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Einstein in Time and Space: A Life in 99 Particles
Walter Isaacson’s Einstein meets Craig Brown’s 99 Glimpses of Princess Margaret, in this innovative biography of the famous physicist told in ninety-nine dazzling vignettes.
Most of us would agree that Albert Einstein’s name is synonymous with “genius” and that his likeness is often used as a shorthand for all scientists, appearing everywhere from cartoons to textbooks. He has become more myth than man. That being the case, how best to capture his essence?
In Einstein in Time and Space, talented young science journalist Samuel Graydon answers that question with an illuminating mosaic—99 intriguingly different particles that cumulatively reveal Einstein’s contradictory and multitudinous nature. Glimpsed among these shards: a slacker who failed every subject but math, a job seeker who couldn’t get hired, a lothario who courted many women, and a charmer who was the life of the party. As brilliant as he was inconsistent, Einstein was simultaneously an avid supporter of the NAACP and the fight for civil rights and someone capable of great prejudice. He was loved by many, known by few, and inspirational to a generation of young physicists. Graydon reveals every corner of Einstein’s world: the false reporting that rocketed Einstein to fame nearly overnight, his effect on people he met merely in passing, even the remarkable posthumous journey of the famed physicist’s brain.
Entertaining, comforting, bolstering, and shocking, Einstein in Time and Space is the unique story of a man who redefined how we view our universe and our place within it.
Most of us would agree that Albert Einstein’s name is synonymous with “genius” and that his likeness is often used as a shorthand for all scientists, appearing everywhere from cartoons to textbooks. He has become more myth than man. That being the case, how best to capture his essence?
In Einstein in Time and Space, talented young science journalist Samuel Graydon answers that question with an illuminating mosaic—99 intriguingly different particles that cumulatively reveal Einstein’s contradictory and multitudinous nature. Glimpsed among these shards: a slacker who failed every subject but math, a job seeker who couldn’t get hired, a lothario who courted many women, and a charmer who was the life of the party. As brilliant as he was inconsistent, Einstein was simultaneously an avid supporter of the NAACP and the fight for civil rights and someone capable of great prejudice. He was loved by many, known by few, and inspirational to a generation of young physicists. Graydon reveals every corner of Einstein’s world: the false reporting that rocketed Einstein to fame nearly overnight, his effect on people he met merely in passing, even the remarkable posthumous journey of the famed physicist’s brain.
Entertaining, comforting, bolstering, and shocking, Einstein in Time and Space is the unique story of a man who redefined how we view our universe and our place within it.
376 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 14, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
November 30, 2023
This book is pure marmite (for non-UK audiences, this implies you'll either love it or hate it). It takes a radically different view to building a biographical picture of Albert Einstein, which is just as well, because it's easy to imagine with the number of books on him there are out there that the man has been covered from every possible (and several improbable) angles already.
Rather than produce a straightforward linear work, Samuel Graydon gives us '99 particles' - short articles ranging from a page to around six pages long. The articles are chronological, but each acts as a separate entity, commenting on some event or aspect of Einstein's life. Graydon describes it as a 'mosaic biography', basing the approach on Craig Brown's 'Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret.'
The result is a mix than can both delight and occasionally feel bewildering. We get a 'particle', for example, that consists solely of a picture of Einstein's hands and some details from his (failed) health examination for Swiss national service. Others describe, for example, one by one his 1905 papers, putting across their meaning concisely and effectively. Many provide snapshots of the man, his many contradictions, and his relationships with members of his family - this includes an unnerving letter from the 20-year-old daughter of Elsa Löwenthal (who would soon become Einstein's second wife), suggesting that Einstein was torn between marrying her or her mother.
Although Graydon is science editor of the distinctly highbrow Times Literary Supplement, this is written more in the American biographical style than academic British - the 'particles' have a chatty feel and provide an easy read. All in all, then, it's a worthy addition to the groaning Einstein biographies shelf that will appeal to many who might not bother with a traditional scientific biography, with sufficient focus on the man and his relationships that even those who are usually put off by science will find it appealing.
I do need to add one extra point. I don't like marmite - and, equally, this book wasn't really for me. I can see absolutely that the approach will be really appealing to many, but I like a good narrative, preferring more structure, rather than assembling a picture from fragments - narrative shape is inevitably lacking from a book like this, as is any opportunity to dig into the science at anything more than a surface level. I also found that some of the openings of the 'particles' tried a bit too hard to be atmospheric. So, for example, one opens 'It's Christmas time in Cambridge, 1933. In the Senior Combination Room at Trinity College, five men sit around the old fireplace, smoking long clay pipes in accordance with seasonal tradition.' Hmm.
Rather than produce a straightforward linear work, Samuel Graydon gives us '99 particles' - short articles ranging from a page to around six pages long. The articles are chronological, but each acts as a separate entity, commenting on some event or aspect of Einstein's life. Graydon describes it as a 'mosaic biography', basing the approach on Craig Brown's 'Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret.'
The result is a mix than can both delight and occasionally feel bewildering. We get a 'particle', for example, that consists solely of a picture of Einstein's hands and some details from his (failed) health examination for Swiss national service. Others describe, for example, one by one his 1905 papers, putting across their meaning concisely and effectively. Many provide snapshots of the man, his many contradictions, and his relationships with members of his family - this includes an unnerving letter from the 20-year-old daughter of Elsa Löwenthal (who would soon become Einstein's second wife), suggesting that Einstein was torn between marrying her or her mother.
Although Graydon is science editor of the distinctly highbrow Times Literary Supplement, this is written more in the American biographical style than academic British - the 'particles' have a chatty feel and provide an easy read. All in all, then, it's a worthy addition to the groaning Einstein biographies shelf that will appeal to many who might not bother with a traditional scientific biography, with sufficient focus on the man and his relationships that even those who are usually put off by science will find it appealing.
I do need to add one extra point. I don't like marmite - and, equally, this book wasn't really for me. I can see absolutely that the approach will be really appealing to many, but I like a good narrative, preferring more structure, rather than assembling a picture from fragments - narrative shape is inevitably lacking from a book like this, as is any opportunity to dig into the science at anything more than a surface level. I also found that some of the openings of the 'particles' tried a bit too hard to be atmospheric. So, for example, one opens 'It's Christmas time in Cambridge, 1933. In the Senior Combination Room at Trinity College, five men sit around the old fireplace, smoking long clay pipes in accordance with seasonal tradition.' Hmm.
June 14, 2024
In 99 'tidbits' Samuel Graydon offers us glimpses in the life of Albert Einstein, his views and life. Rather than delivering a dense academic analysis,Graydon lets us understand the man behind the iconic image. Perfect for anyone who wants to know the personal side of Einstein, his humanity, humor and complexities of his character.
September 23, 2024
I tried another book about Einstein but all the science went over my head.
But this book was written in such an easy to read style that even i could understand some of the science.
