perpetually drag on. Even though it got monotonus at times I learned much about Einstein as a person and his accomplishments other than the famous ones such as relativity and light quanta principiles. All in all despite some problems it was an informative and facinating book and I enjoyed reading it.

whoa!
way to much information. it was good and all but it had too much info and was a slow read. i didn't liek it too much. too much info! ... Read more

Book Description

When he was born in 1879, Albert was a peculiarly fat baby with an unusually big and misshaped head. When he was older, he hit his sister, frustrated his teachers, and had few friends. But Albert"s strange childhood also included his brilliant capacity for puzzles and problem solving: the mystery of a compass"s swirling needle, the intricacies of Mozart"s music, the secrets of geometry—set his mind spinning with ideas. In fact, Albert Einstein"s ideas were destined to change the way we know and understand the world and our place in the universe. In spare, precise text filled with graceful detail and accompanied by sometimes humorous, sometimes lonely portraits, Don Brown introduces us to the less than magnificent beginnings of an odd boy out. The result is a tender rendering of the adventures of growing up for one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great book
This was an ultimate book about Einstein's life. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An Informative Book
This book is very informative. It is a great way to find information about Albert Einstein. I wrote a wonderful report using the information in this book. It explains his theorys of relativity in a simple understandable way.

Inspiring introduction to Einstein's Genius
Mc Pherson's well written biography of Einstein is sure to please young readers in their quest for knowledge. Its photographs are excellent in content and placement, and the text is superb. A must-read for anyone with children who wants them to appreciate this great man, deemed TIME's "Person of the Century" ... Read more

Book Description

Albert Einstein's brain floats in a Tupperware bowl in a gray duffel bag in the trunk of a Buick Skylark barreling across America. Driving the car is journalist Michael Paterniti. Sitting next to him is an eighty-four-year-old pathologist named Thomas Harvey, who performed the autopsy on Einstein in 1955 -- then simply removed the brain and took it home. And kept it for over forty years.

On a cold February day, the two men and the brain leave New Jersey and light out on I-70 for sunny California, where Einstein's perplexed granddaughter, Evelyn, awaits. And riding along as the imaginary fourth passenger is Einstein himself, an id-driven genius, the original galactic slacker with his head in the stars. Part travelogue, part memoir, part history, part biography, and part meditation, Driving Mr. Albert is one of the most unique road trips in modern literature. ... Read more

Reviews (84)

Just another book about a guy with a brain in his trunk
Michael Paterniti came upon a great idea, to write about his cross-country trip with Thomas Harvey, the man who autopsied Albert Einstein and then stole his brain, keeping it in his basement for fifty years. Much of this book is entertaining: meeting up with Harvey's various lady friends, visiting the bizarre William S. Burroughs months before his death, eating in truck stops, Paterniti rambling to strangers having Einstein's brain in the back of his Buick Skylark.

DRIVING MR. ALBERT is no ON THE ROAD, however. This book is a long-winded magazine article, stuffed with sidetrips and a light biography of Albert Einstein. Paterniti never truly has a meeting of minds with Harvey; he does not develop a friendship or any kind of trust. Paterniti is merely the driver, Harvey a spectacularly unusual character along for the ride.

Paterniti thanks a friend in his acknowledgments for pulling him back from precipices of metaphor, though it's obvious the friend didn't pull at him enough -- Paterniti still goes over the edge a few times, sprinkling the text with phrases such as "big as the cosmos" and "we drove down the highway like neurons racing through the brain."

Pacing is a problem as well. The backstory of Einstein's life is not well integrated into the book, taking us on day trips to nowhere. Paterniti has obviously researched this book well, but has merely inserted others' paraphrased words wholesale.

I love road trips, especially with cerebral passengers, but I was ready to bail on this one somewhere between Lawrence, Kansas, and Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Relative Review 84
I personally enjoyed this story of 2 unlikely road trip companions who travel across America with Albert Einstein's brain in the trunk of their rented Buick. I think some of the people reviewing it here on Amazon take it and themselves a little too seriously.

It was quirky and fun and sweet all at the same time. Included is a light biography of Einstein and the bizarre events that took place after his death concerning his brain. Even a little Relativity is thrown in. This is not a serious book and shouldn't be approached as one. I don't think it is one of the great books of our time, but it did provide an interesting escape.

I started readng it, thinking it was fiction, only to discover it is for the most part a factual account. I found it to be the perfect read while I was cruising around the Caribbean on my honeymoon. Anyone who is interested in this subject matter and doesn't already know much about it should pretty much feel the same way. Enjoy!

