Product Description
"The influence of Einstein's contributions on so many branches of physics is such that if one wanted to describe its full extent, it would be hard to know where to begin. His work and discoveries...are so fundamental that each achievement alone would have guaranteed him a prominent place in the history of physics. But what brought him unprecedented fame outside his own discipline is undoubtedly his theory of relativity, which revolutionized the old, established Newtonian picture of space, time, and gravitation."—Professor Hanoch Gutfreund, from the Introduction

This volume, an abridged version of our cloth, slipcased edition, presents one of the most influential scientific documents of the twentieth century: Albert Einstein's exposition of the theory of relativity. Each of the seventy-two handwritten pages are reproduced and are accompanied by an English translation of the original German text.

A tribute to Einstein's genius, Einstein's 1912 Manuscript on the Special Theory of Relativity opens with a brief essay by Hanoch Gutfreund, a chronology of Einstein's life, a selection of quotes by Einstein, and, to introduce the manuscript, a detailed description of the manuscript, its contents, publication history, and provenance. The manuscript pages themselves then follow, reproduced in full color, with the English translation facing each page.

Subtle variations in paper and ink are clearly visible in the excellent reproductions, indicating where and when Einstein drafted certain parts. Because the manuscript shows extensive reworking, it reveals Einstein's thought processes more than any other of his handwritten works.

Providing a glimpse into one of the greatest minds of the last century, Einstein's 1912 Manuscript is for anyone fascinated by Einstein and the impact of his revolutionary theory. 72 color pages. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The Centenary Tribute to Einstein and his Special Theory of Relavitity
The book I have is the hard back version (rather than this, the paperback version) that contains actual Photostat facsimiles of Einstein's 1912 manuscript on the special theory of relativity. It is a beautifully bound and boxed book (12 by 18 inches) that has Einstein's signature engraved in gold on the cover. Up through part three, at which time the mathematical equations and diagrams (in Einstein's own hand writing) are introduced, are full-page professional photographs of the great Scientist as he aged from 1912 until his death in 1955.

The body of the text consists of a series of one-page tributes to Einstein by his closest friends and colleagues, mostly from his twenty-two years at Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study. It also contains a page of his most famous quotations on politics, peace and war, as well as in the main body, the aforementioned facsimile of the paper presented in 1912. The Photostats contain both Einstein's actual hand-written equations and diagrams, accompanied by notes with annotations and explanations in German. Opposite each page of the facsimile, are English translations of the annotations and commentaries on the equations as they evolve. These are provided either by the author or by a select group of Physicists familiar both with Einstein himself and who are experts in the field and areas being discussed.

What is most beautiful about this book is not just the tributes to Einstein given in the introduction, but also, the rich discussions and annotations that serve to summarize for the reader Einstein the Scientist, the Humanist, and Zionist.Among the things contained in the introduction is the content of the letters from Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion offering Einstein the Presidency of Israel, and Einstein's letter of rejection. In part two are the thoughts and reminiscences by his close friends and colleagues. Part three begins with a select collection of the great professor's most famous quotes, and then provides a chronology of his life. Afterwards, part four then provides an overview of the Special Theory. Part five establishes the provenance of this manuscript as the oldest surviving autograph manuscript by Einstein on the Special Theory of Relativity; it is the most substantial and significant surviving scientific manuscript written by Einstein during the period of his greatest creativity.

What is most striking about this manuscript (which for me, was the ultimate Christmas present) is the fact that up through the tensor calculus (page 36 and beyond) Einstein's explanations are accessible to a reader with a minimum of a strong second course in calculus up through the tensors. After that, when Einstein himself begins to struggle with the geometric implications of his own theory, the mathematics become a bit more challenging. Despite this even beyond this point, there is an orderly progression through the concepts and problems the great professor faced. As a result, a great deal can be gleaned by reading between the lines and (between the equations even if they cannot be fully understood) from Einstein's own annotations and commentaries, from his "strike-outs and rewrites, as well as from the explanations and accompanying commentaries provided by the author and other Einstein colleagues.

Although a bit pricey (the hard back is almost $300US dollars) for those only interested in SR the paperback (a tenth the price) is probably well word the price. I plan to buy the paperback too just to see if there are any differences. However, for Einstein lovers like myself, this book is the ultimate collectors item.100 stars

A Unique Book
The formatting of this book - such that you can see the actual handwritten manuscript, gives a unique insight into the thought process of Einstein. I think that anyone with a bit of calculus and physics (vector calculus is a must) will gain something worthwhile from the paper as a whole and from the hand-written copy in particular. I haven't spent too much time learning relativity and as such this was a difficult read for me, but I think that it is a particularly interesting look into of of humanity's greatest minds.

Einstein's notes
There are many beautiful elements fot hsi book:

1. The opening of the book has qotations of life observed from Einstein that have nothing to do with physics or math. They are priceless.

2. The layout is such that on the right --you have the actual notebook ledger in Einstein's handwriting. On the right, there is typed text, clearly defining what the text is.

The large layout of this book is done very well and is a treat to anyone who wants to see the details of this man's mind in action.

A very nice gift
This book contains a facsimile of the hand written draft of the original relativity paper by Albert Einstein. The quality of the facsimile is great, and it is quite interesting to see the corrections made by A.E. to the draft.

The paper itself is surprisingly readable as the mathematical notation used is still very much current. Reading the paper requires first-year calculus and physics, so this book is definitely not for everybody.

