Einstein

by Jim Ottaviani, Jerel Dye (Illustrator)

In Einstein, writer Jim Ottaviani and artist Jerel Dye take us behind the veneer of Einstein’s celebrity, painting a complex and intimate portrait of the world’s most well-known scientist.

E = mc²

A world-changing equation and a wild head of hair are all most of us know about one of history’s greatest minds, despite his being a household name in his lifetime and an icon in ours. But while the broad outlines of what Einstein did are well known, who he was remained hidden from view to most...even his closest friends.

This is the story of a scientist who made many mistakes, and even when he wanted to be proven wrong, was often right in the end. It's a story of a humanist who struggled to connect with people. And it's a story of a reluctant revolutionary who paid a high price for living with a single dream.

In Einstein, Jim Ottaviani and Jerel Dye take us behind the veneer of celebrity, painting a complex and intimate portrait of the scientist whose name has become another word for genius.

Genres: Biography, Graphic Novels, Nonfiction, Science, History, Comics, Historical

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 15, 2022

About the author

I've worked at news agencies and golf courses in the Chicagoland area, nuclear reactors in the U.S. and Japan, and libraries in Michigan. When I'm not staying up late writing comics about scientists, I'm spraining my ankles and flattening my feet by running on trails. Or I'm reading. I read a lot.

Reviews

[Bharath · Rating 4 out of 5]

In many ways this book is a brave experiment - very detailed illustrated life of Einstein at ~280 pages. It carries it off very well.

The book covers a vast period – staring from Albert Einstein’s childhood right till his passing. It includes his childhood, his family, performance at school & college, his relationships, his political views, his theories, his mistakes and interaction with other physicists. As expected, his disdain for quantum physics finds good coverage including his sarcastic remark of phantom interactions across the globe in an article. I did not know that Neil Bohr responded to this article countering it in a fact-based manner, and in good humour using the exact same title for his article. Einstein’s search for a unified theory made no progress too. That said, his theory of relativity was revolutionary and his path to it finds a lot of space.

For a book in this format, it is surprisingly detailed. That said, I felt it is also a limitation where elaborations are difficult to provide. The illustrations are all top-notch and the captions are largely very good.

If Einstein’s life and his contribution interests you, this is an excellent book to read.

My rating: 4.25 / 5.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author & publisher for a free electronic review copy.

[Alexander Peterhans · Rating 4 out of 5]

A deep, intricate retelling of Albert Einstein's life. At times quite dense, it took me quite a while to finish. The author uses a neat narrative trick, where people who are inside a scene, will give commentary about what is happening to the reader. Recommended.

(Thanks to First Second Books for providing me with a review copy through NetGalley)

[Glo · Rating 5 out of 5]

[ES & ENG]


5 stars go to .... Einstein by Jim Ottaviani and Jerel Dye, an entertaining and educational graphic novel about Albert Einstein, his friends, ... and also his not so amicable colleagues, and their endeavor and tenacity to develop the historical achievements in modern physic.

In this nonfiction comic, we mainly get to know the evolution of Albert Einstein’s career as a theoretical physicist, with its ups and down. They depict some hints of the theory of relativity and of quantum mechanics to provide a general view of the development of these theories.

But to me the most valuable thing in this book is the more empathic vision of the research process. Additionally, I really liked the construction of the characters, the vividness of their interactions, all wrapped up with a pitch of humor.

Thanks to Jim Ottaviani and Jerel Dye for the opportunity to enjoy this thoughtful biography of Einstein, and to First Second Books and Netgalley for being able to access a copy in advance to give my honest opinion.


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En esta novela gráfica y biográfica de Albert Einstein, centrada principalmente en su trabajo científico y sus vínculos con otros físicos como Niels Bohr, he alcanzado a conocer los conflictos y contradicciones que afrontó hasta llegar a ser una figura mundialmente famosa.
Encontramos pinceladas de la teoría de la relatividad y otras cuestiones relacionadas con la física cuántica, que personalmente no acabo de comprender, aunque tampoco creo que sea el objetivo de este libro. Aun así, considero que es una obra divulgativa porque nos dibuja a grandes trazos el proceso de creación de dichas teorías y porque nos acerca a una visión de conjunto al método científico, donde la colaboración, la tenacidad y el espíritu curioso son frente común para la investigación.