You can tell he writes for Esquire
This book is just one long-winded Esquire article...a topic with a catchy enough premise to suck you in, words that are put together well enough that you don't put it down immediately after picking it up, but in the end, it goes absolutely nowhere. There's no attempt to get to the heart of ANYTHING...the "brain keeper" his acquaintances, or the author's relationship with his wife, Sara.

Not great
The book is just OK. A friend told me that inspired by the success of this project, the author got a job as a Federal Baggage Screener to write an expose of this profession (although he claims that he just wanted to be a Federal Baggage Screener), and has been doing the rounds of TV interviews (CNN, FOXNews(unfair and biased), Nickelodeon, etc) to boost sales. He's been attacked by some of the interviewers for not being straight about his intentions to write an expose (but he claims that he just wanted to be a Federal Baggage Screener.) Does anyone else know if this is correct?

In the words of Sybil Fawlty, "Pretentious, moi?"
As another reviewer has pointed out, "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" this book ain't.

The writer's understanding of even basic physics seems very limited (this is evident from how confused his physics based metaphors are), let alone whether he understands anything at all about relativity. If you are tempted to read this book because you think that it will offer a readable introduction to relativity - don't because it won't. The reviewers who have said that the book offers an introduction to relativity must be as confused as the writer is. I have the suspicion that the number of stars given by the reviewer is inversely proportional to the amount of physics which the reviewer understands.

The main flaw of this book however is how contrived it is. In this respect it is deeply disappointing, as the further I got into the book, the deeper was my feeling of hurt at being conned by this writer. Persevering with reading the book is like persevering with cultivating a relationship with an absolute liar and is deeply upsetting in this regard. You feel like reaching out to grab them and implore them, "Just tell the truth." I know nothing about writing, and have not attended graduate school in creative writing as has the author, but surely the first thing that a writer must do is develop his own voice which is an honest voice, and not a phony voice. Most of the incidents relayed in the book appear to be manufactured merely for inclusion in a book about travelling across America with Einstein's brain in the trunk - to be quirky and to boost sales.

The most enjoyable and least phony passages are towards the beginning of the book concerning the author's time spent at graduate school where he met Sara and his trips across country as a teenager and a 23 year old. After this, the mask comes up in front of his face and we step into the realm of "contrived quirkiness," presumably in the interests of sales. Perhaps "zany" sells, and it is probably easier to sell books by fooling the customer than by actually writing something of some enduring value. The many good reviews on this web site seem to me to be a testament to this fact.

All of this is to say nothing about the despicable act which the physician Harvey committed in stealing the brain out of a corpse. To employ my own physics based metaphor, there is a certain wave-particle duality between the dishonesty exhibited by Harvey in his actions (whatever his intentions were) and the actions of getting a magazine contract, then a book contract, then going on the trip (in a car paid for by the publishers) and then pushing the manuscript on those unsuspecting readers out there across America, who are waiting to lap up "zany" (whatever the intentions of the writer were.)

I'm with the school kid who asked the physician Harvey, "What's the point?" Ultimately, an exercise in pretentious and dishonest babbling, and I will be glad to be finished with the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Abraham Pais's 'Subtle is the Lord...' is the definitive biography of Albert Einstein. Timothy Ferris, in The New York Times Book Review, called it "the biography of Einstein he himself would have liked best," adding that "it is a work against which future scientific biographies will be measured." As a respected physicist himself, Pais was the first biographer to give Einstein's thinking its full due, and as a close friend and associate of Einstein, he could provide an intimate, first-hand account of the life of this great scientist. The result was a national bestseller. Indeed, it was one of The New York Times's Best Books of the Year, and the winner of the 1983 American Book Award for Science.