But what i really liked was that this book really just focused on the human side of Einstein, both good and bad.
I also loved how this book was organized in 99 short chapters. Great for a weekend read
Highly recommended
But this book was written in such an easy to read style that even i could understand some of the science.
But what i really liked was that this book really just focused on the human side of Einstein, both good and bad.
I also loved how this book was organized in 99 short chapters. Great for a weekend read
Highly recommended
March 2, 2025
Un amestec de viată personală și profesională prin care să-l cunoști mai bine pe Einstein.
Structurată în 99 de capitole scurte, alternând ca timp și ca subiect, cartea surprinde felul de a fi a lui Einstein și munca acestuia.
Dacă nu-ți place fizica sau îți este greu să o înțelegi este posibil să întâmpini dificultăți la unele capitole (eu am pățit asta).
Structurată în 99 de capitole scurte, alternând ca timp și ca subiect, cartea surprinde felul de a fi a lui Einstein și munca acestuia.
Dacă nu-ți place fizica sau îți este greu să o înțelegi este posibil să întâmpini dificultăți la unele capitole (eu am pățit asta).
September 16, 2025
(4.5*)
When I think about reading a book on or about Einstein, I think tough and impossible, so I was a ready for a really, really difficult read.
I couldn’t have been more wrong, this is such a fun read, it was funny, informative and in places sweet, like the chapter with children from all over the world writing to him.
The book is divided into 99 chapters, each a particle focuses on different parts of Einstein’s life; I like movies and stories that are non-linear, so I completely took to the style of this book.
There are parts I found tough to follow but overall, such a wonderful read and shows how Einstein is brilliant, sometimes unkind, stubborn, compassionate, an egalitarian, and a genius. I do have another biography on Einstein but I’m really pleased I started with this one.
When I think about reading a book on or about Einstein, I think tough and impossible, so I was a ready for a really, really difficult read.
I couldn’t have been more wrong, this is such a fun read, it was funny, informative and in places sweet, like the chapter with children from all over the world writing to him.
“I have a problem I would like solved,” wrote Anna Louise of Falls Church, Virginia. “I would like to know how color gets into a bird’s feather.”
quote from: Einstein in Time and Space: A Life in 99 Particles by Samuel Graydon. Chapter heading: Particle 55, page 161.
The book is divided into 99 chapters, each a particle focuses on different parts of Einstein’s life; I like movies and stories that are non-linear, so I completely took to the style of this book.
There are parts I found tough to follow but overall, such a wonderful read and shows how Einstein is brilliant, sometimes unkind, stubborn, compassionate, an egalitarian, and a genius. I do have another biography on Einstein but I’m really pleased I started with this one.
April 27, 2024
In the realm of scientific biographies, few subjects are as perennially fascinating as Albert Einstein. His name alone conjures images of wild hair, chalk-covered blackboards, and the iconic equation E=mc². Yet, in "Einstein in Time and Space," Samuel Graydon ventures beyond the mythos to present a portrait of Einstein not just as a scientist, but as a man of his time and beyond it.
Graydon, a science editor at the Times Literary Supplement, approaches Einstein's life as a mosaic, comprising 99 vignettes or "particles," each offering a glimpse into the physicist's complex world. This structure is both a nod to the quantum nature of Einstein's work and an acknowledgment of the multifaceted nature of his life. The book, published in 2023, has been translated into 16 languages, signaling its broad appeal and the enduring interest in Einstein's legacy.
The audiobook, narrated by George Reid, brings a new dimension to Graydon's work. Reid's narration is not merely a reading; it's a performance that captures the nuances of Einstein's character. With a runtime of over 9 hours, Reid's voice becomes the guide through the corridors of Einstein's thoughts, his triumphs, and his tribulations.
Graydon's Einstein is not the untouchable genius on a pedestal but a man of contradictions. He was a slacker who excelled only in mathematics, a job seeker who struggled to find employment, a lover of many women, and a charismatic figure who could light up any gathering. Yet, he was also a supporter of civil rights and, at times, someone who harbored prejudices. This duality makes Einstein more relatable, more human.
The audiobook shines when it delves into the lesser-known aspects of Einstein's life. The false reporting that catapulted him to fame, his interactions with people he barely knew, and even the posthumous journey of his brain are all covered with a candor that is both enlightening and entertaining. Reid's voice lends a certain gravitas to these stories, making them resonate with the listener.
One of the most compelling aspects of the audiobook is its exploration of Einstein's scientific work. While Graydon's text doesn't dwell heavily on the intricacies of relativity, it does provide enough context to appreciate the magnitude of Einstein's contributions. Reid's clear and measured delivery ensures that these concepts are accessible, even to those without a background in physics.
The audiobook also benefits from the extensive, opinionated bibliography provided by Graydon. It serves as a roadmap for those wishing to delve deeper into Einstein's life and work. Reid's narration of this section is particularly helpful, as he emphasizes key works that stand out in the crowded field of Einstein literature.
In conclusion, "Einstein in Time and Space" is a biography that manages to be both comprehensive and intimate. Samuel Graydon's innovative approach to storytelling, combined with George Reid's skillful narration, creates an audiobook experience that is as educational as it is enjoyable. It's a fitting tribute to a man who not only reshaped our understanding of the universe but also left an indelible mark on the fabric of time and space itself. For anyone interested in the life of Albert Einstein, this audiobook is a must-listen. It's a journey through the life of a genius, narrated with the warmth and depth it rightfully deserves.
Graydon, a science editor at the Times Literary Supplement, approaches Einstein's life as a mosaic, comprising 99 vignettes or "particles," each offering a glimpse into the physicist's complex world. This structure is both a nod to the quantum nature of Einstein's work and an acknowledgment of the multifaceted nature of his life. The book, published in 2023, has been translated into 16 languages, signaling its broad appeal and the enduring interest in Einstein's legacy.
The audiobook, narrated by George Reid, brings a new dimension to Graydon's work. Reid's narration is not merely a reading; it's a performance that captures the nuances of Einstein's character. With a runtime of over 9 hours, Reid's voice becomes the guide through the corridors of Einstein's thoughts, his triumphs, and his tribulations.
Graydon's Einstein is not the untouchable genius on a pedestal but a man of contradictions. He was a slacker who excelled only in mathematics, a job seeker who struggled to find employment, a lover of many women, and a charismatic figure who could light up any gathering. Yet, he was also a supporter of civil rights and, at times, someone who harbored prejudices. This duality makes Einstein more relatable, more human.
The audiobook shines when it delves into the lesser-known aspects of Einstein's life. The false reporting that catapulted him to fame, his interactions with people he barely knew, and even the posthumous journey of his brain are all covered with a candor that is both enlightening and entertaining. Reid's voice lends a certain gravitas to these stories, making them resonate with the listener.