Una de las cosas que más me ha gustado es el tratamiento de los personajes. Se describen con una pizca de humor y además cobran vida en su interacción.

En definitiva, es un comic serio que combina una aproximación a la física con cierto grado de entretenimiento para acercarnos, a los no entendidos en la material, a la vertiente más cuántica de Albert Einstein.

Gracias a Jim Ottaviani y Jerel Dye por la oportunidad de disfrutar de esta enriquecedora biografía de Einstein, y a First Second Books y Netgalley por poder acceder anticipadamente a una copia para aportar mi honesta opinión.

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[Nisha Joshi (swamped, will review whenever possible) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though physics is an "out-of-scope" subject for me (couldn't really understand much apart from the basics), I was always interested in Einstein. I often used to wonder during my engineering days about his brain and thinking process and how he managed to think up so much stuff that I couldn't solve even when set on paper.

When I saw this ARC on Netgalley, I requested it immediately for
1) Einstein
2) Comics

The book covers a vast portion of the genius's life starting from his childhood until his death. The way his brain works is shown well. Equations and formulae just seem to pop into his head but after that goes a lot of hard work, plenty of discussions, and thinking to get it all straight.

The story is narrated by the characters Einstein spent his time with including his girlfriend, wives, secretary, parents, and friends. This was a refreshing way of narration and I loved it. I also loved the short interaction between Newton and Einstein. I didn't even know that the concept of kilometre wasn't invented in Newton's time.

Though I didn't understand much of the physics going on in the book, it did not overshadow my enjoyment. A lot of other topics like Einstein's inability to commit to one woman, his relationships with his parents, children (particularly his eldest), and friends are covered and they are quite interesting.

The drawings by artist Jerel Dye for the comic are excellent. They reminded me of Tintin comics (my very favourite).

Of course, I cannot claim to know everything about Einstein now after reading one comic book but it has given me a fair idea of what to expect.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Thanks to Netgalley and First Second Books for the ARC.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although much of this went considerably over my head, I think it nicely portrays the human side of Albert Einstein as told through the eyes of his colleagues, mentors/mentees, and particularly, the side-tracked women in his life. Although he was a charming ladies man, physics and mathematics came first, and always at the expense of a normal family life-even as a child.

This book was ambitious, really well drawn, extensively cited, and detailed in telling Einstein’s life and, in my estimation, did not shy away from digging into the specifics and developments of his numerous theories. Because of this, I think it would be a great addition to a high school science library, as well an entertaining and interesting read for anyone interested in the man behind the myth.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Achyuth Murlei · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, Jim Ottaviani, First Second, and NetGalley for the digital copy. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

An interesting aspect of this graphic novel was how the author, much like the star of the book, Albert Einstein, used and manipulated time as a medium to reveal his life-story. Intertwining frequent breaking of the fourth wall with active narration by family and associates of Einstein directly to the audience, the author gives an insight into Einstein's life events, affairs, and relationships that shaped his thinking and eventually, the world at large.

The explanation of the physics of his papers is not sidelined or ignored, and is brought out through the dynamic and engaging illustrations of Jerel Dye. This is especially visible in the beautifully written interaction between Einstein and Isaac Newton. The art in this book has a depth that is representative of 19th century aesthetics. A sooty temperament permeates the panel, and the brown suits with black boots accentuate this further. The usage of different degrees of broken violins to depict how hot or cold Einstein were to a functioning idea was genius in and of itself.

The biography story of Einstein, as the author prefers it, is suited for the young and old, the tired and inspired and most importantly, a must-read for those who know Einstein merely through grapevine on modern forms of media. The book elegantly detangles the man from the legends that were imposed on him, such as being poor in mathematics or serving in a low-ranking position when coming up with epoch-making ideas in the form of the relativity theory and photoelectic effect. Einstein, in addition to occupying a respectable role in the patent office, was in constant touch with the historical greats such as Planck and Wein, providing him with the essential feedback and discussion he required to reach his goal and carve his path, despite hurdles.