Now, Pais turns his attention to the great physicist's life outside of science, with an informal, almost kalaidoscopic portrait of Einstein--his personal life and his public persona ("my mythical namesake who has made my life so burdensome"), his scientific contributions, and his thoughts on religion, philosophy, and politics, on Israel and Zionism, on the rise of Nazism and McCarthyism, and on much more. Pais offers a candid look at Einstein's troubled personal life--his two failed marriages, his first child Lieserl, who was born out of wedlock (and of whom all trace has vanished), his estranged son Hans Albert, also a scientist, who felt his father had abandoned the family, and his son Eduard, who gradually descended into madness. Of course, any book on Einstein must touch upon science, and Pais includes several illuminating chapters, one of which offers general readers an accessible explanation of relativity, and another traces the long road to Einstein's Nobel Prize (after being nominated almost every year from 1909 to 1920, he finally won in 1921--not for relativity, but for his work on the photoelectric effect). On the lighter side, Pais includes samples from Einstein's "curiosity file," in which he kept crank letters, marriage proposals, hate mail (one began "You are the prince of idiocy, the count of imbecility, the duke of cretinism, the baron of morons"), and the like. But the heart of the book is the final section, where Pais traces Einstein's life as seen through the media. Here we not only meet Einstein the living legend--receiving the keys to New York City from flamboyant Mayor Jimmy Walker, attending the Hollywood premier of City Lights with Charlie Chaplin--but also witness his extensive involvement in the issues of his day. Much of his commentary is amazingly prescient. In 1933, he said of Nazism: "I cannot understand the passive response of the whole civilized world to this modern barbarism. Does the world not see that Hitler is aiming for war?"

"I can still see Einstein's smile before me," the great physicist Niels Bohr said several years after Einstein's death, "a very special smile...knowing, humane, and friendly." In Einstein Lived Here, this more than anything else is the Einstein we see--knowing, humane, friendly--a world figure on a par with the greats of his age who could still ask "Why is it that nobody understands me and everybody likes me." ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An indispensable source for the educated layman
As it is known, Albert Einstein is the leading creator of the relativity theory, that's right? It's right, but this is not only a stereotyped image, it's also a very simplified image of the geniality and the psychological complexity of one of the major savant among all the savants. An excellent overview of the Einstein scientific work is presented in that many people consider the best biography of this genial scientist. I'm referring to the Abraham Pais book "Subtle is the Lord", published in 1982. Although an incontestable bibliographical source, "Subtle is the Lord" is not at all accessible to the layman. With the present book, "Einstein Lived Here", Pais help the general public, from the relativity theorist to the absolutely layman. While not discarding a rigorous historical approach, Pais priority is on Einstein human dimension, and gives us a fluent and very agreeable text in which he deals with polemic questions, as the supposed involvement of Einstein in the American atomic bomb fabrication. Among all those that have written about Einstein, Abraham Pais seems to be the most qualified. Theoretical physicist of recognized competence, emeritus professor at the Rockefeller University, New York, Pais have been acquainted with Einstein from 1946 to December 1954, when he visited him for the last time; at the Einstein death, in April 18, 1955, Pais was not in the USA.

Even for the reader reasonably up to date with the pertinent literature, Pais discloses interesting facts. For example, in the first chapter there is an admirable description of the dramatic marital life of Albert and Mileva Maric, his first wife. Pais discusses the very controversial participation of Mileva on the Einstein's scientific work, particularly on the relativity theory. For the author, the only evidence for a possible role of Mileva in the creation of relativity is Einstein's remark in a letter of March 1901: "Together we shall conclude victoriously our work on relative motion". The followed discussion arrived at the author's suggestion that the remark was no more than a love declaration.

These letters, published in "Albert Einstein-Mileva Maric, the love letters", by J. Renn and R. Schulmann, Princeton University Press, 1992, revealed an absolutely unknown fact until 1986: In April 1901, before the Einstein's marriage, Mileva was pregnant. The child, born in January 1902, was a girl, named Lieserl. But, what became of Lieserl? Nobody knows! Apparently Einstein ever even saw her. In the summer of 1903 Mileva went to visit her family. From Berna Einstein wrote to her expressing concern about Lierserl's attack of scarlet fever. This is the last known communication between the parents about their daughter.

The Einstein's life was a great target of the public curiosity. As such he had to pay the price of receiving numerous messages from strangers. It is a safe bet that among scientists no one received more such letters than him. The true amount it is not known, but over 600 is now in the Einstein Archive at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Einstein referred to this collection as "die komische Mappe". In chapter 8, Pais presents a lot of strange, funny, sometimes pathetic envelopes and letters.

Chapter 11, almost a half of the whole book's content, is concerned with the press interest on Einstein's work and life. This kind of approach is the first in the vast Einstein bibliography. For Pais, "Einstein, creator of some of the best science of all time, is himself a creation of the media in so far as he is and remains a public figure". The beginning of Einstein's mythical role dates from November 1919, after a joint session of the Royal and Astronomical Societies, in London, in which the results obtained by British observers of the total solar eclipse of May 29 were discussed. The observations were decisive in the verifying of the prediction of Einstein on the bending of light when it approaches a large body, like the sun. By the way, the Einstein's work was so ample and full in geniality that its perception depends strongly on the observer cultural profile. For the layman the Einstein's Nobel Prize is associated to the relativity theory, but in Chapter 6, Pais discusses how the photoelectric effect, and not the relativity theory, enables Einstein to get the Nobel Prize. Pais explains why Einstein did not win the Nobel Prize because of the relativity theory. Besides these fabulous works, Einstein published in the same annus mirabilis of 1905 three other marvelous works. For Pais, any single one of "these theoretical discoveries would have sufficed to guarantee Einstein a prominent and lasting position in the history of science". However, none of these contributions caused even modest mention in the press before 1919.