One of the most compelling aspects of the audiobook is its exploration of Einstein's scientific work. While Graydon's text doesn't dwell heavily on the intricacies of relativity, it does provide enough context to appreciate the magnitude of Einstein's contributions. Reid's clear and measured delivery ensures that these concepts are accessible, even to those without a background in physics.
The audiobook also benefits from the extensive, opinionated bibliography provided by Graydon. It serves as a roadmap for those wishing to delve deeper into Einstein's life and work. Reid's narration of this section is particularly helpful, as he emphasizes key works that stand out in the crowded field of Einstein literature.
In conclusion, "Einstein in Time and Space" is a biography that manages to be both comprehensive and intimate. Samuel Graydon's innovative approach to storytelling, combined with George Reid's skillful narration, creates an audiobook experience that is as educational as it is enjoyable. It's a fitting tribute to a man who not only reshaped our understanding of the universe but also left an indelible mark on the fabric of time and space itself. For anyone interested in the life of Albert Einstein, this audiobook is a must-listen. It's a journey through the life of a genius, narrated with the warmth and depth it rightfully deserves.
April 28, 2024
Even though I’m very interested in physics, both its substance and history, I’ve never read an extended amount about Albert Einstein. This book, given to me by my dad, was a great survey of Einstein’s personal and professional life. There are 99 chapters, called particles, which made the book quite readable (especially while taking the train or bus). Graydon provides some quite juicy letters written by Einstein to love interests and juxtaposes those with well-written, concise descriptions of the science theory Einstein developed. It paints a picture of a flawed, jokey scientist who was quite passionate about pacifism and the search for truth. Recommend to anyone wanting a quick yet wide-ranging read about Albert.
July 28, 2025
Magnífico! Uma leitura muito fácil e interessante que se vai saboreando lentamente. Julgo que este livro sobre o Einstein tem a particularidade de ser muito acessível e simultaneamente profundo na forma como aborda a vida de um dos maiores génios da ciência.
É uma biografia extraordinária, organizada em 99 episódios (partículas) da sua vida, que nos apresenta Einstein como ser humano, em todas as suas dimensões - qualidades e defeitos -, o que nos permite perceber melhor quem era o homem por detrás da celebridade e para além dos conhecidos feitos científicos. Põe-nos em contato com a sua complexidade, dúvidas, curiosidades, paixões, ideais, sucessos e falhas.
Brilhante!
É uma biografia extraordinária, organizada em 99 episódios (partículas) da sua vida, que nos apresenta Einstein como ser humano, em todas as suas dimensões - qualidades e defeitos -, o que nos permite perceber melhor quem era o homem por detrás da celebridade e para além dos conhecidos feitos científicos. Põe-nos em contato com a sua complexidade, dúvidas, curiosidades, paixões, ideais, sucessos e falhas.
Brilhante!
February 12, 2025
Kai išgirsti ką nors apie mokslą, tai iškart susidaro vaizdinys galvoje - Entšteinas! Bet kas jis toks išties? Kaip atrodė jo gyvenimas? Kokių tiksliai pasiekimų pasiekė ir ko nepasiekė? Kas gavosi, o kas ne? Kiek kitoks išskirtinio žmogaus biografijos pateikimas per 99 atsakymus. Tikrai patiko!
July 5, 2024
"Paslaptis - gražiausia, ką galime patirti. Tai - esminis jausmas, iš kurio gimsta tikras menas ir tikras mokslas. Nepažįstantis šio jausmo ir negalintis nei stebėtis, nei klausti, galima sakyti, yra miręs, užpūsta žvakė."(Einšteinas). Knyga ne tik apie eksperimentus (sunku man tai suprasti🙈), bet ir apie jo gyvenimą, meiles, pokštus, dėl jo išsiblaškymo anekdotais tapusias situacijas. Įdomiai, gana lengvai parašyta knyga apie nepaprastą žmogų.
November 22, 2023
Greatest activity of which man is capable.
Opening up yet another fragment of the frontier of beauty.
Opening up yet another fragment of the frontier of beauty.
February 5, 2024
Wonderful. The trials and tribulations of his theories and non-theories interlaced with the lesser studied human dimension.
April 29, 2024
Ma pakun, et ei ole inimest, kes ei teaks, kes oli Albert Einstein. Tema muhe naeratus, püstised valged juuksed, üldrelatiivsusteooria looja. Tema ümber on kujunenud sellise toreda vanaisa aura, kes on alati sõbralik, naerusuine ja tore. Samas ei ole kindel, kuidas see pilt temast on kujunenud. See lihtsalt on, aga kas see on ka tõsi või oli Einsteinis ka midagi enamat?
Samuel Graydoni “Einstein ajas ja ruumis” on mõnus algaja raamat tutvumaks, kes oli Albert Einstein. Nagu pealkiri ütleb, siis raamatus on 99 peatükki, mis mingil moel kirjeldavad mehe elu. Peatükid ei ole väga pikad (umbes 1-5 lehekülge) ning alati ei ole nad ka otseselt memuaari kirjeldused, vaid nad võivad olla ka tükikesed kirjutatud kirjadest või hoopis teise inimese kohta, kes kuidagi Einsteini mõjutas. Selline üleehitus aitas hoida huvi kõrgel, sest kardan, et kui oleks olnud lihtsalt tuim memuaarikirjeldus, siis oleks vahepeal raamatu kõrvale pannud. Hea meel on, et autor on raamatusse pitkinud ka erinevaid illustratsioone. Lugeda inimeste kohta ning näha kõrval ka pilti, kus nad kõik esindatud on, tegi nad kuidagi reaalsemaks. Kõige lõpuks oleks, aga oodanuks mingit kronoloogiat, kus oleks toodud väljas siis Einsteini kõige tähtsamad aastad ning sündmused. Lõpuks võib ikka öelda, et kõik ta aastad olid võrdväärselt olulised, aga kui oled lugenud 99 erinevat seika, oleks olnud tore, kui kõige olulisemad oleks eraldi märgitud.
Kindlasti on paadunud fänne, kes ütlevad, et raamat on nii ja naa, mis on väljamõeldised, mis päriselt juhtus ja mida ei juhtunud. Lugejana, kes teab Albert Einsteini suures laastus nime ja üldrelatiivsusteooria järgi ning kunagi koolis teda ka õppisin, kuid kes pole tulihingeline fänn, ütlen, et raamat annab hea ülevaate. Kes soovib, see võib edasi rohkem tutvuda, aga täiesti mööda see raamat, ma pakun, et ei ole. Kindlasti ei tasu karta kogu teaduslikku poolt. Kui lasta sel lihtsalt voolata, siis kohati keerulised valemite selgitused või ideede kirjeldused ei takista raamatu nautimist mitte mingil viisil. Hoopis vastupidi, tunned kuidas tolmu kogunud ajurakukesed hakkavad ennast uuesti liigutama.
