Einstein: A Life

by Denis Brian

Blends the brilliance of the scientific genius with the compassion, playfulness, and wit of the private figure

"A fascinating read with more interesting material about Einstein as a human being than I have ever seen before."--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 Prize Laureate

His face is one of the most recognized on the planet. His very name is synonymous with genius. Yet, for all the attention and countless biographies, our images of Albert Einstein rarely go beyond the eccentric and larger-than-life scientist unraveling one cosmic mystery after another.

In this engaging popular biography, Denis Brian draws on a wealth of new information recently opened to the public to bring us a broader, more authentic portrait of Einstein than previously available. The first full-scale Einstein life published in 20 years, it is also the first to integrate Einstein's genius with his private and public life to give us a complete impression of the real person.

We meet an Einstein with a gift for friendship, a romantic with a roving eye for women. We confront a man whose countless scientific triumphs were tempered by tragic ironies in his personal life. We encounter Einstein the humanist who showed compassion for the children of others yet neglected his own sons. We learn from his former assistants how they revered Einstein, how he worked at his science, and of his warm relationships with other physicists.

Based on information drawn from new access to the Einstein archives as well as exclusive interviews with colleagues and friends, Einstein: A Life reveals an endearing and sensititve man, but one slightly detached from even those closest to him, as if he inhabited his own world of lofty thoughts and cosmic dreams.

DENIS BRIAN (West Palm Beach, Florida) is the author of The True Gen: An Intimate Portrait of Hemingway by Those Who Knew Him and Genius Talk: Conversations with Nobel Scientists and Other Luminaries.

Genres: Biography, Science, Nonfiction, Physics, History, Biography Memoir

536 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[Zach · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a disclaimer, this is the only biography I have read of Einstein, so I have nothing to compare it to. That said, there is one pro and many cons to this book. From a positive perspective, It is unquestionable that the author did his research for this book. There is such a large volume of facts, conversations, observations, and general statements about einstein's life that the reader is left knowing that the author did his research. However, that is where the notable aspects of this book end. The largest short coming here was the writing style. This was not written in a way to be enjoyed. It is a factual tome, written very clearly to simply include everything the author knows. At times, it was painfully clear that the author was forcing random facts into passages, just to have that information included. There are no transitions between topics, no literary devices to help make this an enjoyable story. This is a lengthy statement of facts about Einstein, put into sequential order. Having not read any other Einstein biography, I cannot recommend another book to read instead if this one. Indeed, this book was very good about providing a personal, in depth view of Einstein. Nevertheless, it was not well written. If you do decide to move forward with this book, be assured that you will come away with a superior knowledge of a great man. You will not find a biography that is an enjoyable read, however, which is something I am firmly believe nonfiction should still try to achieve.

[Michael Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased this after reading a reference about Brian's book in another book. It was a well written and very human look at all of Einstein's life ... the brilliant scientist & mathematician, the flawed husband and father and the amazing humanist fighting for people and causes all of his life. It is rich in letters and personal memories of his many friends and colleagues. By far the best of the Einstein biographies that I have read.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the picture Denis Brian paints, it's no wonder people were drawn to Einstein. Through letters, diary entries, and interviews, Brian gives us an image of a dreamy, odd, yet extremely compassionate individual who enjoyed playing the violin. After reading this book, I have to say that Einstein would have been a delightful person to know and a great friend to have.

Some information about Einstein that I found interesting but you may find to be a spoiler
Einstein's mind was always focused on work - even at parties he would be caught scribbling down equations - but he would gladly put that aside for a good conversation. Einstein would talk to anyone like he would an old friend. He had trouble saying no to people, and as he became more famous people around him took to protectively guarding him from exploitation.

I think it's strange how famous Einstein was. For someone who just wanted to be left to his own thoughts, he was quite the celebrity, especially in the United States. Einstein tried his best to turn his fame into something positive through speaking for justice and world disarmament. This is what I enjoyed most about this book: Einstein the humanitarian. During WWII, he used as much of his resources as possible to help fellow Jews escaped Germany.

Einstein became a Zionist after seeing anti-Semitism in Europe (not just Germany) and later even in the United States. I think it's pretty fair to say if he had not left Germany he would have been killed by the Nazis. He had good reason to believe the only way for Jews to receive fair treatment was for them to have their own nation. In 1952, Einstein was asked to be Israel's next president, but he declined because he felt he wasn't qualified.

For all of Einstein's compassion for strangers, he was cold to those who should be closest to him. After he divorced his first wife Mileva, he didn't have much to do with his two boys. In fact, Einstein was a much better father to his two step-daughters than his sons. His son Eduard was mentally ill, possibly schizophrenic, and spent most of his life in a mental hospital cut off from the world. Knowing someone with schizophrenia, I can say this is a grave disservice to them.


As much as I liked Einstein: A Life, I think it could have been edited better. I feel like Denis Brian wanted to put in so much information that he risked boring his readers. I had trouble finishing his book even though there is much here to enjoy.