The hardships Einstein was put through despite his annus mirabilis is humbling, and forces one to look at their circumstances (and excuses) more critically. The role of European antisemitism in the suppression of Einstein's career was rightfully not ignored. I can't imagine how infuriating it must have been to produce research that forms the basis of the 21st century at the youthful age of twenty-six, and needlessly be stifled due to the small mindedness of bureaucrats. The politics of the time, be it the criticism of his theory from a nationalistic and racial point of view, or the apocalyptic World War II, goes to show success without hurdles, trivial or not, is a concept that must be quickly disposed of.

While Einstein was living and fighting on his terms, the fate of Mileva Marić was regretfully highly tied-up to Einstein to blossom independently. Despite being an accomplished and trained physicist in her own right, it is disheartening to see her potential squandered at the behest of the patriarchal culture and a half-interested husband. Mileva is a stand-in for the scores of women who were navigating a completely different set of waves, having to dance at a tune set by somebody else. The author did a fantastic job in having Mileva tell her own story to the audience, criticising Einstein for his lack of care, arrogance and wandering eye.

While the breaking of the fourth wall was an excellent device to provide explanations, context and predictions, it was used a little too much, which takes the reader away from the present tense to bobbing around in time while making (disruptive) mental notes.

The speech bubbles in some panels weren't clear at first glance as to whether the character was speaking to the reader or not. This, of course, was quickly taken care of, but a slightly different speech bubble would have helped in eliminating the aforementioned double-takes.

Conclusion

The story of the science is as important as the science itself. The back and forth between Niels Bohr and Einstein was emblematic in this respect. With several artistic panels to gawk at and a fantastic story to be in awe of, this is an entertaining first course to budding scientists and those who find biographies difficult to get through. While spanning a large area of Einstein's life, it is not self-contained, due to the existence of unresolved controversies from the status of Einstein's first child to Mileva Marić's co-authorship of his papers.

I am personally looking forward to picking up Walter Isaacson and Abraham Pais' biographies of Einstein, respectively, and Thirty Years That Shook Physics by George Gamow, of the many sources cited by the author.

There is something powerfully emotional about the way the author concludes his books, like the peace and satisfaction realised after concluding an arduous but rewarding journey. He did it with Feynman, he does the same with Einstein.

[Alex Nagler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jim Ottaviani's "Feynman." It's one of the books that springs to mind when I think of what a First Second book feels like, why I stop by their booth every year at NYCC in hopes of something else just like it. 11 years later, we have his follow up work, "Einstein." Covering the most famous physicists of the 20th century's life, it details his work, his life, and does not gloss over the fact that he was a shitty father, repeatedly unfaithful husband, and reluctant to adopt quantum theory as it unfolded in front of his face. The narrative, both linear and reflective at the same time, works well with the art style and the reoccurring motif of the perpetually unfinished violin reflects Einstein's Quixotian quest to build out a Unified Field Theory until his death.

Thanks to Netgalley and First Second Books for the ARC.

[Dakota Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Einstein is a dense read. Jim Ottaviani has chosen to merge a biography of Einstein (as told by those close to him) with a narrative non-fiction look at Einstein's life. The characters speak to Einstein, then speak to you. It takes a bit of getting used to.

And then there's the physics. You might need a graduate degree to fully understand Einstein's theories, not to mention his friend's theories, or even the general concept of "relativity" or "quantum mechanics." Terms like those will not be defined, so go into Einstein knowing that you might have to rummage around Wikipedia.

All told, Einstein offers a robust look at the life (and loves) of Einstein, but the jumbled storytelling method more often than not buries the key moments.

(I see now that my reviews of The Imitation Game and Hawking identified similar issues with Ottaviani's detail-heavy, graduate-degree-required writing style.)

[Ainun Zahra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much Netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read the book in exchange of honest opinion.

I am not an overenthusiastic fan of science or physics or even Einstein as a person but I read his biography 3-4 years ago in Bangla that totally captivated me! I had similar if not higher expectations from this book. While the illustrations are gorgeous and beautifully capture the vibes, I had a hard time forming any emotional connection with the story. The words felt stilted at times and my attention kept wavering. However, I loved seeing him through others' eyes, learned quite a lot of information and would recommend this book to everyone.