Kui lugemise lõpetasin, siis minu jaoks oli üllatus, et kuigi Albert Einstein võis olla väga vinge füüsik ning maailma muuta, siis ega ta inimesena tegelikult midagi erilist ei olnud. Kohati tundus ta isegi ülbe olevat, vähemalt kui lugeda nooruspõlve aegu. Ei kuulanud õpetajaid, koolis väga hästi hakkama ei saanud. Ta ei olnud ka sünnilt geenius, vaid kuna ta perekond oli seotud leiutistega ja see oligi last ümbritsev maailm, siis siinkohal soosis rohkem kodune keskkond teda arenema, kui tema enda sünnist geeniuseks olemine. Kinnitus teemale, et mitte kool ei õpeta, vaid hoopis kodu. Sealt edasi ka ümbritsev ühiskond, sest ta lihtsalt elas perioodil, kui tehti paljusid avastusi. Oleks olnud väga keeruline mitte lasta sel ennast mõjutada. Ka täiskasvanuna ei olnud ta vast kõige meeldivam inimene. Parajalt seelikukütt, tavalist tööd ei tahtnud teha, ülbe kolleegidega ning ka lastekasvatuses eriti osavõttu ei näidanud üles. Tekkis tunne, et vahest Einsteinile andestati paljud ta “patud” seetõttu, et ta oli lõpuks kuulus füüsik. Tavainimese puhul pakun, et nii leebe ei oleks oldud. Samas, ta oli ka nutikas - oskus pendelda erinevate riikide, ühiskonnakorralduste vahel ning tulla välja elusana oli ja on suur oskus. Einstein kinnitas ka teist teemat - oma kirge saab teha ka teise töö kõrvalt, kõik on kinni inimeses. Mees töötas oma üldrelatiivsusteooria kallal tehes päevatööd alal, mis polnud vast kõige köitvam, aga toitis pere ära. Üks ei välista teist.
Samuel Graydoni “Einstein ajas ja ruumis” on mõnus algaja raamat tutvumaks, kes oli Albert Einstein. Nagu pealkiri ütleb, siis raamatus on 99 peatükki, mis mingil moel kirjeldavad mehe elu. Peatükid ei ole väga pikad (umbes 1-5 lehekülge) ning alati ei ole nad ka otseselt memuaari kirjeldused, vaid nad võivad olla ka tükikesed kirjutatud kirjadest või hoopis teise inimese kohta, kes kuidagi Einsteini mõjutas. Selline üleehitus aitas hoida huvi kõrgel, sest kardan, et kui oleks olnud lihtsalt tuim memuaarikirjeldus, siis oleks vahepeal raamatu kõrvale pannud. Hea meel on, et autor on raamatusse pitkinud ka erinevaid illustratsioone. Lugeda inimeste kohta ning näha kõrval ka pilti, kus nad kõik esindatud on, tegi nad kuidagi reaalsemaks. Kõige lõpuks oleks, aga oodanuks mingit kronoloogiat, kus oleks toodud väljas siis Einsteini kõige tähtsamad aastad ning sündmused. Lõpuks võib ikka öelda, et kõik ta aastad olid võrdväärselt olulised, aga kui oled lugenud 99 erinevat seika, oleks olnud tore, kui kõige olulisemad oleks eraldi märgitud.
Kindlasti on paadunud fänne, kes ütlevad, et raamat on nii ja naa, mis on väljamõeldised, mis päriselt juhtus ja mida ei juhtunud. Lugejana, kes teab Albert Einsteini suures laastus nime ja üldrelatiivsusteooria järgi ning kunagi koolis teda ka õppisin, kuid kes pole tulihingeline fänn, ütlen, et raamat annab hea ülevaate. Kes soovib, see võib edasi rohkem tutvuda, aga täiesti mööda see raamat, ma pakun, et ei ole. Kindlasti ei tasu karta kogu teaduslikku poolt. Kui lasta sel lihtsalt voolata, siis kohati keerulised valemite selgitused või ideede kirjeldused ei takista raamatu nautimist mitte mingil viisil. Hoopis vastupidi, tunned kuidas tolmu kogunud ajurakukesed hakkavad ennast uuesti liigutama.
Kui lugemise lõpetasin, siis minu jaoks oli üllatus, et kuigi Albert Einstein võis olla väga vinge füüsik ning maailma muuta, siis ega ta inimesena tegelikult midagi erilist ei olnud. Kohati tundus ta isegi ülbe olevat, vähemalt kui lugeda nooruspõlve aegu. Ei kuulanud õpetajaid, koolis väga hästi hakkama ei saanud. Ta ei olnud ka sünnilt geenius, vaid kuna ta perekond oli seotud leiutistega ja see oligi last ümbritsev maailm, siis siinkohal soosis rohkem kodune keskkond teda arenema, kui tema enda sünnist geeniuseks olemine. Kinnitus teemale, et mitte kool ei õpeta, vaid hoopis kodu. Sealt edasi ka ümbritsev ühiskond, sest ta lihtsalt elas perioodil, kui tehti paljusid avastusi. Oleks olnud väga keeruline mitte lasta sel ennast mõjutada. Ka täiskasvanuna ei olnud ta vast kõige meeldivam inimene. Parajalt seelikukütt, tavalist tööd ei tahtnud teha, ülbe kolleegidega ning ka lastekasvatuses eriti osavõttu ei näidanud üles. Tekkis tunne, et vahest Einsteinile andestati paljud ta “patud” seetõttu, et ta oli lõpuks kuulus füüsik. Tavainimese puhul pakun, et nii leebe ei oleks oldud. Samas, ta oli ka nutikas - oskus pendelda erinevate riikide, ühiskonnakorralduste vahel ning tulla välja elusana oli ja on suur oskus. Einstein kinnitas ka teist teemat - oma kirge saab teha ka teise töö kõrvalt, kõik on kinni inimeses. Mees töötas oma üldrelatiivsusteooria kallal tehes päevatööd alal, mis polnud vast kõige köitvam, aga toitis pere ära. Üks ei välista teist.
April 28, 2024
Minu arvamuse raamatust leiab blogist https://triinuraamatud.wordpress.com/...
August 29, 2025
Multe informații privind munca lui, ceea ce e și normal ca doar despre Einstein e vorba dar și informații multe despre caracterul lui și viata lui sociala. Un pic mai greu de citit dar a meritat.
July 6, 2024
This is an interesting book, and a worthwhile read because it's quick. However, I'd never heard of a "mosaic biography" before, and it seems to be a profoundly lazy approach. There's no attempt at any coherency between stories, no through line, really no attempt to tie together any of the 99 little stories. I understand the traditional biography can reflect bias from precisely those efforts to make things coherent and whole, but this alternative seems worse.
Still, there are plenty of interesting stories here, showing a number of facets of Einstein. A brilliant, revolutionary scientist who never found peace with the most revolutionary changes in physics (quantum mechanics), a dedicated friend who was not a good husband or father, a Zionist who opposed the creation of the state of Israel, a pacifist who encouraged research into nuclear weapons.