The left side of the page contains a translation in English of the facsimile of the original in German, which appears on the right side of the page. ... Read more

Product Description
Two classic works by Albert Einstein in one collection with active table of contents. Works include:

Sidelights on Relativity

Relativity: The Special and General Theory


The books do not contain illustrations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Figures and formulas are missing
This book is supposed to contain formulas and figures. All of the figures are missing in the Kindle edition. Formulas are missing symbols such as the square root symbol, so are useless. Don't buy the Kindle edition. What was Amazon thinking? Release an Albert Einstein book without figures and formulas? Did they release this book to demonstrate the weakness of Kindle? Kindle apparently can't handle figures and formulas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Very good for those interested in Einstein's writings
This book covers Einstein's writings from 1934 to 1950.It was originally published as "Out of My Later Years".There are no editorial comments to put some of the pieces into their proper context, but for the most part this is not necessary as most of the background is well known to a modern reader.It is divided into several sections, namely: Convictions and Beliefs, Science (which contains a few pieces, written for a general audience, that discusses his scientific work), Public Affairs, Science and Life, Personalities, and My People. The Public Affairs section discusses his ideas concerning capitalism, socialism and world government and probably evokes as much hostility today as when these pieces were written.(In all fairness, it should be remembered that they were written during the great depression or shortly thereafter and are colored by this seminal event.Also, a modern reader has the benefit of hindsight, which makes some of his ideas seem quaint today.)

This is a much more extensive collection than the collection titled "The World As I See It", which only covers his writings from 1922-1933.The "Einstein Reader" shows the public Einstein - a man called upon to give his opinion on many different subjects.The book shows his humanity and his political and economic ideas, many of which have been shown by history to be well-meaning, but somewhat naïve.

This is a good book for someone who wishes to read Einstein's writings first hand, but may not be of as good a book for those with only a casual interest in Einstein's life and writings.I liked the book and I am giving it five stars because the compilation is quite interesting.However, I am also giving the caveat that it may be five stars only for those with a deep interest in Einstein and his ideas.I would rate it as four stars for a wider audience, one with a more casual interest in Einstein.

The Einstein Reader
The Einstein Reader is a fabulous read if you want to get a layperson's
inside view of a genius' mind.He wrote (mostly) on a level any educated person could understand about his vision of utopia or world peace.He wrote about his faith.Even his explanations of E=MC2 was somewhat
understandable to a non-physicist.I thought his idealism and humanity was extremely inspiring for someone who could have been arrogant.After all, most people when they think genius, think Einstein.He was a real person too. ... Read more

Product Description
Albert Einstein spent his life asking questions and searching for answers. In 1921 Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. He was not only a scientist, he was also a peace activist and a fighter for social justice. In this revealing biography-featuring black-and-white photographs-esteemed nonfiction author Milton Meltzer explores the life and work of one of the greatest scientists of all time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Albert Einstein
Leave it to Milton Meltzer to make Einstein's Theory of Relativity almost understandable for me. That he is able to distill the life of this complicated scientist in a way that is inviting and perceptive is emblematic of Meltzer's writing skills. Throughout his long career Meltzer has written biography and non-fiction which couple elegant literary style with well-researched information on dozens of subjects. In this spare volume, the complicated life and accomplishments of Albert Einstein are skillfully compressed into 32 pages with large type. The underlying theme of the book is "as brilliant as Einstein was, he was very human." It is this humanity, which Meltzer draws upon to connect the now mythological Einstein with his life's work and thoughts. Is this a picture book or not? Although the book is dotted with archival photographs and is picture book length, the subject matter, concepts, and vocabulary make this more appropriate for readers older than the publisher's targeted age group. Phrases such as "moral decision," "compressed energy," and "nuclear fission" will not be easily understood by young children unless read along with an adult.It is so difficult to write a meaningful biography that takes the youngest readers beyond basic chronological details. That being said, this book draws on Einstein's own words to present a challenging understanding of Einstein the person, the scientist - and especially relevant to us - the Jew. While the bibliography is composed of titles beyond the comprehension level of young readers, the timeline provides a useful contextto better understand Einstein's life and times. Ages 7-9 Reviewed by Norman Finkelstein ... Read more

Product Description
Gerhard Roth’s first "novel," originally published in 1972, is a triumphant refutation of the death of modernism: a lucid, morbid and impossible account of what cannot be said, a deranged existence pieced together, an individual at total odds not only with the world and its structures, but with the chemical and biological basis of his own thought. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A wierd book with a misleading title
This book has nothing to do with Albert Einstein, the scientist, apparently. I can't imagine why the author chose this title for his collection of strange and disjointed thoughts. I am careful about what I feed my mind and will not read anymore of this book. It is the most diappointing book I have ever tried to read.

Biological Basis Of Thought !Pure Poetry!Yellow Secretions!
either the other reviewer of this book is a practical joker, or there is a different book called the autibiography of albert einstein that was written by gerhard roth and translated by malcolm green.or perhaps there is indeeda third possibility. one that is much more sinister. this book has nothingto do with einstein. if you want to read his autobiography look elsewhere.this book is a post-modern experimental obsessive-compulsive sort ofinvestigation into the chemicals which spurt around the body of einsteinand create as a biproduct his subconcious. and maybe its not even that. ifyou like your literature to be bizarre and have nothing to do with alberteinstein, go ahead and read this. i really like it. but i also like todrink cough syrup, so...