[Jack Vinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The graphic novel format makes a good way of absorbing Einstein’s story - told mostly through the people around him from a vast archive of correspondence that the author used to build this particular story.

The book makes clear Einstein’s genius and curiosity, as well as giving the impression that he enjoyed the people around him. And, boy, we’re there some amazing people around him.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this from the library using Libby. I've read my last couple GNs using Libby, rather than Hoopla. Seems they have a larger catalog. At any rate, thanks to Mark for suggesting this. It was a pretty good read about the life of Einstein. He didn't sugar-coat the physics. I'd like to think I'm pretty good when it comes to science and math, but his stuff, once you get past "the Equation", is pretty daunting. I liked Ottaviani's style of having the surrounding characters break the fourth wall and turn to talk to the reader to explain what was going on, out side of the narrative.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always look forward to a new Jim Ottaviani science comic. That is: painstakingly researched, expertly told, beautifully illustrated* graphic novels about some of the greatest contributors to human knowledge. Here, only a dauntingly ambitious go at explaining Einstein’s numerous world-altering theoretical physics breakthroughs.

Einstein didn’t live the adventurous life of Feynman, and didn’t overcome the physical obstacles that Hawking did. He was just a guy who spent a lot of time in his own head, like many of us, only what came out were fundamental new understandings of the universe, like none of us.

Learning about Einstein and relativity in physics classes one million years ago, what I still remember are his various thought experiments. These make for much more interesting storytelling than equations—not that ordinary mortals like me can really parse or debate even these illustrative examples—but Jim O. leverages them to excellent effect. He also uses a fascinating metaphor in music, as Einstein, the real and theoretical violin player, imagines various “instruments” to explain the universe, and when they play well, he knows his theories are right.

There are a lot of metaphors, and a lot of narrators. But that’s how the reader is going to relate to someone like Albert Einstein. I mean, you’re not going to thoroughly understand general relativity after reading this. (As the myth goes, only three people in the world understood it at the time, and it’s probably only a couple orders of magnitude more than that today.) But as with other Jim O. bios, you’ll understand the person and why they mattered.

*Gimme a framed poster of Jerel Dye’s re-creation of Hooker telescope at Mount Wilson Observatory, goodness.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Instantly recognizable and world famous, most of what we know about Einstein is on the level of caricature. So it is fitting that cartoons are used to flesh out the man, his place in history and the astonishing complexity of his theories. Ottaviani has made a specialty in profiling revolutionary scientists whose controversial discoveries transformed our understanding - using speech bubbles, asides, flashbacks and foreshadowing to tell the complicated history of who, how and why. Those who know a little about Einstein will find the familiar stories fleshed out: his late acquisition of language, difficulty finding a teaching position and the letter to F.D.R. that launched the Manhattan Project. Here too are extensive insights into his personal relationships, family, marriages, affairs, politics and his all important conversations with a whose-who of the most important physicists, astronomers and mathematicians of the 20th century. Engaging cartoon style drawings, varied panel design and size, and sophisticated colors, complement the conversational text. Those who understand the import of Einstein’s theories and thought experiments will be fascinated to see them visually represented and placed in context. Those with less of a grasp on the science are given a chance to glimpse what all the fuss is about, and to acquire a glimmer of understanding of conceptual physics. While not for the casual comic book reader, Einstein will be welcomed by those interested in the great man and the theory of relativity, as well as by high school physics teachers hoping to open up a world of revolutionary thought to a new generation.
Thanks to Netgalley and First Second for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Immie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Albert Einstein gehört zu den berühmtesten Wissenschaftlern der Welt, um den sich nicht ohne Grund jede Menge Mythen ranken. Schon als Jugendliche haben mich Einsteins Theorien und sein Leben brennend interessiert, auch wenn ich nicht alles verstanden habe, womit er sich im Laufe seines Lebens beschäftigt hat.