Graydon has apparently no training in physics, so makes a number of mistakes.
Mistakes:
p. 22: the idea that it would violate the laws of classical physics for light to be moving in one frame and at rest in another. This is technically true, but Graydon doesn't explain why, and suggests that it would violate Newtonian physics/Galilean relativity for anything to be at rest for one observer and moving for another. Um, what? You must, must mention Maxwell's equations at this point, both to clarify the physics and also because that's what influenced Einstein on this question.
pp. 69, 101: "Acceleration is not taken into account in special relativity", special relativity is "relevant only to things traveling at a constant speed in one direction or staying at rest". False! Objects absolutely can accelerate in SR. Particle physics calculations for the Large Hadron Collider use special relativity all the time, and have absolutely insane accelerations. SR can't have a reference frame that's accelerating, but you can absolutely work with momentarily comoving reference frames to, say, calculate what a rocket at constant acceleration will experience.
p. 99: "A person falling in a gravitational field and a person accelerating in the absence of gravity are equivalent to each other." No, they're not. A person at rest in a gravitational field can't locally distinguish this from a person accelerating without gravity. This isn't just a crucial physics point, it's also a crucial point in the life of Einstein. The famous "happiest thought" of his life was when he realized "if a man falls freely, he would not feel his weight".
p. 122: The nu's need to be subscripts. Don't write tensor equations if neither you nor your editors have any clue what tensors are.
p. 130: "One [star] shines at every point in the sky". False. If this were true, this would lead to Olbers's Paradox, which is what you're discussing in this section. The fact that this is not true implies the universe is either not infinite in space or not infinite in time, and the discovery of the finite age is the whole point of this section!
p. 186: Very minor, writes "proton" when means "photon".
p. 233: Just a very confusing discussion of entanglement. What does "these properties are not built into the pairing" even mean? Graydon clearly doesn't understand entanglement, but is trying to explain it to us, and it... does not work. Also, the claim that there's no information sent only because "they are the same entity" seems like a weird thing to say. There is no information sent. Period.
pp. 284–285: The claim that general relativity is needed to conduct "space exploration", including the orbits of spacecraft in the solar system, is just not true. Newtonian physics works fine for this.
And then there were multiple places where one good figure would have been better than a lengthy and fairly unsuccessful attempt to describe such a figure in words.
Still, there are plenty of interesting stories here, showing a number of facets of Einstein. A brilliant, revolutionary scientist who never found peace with the most revolutionary changes in physics (quantum mechanics), a dedicated friend who was not a good husband or father, a Zionist who opposed the creation of the state of Israel, a pacifist who encouraged research into nuclear weapons.
Graydon has apparently no training in physics, so makes a number of mistakes.
Mistakes:
p. 22: the idea that it would violate the laws of classical physics for light to be moving in one frame and at rest in another. This is technically true, but Graydon doesn't explain why, and suggests that it would violate Newtonian physics/Galilean relativity for anything to be at rest for one observer and moving for another. Um, what? You must, must mention Maxwell's equations at this point, both to clarify the physics and also because that's what influenced Einstein on this question.
pp. 69, 101: "Acceleration is not taken into account in special relativity", special relativity is "relevant only to things traveling at a constant speed in one direction or staying at rest". False! Objects absolutely can accelerate in SR. Particle physics calculations for the Large Hadron Collider use special relativity all the time, and have absolutely insane accelerations. SR can't have a reference frame that's accelerating, but you can absolutely work with momentarily comoving reference frames to, say, calculate what a rocket at constant acceleration will experience.
p. 99: "A person falling in a gravitational field and a person accelerating in the absence of gravity are equivalent to each other." No, they're not. A person at rest in a gravitational field can't locally distinguish this from a person accelerating without gravity. This isn't just a crucial physics point, it's also a crucial point in the life of Einstein. The famous "happiest thought" of his life was when he realized "if a man falls freely, he would not feel his weight".
p. 122: The nu's need to be subscripts. Don't write tensor equations if neither you nor your editors have any clue what tensors are.
p. 130: "One [star] shines at every point in the sky". False. If this were true, this would lead to Olbers's Paradox, which is what you're discussing in this section. The fact that this is not true implies the universe is either not infinite in space or not infinite in time, and the discovery of the finite age is the whole point of this section!
p. 186: Very minor, writes "proton" when means "photon".
p. 233: Just a very confusing discussion of entanglement. What does "these properties are not built into the pairing" even mean? Graydon clearly doesn't understand entanglement, but is trying to explain it to us, and it... does not work. Also, the claim that there's no information sent only because "they are the same entity" seems like a weird thing to say. There is no information sent. Period.
pp. 284–285: The claim that general relativity is needed to conduct "space exploration", including the orbits of spacecraft in the solar system, is just not true. Newtonian physics works fine for this.
And then there were multiple places where one good figure would have been better than a lengthy and fairly unsuccessful attempt to describe such a figure in words.
July 23, 2024
Reading 99 different snippets of Einstein’s life seemed fitting in some metaphysical way. Graydon is an excellent science writer who chose to highlight seemingly random events and incidents about Einstein without a lot of commentary. He leaves it to each reader to piece together their own version of the man. “Einstein’s finest work was all produced before he was famous, and for much of his early life he was a reasonably obscure figure. It took him nine years to secure an assistant professorship, and even then, he wasn’t first choice for the job,” Graydon writes in the introduction. “Einstein’s fame can get in the way of an objective assessment of his life. It creates an expectation of the extraordinary, and so it’s easy to fail to see what an astounding life Einstein did live.”
After the intro, you are on your own to make sense of Einstein’s incredible work ethic, his failures at math, his atrocious attitudes toward women, his pipe, his abandonment of children, his sense of humor, his lifelong friendships, his sailing, his quips, his job at the patent office, his musicianship, his wild hair, his Nobel prizes, and other elements. It could have been called 99 things Einstein thought about. I shook my head at some chapters. I re-read other chapters about a dozen times each. The science concepts were expertly outlined in the context of certain incidents: “Einstein, consistently throughout his career, was unhappy with quantum mechanics’ reliance on probability…He strong believed, even though evidence suggested otherwise, that at a deep level the universe was not run on chance…When debating with the theory’s various advocates, he would often tell them, ‘God does not play dice.’” If you are interested, you will learn tons of science - Schrodinger’s wave mechanics, Newton’s unification of physics, Maxwell’s electromagnetism, Max Planck’s quantums, and Max Born’s breakdown. Do not be discouraged. You will enjoy it!