The Book
This is possibly the best book ever written. Its a wonderfully crafted book by Einstein that portrays the truths of ambition, love, and skill that go against modern views of success and status. A must read for anyoneinterested in science, knowledge, and life. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (19)

The Hobo Philosopher
"The Universe and Dr. Einstein"

By Lincoln Barnett

Book Review

By Richard E. Noble

"The Universe and Dr. Einstein," by Lincoln Barnett is a great book. I've enjoyed it immensely. I've now read it twice. It has an introduction by Albert Einstein verifying its credibility to the "lay" reader.

Well, from one lay reader to another, I have two criticisms: One is Mister Barnett's conclusion with regards to the existence of a God: and the second has to do with a reference on page 24 to Quantum physics and "freewill."

On page 24 Mister Barnett states that because of a Mr. Heisenberg's "Principle of Uncertainty" brought forward in 1927 which hypothetically states the impossibility of determining both the position of an electron and it's velocity at the same time, man may honestly and truly be possessive of a free, undetermined will.

If this seems to you to be a rather drastic jump in logic and common sense, I'm with you. What the possible randomness or even factuality of an electron's position or predictable course, has to do with Man's freewill, I'm at a loss to figure out.

Mister Barnett goes on to express that the nature of probability in Quantum physics brings into question the notion of Causality and Determinism. I interpret this to mean that because the human race is at the moment unable to technically determine or predict the actual position or future direction of a particular electron, simultaneously, the Universe may truly be without direction, randomly established, and of an unpredictable indeterminable cause.

I would presume that in pointing out this Heisenberg principle, Mr. Barnett would be challenging the existence of a God. This is not the case. In the conclusion Mr. Barnett uses the third law of thermodynamics, the Hubble notion of an expanding and eventually destructive universe, and Einstein's notion of the non-existence of space (an aether) as a proof of the existence of a God.

So, Mr. Barnett establishes Man's freewill with the Heisenberg principle of uncertainty, and God existence via the third law of thermodynamics, Hubble's expanding and self-destructive universe, and Albert Einstein's theory of relativity. And supposedly Albert Einstein, himself, has read this book and agrees with it. Wow! I'm at a loss for words. Where do I begin?

First of all, I don't think that you can have it both ways. You can't on the one hand claim that the Universe is without cause, undirected and unpredictable and that therefore man is in charge of his own destiny and totally free; and on the other hand claim that because the Universe is on an inevitable path to its own destruction, that this destruction implies a Creation and the inevitable existence of an all knowing, (non) deterministic God. How can God be in control of the Universe and not in control of Man?

Freewill is an argument that has two directions. The Philosophical argument has always been with the nature of God and His relationship with Man. How can Man be free in relation to an Omniscient, Omnipotent, and all knowing God? If, as the religious and theological philosophers contend, God must of necessity be "actual" and not "potential," how could He have then created man, with all knowledge of man, and then not in some way be responsible for Man's actions or for Man in general?

The argument is, if there is a God, as defined above, then - Man of necessity must be determined. Man may have the ability to make choices, but whatever his choices, God "knew" or must know the results.

The second argument with regards to man's freewill deals with his physiological and psychological makeup. Man as we now know has a genetic code (DNA). His physical structure and individual design is pre-programmed to a degree by this genetic code. It is so accurately programmed that we are now experimenting with the notion of "cloning" exact replicas of ourselves. Regardless of this new discovery, the very fact that a man is a man, or a particular thing, as opposed to "any" thing is determination enough to substantiate the notion that man is not self determining, or totally free. Because Man's choices may be indeterminant or even infinite it does not follow that Man is totally free or even possessive of "freewill." Because a monkey is provided an infinite variety of bananas to choose from, it can not then be concluded that the monkey is possessive of "free" will or even that he is possessive of a will to choose freely. Man is limited by the fact that he is "a" man.

Psychologically man is as much a formation of his learned "environment" as he is the product of his genetic code. Man is limited by what he is genetically, and also limited by what is made available to him environmentally. So man is "determined" and limited in terms of his genetic makeup and his environment. In this respect man is not possessive of a total freewill even if there is no God. God or no God man is not "free," nor is he in possession of a "free" will.
So, what does Heisenberg's indeterminate, unpredictable electron have to do with Man's freewill? How does an unpredictable electron suppose an undetermined individual man?

What does Heisenberg's unpredictable electron have to do with the theory of causation?
The implication seems to be that if Man can not predict the course or position of a particular electron then nothing is predictable, or he can make no predictions about anything? And therefore, since everything is unpredictable man himself is therefore totally undetermined and consequently without limits in his ability to choose - and therefore possessive of "freewill."
Does the unpredictable path of an electron have any bearing whatsoever on the atom that it is involved with? Does the course that this electron eventually chooses, have any bearing on the structure or known and predictable properties of the atom it is involved with? Does this electron's position or direction make for any changes in the atom involved? Does this electron's unpredictableness have any relationship to this particular atom's other myriad of relationships?

If this electron jigs left as opposed to right is an atom of gold changed to an atom of silver? If nothing of any consequence is changed, then for all practical purposes couldn't Heisenberg's Principle of Uncertainty be placed right along side the "aether" as in Einstein's theory - in other words, of no consequence?

David Hume supposedly dealt with the principle of causation a few centuries ago. But without even reading David, I am sure that he did not make the notion of causation untenable. He may have destroyed the notion of establishing an efficient cause or a primary cause, but not the notion of "causes." Without the notion of causes, even if they be varied and multiple and difficult to pinpoint, we could establish no theories and certainly no principles or facts of nature.

Without causes and our ability to determine them, we have no knowledge, nor do we have the hope of ever having any. All science and all of our accumulated theories and knowledge are dependent on our ability to determine events by studying causes. Without this little trick our search for knowledge is condemned to perpetual ignorance, and all that we now claim to be knowledge is unfounded.