Umso spannender fand ich die Tatsache, dass es eine Graphic Novel über Einstein gibt, die ich mir als Leseexemplar ansehen durfte.
Um es gleich vorweg zu nehmen: die Zeichnungen fand ich gut gelungen, die Figuren sind eher realistisch als comicartig und man merkt sofort, mit wie viel Mühe und Liebe hier vorgegangen wurde. Der Künstler Jerel Dye erweckt mit seinen Zeichnungen Einstein und alle Personen in seinem Leben für den Leser regelrecht zum Leben.
Der Schriftsteller Jim Ottaviani zeigt nicht nur Einsteins Lebenslauf, sondern auch seine einzelnen Theorien auf, die teilweise wiederum von Dye graphisch dargestellt werden. Eine sehr gründliche und informative Biographie, die mehr bietet als ein paar schöne Bilder und biographische Begebenheiten.
Der Clou ist, dass die beiden Einsteins Wegbegleiter erzählen lassen. Sogar Charlie Chaplin kommt zu Wort. Dabei wird nichts beschönigt und Einstein mit all seinen Ecken und Kanten porträtiert.

Für mich war es schwierig, die dargestellten Theorien Einsteins und auch andere mathematische und physikalische Ideen nachzuvollziehen, da mir einfach die englischen Sprachkenntnisse für diese Fachbegriffe fehlten. Das ist natürlich sehr schade, denn diese Theorien sind an sich schon schwer genug zu verstehen. Das Risiko bin ich eingegangen und das hat dann leider den Lesefluss etwas gestört.

Insgesamt fand ich das Buch über Einsteins Leben und Werk aber sehr spannend und interessant. Besonders die dargestellte lebenslange Freundschaft zu Niels Bohr hat mich dabei fasziniert.
Wer sich für Einstein interessiert oder wie ich allgemein gerne Biografien als Graphic Novel liest, ist bei diesem Buch genau richtig.

[Catarina | cat literary world · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank NetGalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me early access to this ebook in exchange for a honest review.

I really liked this graphical novel/BD. In fact, I don’t really know how to call it, as I don’t usually go to these kind of books, but it being about Einstein caught my attention.

We got a very detailed biography of Einstein’s life and work and we get access to the resources used in the end of the book, which I highly appreciated has it allow us to get to know more.

I felt, sometimes, it was too detail in terms of physics concepts, which, for me, was not a problem but for other readers might be, if they are more interested in getting only a geral idea of the big scientist.

What was the best, for me, was the fact that this format allows some creativity that would not be possible in a more conventional book - for instance, the talk between Einstein and Newton and the small details added by Stephen Hawking.

[Shawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A graphic novel story of the life of Albert Einstein. The major points and relationships of Einstein's life are all here.
Behest good and well written. My main criticisms are that the 4th-wall-breaking asides of characters were a bit hard to differentiate from their normal sketch... also the non-Einstein (especially female) characters were difficult to tell apart (because in the female cases they all had basically the same hair style).
I especially liked the way the Solvay conferences were covered in the box. The frustration on the faces of all involved was very clear.
Very worth the read to anyone interested in the life of Einstein and as a book to get younger readers interested in a biography.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.
#Einstein #Netgalley

[Theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a mathematician or physicist and can't say that I have more than the most basic understanding of relativity and quantum mechanics, but I was able to enjoy this graphic novel which works as part biography part science lesson. The reader is exposed to aspects of Einstein's personal life and his political leanings as well as to the theories that made him a household name. I enjoyed the use of music in the illustrations to show Einstein's thought processes. While I can't say that I understood all the science, I feel like I learned a lot. My biggest take-away was Einstein's ability to except his errors and continue to challenge and rethink his worldview, touchstones of any true scientist.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just like Ottaviani's other graphic novels, particularly the biographies and major historical events of the past (astronauts, atom bombs, Stephen Hawking), Ottaviani brings his A-game of research to paint a complex portrait of Einstein whose work distracted his ability to be human and make connections while also though have multiple love affairs and being pulled in many directions and discussions of war and political affiliations.