After the intro, you are on your own to make sense of Einstein’s incredible work ethic, his failures at math, his atrocious attitudes toward women, his pipe, his abandonment of children, his sense of humor, his lifelong friendships, his sailing, his quips, his job at the patent office, his musicianship, his wild hair, his Nobel prizes, and other elements. It could have been called 99 things Einstein thought about. I shook my head at some chapters. I re-read other chapters about a dozen times each. The science concepts were expertly outlined in the context of certain incidents: “Einstein, consistently throughout his career, was unhappy with quantum mechanics’ reliance on probability…He strong believed, even though evidence suggested otherwise, that at a deep level the universe was not run on chance…When debating with the theory’s various advocates, he would often tell them, ‘God does not play dice.’” If you are interested, you will learn tons of science - Schrodinger’s wave mechanics, Newton’s unification of physics, Maxwell’s electromagnetism, Max Planck’s quantums, and Max Born’s breakdown. Do not be discouraged. You will enjoy it!
February 20, 2025
Thank you @ScribnerBooks #simonandschusterpartner#ScribnerInfluencer for this free book for review."
“Einstein in Time and Space: A Life in 99 Particles” by Samuel Grayson⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Non-Fiction Short Stories.
Albert Einstein redefined how we view our universe and our place within it.”He was loved by many, known by few, and inspired a generation of young physicists. In school, he failed every subject except math. He was a job seeker who couldn’t get hired. A charmer, he was the life of the party and chased after many women. Brilliant and inconsistent, Einstein avidly supported the NAACP and the fight for civil rights, and yet was capable of great prejudice.
Author Grayson has written a book that candidly illuminates Einstein and his contradictory life in 99 vignettes. His insightful and original biography covers the false reporting that shot Einstein to overnight fame, his effect on people he met in passing, and the posthumous journey of the famed physicist’s brain. Science journalist Graydon’s writing is entertaining and engaging, making his complex subject available to all the rest of us who might feel intimidated by the genius that was Einstein. If you’d like a fresh and compelling take on a famous personality, pick up this book! It’s 5 stars from me!🌵📚💁🏼♀️🎀 #ScribnerInfluencer
“Einstein in Time and Space: A Life in 99 Particles” by Samuel Grayson⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Non-Fiction Short Stories.
Albert Einstein redefined how we view our universe and our place within it.”He was loved by many, known by few, and inspired a generation of young physicists. In school, he failed every subject except math. He was a job seeker who couldn’t get hired. A charmer, he was the life of the party and chased after many women. Brilliant and inconsistent, Einstein avidly supported the NAACP and the fight for civil rights, and yet was capable of great prejudice.
Author Grayson has written a book that candidly illuminates Einstein and his contradictory life in 99 vignettes. His insightful and original biography covers the false reporting that shot Einstein to overnight fame, his effect on people he met in passing, and the posthumous journey of the famed physicist’s brain. Science journalist Graydon’s writing is entertaining and engaging, making his complex subject available to all the rest of us who might feel intimidated by the genius that was Einstein. If you’d like a fresh and compelling take on a famous personality, pick up this book! It’s 5 stars from me!🌵📚💁🏼♀️🎀 #ScribnerInfluencer
July 29, 2025
Samuel Graydon does us all a favor by lightening a pretty heavy load--and there are plenty of heavy ideas to deal with in any conversation about Albert Einstein. Breaking up the text into 99 vignettes that illustrate Einstein's humanity as well as his brilliance was, in fact, an act of brilliance in itself. Understanding relativity and its connections to quantum mechanics is headache inducing, but most of the text is a biography of the man, which is a good thing. The 99 "particles" balance themselves out over the course of the book, providing the reader with smiles enough to fend off the headaches.
December 14, 2024
Interesting type of biography, basically 99 very short chapters, each one being a story or glimpse into Einsteins life. Some more informative than others but overall enjoyable. I didn’t know much about Einsteins life but now would probably be able to answer an average difficulty dive bar trivia question about him.
March 11, 2025
wow. easily one of the most interesting people that ever lived
July 17, 2024
Amazing book!
September 10, 2025
A series of short anecdotal stories pieced together in order to create a very readable biography of the great man. He comes across as a genuinely nice person in most aspects except marital fidelity and parental responsibility; a hugely selfish and neglectful husband and father.
The author does a good job of explaining Einstein's scientific breakthroughs to the layman but gotta admit, it wasn't always successful. I was also impressed with the courageous stands he took in the face of fascism, racism and antisemitism.
The author does a good job of explaining Einstein's scientific breakthroughs to the layman but gotta admit, it wasn't always successful. I was also impressed with the courageous stands he took in the face of fascism, racism and antisemitism.
December 5, 2023
Audio Book was available on Spotify so I thought I would listen. The person reading it could put you to sleep though... The book was interesting. Parts of the science lost on me but some peaked my interest. Learning about his life in small snippets was a good way of easing into a person like Einsteins life. He was a bit of a player which surprised me. The idea of love seemed to intrigue him as much as physics did.
November 3, 2024
I really wanted to like this book, but just couldn't get into it and ended up DNFing. I can tell what Graydon was trying to do with the "99 particles" thing, but it didn't work for me — it felt a bit all over the place, with no thread weaving the chapters together. I think this is down to personal preference, as many others clearly enjoyed it, but if you like your biographies with more structure and storytelling, this probably isn't the one for you!
January 11, 2024
An amusing collection of anecdotes from his life but they do not have an elemental coherence that might be expected from the title
November 15, 2024
Samuel Graydon stitches together a delightful tapestry that delectably cleaves the intellectual and the indistinguishable characterizing an immortal and endearing personality. Albert Einstein is one of the greatest geniuses to stride the sands of time. A man possessed of eviscerating brilliance; Einstein upended the laws of Physics as it was wont to be comprehended when he gave it a godawful jolt. Yet for a man of such formidable intellect, Einstein was also a bundle of contrasts, contradictions, and confusions. Einstein in Time and Space is an exquisite assemblage of ninety-nine condensed Chapters, which deal with a particular event, moment, aspect or even an anecdote informing the scientific, spiritual, and social life of Albert Einstein.
With a view to securing the post of ‘Technical Expert III Class’ in the Swiss Patent Office, which came with a salary of 3,500 francs, an insecure Einstein kept the news of an illegitimate daughter secret from all his friends. His partner Mileva Maric in fact left the child when she moved in with Einstein in Switzerland. In fact, the child named Lieserl is not even a remote footnote in the illustrious history of her pedigreed father.
Yet this was the very Einstein, who was fiercely protective of women. In October 1911, was held the First Solvay Conference, a dazzling medley of some of the most incisive minds in the realms of science and theoretical physics. The mercurial Marie Curie had the distinction of being the only woman invitee. Also invited was Paul Langevin, a physicist who unbeknownst to many was also Curie’s lover. Just as the Conference was about to start, a miffed Mrs. Langevin, having gotten wind of her husband’s affair, publicly proceeded to release a series of correspondences titled “A Story of Love,” in the Le Journal. Yet when the swirling fog of controversy was assailing Curie, Einstein vociferously jumped to her rescue arguing that firstly Langevin was anyway intending to get divorced, and secondly this was a personal matter to be resolved within the confines of privacy.