How does Heisenberg's theory question the foundation of causes? Isn't Mr. Barnett in fact using Heisenberg's theory of Uncertainty as a "cause" in establishing his theory with regards to Man's freewill? If the theory of causation has been challenged or compromised by Heisenberg's Principle of Uncertainty then how can Mr. Barnett establish Mr. Heisenberg's Principle as a "cause" in his establishment of his own theory of Man's freewill?

What has this electron got to do with one's belief or non belief in the existence of God?
A believer in God, Mr. Berkeley, for example, would simply say that whatever choice this electron makes, you can be sure that God knows about it. There is also the theological notion of spontaneous creation. This notion explains the Universe as God's work in progress. God, in effect, recreates the universe moment by moment, instant upon instant - thus not only accounting for "change" but miracles also.

On the other hand from the non-believer viewpoint; is predictability of the habits or idiosyncrasies of Mother Nature a proof that the Universe has a Creator, or merely an observation that the Universe is, at present, conforming to certain predictable physical phenomenon? If certain physical phenomena are permanent, unchangeable, repeatable and infinite, would this imply anything more than the fact that these phenomena are permanent, unchangeable, repeatable and infinite. And if the reverse were the case would the conclusion be any different? To point to something that "is" and say that it "is" only because of something that isn't, is not reasonable. God is being viewed in this case as an unconfirmed suspicion or an illogical impossibility.

In conclusion, with relation to God, Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle changes nothing. The unpredictable Heisenberg electron neither verifies nor disproves the existence of God.
With regards to causation and determinism the philosophical arguments still remain as they have always been. There are causes. Determinism is still a philosophical and theological paradox - inevitable when combined with the existence of an Omnipotent God.

Freewill is not a paradox. It is confusion in terms. There is no "freewill" as such, but this does not negate man's ability to make choices or to make selections between what is perceived as either good or evil. The case for Man's genetic determinism and his psychological and environmental determinism in this regard certainly cannot be dismissed for the convenience of society and/or religion - civil or Divine Justice. The Cosmology of the Universe remains indeterminate with or without Heisenberg's wayward electron.

Note: This is only one third of my complete critical review of this book. For the complete review go to the Hobo Philosopher Blog on Google and search the title. Needless to say this is a great book for those with either a philosophical or scientific inclination.

Books written by Richard Noble - The Hobo Philosopher:
"Hobo-ing America: A Workingman's Tour of the U.S.A.."
"A Summer with Charlie" Salisbury Beach, Lawrence YMCA
"A Little Something: Poetry and Prose
"Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother" Novel - Lawrence, Ma.
"The Eastpointer" Selections from award winning column.
"Noble Notes on Famous Folks" Humor - satire - facts.
"America on Strike" American Labor - History
"A Baker's Dozen" Short Stories

Bennett's a Genius!
I give it 5 stars for lack of more stars to give. Imagine the most esoteric and mind bending views on physics, energy, and time and having them explained in a way that's easily understood. I absolutely loved it!

An Insight into the Making of Relativity
In Einstein's own words "Barnett's book represents a valuable contribution to popular scientific writing". Considering its small size, reading this book was certainly rewarding. The author explains in a vivid and easy to understand style the problems that disturbed Einstein, the way he thought about them, the groundbreaking theories he put forward to explain them and their implications on our understanding of the universe. In my opinion, the most remarkable thing about this book is its vivid and easily grasped depiction of the working of Einstein's intellect; how he was deeply disturbed by inconsistent phenomena which people had taken for granted for hundreds of years and how he performed ingenious thought experiments to arrive at remarkable theories that seem to contradict our very common sense.

the book that changed my life
I first read this book in sixth grade, and was completely blown away by it. It inspired me to become a physicist. Ten years later, I completed my S.B. in physics at MIT. Eighteen years later, I completed my Ph.D. in physics at Berkeley. Today, almost 40 years later, I am a physicist in Silicon Valley. Physics still enthralls me. I occasionally reread this book, and it still inspires me. Thank you, Albert Einstein and Lincoln Barnett!

It remains one of the best primers on Einstein's theories ever published
While some of the scientific results stated in this book have been overtaken by the advancement of knowledge, overall it still remains an excellent primer on Einstein's work. It begins with a history of physics as developed by Galileo and Newton and then describes in detail the famous Michelson-Morley experiment that eliminated the hypothesis that light travels through "the ether."
This crisis in the fundamental structure of physics was resolved when Albert Einstein developed his theories of relativity. The combination of the special and general theories of relativity is a refinement of Newtonian physics that explained most of the special case anomalies that the physics of Newton could not.
Using clear and understandable language, Barnett explains these theories without sounding patronizing or sacrificing broad detail. Some of the basics of quantum mechanics and the cosmological ideas of the big bang and a closed, expanding universe are also mentioned.
... Read more

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A glitzy TV news anchor gets involved in a search for Albert Einstein's killer after her mentor--a cult novelist and connoisseur of conspiracy--tips her off to the alleged crime that occurred forty years earlier. A first novel. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Believable charactors that kept me intersted.
I have never been a journalist or worked for an underground rag. But, I found the charactors and the story telling believable and credible. The charactor, Margo, was well written and there were times I felt herexcitment and frustrations. She really got my attention.While there werea few places in the book that seemed to take an effort to get through, thestory and charactors kept my interest and there were times I could not putthis book down.The ending, while I had all the clues, did catch me offguard. ... Read more