In conclusion, "Einstein lived here" is a highly recommendable book for any educated layman and indispensable for any scientist, by the complex personality of this renowned savant and by his splendid scientific contribution. ... Read more

Book Description

Modesty, humor, compassion, and wisdom are the traits most evident in these personal papers, most of them never before published, from the Einstein archives. The illustrious physicist wrote as thoughtfully to an Ohio fifth-grader, distressed by her discovery that scientists classify humans as animals, as to a Colorado banker, who asked whether he believed in a personal God. Witty rhymes, and exchange about fine music with Queen Elizabeth of Belgium, and expressions of his devotion to Zionism are but some of the highlights found in this rare, warm enriching book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This is a keeper
I first encountered this book at the library as a book on tape. I was fascinated. It would make a good companion to Richard Rhodes' The Making of the Atomic Bomb. ... Read more

Book Description

Acclaim for Einstein: A Life

"Denis Brian's convincing picture . . . only makes our wonder grow at Einstein's sublime achievements." —The Washington Post

"Does much to reveal the man behind the image . . . Brian's intimate work proves that in literature, as in science, taking a careful look can be a rewarding endeavor." —Detroit Free Press.

"A fascinating, vastly enjoyable, deeply researched and fair account of Einstein the man." —Physics World

"Exhaustively researched, almost obsessively detailed, written with unobtrusive informality, the book is exemplary as a record of Einstein's personal and professional life." —The Spectator (U.K.)

"An utterly fascinating life of a great scientist full of new insights and very readable." —Ashley Montagu

"A fascinating read with more interesting material about Einstein as a human being than I have ever seen before . . . Once I started it, I couldn't put it down." —Robert Jastrow astrophysicist and bestselling author

"A thoughtful and captivating account of one whom I had the joy of knowing and loving." —George Wald Nobel Laureate ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Thorough but Hollow Biography
My first reaction to finishing this book was "Gee, That was interesting... now I would like to read a biography about Einstein."

This book is so focused on the details, that at times it becomes incoherent. In its pursuit of distilling Einstein to a more personal level, it still rings shallow. There were so many relationships discussed in such cursory detail, that I was not able to get a flavor for Einstein's interactions with magnificent scientists such as Born, Bohr, Plank, Milliken, etc.

The books strength is that it is fact laden. If you finish this book, then you will be able to discuss the individual elements of his life with 98% of people. It dispels a lot of lure, and at the same time illuminates some majestical quotes.

One of my biggest beefs with the layout of this novel is that the author goes to great pains to break his life into 1 to 2 year intervals (which I like), but the chapter titles never seem to come across in what is written. For example there is a chapter title called "The FBI Targets Einstein" yet the chapter itself has very little to do with that, and certainly doesn't differ from the surrounding chapters that discuss Hoover. Thus, I felt that an opportunity to explore various elements of Einstein's life were entirely lost. If it had been presented in relation to ideas as opposed to time frame, then perhaps Einstein would have been better illuminated.

I realize that this review is a bit harsh. The bottom line is that I feel that I am better off from having read the book. Nevertheless, I must be honest and say that as a scientist and idolizer of Einstein... I found this book extremely painful to read. It gives a lot of information, but not in a particularly user-friendly manor.

Einstein
Any reader who thinks it might be profitable to spend
some quality time with Albert Einstein - arguably the
greatest scientist of all time - should read this book. The
author, Denis Brian, knows how to write a biography
and, in his 'Alfred Einstein, A Life", he offers a
wonderful subject.
This reader - whose science background is close to
nil - approached this book with considerable trepidation
- needlessly. While the author deals properly and
necessarily with Einstein's scientific pursuits and
achievements - which means he sometimes employs
some 'heavy' jargon - like relativity theory, unified
field theory, quantum mechanics, electromagnetism,
superstring theory with 4 dimensions plus 6, photon
theory, neutrons, protons, atoms, particles - negative
and positive, etc. - he does so in a merciful fashion
that places few demands on the reader. NOT to
understand what Einstein was working on at any
given moment was always pretty much the norm,