Never apart from his violin, Einstein hobnobbed with philosophers, psychologists, Zionists, authors, and musicians. One of the participants in such rituals was none other than Franz Kafka. In fact, Einstein was so taken up by music that on a summer’s day while at home with his landlady’s daughter, he heard a faint sonata of a Mozart piano. Tucking his violin underneath his arm, he bolted out the door, sans a collar or tie, much to the chagrin or pleas of the landlady’s daughter, burst in on an old lady who was at the piano, instructed her to “go and playing” before accompanying her with great gusto on the violin!
By the time he was awarded the Nobel for Physics, Einstein had been nominated a staggering sixty-two times for the Prize and by eight other Nobel laureates. Unfortunately, Einstein was precluded from attending the actual ceremony in Sweden after being advised by law enforcement to stay away. His friend Walter Rathenau, the German Foreign Minister was assassinated by an antisemite ultra group who also had Einstein as a potential target in its cross hairs.
Abhorring violence, Einstein never shied from demonstrating his pacifist intent. Yet, when the world was imperiled by the threat of an atomic weapon wreaking havoc in Nazi hands, Einstein was one of the first to urge the then President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt to hasten the development of a weapon of mass destruction. This act later tore into his conscience once the full impact of the atomic bomb was felt in the ignominious bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Einstein predicably and understandably remained conflicted and polarized until the very end.
Samuel Graydon closes his wonderful book of vignettes in an emotional and evocative manner. On the 18th of April 1948, Alberta Roszel, a night nurse on duty, notices an irregularity in breathing of an ailing Einstein. She also hears him faintly muttering a few words. A dreaded and latent aneurysm soon ruptures and one of the most, if not the most, dazzling minds in all of history, is taken away. Since Roszel didn’t speak German, the last words of Einstein remain perpetually lost.
Einstein in Time and Space – Riveting, Reassuring and Remarkable!
With a view to securing the post of ‘Technical Expert III Class’ in the Swiss Patent Office, which came with a salary of 3,500 francs, an insecure Einstein kept the news of an illegitimate daughter secret from all his friends. His partner Mileva Maric in fact left the child when she moved in with Einstein in Switzerland. In fact, the child named Lieserl is not even a remote footnote in the illustrious history of her pedigreed father.
Yet this was the very Einstein, who was fiercely protective of women. In October 1911, was held the First Solvay Conference, a dazzling medley of some of the most incisive minds in the realms of science and theoretical physics. The mercurial Marie Curie had the distinction of being the only woman invitee. Also invited was Paul Langevin, a physicist who unbeknownst to many was also Curie’s lover. Just as the Conference was about to start, a miffed Mrs. Langevin, having gotten wind of her husband’s affair, publicly proceeded to release a series of correspondences titled “A Story of Love,” in the Le Journal. Yet when the swirling fog of controversy was assailing Curie, Einstein vociferously jumped to her rescue arguing that firstly Langevin was anyway intending to get divorced, and secondly this was a personal matter to be resolved within the confines of privacy.
Never apart from his violin, Einstein hobnobbed with philosophers, psychologists, Zionists, authors, and musicians. One of the participants in such rituals was none other than Franz Kafka. In fact, Einstein was so taken up by music that on a summer’s day while at home with his landlady’s daughter, he heard a faint sonata of a Mozart piano. Tucking his violin underneath his arm, he bolted out the door, sans a collar or tie, much to the chagrin or pleas of the landlady’s daughter, burst in on an old lady who was at the piano, instructed her to “go and playing” before accompanying her with great gusto on the violin!
By the time he was awarded the Nobel for Physics, Einstein had been nominated a staggering sixty-two times for the Prize and by eight other Nobel laureates. Unfortunately, Einstein was precluded from attending the actual ceremony in Sweden after being advised by law enforcement to stay away. His friend Walter Rathenau, the German Foreign Minister was assassinated by an antisemite ultra group who also had Einstein as a potential target in its cross hairs.
Abhorring violence, Einstein never shied from demonstrating his pacifist intent. Yet, when the world was imperiled by the threat of an atomic weapon wreaking havoc in Nazi hands, Einstein was one of the first to urge the then President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt to hasten the development of a weapon of mass destruction. This act later tore into his conscience once the full impact of the atomic bomb was felt in the ignominious bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Einstein predicably and understandably remained conflicted and polarized until the very end.
Samuel Graydon closes his wonderful book of vignettes in an emotional and evocative manner. On the 18th of April 1948, Alberta Roszel, a night nurse on duty, notices an irregularity in breathing of an ailing Einstein. She also hears him faintly muttering a few words. A dreaded and latent aneurysm soon ruptures and one of the most, if not the most, dazzling minds in all of history, is taken away. Since Roszel didn’t speak German, the last words of Einstein remain perpetually lost.
Einstein in Time and Space – Riveting, Reassuring and Remarkable!
June 2, 2025
“The search for truth is more precious than its possession.” - Albert Einstein, as quoted in this book.
This is an incredible, well written, and well paced biography of Albert Einstein. It is also a very unique approach to biographical writing as Grayson considers his book to be a “Mosaic biography.” Each chapter stands on its own either in terms of focus, subject, or style, but all the chapters together form a complete portrait of the complicated, genius, and quite ordinary man that was Einstein. I have previously read Walter Isaacson’s biography of Einstein, and I must say this book ranks right up there with it. Graydon even scores a few points over Isaacson in that Graydon does an incredible job at explaining all of Einstein’s key scientific contributions. The man quite literally changed how we viewed the world. I continue to find it fascinating that Einstein is also the father of quantum mechanics, even though he himself became very uncomfortable with the probabilistic and uncertain nature of the quantum. Einstein was also a ver adamant pacifist, yet he played a key role in the United States’s work towards acquiring an atomic bomb (Einstein would disavow the title of Father of the Atomic Bomb).
Graydon also portrays well the shortcomings of Einstein. Graydon shows that Einstein is not some mythic, legendary, or saintly figure. Einstein had extremely deficient views of women, and was not a very good spouse in his first and second marriages. He treated his first wife very coldly and cruelly. While he loved his second wife in his own sort of way, he believed that monogamy was a social construct and committed many adulteries. He also had complicated relationships with both of his sons. Graydon is not afraid to explore the bad side of Einstein.
Graydon also shows the remarkable warm, friendly, and simple nature of Einstein. He was a man who hated attention, fame, and awards. He never wore socks. Slept irregularly and ate little. Yet he also had a deep passion for the beauty of music (he played the violin and loved Mozart). He also had a passion for sailing. I close with an extended quote from the biography on the accomplishments of Einstein:
“Einstein's fame can get in the way of an objective assessment of his life. It creates an expectation of the extraordinary, and so it's easy to fail to see what an astounding life Einstein did actually live. It involved a level of genuine success that is almost unthinkable. In one year—in fact, in half a year, from March to September 1905—he submitted his doctoral thesis; he mathematically proved the existence of atoms; he argued for the modern idea of light as a stream of particles (and in so doing laid the groundwork for quantum mechanics); and he proposed the special theory of relativity in the process doing away with the past few hundred years of scientific orthodoxy and, practically by accident, discovering the equivalence of energy and matter, now immortalized in the equation E=MC2. He did all this in his spare time, while working six days a week as a patent clerk, without access to a library, and with a one-year-old child at home.”