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Albert Einstein

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Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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In Einstein in Love, Dennis Overbye has written the first profile of the great scientist to focus exclusively on his early adulthood, when his major discoveries were made. It reveals Einstein to be very much a young man of his time-draft dodger, self-styled bohemian, poet, violinist, and cocky, charismatic genius who left personal and professional chaos in his wake. Drawing upon hundreds of unpublished letters and a decade of research, Einstein in Love is a penetrating portrait of the modern era's most influential thinker.Amazon.com Review
In his first book, Lonely Hearts of theCosmos, New York Times science writer Dennis Overbyehumanized the formidable intellects who have probed the inner workingsof the universe. With Einstein in Love, he takes on the mostformidable intellect of all--and the result does justice to acomplicated man and his equally complicated work. Overbye'snarrative concentrates on the years between 1896 (when the 17-year-oldEinstein arrived in Zurich to study physics) and 1919 (when he usedmeasurements of light deflection during a solar eclipse to support hisnew theory of relativity thus beginning a reign as the 20th century'smost famous scientist). It's no accident this period begins withEinstein meeting fellow student Mileva Maric, who would become hisfirst wife, and closes with his second marriage. "Physics was not allEinstein's life," writes Overbye. "He lived on Earth with a belly anda heart." Accordingly, Einstein in Love depicts a young man wholiked to hike, play the violin, flirt, and tell dirty jokes. Albertand Mileva had a child before they were married (Michelle Zackheim'spopular 1999 book, Einstein's Daughter,attempted to unravel the mystery of Lieserl's fate), and the youngfather was as careless of convention in his dress and grooming as inhis scientific work. Indeed, although Overbye nicely capturesEinstein's personality, the real excitement comes in those chaptersdelineating his thought. The book effortlessly incorporates a capsulehistory of physics from the Greeks to the Victorians, both laying outthe issues with which Einstein grappled and suggesting just why hissolutions were so revolutionary. Even those with little grounding inscience will easily grasp why Einstein's ideas made such an impact,not just on fellow physicists, but on a populace that at the dawn ofthe 20th century was ready to accept the demise of all the oldcertainties. As usual, Overbye's work is a model of science writingfor the general reader; it's also a perceptive biography highlightingEinstein's most creative years. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Pretty boring book, purchase experience was good
This book starts off dry and doesn't really get anything going for about 100 pages.Boring book.The purchase experience was great though.

Very good study of the real Einstein
Overbye(O) has done his homework with just one minor slip .The result is an excellent overview of the real Einstein.This book can be viewed as an excellent follow up to the excellent book byRoger Highfield and Paul Carter on Einstein published in 1993.O shows clearly that Einstein did realize the importance of the Michelson-Morley light reflection-refraction experimant that demonstrated (a) that the speed of light had to be a constant and (b)that the ether,the medium in which light waves were supposed to be carried in,did not exist.Einstein's refusal to list any references for the relativity paper,given his own extensive work for,and reading and understanding of the rules and procedures of conduct required for publication in academic journals,in the period from 1895-1905,means that it is highly probable, when combined with a careful technical readingof thefirst 48 of the 54 extant letters of exchange between Albert and Mileva in the periodOct.,1897 and Dec.,1901,that Mileva deserved to be listed as a co-authoron one or more of the 4 papers published in 1905 that led to Albert's Nobel Prize award in Physics.
O's slip is his failure to go over the letters of exchange between Albert and Mileva in far greater detail than he does.The letters reveal that Einstein was clearly discussing highly technical aspects of his ongoing research with Mileva and asking for her aid and assistance.The smoking gun, demonstrating Albert Einstein's deception,duplicity,and devious nature in his interactions with Mileva, is his continual references in these lettersto " our work " and "our theory".These phrases mean exactly what they say-Einsteinwas working with Mileva as a team.Period.

The Real Einstein
In this book, Dennis Overbye contributes important history to the already crowded canon on Einstein.That is no easy feat, but as he deftly demonstrated in his brilliant book, "Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos," Overbye has an uncanny ability to research and illuminate the human side of scientists and, in doing so, show us not only the human contribution to cold science but also scientific achievement in spite of the human condition. Overbye also has a nifty ability to explain complicated science to the layman--in this case Newtonian, relativistic and quantum physics--and he succeeds here reasonably well.

What emerges is the portrait of a very handsome, sexy, playful, erudite, restless and headstrong physicist immersed in a world on the verge of two world wars and a revolution in our understanding of the physical universe. His passions in love were as strong and complicated as those he brought to both making sense of a world of physics beset by new empirical evidence at odds with traditional theory and a world of geopolitics being torn asunder.

Overbye is at his best when illuminating the science and the politics of science, so the life-long sturm and drang of Einstein's love and domestic life become almost-tedious distractions by the latter third of the book, but overall this very interesting book should keep you enthralled from cover to cover.

Albert: The Romantic Physicist
While separated from wife #1, Mileva, Albert wrote to her a completely one-sided contract of reconciliation (p 267).When she accepted his terms, he backed out because she didn't show proper appreciation for his "generous" offer.During this time, he was having an affair with Elsa (eventual 2nd wife), but this was muddied when he also fell in love with Elsa's daughter, Ilse.Being a little more wishy-washy in romance than he was in physics, he let the women work it out as to who he was going to marry!They decided on Elsa.Many years later, Elsa allowed him to carry on an affair twice a week with a certain woman as long as he remained chaste otherwise.As Albert wrote in a poem to a friend, "the upper half thinks and plans, but the lower half determines our fate."