It presents a deeper portrait than others and gives context to the scientific pursuits that even in this one, were a little over my head though I could understand the general ideas and complexities of the work.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This graphic novel has almost everything that I totally love in this kind of publication: great drawings and an even greater story. I absolutely fell in love with the pictures, this is certainly my favorite style. I could stare at them for ages. The story of Albert Einstein's life is interesting, of course, but... For me, there was too much physics and not enough Albert. I don´t get even a quarter of theoretical physics so I skipped a lot of text, only admiring the drawings. For those with a strong interest in the topic, I´m sure you´ll enjoy the book.

[Sadie-Jane Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 91 of 200 ~ 2023

🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

You know you get quality graphic novels when it is published by First Second, and this did not disappoint.

You can tell how much effort went into the research without needing to see the long reference list.

What I particularly enjoyed was the various points of view so many had about Einstein, including his own. He always seems to be in his own world, and I kinda feel sorry for his first wife.

Rather bizarro that he married his cousin, but I guess things were different then?

It did take me a little longer to finish than my usual books, but it was worth every minute.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[J.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

E = mc^2 still makes very little sense to me. BUT, before I read this book it made zero sense. For forty years. AND, I now understand that forty years to be, relatively, illusionary. So… win win!

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher First and Second Books for an advanced copy of this graphic novel biography of one of the brightest minds of the Twentieth Century.

Comics are a perfect medium for so many different things. Some can have gals and guys in capes punching each other and saving the world. Some can have fantastic worlds or gigantic space battles that no movie studio could ever afford to bring to theaters. And you can tell the lives of great women and men, warts and all. Einstein, written by Jim Ottaviani and illustrated by Jerel Dye is a complete look at the life of Albert Einstein, who developed one of the most famous and well known mathematical equations, changing thinking in the sciences, worked hard to make life better for all of us, while hurting the women around him.

The book begins with Einstein accompanying the actor Charlie Chaplin to a film premiere, where Chaplin supposedly told Einstein that "They are cheering us both, you because nobody understands you, and me because every one understands me." This seems to be a common theme for Einstein as is shown throughout the book, that his mind always seemed to be seeing things differently, that his focus would be on that problem, and not on the world around him, to the detriment of his health, and probably to his family. We follow his life from sickly child, to becoming interested in math and the sciences from a family friend, to his school days in Zurich. We meet his first wife, and more of the notable scientists and colleagues that he would befriend and sometimes feud with. The book touches on the casual way people would discriminate against Einstein for his being Jewish, and that some of the more baseless attacks on his theory were based more on race, than on scientific principles.

This is a great graphic novel in all ways. The way the story is presented and told, the art the information. Just an achievement. The characters, except for Einstein break the fourth-wall and share information directly with the reader. The character of Einstein is almost separate from the rest of the story, as he probably felt in his own life, always working on things in his head, while the story is told. The science is well explained and makes sense, the illustrations filling in what the reading might not make clear. The art is really good. Consistent character design, great backgrounds, a bit of whimsy, and very well done. The art conveys the equations quite well, allowing the panel to be filled with what the characters are discussing, which keeps the book moving.

A big book about a big life that never seems overlong, or dull. The art keeps the story moving, complimenting the words well. Plus there is a nice bibliography at the end in case a reader would like to know more. Highly recommended especially as a nice gift for the holidays, for kids who think big, but a big book might scare them, or for people who just enjoy learning about new things.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everyone knows Albert Einstein as the genius whose theory of relativity changed the way we think about space and time, but many do not know much about his personal life or how he developed and refined his theories. In this graphic novel biography, Ottaviani and Dye shed light on this enigmatic but important scientist, busting common myths (Einstein never failed his math classes, though he didn’t always fare well in other subjects), and never shying away from some of his less flattering traits. Einstein’s story is narrated by his many associates, including family members, other scientists, friends and mentors, ex-wives and ex-girlfriends (of which there were many), even strangers like the hotel clerk at a scientific conference. These characters speak directly to the reader, offering commentary, historical context, or sometimes explaining the consequences of a particular decision of Einstein. Of course, there is a lot of scientific discussion of Einstein’s ideas, and readers who struggle to comprehend the concepts may take comfort in knowing many of the people around Einstein also struggled to understand his ideas. Dye’s artwork illuminates how often Einstein seemed to be in a different world, with massive thought bubbles filled with equations and scientific pondering following him around. Einstein is often shown playing or handling a blue violin (he was known to play violin), and as he is working through and developing his ideas, the violin sometimes changes shape or is completely broken down. This metaphor aptly shows Einstein’s work as a creative process that was ongoing. Give this to science fans and other readers who want to know more about one of the most important scientific minds of the Twentieth century.