anyhow, for even his peers and other world-class
scientists.
On the other hand, there is plenty in Einstein's life
that nearly any reader can understand and probably
relate to- much of which is highly fascinating and
illuminating. Here is a list of some of the subjects
and issues that Einstein chose or was compelled to
deal with - apart from his science: women and
romances and marriage, religion and the hereafter,
career decisions, anti-Semitism and racism, parenting
and a mentally ill son, celebrity-status and death
threats, Israel and Zionism, Russia and Communism,
Hitler and Fascism, Gandhi and pacifism vs. defense
needs, capitalism, atomic energy and weapons,
disarmament, Cold War politics, friends and relatives,
Germany and Germans, Americans and their culture,
world-wide lecture tours, mind vs. matter, Freud
and psychoanalysis, J.B. Shaw and literary criticism
and socialism, Upton Sinclair and social reform, and
the Rosenburg spy case. In short, while Einstein was always focused primarily on science and the mysteries
of the universe, he also found some time to do some
serious thinking, talking and writing about other serious,
mundane issues, as well.
The author does a marvelous job of researching and
organizing the materials in this book. I liked his decision
to introduce each chapter with a title, the years covered
therein, and Einstein's age during those years. I also liked
his thoroughness in including first-hand accounts, letters,
notes, and experiences of people of every possible age,
class, and status. The traits and qualities they describe
show clearly the essence of Albert Einstein: mental genius modest, shy, well-informed, explosive and lusty laugh,
absent minded, casual, unkempt, outspoken, impulsive, punster, impudent, kind, enthusiastic, energetic,
well-traveled, versatile, frugal, ebullient, stubborn, moody,
lucid, liberal, unpretentious, warm-hearted, informal, passionate, workaholic, direct, absentminded, prematurely
aged, pro-world government, tobacco addicted, endearing,
self-assured, handsome and noble face, sweet smile, radiant
and penetrating eyes, high brow, egalitarian, mischievous,
sparse eater, 'soft touch', metaphor lover, quick-witted,
non-swimmer boater, non-driver, walking and hiking
enthusiast.
David Ben-Gurion, Israeli Prime Minister at the time,
said this about Alfred Einstein: "He has the greatest mind of any living man...He's a scientist who needs no laboratory, no equipment, no tools of any kind.
He just sits in an empty room with a pencil, a piece
of paper, and his brain, thinking!"
"Thinking" was Einstein's favorite sport.
This book gets all the stars and 'thumbs up' I can give it.

Not too bad... however not what I was looking for.
I am pretty much in agreement with the fellow amazon reviewer - herrdirektor's impression of this book. It is a very well researched biography. However, the book looms away from Einstein, the man and focuses more into his works. Brian writes of his scientific researches in great detail and in a manner which may not be too convenient for any reader unrelated to the scientific field. I was particularly looking for a book which gave me a glimpse inside the mind of the philosopher/scientist. With its prime focus on his career, this book fails the philosopher that Einstein was. I feel that those philosophies played a very important role and maintaining his mass popularity even after decades of his death. This missing element may disappoint some of the readers.