Thanks to Overbye's superb research, we are presented with a history of Albert (as the author always calls him) directly from letters and documents mostly written by Einstein himself.Not by any means limited to his romantic life, we are treated to an in-depth discussion of how he worked his physics out.For example, far from isolated while a patent clerk in his miracle year of 1905, he was actively corresponding with several other physicists, editing scientific journals and conducting "think tanks" about theoretical physics with friends, including wife #1, Mileva.Most of his adult life, he conducted an active social life centered around these think tanks with revolving membership, sometimes involving entertaining others with his excellent violin playing, and frequently women.When he landed his first teaching job, he was unpleasantly surprised by the time and effort it took to compose a decent a comprehensible set of lectures.He toiled conscientiously over his talks, eventually becoming a sought after keynote speaker who would lecture two hours daily for several days at prestigious conventions about subjects involving aspects of relativity.

Overbye has written a brilliantly insightful book that brings into focus Albert's creative and unique approach to physics along with his sometimes "teen-ager in love" approach to romance.Scattered throughout the book are first hand looks at many famous scientists of the day, including other Nobel prize winners in their correspondence and first hand interactions with the charming Einstein.If I must criticize this book, it does seem to end rather abruptly, and covers the last 25 years of his life in very few pages.Perhaps another book is lurking in Overbye's mind for these years, for which there are undoubtedly volumes of more correspondence from the prolific Albert Einstein.A very enthusiastic 5 stars for this exhilarating read.

Another Winner
Dennnis Overbye has been blessed with a unique talent - the ability to translated complex scientific theory into language that the thinking reader can understand.In "Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos" we read about the theory and history of cosmology along with the personal travails of one scientist an the bitter infighting among all scientists.In this non-novel novel, we are immersed into the nascent world of relativity.From its theoretical origins [thinking outside the box] we are given a review of classical physics and the theories /illuminations of the greatest scientist of this age.

The scientific story advances within the framework of Einstein's personal life.It is rare that an individual can succeed in all areas of endeavor, be they love, work or play.One feels some disappointment with his personal travails and while he may appear cold or disloyal, many times great people sublimate their relationships to their passion.

Unlike other intellectuals whose personal lives were a total repudiation of the their professed ideology (Marx was an utter slackard, Hellman and Brecht were serial liars, Fuller switched positions with the wind, scolding the world when they began to ignore his newest mania),Einstein never tried to impose a social scheme on others.He loved quietly as one should and made his mistakes in private, again as one should.All in all, a successful work. ... Read more

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En una visita a Egipto, TomÁs Noronha, criptoanalista y profesor de historia en una universidad portuguesa, se ve abordado por una desconocida. La mujer lleva consigo una copia de un viejo e inÉdito documento y pretende que el historiador portuguÉs le ayude a descifrarlo. El texto tiene un tÍtulo tan sugerente como enigmÁtico: Die Gottesformel —es decir, La fÓrmula de Dios.

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Albert Einstein expanded the way we understand our universe and helped create a framework for modern physics with his groundbreaking theory of relativity.In this detailed and well-balanced biography, illustrated with exceptional archival photographs, John B. Severance recounts Einstein's life from his privileged childhood and disappointing early career to his later recognition as one of the most respected and beloved scientists of this century.The author identifies Einstein's complex theories and makes clear why his ideas are still the basis of work by today's top physicists.He also reveals many of Einstein's inner complexities and eccentricities, exploring the personal and public controversies that followed him throughout his life.What emerges is a picture of a brilliant, compassionate, yet imperfect man whose remarkable theories gave the world an enormous push into the future. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Einstein:Visionary Scientist
I chose this book because one day I had nothing to do so I went to the library and saw this book. The book was about Albert Einstein. I thought about some things about him, but didn't really find something important about him so that made me want to read this book. I wanted to know how his life was and how did he become so smart. I learned many new things in the book about Albert Einstein. The book was really easy to understand and had some pictures of him doing things.
I recommend this book to anybody who wants to learn more about Albert Einstein. There are many surprising things in this book. One thing was that when Albert was taking his first violin lessons he flung a chair at his teacher. His parents quickly hired another teacher. When Albert was little his parents complained that he was too heavy and also that his head was too large and square shaped. They worried that their son was going to become retarded, but they were wrong. At the age of twelve Albert was really interested in math so he asked a medical student named Max Tameley to lend him some books on math. By the age of thirteen Albert was already past the level of Tameley's.
My favorite part of the story was when Albert Einstein was about at the age of six and taking his first violin lesson. He got mad and all of a sudden through a chair at the chair. I never knew that Albert had a really bad temper when he was a little kid. I always thought that he was a nice little young boy who liked to study and work. The book also says that whenever his sister, Maja, saw that Albert's face was pale she would run away and find cover because she knew that he would throw things. Once Albert almost hit her with a bowling ball and once he did hit her with the handle bar of a hose.

a good book
john severance is a good nonfiction writer besides this book he has wroght books like gandhi:great soul,artist and thomas jeforson.Most people in the world know the name albert einstein and the famous E=MC2, but the theory of relativity and his life in general is on known of but with this book will help you under stand it a bit better,did you know he won the nobel prize well he did for physics. ... Read more

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Princeton, New Jersey-1951. Just off a small street, an unidentified man stands hidden, carefully monitoring an unfolding scene. A police-escorted motorcade stops at a small, unremarkable house while an old man with a shock of white hair jumps out of the lead car. As he ambles up the walkway, another man around the same age, also sporting wild white hair, descends from the porch and warmly greets him. The observer lurking in the shadows is from the CIA; fellow operatives are also close by, recording the conversation taking place inside the house between newly arrived Israeli prime minister David Ben-Gurion and his host, the world-renowned scientist Albert Einstein. The subject of their conversation: nuclear weapons and the existence of God.