[benita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Einstein is a comic book about Albert Einstein, the famous scientist who came up with the world changing equation: E=mc2.

I love comics and learning more about Einstein through comic strips. Even though the science stuff was a bit hard to follow, it was nice to learn about the person Einstein was. I would recommend this to people who likes science, Einstein, or would like to learn more about the famous world changing equation.

Happy reading!♥️

I got this book for free from netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

[theo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I really enjoyed this one! I usually don't gravitate towards biographies but this one was not only easy to get into but also super interesting. My favourite part were the characters addressing the reader directly, the art style, and the overall design of the novel. Highly recommend this to everyone who loves science but isn't a fan of reading long and complicated novels.

[Jenni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this text. I really see this title being suitable for middle grades readers. The vocabulary is stunning, and there are enough answers in the text to keep the reader from feeling overwhelmed with specific mathematical and scientific language. The movement between past and present does seem a bit choppy, but learning a great history of Einstein in a graphic/comic format is very appealing to many audiences.

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a really well written graphic novel and the art was beautiful. I'm just not sure that I was the right audience for it. I am not really a science person and a lot of the explanations of Einstein's work was very difficult to understand. It felt very text book. I enjoyed the parts about Einstein's life though. I do think this is a good book for some people. Just not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in return for my honest feedback.

[Lady · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting graphic novel. I love learning new things, and it was great fun. The pictures were great with a wonderful use of colours. It certainly made what could be complex science more fun and easier to understand. If you want to learn about Einstein life in a fun, unique way, then this book is for you. It's great for teen to adult .

[Annemarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an arc for this book from NetGalley.

This is a hard one for me to rate, because objectively it's not a bad comic at all, yet subjectively, I didn't enjoy reading it.

The art is fine, it's effective and works. The story is told by the people around Einstein, and they often break the 4th wall to give side comments to the readers. While this definitely can be humorous, it didn't work for me here. It feels very weird to read the "opinions" the people close to Einstein had about him. Because, while this book is definitely well researched opinions are subjective and so hard to know, especially when it's about actual historical figures.

I enjoyed the beginning of the comic, which was about Einstein's youth. The Einstein this book shows, portrays some symptoms of an autistic spectrum disorder, though it never diagnoses him. This is also only really the case in the earlier chapters.

But as Einstein grows up, he becomes more and more unlikable, at least in this book. He has no regard for the people around them and often treats them as his lesser, which was incredibly grating. And before you tell me "that's because of the autistic spectrum disorder, surely", no, it's not. While yes, people with an autism spectrum disorder can have trouble relating to people/ grasping social cues, they can almost always learn them, except when they have other comorbidities. And you can't tell me that our genius wasn't able to learn about society. He was able to but didn't want to. He didn't care enough to learn about that, and thus hurt the people around him. According to this book he never even met his daughter, and barely interacted with his son.

So, Einstein was incredibly frustrating to read about. He had plenty of affairs, so he must have been well-liked at the time, I just couldn't figure out why.

What I did like was how this book showed the impact of the two world wars on the scientific world. It was super interesting. The older Einstein became, the more he mellowed out, at the very least in this book. The final few chapters, like the first few, were a lot easier to read, because Einstein wasn't as ... rude.

There is, obviously, a lot of physics in this book. I feel like it's still very readable, even for people without a lot of knowledge in that department. This would be an amazing book for schools, and to use in science classes.
There was a scene where Einstein's wife talks about how "her woman brain isn't able to comprehend Einstein's theory" which I disliked heavily, because it was completely unnecessary. Most of his colleagues and other physicist at the time didn't understand him either, so it had nothing to do with her being a woman. And even if everyone else had understood it, it still had nothing to do with her being a woman. I don't know if this is an actual quote from her, because in a cursory search I couldn't find it, but if it's not, I feel like it's really wrong to put those words in her mouth, and in a book aimed at young students of science. I don't want young girls to read this and give up, thinking they won't be able to understand science.