[Michael Lewyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book certainly succeeds in giving me a sense of Einstein the man. In his youth, he was bright but not always well-liked: he grew to dislike his first wife, and couldn't get an academic job for several years after graduation because he antagonized most of his professors. But as he got older, he got more mature. He got his first academic job at the age of 30, and was nominated for a Nobel Prize that very year. Four years later, he was such a star that the University of Berlin hired him just to do research, without any teaching duties. And by the time he was 40, he was a celebrity. Celebrity did not spoil him; as Einstein aged, he apparently grew more affable and modest.

One flaw with this book is that its attempts to add historical background did not always seem well-researched to me. For example, the book claims that when Einstein moved to Prague in the 1910s, "bubonic plague and typhoid fever were not uncommon in the city." I am pretty sure that Europe had conquered bubonic plague by the 20th century, and I didn't see any footnote supporting this assertion. Similarly, the book claims that in 1920, "Nazis and Communists fought bloody battles" and that "his [Einstein's] newspaper.. reported that Corporal Hitler's National Socialist Party was energetically moving forward with his twenty-five point program." Since Hitler's party was not even founded until 1920, it seems unlikely that the party was large enough to generate press coverage or do much Communist-fighting. (Again, no footnote is supplied for these assertions).

[Bill Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book 10 or 12 years ago but, recently, could not remember which biography of Einstein I had read. Since I thought it pretty good, I made an effort to remember and thought I might have read Walter Isaacson's Einstein: His Life and Universe. I started reading that biography, realized it wasn't the right one and kept searching. But am nearly certain this is the correct book.

Brian's Einstein: a life was worth reading and worth tracking down again, although I have now finished Issacson's biography of Einstein as well. Issacson's book seemed to focus a little more on the scientific part of Einstein's life and this a little more on the personal, but both books are comprehensive and cover a lot of the same material.

[Alexia Isais · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography on the legendary Albert Einstein gives one an exclusive insight to life and mind of the genius who discovered the famous equation: E=mc2.

In this heavily-detailed book, you feel as if you knew Einstein yourself. Or at least that's how I felt.
There were times this book was a tad bit tedious and excessively detailed, but it helps one gain an insight to Einstein.

Personally, I love Einstein and loved his quotes and philosophies, so I decided to learn all about the man I idolized from the start. I definitely recommend this to anyone who knows his name, but not his story. Einstein is an inspiration.

[Renate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have learned a lot about Einstein and his important deeds - scientifically and politically. Therefore, although I share the criticism of the often too detailed presentation, I find this criticism not important in terms of the amount of important information about his life.

[Yusuf · Rating 4 out of 5]

At just over 500 pages long this Biography of Einstein is quite lengthy. In the case of Einstein though this is justified. Einstein changed the course of physics with his proposal of general relativity, and though he won the Nobel prize for the photoelectric effect, it is relativity that he in know for. In his biography of Einstein Brian shows that the great scientist was more that an eccentric genius. Einstein was a person, and Brian does a great job of showing us just exactly who he was. The book chronicles his entire life starting from his early life in germany and ending at his death in the United States. Einstein's life story is inspiring, especially for someone who hopes to pursue a career in the sciences. Einstein led an interesting life, and he had a profound impact on the history of the world. Brian manages to make the man whose name is synonymous with genius into a real relatable person. Everybody should be familiar with the life of the man who changed the course of history. This book is a good place to start.

[Bernard Farrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very detailed yet easy to read book on Einstein's life. His well-known physics findings (Relativity, etc.) were covered but not in enough detail that you'd need a background to get through it.

Einstein comes across as a multi-faceted person. Apart from his ground-breaking work he was also an advocate for personal freedom and supporter of the creation of the Israeli state. His joy and child-like attitude are evident even at the end of his life. His stubbornness also, yet he was always open to changing his mind.

It's a big book, broken into short chapters that cover one or two years. So I could read a short chapter and continue the next day.

Recommended. I'm giving it four stars because some of the details on how he helped various strangers were too detailed and I don't think added to the biography.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this biography. Brian showed that Einstein was a man flawed like any other man. He really allowed me to feel as though I understood Einstein as a person. He delved into the personal life of Einstein and showed us a side never before seen. I thought that the way he presented Einstein's theories was well laid out for a layman as well. He also presented the immense obstacles that Einstein had to overcome before he met with success. Overall I felt that this was one of the best books about a historical figure I've ever read.

[Stacey Mcgill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I FINALLY finished this book! It was very long! I understand why there is a lot to write about but it was definitely a labor if love. I did enjoy the book, especially considering I knew very little about Einstein. It was well written. I would recommend it to anyone really interested in Einstein. Just be prepared for a very detailed, lengthy read.

[Juliette · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 étoiles parce que c'est la seule biographie que j'ai lu à son sujet, je ne peux pas la comparer à d'autres mais en 500 pages on en apprend énormément sur lui et son travail, ce que j'ai trouvé très intéressant !

[Savannah Levell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely the best Einstein biography. Really lays out his theories for anybody to understand with ease. Definitely recommended for anybody interested in the natural world.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive, enlightening and enjoyable. This book is 500 pages, but you'll find it hard to put down.

[Harrison Rip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible, inspiring, beautifully-told story of the coolest guy of the 20th century.

[Merri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written book that shows the human side of this incredible man.