Customer Reviews (29)

Does make you think...
This book revolves around an encoded manuscript written by Einstein which the Iranians and Americans believe details a new nuclear bomb, and this precipitates an international adventure which spans the globe from Portugal to Tibet, and includes kidnapping, torture, underhanded intelligence agency operatives and evena fairly graphic sex scene for good measure.

However, what this book is really about is the existence of God, and in this service everything from Taoism to chaos theory is discussed, sometimes interestingly but oftentimes in a facile, cursory manner which doesn't do the topic justice. Finally in the last pages a theory is postulated which attempts to explain the Universe and its purpose.

So, how good, or bad is this book? Well, its characters are cartoonlike and one dimensional, its action is driven by coincidences and absurd developments, and its dialogue is stilted and simplistic, though the latter maybe a result of translation from the original Portuguese.

Also this book is way too long, and there is so much repetition of facts and theories that one can easily imagine this book at half the size with no real loss. In fact, it would be better.

In the end, it is only the scientific and metaphysical discussions which make this book worth reading, but even here, you can do better, especially with the science. Paul Davies has written several books which go over the same facts but in a much more thorough and rigorous manner, while I suspect that just going to Wikipedia will provide you with a much more thorough understanding of the religious concepts.

As for the final conclusion as to the purpose of the Universe, I have to admit it is interesting and thought provoking, even if it is strictly in the realm of conjecture. However, the Mystery of the Universe will always be hidden from strict analysis and proof, as this book rightly attests to, and so conjecture and faith is really all we have to fall back on and comfort us when doubt and uncertainty about the Ultimate Truths wrack our souls.

Quite a bit different than I expected...I enjoyed it, but again, not what I expected
Fusing science with religion certainly can have some consequences (Douglas Preston's Blasphemy comes to mind) but I have to say that the Einstein Enigma was quite a bit different than what I expected it to be. Not sure how I can accurately explain much more without revealing way too much, but all I can say is this story came from a decidedly different angle than what I had anticipated. Is that a good thing? I suppose its a matter of opinion, and to be entirely honest, I'm not sure I can fully say yes or no to that, either (cryptic? I know, just like the book).

So what IS 'The God Formula' and how does that fit in with Genius Albert Einsteins usual equations? Believe it or not, this novel is essentially a story about God disguised as a Scientific Action/Thriller. Talk about a World-Class 'What If' scenario...try THIS on for size: What IF Einstein came up with actual scientific PROOF of the existence of God? All is not as it seems as this highly encrypted formula falls into the hands of Iranians who unknowingly believe it is actually code for assembling a nuclear weapon of some kind. When a man is hired to decipher the secret of the formula for manufacturing an easy-to-build weapon, this is where the story goes from merely interesting into a direction that I found a bit surprising as I mentioned earlier.

To say that the author did some research is an understatement to say the least. Again, merging the subject of the existence of the Almighty with such science takes a great deal of skill--to do it and make it actually WORTH reading & entertaining is a tall order indeed--but the author has pulled it off admirably. I disagree with one of the other reviewers who essentially scored the book with only 3 stars due (it seemed to me) entirely because of the regligious angle of the novel. I personally believe regardless of how religious you are or not, if you can appreciate a VERY interesting tale, you can and most likely WILL find a lot to entertain you within The Einstein Enigma.

Judge for yourself--don't take my word for it. I have pondered a LOT about this story since finishing it and ultimately I feel that recommending it is an easy decision to make--at least at this point. I always enjoy it when a novel can produce a twist that I hadn't expected nor anticipated, but this one caught me completely unawares and for that alone it deserves 4 full stars...bridging science & God so seamlessly brings that up to a full 5 stars in my book. You may feel differently, but I DO believe the book merits a wide audience, and hope we see more from Jose Rodrigues Dos Santos in the not-too-distant future.

Great book!
Unlike previous reviews, I really enjoyed the book. I thought it had a good balance between action and content, with great theological discussions relevant to modern day!

In most books I don't feel like I gain any knowledge from reading them, making them, in my view, a waste of time. But with Jose Rodrigues dos Santos' books, I always gain a greater understanding of the themes and issues he presents in his books.

I thought the characters were realistic and I could relate them, and the writing style kept me hooked!

Amazing, Interesting and makes you think!
This is the second book in a series that contains the protagonist Tomás Noronha. I have read the third book, "O Sétimo Selo" which has not been published in English yet, but they both are extremely interesting.(The books aren't tied to each other so you do not need to reed them in order.)

This book focuses on Science(specifically Physics) and Religion and how they explain the universe, God, and why we are all here. The explanation of the Physics aspects can get a bit heavy but it is simplified just enough to be understandable to the average reader.

It is a must read!!