Meet Albert Einstein - the greatest scientist of all time!
Any reader who thinks it might be profitable to spend some quality time with Albert Einstein - arguably the greatest scientist of all time - should read this book. The author,
Denis Brian, knows how to write a biography and, in his 'Einstein, A Life", he offers a wonderful subject.
This reader - whose science background is close to nil - approached this book with considerable trepidation -needlessly. While the author deals properly and necessarily with Einstein's scientific pursuits and achievements - which means he sometimes
employs some 'heavy' jargon - like relativity theory, unified field theory, quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, superstring theory with 4 dimensions plus 6, photon theory, neutrons, protons, atoms, particles - negative and positive, etc. - he does so in a merciful fashion that places few demands on the reader. NOT to understand what Einstein was working on at any given moment was always pretty much the norm,anyhow, for even his peers and other world-class scientists.
On the other hand, there is plenty in Einstein's life that nearly any reader can understand and probably relate to- much of which is highly fascinating and illuminating. Here is a list of some of the subjects and issues that Einstein chose or was compelled to deal with - apart from his science: women and romances and marriage, religion and the hereafter, career decisions, anti-Semitism and racism, parenting and a mentally ill son, celebrity-status and death threats, Israel and Zionism, Russia and Communism, Hitler and Fascism, Gandhi and pacifism vs. defense needs, capitalism, atomic energy and weapons,
disarmament, Cold War politics, friends and relatives, Germany and Germans, Americans and their culture, world-wide lecture tours, mind vs. matter, Freud and psychoanalysis, G.B. Shaw and literary criticism and socialism, Upton Sinclair and social
reform, the Rosenberg spy case - and more. In short, while Einstein was always focused primarily on science and the mysteries of the universe, he also found some time to do some serious thinking, talking and writing about other serious, mundane issues, as well.
The author does a marvelous job of researching and organizing the materials in this book. I liked his decision to introduce each chapter with a title, the years covered therein, and Einstein's age during those years. I also liked his thoroughness in including first-hand accounts, letters, notes, and experiences of people of every possible age, class,
and status. The traits and qualities they describe show clearly the essence of Albert Einstein: mental genius, modest, shy, well-informed, explosive and lusty laugh, absent minded, casual, unkempt, outspoken, impulsive, punster, impudent, kind, enthusiastic, energetic, well-traveled, versatile, frugal, ebullient, stubborn, moody, lucid, liberal, unpretentious, warm-hearted, informal, passionate, workaholic, direct, absentminded,
prematurely aged, pro-world government, tobacco addicted, endearing, self-assured, handsome and noble face, sweet smile, radiant and penetrating eyes, high brow, egalitarian, mischievous, sparse eater, 'soft touch', metaphor lover, quick-witted, non-swimming boater, non-driver, walking and hiking enthusiast.
David Ben-Gurion, Israeli Prime Minister at the time, said this about Alfred Einstein: "He has the greatest mind of any living man...He's a scientist who needs no laboratory, no equipment, no tools of any kind. He just sits in an empty room with a pencil, a piece of paper, and his brain, thinking!"
"Thinking" was Einstein's favorite sport and his forte.
This book gets all the stars and 'thumbs up' I can give it.

The Story of Einstein the man, not Einstein the Scientist
In this very readable biography, Brian conveys an extraordinary amount of information about Einstein's personal life so that the reader gets a real sense of what it must have been like to be around him.

Einstein's brilliance as a scientist did not turn him into a snob even tho' he clearly recognized that he had extraordinary abilities. He was both amused and repulsed by the trappings of celebrity that came with his status. Brian makes clear that Einstein was a kind man, a good friend, and a mediocre husband and father. The same man who labored intently over both scientific and social issues apparently put little effort into his family life. Brian does an excellent job of relating Einstein's family, social, and business world.

The 2 areas where this otherwise good biography falls short are the lack of context about Einstien's scientific achievements and the inadequate treatment of his interaction with other leading scientists outside of social and business matters. To the first matter, the book doesn't address why the theory of relativity mattered. He explains that it is a different model of the universe than what Newton defined centuries earlier; but, he leaves out any discussion of the impact. Similarly, the importance Einstein's quest for a unified theory is identified as an activity, but not why it was an important one. Brian never addresses why Einstein resisted Heisenberg's theories with such vehemence and for so long? The author provides little of Heisenberg, Bohr, or Plank's perspective of Einstein.

If you know the science already, this book is an excellent intrduction to the man. If you only know that Einstein was a "really smart guy," but not why his contributions mattered, then this is not the book for you. ... Read more

Book Description

This photobiography of Albert Einstein publishes to coincide with the year that marks the 100th anniversary of what has been described as Einstein's "miraculous year" and the 50th anniversary of his death. In 1905 Einstein published three important papers describing ideas that changed science forever and eventually had an effect on much of modern life. The most famous of these ideas was his theory of relativity, which took a startling new approach to space and time.In signature National Geographic photobiography format, author Marfé Feguson Delano covers the life and times of Einstein from his childhood to his death, with a particular emphasis on his scientific contributions. She draws connections between Einstein's ideas and modern technology, so that kids can see how his theories led to technologies they take for granted. She discusses Einstein's theory on the structure of light, in which he theorized that light behaved not only like a wave but also like a stream of particles, providing the basis for television, lasers, and semiconductors. Einstein's theory of relativity paved the way for the atomic bomb and opened up an understanding of many things, from the Big Bang to black holes.Ferguson Delano discusses the power of Einstein's ideas, and their influence not only on science but on art, music, and even literature and politics. She places Einstein in context as a world figure and discusses the causes he supported, including nuclear disarmament and civil liberties. And she provides the context of world events as they affected Einstein's life, including the rise of Hitler and World War II.Running text, raised quotes, and extraordinary archival photographs all stunningly designed and handsomely produced make this entry in the National Geographic photobiography series one of the most attractive and compelling yet.The publication date will coincide with celebration of Einstein's life and achievements. In recognition of Einstein's ideas and his influence on modern life, the year 2005 has been declared the "World Year of Physics" (WYP) by such organizations as the American Institute of Physics, the American Physical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers, and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics. The theme for the WYP celebration in the U.S. is "Einstein in the 21st Century." Organizers are planning large-scale national projects, including a poster contest for elementary school students. Other planned events can be found at http://www.physics2005.org/events. ... Read more

Book Description

Demystifying physics-and the man who personified it.