Did I also mention that he technically discovered the existence of black holes and the expanding nature of the universe, but he dismissed these as mathematical “glitches.” Even in his supposed accidents, he still made profound discoveries. Modern means of space travel, as well as our GPS systems are greatly indebted to the work of Einstein. What a unique man to study!
This is an incredible, well written, and well paced biography of Albert Einstein. It is also a very unique approach to biographical writing as Grayson considers his book to be a “Mosaic biography.” Each chapter stands on its own either in terms of focus, subject, or style, but all the chapters together form a complete portrait of the complicated, genius, and quite ordinary man that was Einstein. I have previously read Walter Isaacson’s biography of Einstein, and I must say this book ranks right up there with it. Graydon even scores a few points over Isaacson in that Graydon does an incredible job at explaining all of Einstein’s key scientific contributions. The man quite literally changed how we viewed the world. I continue to find it fascinating that Einstein is also the father of quantum mechanics, even though he himself became very uncomfortable with the probabilistic and uncertain nature of the quantum. Einstein was also a ver adamant pacifist, yet he played a key role in the United States’s work towards acquiring an atomic bomb (Einstein would disavow the title of Father of the Atomic Bomb).
Graydon also portrays well the shortcomings of Einstein. Graydon shows that Einstein is not some mythic, legendary, or saintly figure. Einstein had extremely deficient views of women, and was not a very good spouse in his first and second marriages. He treated his first wife very coldly and cruelly. While he loved his second wife in his own sort of way, he believed that monogamy was a social construct and committed many adulteries. He also had complicated relationships with both of his sons. Graydon is not afraid to explore the bad side of Einstein.
Graydon also shows the remarkable warm, friendly, and simple nature of Einstein. He was a man who hated attention, fame, and awards. He never wore socks. Slept irregularly and ate little. Yet he also had a deep passion for the beauty of music (he played the violin and loved Mozart). He also had a passion for sailing. I close with an extended quote from the biography on the accomplishments of Einstein:
“Einstein's fame can get in the way of an objective assessment of his life. It creates an expectation of the extraordinary, and so it's easy to fail to see what an astounding life Einstein did actually live. It involved a level of genuine success that is almost unthinkable. In one year—in fact, in half a year, from March to September 1905—he submitted his doctoral thesis; he mathematically proved the existence of atoms; he argued for the modern idea of light as a stream of particles (and in so doing laid the groundwork for quantum mechanics); and he proposed the special theory of relativity in the process doing away with the past few hundred years of scientific orthodoxy and, practically by accident, discovering the equivalence of energy and matter, now immortalized in the equation E=MC2. He did all this in his spare time, while working six days a week as a patent clerk, without access to a library, and with a one-year-old child at home.”
Did I also mention that he technically discovered the existence of black holes and the expanding nature of the universe, but he dismissed these as mathematical “glitches.” Even in his supposed accidents, he still made profound discoveries. Modern means of space travel, as well as our GPS systems are greatly indebted to the work of Einstein. What a unique man to study!
May 6, 2024
While this could be seen as a good intro to Einstein, without all the intimidating physics, and a focus on his human nature, I found upon conclusion that there was too much emphasis on quirky events/stories. If you've read/studied Einstein, these can be fun to read. Even one of these 99 stories talks about how his biographical accounts were controlled to only allow very flattering renderings. But the reader won't come away from this with the awe that the physics community truly has for Einstein.
For example: Einstein won his Nobel Prize for E=hf, and not for E=mc^2. Why? Not even the scientists could believe that light would bend in a gravitational field. Expeditions went to photograph stars near the eclipsed sun in 1919. Indeed, the stars were out of place with the bending that Einstein predicted. So in 1921, the Nobel Prize in physics went to nobody! They STILL couldn't believe that Einstein was correct. In 1922, Einstein was retroactively awarded the 1921 prize, but as I stated, for the Photoelectric Effect (E=hf). General Relativity was a crazy concept.
Although this story above is one of the "99 particles", you just don't really appreciate the magnitude of this achievement here. Laymen readers will like how lightly the topics of his famous research papers are mentioned, providing just enough to get the idea. But the vast majority of the stories here detail things going on outside the realm of physics.
His love affairs and travels were more than you might imagine. I did appreciate how everyone seemed to always come away with a very positive feeling about him after they met and talked with him. He was very personable. His lectures seemed haphazard as he might just walk in with some cue-cards, and start rambling on the board. But that was the magic - you were watching this genius THINK right there in class. It was not a scripted lecture.
Even this bio recommends two great epic biographical accounts to read:
- Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson
- Albert Einstein: A Biography by Albrecht Fölsing
But these can be intimidating with SO much detail plus excellent talks about the physics.
I just felt the humanistic-pendulum swung a bit too far away from the physics in this book.
It is highly readable, with these very short few-page 'chapters', with each having a distinct story/theme.
For me, 3.5* round up.
For example: Einstein won his Nobel Prize for E=hf, and not for E=mc^2. Why? Not even the scientists could believe that light would bend in a gravitational field. Expeditions went to photograph stars near the eclipsed sun in 1919. Indeed, the stars were out of place with the bending that Einstein predicted. So in 1921, the Nobel Prize in physics went to nobody! They STILL couldn't believe that Einstein was correct. In 1922, Einstein was retroactively awarded the 1921 prize, but as I stated, for the Photoelectric Effect (E=hf). General Relativity was a crazy concept.
Although this story above is one of the "99 particles", you just don't really appreciate the magnitude of this achievement here. Laymen readers will like how lightly the topics of his famous research papers are mentioned, providing just enough to get the idea. But the vast majority of the stories here detail things going on outside the realm of physics.
His love affairs and travels were more than you might imagine. I did appreciate how everyone seemed to always come away with a very positive feeling about him after they met and talked with him. He was very personable. His lectures seemed haphazard as he might just walk in with some cue-cards, and start rambling on the board. But that was the magic - you were watching this genius THINK right there in class. It was not a scripted lecture.
Even this bio recommends two great epic biographical accounts to read:
- Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson
- Albert Einstein: A Biography by Albrecht Fölsing
But these can be intimidating with SO much detail plus excellent talks about the physics.
I just felt the humanistic-pendulum swung a bit too far away from the physics in this book.
It is highly readable, with these very short few-page 'chapters', with each having a distinct story/theme.
For me, 3.5* round up.
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