All in all, this is a decent book about the life of Einstein. I wasn't that fond of the way the story is told, but it is well researched and full of information. It did not gloss over Einstein's (many) flaws, and gives a comprehensive insight into his life.
Yet it was incredibly frustrating to read, and I did not enjoy it all that much.

[Frank Lang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dieses Review bezieht sich auf die inhaltsgleiche deutsche Übersetzung dieses Buchs aus dem Panini Verlag.

Wer den Namen Albert Einstein hört, hat direkt das Foto mit der herausgestreckten Zunge und die Formel E = mc² im Kopf. Welche Rolle die Formel im Leben von Albert Einstein spielt, wird in dieser Graphic Novel aufgegriffen. Die Entstehung der Fotografie nicht. Was in meinen Augen ein wenig charakteristisch für dieses Buch ist, das zwar das Leben von Einstein beschreibt, aber nur bedingt eine Biografie ist.

Wer sich in diesem Buch zurechtfinden möchte, muss meines Erachtens mit den Namen Nils Bohr, Max Planck, Marie Curie, Erwin Schrödinger und vielen, vielen anderen Wissenschaftlern etwas anzufangen wissen. Ansonsten wird sich der Leser meiner bescheidenen Meinung nach in diesem Buch ein wenig verloren fühlen. Denn die vielen physikalischen Theorien waren ein essentieller Bestandteil von Albert Einstein und er hat sein gesamtes Leben ihnen gewidmet.

Der Autor Jim Ottaviani erzählt vom Leben des großen Physikers nicht in simpler chronologischer Reihenfolge, sondern er springt sehr oft zu bestimmten Lebensabschnitten, verweist auf vergangene, zukünftige und manchmal auch auf moderne Erkenntnisse, denn Albert Einstein hat nicht nur viele Theorien erdacht, sondern auch viele wieder verworfen. Dieser chaotische Erzählstil passt zum verrückten Professor, den Einstein augenscheinlich mehr als einmal gegeben hat.

Dazu passend der ungewöhnliche Erzählstil, denn es sind nicht die Bilder und die Interaktionen der Figuren, die die Geschichte erzählen, sondern die gezeichneten Figuren erzählen vielmehr dem Leser direkt ihre Geschichte, weshalb sie für gewöhnlich auch den Leser direkt anschauen, so als würden sie sich des Lesers bewusst sein. Dieser ungewöhnliche Erzählstil ist manchmal etwas anstrengend und verschleiert ein wenig den Lebenslauf von Einstein. Denn durch den starken Fokus auf die physikalische Arbeit, geht ein wenig der Blick auf seine privaten Kapriolen verloren. Denn sein Privatleben war ebenso chaotisch wir seine wissenschaftliche Arbeit. In diesem Buch werden auch einige Mythen ausgeräumt, die sich hier und da gebildet haben. Auf welcher Basis diese Biografie basiert, wird allerdings vom Autor nicht preisgegeben.

Die Zeichnungen sind durch den Erzählstil etwas speziell. Denn in welcher Graphic Novel schauen schon die dargestellten Figuren immer wieder den Leser an? Die Zeichnungen passen sich recht gut an das Springen in den Zeiten und Handlungsorten an, so dass die Geschichte einen guten optischen Eindruck hinterlassen hat.

Fazit
Ich denke, dass diese Graphic Novel sich mindestens an naturwissenschaftlich interessierte Menschen richtet, die die großen Namen der Wissenschaft einzuordnen wissen. Wer eine waschechte Biografie erwartet, wird eher enttäuscht werden, denn es wird vergleichsweise wenig auf das Leben des Physikers eingegangen. Auch lesefaule Leser werden sich die Zähne an diesem Buch ausbeißen, denn auf den gut 300 Seiten findet sich relativ viel Text. Ich möchte allerdings nicht so weit gehen und sagen, dass man ein naturwissenschaftlicher Nerd sein muss, um das Buch zu verstehen, aber der Leser sollte idealerweise die oben genannten Namen schon irgendwie einordnen können.