Einstein's face is on T-shirts and posters and his name is synonymous with atomic energy and scientific genius. But to understand this individual who not only had great knowledge but great wisdom, we must examine his philosophy of life-and physics.

€ New and updated information about Einstein's life
€ Analysis of recent, ongoing challenges to Einstein's theories
€ Streamlined information on the underpinnings of physics, electricity, magnetism, and other forms of energy
€ High-profile museum exhibitions about Einstein are taking place across the U.S. in 2003, 2004, and 2005
€ First edition has gained a solid reputation for helping students understand physics
€ Einstein was named Time's "Man of the Century" ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Very good read.
If you're looking for an introductory level overview of physics, from the earliest thinkers to modern theories that seem stranger than fiction, look no further.Although I read it cover to cover, I still read chapters and segments from time to time.The author writes in a manner that is easy to follow and very interesting.Highly recommended.

Relativity explained and so much more!
I wish I had read this book earlier. Although I did relatively well in math and science in college, they don't come naturally to me. Mostly because I did not find them relevant to me. This book makes it relevant to me. Starting with the origin of physics, the author spends many chapters to explain how ideas and theories have been developed and evolved to pave the road for quantum mechanics. This book is about understanding Einstein and more, it's about understanding the world we live in. Throughout the book there is a sense of wonder expressed toward our universe that is both mysterious and orderly. It's an inspiring and informative book to anyone who has just started his/her scientific and spiritual pursuit.

Be Careful-- Know What You're Getting!
For years I've struggled with understanding relativity theory, and thought what I needed was something that would explain it to me in the simplest possible terms.What better than this book, I thought.This book does a lot more than explain Einstein's theories, which is a flaw, not a strength.It is about 10% explaining the theories, 50% history of the study of Physics and 40% non-scientific biography of Einstien.And yes, there is a liberal amount of the author's own politically correct editorializing, such as (pg 245) "many of the worst crimes are motivated by repressed sexual tendencies. Society needs to apply a bigger picture here, don't you think?" and (pg 270) "In the free market system, profitability often outweighs damage to human life". Einstien dies on Pg 291, but the book limps on for another 50 pages.If you want a history of physics IN GENERAL, you'll be more satisfied than if you're (like me) just trying to get your arms around Einstein's theories.

"Physics for Poets"
Overall a good read.This book is about so much more than just Einstein and his theories.About the first 100 pages or so is an introduction to physics--everything from the mechanics of light to gravity and uniform acceleration.It's presented an a relatively (no pun intended) easy-to-understand fashion.

A small portion of the book is biographical in nature, dealing with Einstein's personal and professional life.Even more, of course, is devoted to the development of his brilliant theories, especially the Special and General Theories of Relativity.

Beyond that, there's a lot of information on quantum physics.In my opinion, up to that point, most of the book is written such that the average reader could understand most of it.Of course, once you get to quantum physics, one might question whether ANYONE could really understand that topic!

I would have given this book 4 or maybe even 5 stars, if the author hadn't wasted his (and my!) time with overly-lengthy discussions into "modern psychology" (e.g., Freud, Kant, etc.) and "Eastern mysticism " (e.g., Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, etc.).While he tries to make a connection between these topics and his discussion of quantum physics, I didn't think it was useful.

Absolutely Satisfying
This has been the first time in ages that I've read a book for hours on end.The first time I opened it,I read for hours,and forgot to do my homework!I was completely absorbed in it.The authors tells you more than just Einstein's theories and ideas.His book spans people's beliefs and theories which sometimes lead to the questioning of already accepted laws in science, through classical physics and modern.He shows you the ups and downs to theories and laws,the brilliant ideas along with a few mistakes ('Hey,even geniuses make mistakes') and explains why some theories make sense while others would not.
I would reccomend this book to anyone,a lover of physics already or not,because reading this book will certainly make you one,or at least open your mind up as to what you're missing.
A wonderful read and superbly entertaining.Thought provoking and satisfying. ... Read more