Heavy on the intellectual content, not as much on the story
This is a book for intellectuals. Of that there can be little doubt. Essentially, it's a heavy-weight discussion of topics in religion, philosophy, and physics (origins of the universe, intelligent design, etc.) with a plot wrapped around it. Despite the title, one doesn't get the intellectual vibe early in the story, which is a fairly basic espionage type offering. It's not until about the middle of the book where lengthy dialogs with mathematicians, physicists, and monks start to come in to play. You probably need to be interested in the subject matter (which I am) to be able to get through it all without feeling like the story has come to a screeching halt. If you can, though, there's a definite pull through the rest of the book to see where it's all going. I came away slightly disappointed with the conclusion, intellectually speaking, but not necessarily with how the story itself ends. Personally, if I were only rating the storyline and writing I'd probably give it 3 stars. Because I enjoyed the deep subject-matter, though, I'll go 4. ... Read more

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"A deeply melancholic and moving tale that forces its readers to grapple with the enigma of the Einstein myth."--The Economist ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Totally smashs the Einstein myth created by the court historians of physics
Highfield and Carter (HC) completely demolish the myth created by the Einstein establishment in physics of Saint Einstein.HC demonstrate that Albert Einstein was a misogynist who abandoned/mistreated his children.His basic reason for associating withthe opposite sex was to obtain sex.All of Albert's relationships with women were purely sexual .Albert Einstein's interactions with his children and wives were based on deception,duplicity,and deviousness.
HC also show that Albert Einstein was a genius who failed to acknowledge the help and collaboration in his published work.It is absurd for a journal editor to publish a paper,(Einstein's first 1905 paper was on the photoelectric effect;the second paper was on Brownian motion;the third paper was on relativity and had no references;and the last paper established the foundation for the E= m c squared result concerning the relationship between mass and energy) with no references or bibliography.Yet this is exactly what happened .
HC dropped the ball by not explicitly discussing the highly technical discussions that took place in a number of the letters(54) exchanged between Albert and Meliva in the time period between 1897 and 1903.The 47 letters exchanged between1897 and 1901 contain some highly technical discussions in which Albert asks for help.The smoking gun appears when Albert refers to "our work" and "our theory".These words mean exactly what they say.

The myth of Albert Einstein
This a very good book.Two able researchers put their heads together and did all the research.The result is a fascinating picture of a rather unhappy man who had his moment of glory and spent the rest of his life chasing a wild goose--a unified theory. I wouldn't say they shattered the myth of Einstein, but they do point out that he might have had some help with relativity and did very little in physics in the last 30 years of his life--all the time he spent at Princeton, in fact--except deny the truth of quantum physics, probably the most elegant theory ever devised by the human mind.

My (small) problem with this book is that the authors expect us to believe that Einstein, a PhD in physics,1) had never heard of Brownian motion prior to his paper on molecules in 1905; and 2) published his paper on relativity in 1905 with no footnotes or attributions because he "was unaware of the need to give credit where it was due" (p. 105). Really.

This book did a lot to support my long-held view that Einstein's reputation is vastly overrated.He was a great physicist during the first part of of the 20th century, but there were many others, and he built on the work of many others who went before him and others who worked with him.

Essential Einstein reading....
It is inevitable that Albert Einstein's "private lives" will fall under the dissection knives of historians and biographers. There are already dozens of excellent biographies of Einstein on the market, ranging from the extremely scientific to the extremely personal. As the Einstein Papers Project continues to explore the personal correspondence of this remarkable scientist, we can expect the personal revelations to continue. Einstein, as were all great figures of history, was a very complicated person, and a very human one.

In this work, the authors take a very personal look at his life between the high school years and the publication of special relativity. Specifically, it focuses on his first marriage, to Mileva Maric'. Much about this relationship was kept intentionally hidden for years by Einstein's secretary Helen Dukas, and scientist Otto Nathan, who became the de facto protectors of the "Einstein image." Since they had known him in the era of his marriage to his cousin Elsa, they understandably sought to minimize and downplay any factors from his younger years that might reflect negatively upon him, and a failed first marriage, with an illegitimate child, could certainly be seen as less than flattering.

Highfield and Carter's book draws heavily on the work of the Einstein Papers scholars Stachel, Renn, and Schulmann. Einstein's voluminous correspondence from those years has shed much new light on such questions as the fate of the daughter Liseral, but without providing definitive answers. Considerable time is also spent on the issue of Mileva's role in the development of special relativity - topic that exploded with the force of a bomb in recent years.

Einstein has been dead for nearly half a century now, and it is certain now that his private life will be subjected to as intense scrutiny as has special and general relativity. This book, along with Overbye's "Einstein in Love" take a respectful but straightforward approach. Any Einstein admirer or general fan of the history of science should read this book. ... Read more

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China and Albert Einstein is the first extensive study in English or Chinese of China's reception of the celebrated physicist and his theory of relativity. Tracing the influence of Jesuit missionaries in the seventeenth century and Western missionaries and educators in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, as they introduced key concepts of Western physical science and paved the way for Einstein's radical new ideas, Danian Hu shows us that Chinese receptivity was fostered by the trickle of Chinese students sent abroad for study beginning in the mid-nineteenth century and by the openness of the May Fourth Movement (1916-1923).

In a series of biographical studies of Chinese physicists, Hu describes the Chinese assimilation of relativity and explains how Chinese physicists offered arguments and theories of their own. Hu's account concludes with the troubling story of the fate of foreign ideas such as Einstein's in the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), when the theory of relativity was denigrated along with Einstein's ideas on democracy and world peace.

China and Albert Einstein is an important contribution to Einstein studies and a landmark work in the history of Chinese science.

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Customer Reviews (1)

Highly recommended
As an engineer I feel obligated to keep up to speed with things scientific, and I also have an interest in Physics. This book definitely updates modern Physics to an average reader, and has many interesting stories to supplement the material. It has just the right mix of science,history and math to keep the reader interested.I seriously recommend itto all interested in Physics. ... Read more