Book Description

Having the advantage of knowing Einstein personally during the last nine years of his life and having access to some of his 50,000 pages of letters and science papers, the author fills many gaps about what we know of Einstein's life.It deals with his interest in philosophy, his concern with Jewish destiny, and his opinions of great figures from Newton to Freud.Also depicts the state of physics at the turn of the century and how Einstein transformed the field. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent book for scientists, slightly less for others.
This book is a very good *scientific* biography of Einstein. This is both its strength and weakness. It is a strength because the author is clearly very knowledgeable about the subject, and therefore I couldn't think of a better book than this one. However, to appreciate the ins and outs of the scientific work of Einstein, you need to be a scientist yourself, or at least be very interested in the subject, because Pais does not avoid technical discussions. Not at all.

Therefore, for people without knowledge on this level, the book is not so accessible (I think), which may lead to disappointments. However, for this group of readers there is also good news: the author has organized the book into two interwoven 'sections': a part that is purely biographical and contains no technical discussions, and a technical part. The two parts are easily recognizable in the table of contents. This makes the book interesting and useful for a broad public.

Summarizing: this high quality book makes no light reading, but it is worth the effort, and the money.

Subtle is the Lord...but malicious He is not..
that is what Einstein had to say, when in 1921 he was confronted with rumours that a non-zero aether drift had been discovered by Dayton Miller, a one-time junior of Albert Michaelson. When asked what he meant by this, he remarked "Nature hides her secrets because of her essential loftiness, but not by means of ruse". He is also said to have opined that he had "not for a moment taken [Miller's results] seriously". That was the kind of faith that Albert Einstein had in the laws of Nature that he discovered...a deep faith not capable of rational foundation..

Albert Einstein...the man...the philosopher...the scientist...the physicist...the humanist...the legend...so much has already been written about this one extraordinary human being, that you can be forgiven for grimacing when you see this book and thinking, 'oh, no ! not another one in this never-ending craze'...but think again...this is THE definitive scientific biography of Herr Professor Einstein, coming as it is from a physicist who was close to this great man towards the end of his life. Abraham Pais does a superb job of presenting the state of physics before Einstein, how he changed that and how it has evolved since his times. Science was Einstein's life, his devotion, his refuge, and his source of detachment...Science was his religion...In order to understand the man, then, it is necessary to follow his scientific ways of thinking and doing...and that is what the book precisely does...

One more thing...this is not a layman's book...if you have only a little idea of physics, and are averse to mathematical details, then look elsewhere...this is not for you...but if you have that 'holy curiosity' and 'wonderment of the spectacle that is science', with loads of perseverance, this book does an excellent job of satisfying that quest...it can inspire you to seek greater heights of understanding...(there are tons of references to other more detailed texts)...in the end, you will have had but just a glimpse of Einstein's oeuvre. Thank you.

This book is the best scientific biography of Einstein
Pais's book is the best scientific biography of Einstein to date. The author, as an eminent particle physicist turned historian, has the ability to understand and portray Einstein's work as few others could. Foelsing's biography is better for depicting Einstein's "life and times", and the scientific milieu in which Einstein came to maturity.

A scholarly scientific biography
Subtle is the Lord is a scholarly biography that tries to illuminate both the life and work of Albert Einstein. There is none of the sensationalism here of some other recent biographies. The picture that emerges is of a complex character who defies the iconic images - either of the absent-minded professor, or the man whose work laid the foundations for the atomic bomb - and whose interests and concerns ranged far beyond the abstruse theoretical physics that made him celebrated even in his own lifetime. It is a fascinating story, and one which left me as ever wondering as to the origins of such singular genius. Pais does not spare the reader the details of Einstein's scientific achievements, and inevitably that means that without a degree in physics or mathematics large sections of the book would be hard going indeed. With some familiarity with the physics though, this is a comprehensive and inspiring account of some of the great scientific revolutions of the century. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In 1921, a young Albert Einstein traveled to America to give four lectures at Princeton University, paving the way for a more complete acceptance of his theory of general relativity.These lectures are published together as The Meaning of Relativity, and were revised with each new edition until Einstein's death.Despite Einstein's profession that he thought without using words, his examples and descriptions of the relativistic world he perceived are clear and easy to follow.Unfortunately for nontechnical readers, his presentation requires deep diversions into mathematics often enough to break up the flow of his narrative, and they may find this rough terrain.But for the mathematically sophisticated or the devoted scientific historian, these lectures are profoundly illuminating--Einstein's bright, quiet genius shines through in the simplicity and economy