The man and the genius. Isaacson let's you know how he did it | Einstein: His Life and Universe

Well Crafted by Isaacson | Einstein: His Life and Universe | Walter Isaacson

books:


	• Einstein: His Life and Universe Walter Isaacson Simon & Schuster, 2008 - 704 pages average customer review:based on 217 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

Review #169

This book was well-written and quite interesting. The author obviously understands the science and was able to describe physics and relativity in a way that this reader, a biologist, was able to understand. I would have liked more detail on Einstein's work in the decade 1905-1915, but I suppose the book might then have become unmanageably large. Details not in the text were often found in the notes, which were very helpful. I thought the episode with David Hilbert was somewhat appalling. Here we have Einstein giving a lecture on relativity and Hilbert, who was in the audience, then tries to scoop Einstein and beat him to the correct equations. Perhaps that was acceptable practice a century ago, or in the field of physics, but now to try to beat somebody out of credit for his or her own work would be seen as unethical.

for more information click here

The man and the genius. Isaacson let's you know how he did it

This is an excellent Einstein biography. I really love it; a real page-turner, completely captured my attention for a couple of days, until I finished with a sensation of wanting for more. No doubt it was very well researched, and includes new details uncovered from Einstein's letters recently made available for the public. Very well written, and Isaacson ability to explain complex science is outstanding, although my guess is that more than a bit of basic knowledge of physics is required to fully grasp the scientific discussions of relativity, quantum mechanics and the like.

The book is particularly insightful in recounting how Einstein developed his theories, just with thought experiments; his rebellious attitude toward authority of any kind; his endless fight against quantum theory (now I do understood what he meant and why he died thinking that God does not play dice); the controversies and interactions with the other scientific giants of his time; and his failure to develop a unified field theory, all of these aspects leading smoothly to the understanding on how he developed not only his revolutionary theories, but his philosophy about science, education, politics, and God. Also, the book goes into deep details on how he went from apolitical to an activist on Zionism, and from a pacifist to a supporter of the US entering WWII; his limited but key role on the US development of the atomic bomb, and afterwards, his regret; closing with his stand against McCarthyism. And because nobody is perfect, the biography shows his main weakness, throughout his life he was a lousy father and husband.

Coming back to the science, I had always been curious in understanding how Einstein came up with his theories without experimentation; even Newton did experiments to develop his laws. This biography explains in minute detail how he did it through his clever thought experiments. Also, the recount presented provides a good idea on how science progresses, from Einstein's fight against the prevailing paradigms in the beginning of his career, to Einstein's stubborn skepticism against the new paradigm he himself contributed to develop, quantum mechanics. Also I found fascinating how the more he used his thought experiments in trying to falsify quantum mechanics, the more the theory got reinforced. A good example on how the real scientific method works, illustrating the importance of an open debate for science to get closer to the truth. Also a really good historic example for those who believe that scientific theories can be proven by consensus.

I highly recommend this book for those interested in modern physics, cosmology, the history of science, philosophy of science, or just Einstein's admirers.

PD: Finally, a word of advice for some readers in order to avoid disappointment based on the majority of positives reviews. Me as well many of the other reviewers who gave five stars to the book, really got carried away, but I think it is very likely that most of us have a decent background on physics, and/or have read a lot about cosmology, or just have a good grasp of hard sci-fi. I was curious to know why some reviewers gave just a few stars to the book, and I found the main reason for the low grades is the complexity of the scientific explanations. So, despite Isaacson's clarity in the scientific explanations, some parts of the book are not Carl Sagan stuff. If you have read Hawking's A Brief History of Time, or Paul Davies' God and the New Physics, or any similar books on modern astrophysics and cosmology, and didn't like them, couldn't understand much, or simply got bored, then you probably will be better off with other biography. But if you are really interested in Einstein's life and achievements, my advice is to try and just skip the more technical parts, the book is still very interesting without the technical stuff.

for more information click here

Well Crafted by Isaacson

A complete work but the most important feature of this book is the clarity Isaacson achieves by painstakingly explaining the workings and scientific significance of special and general relativity. Einstein was accessible yet infinitely enigmatic, and the author takes special care to explain why that was, and why the icon we refer to as Einstein still somehow manages to be so elusive. After reading this book, you will truly appreciate how monumental and complex a figure Einstein really was. Isaacson's already classic biography belongs in everyone's library.

for more information click here

One of the best books about Einstein

I fully recommend this book. Easy to read and follow. It is one of my favourites books.

Regards
MS

A sound biography that strains to cover all the bases

Isaacson has writen a thorough, pleasant and even-handed biography of an extremely difficult subject and therefore deserves something of a pass because it is very likely impossible for a biographer to do justice to every aspect of a life like Einstein's. In the same way that Einstein fell short of a true unified theory (or so we think) the writer ultimately fails to bring together the myriad wavelengths of the inventor of e=mc(squared). While Isaacson is reasonably successful at explaining the Theory of Relativity to non-physicists he falls down when trying probe the depths of Einstein's motivations and decisions, especially later in life when the author treats his subject like a kindly, old, semi-deranged misanthrope. I also found his snide digs at other biographers unhelpful. Moreover, it is extremely hard to accept this biographer's contention that Einstein had completely lost his way in the study of Space and Time and spent the last 30 years of his life playing with inconsequential equations. The strongest parts of the book deal with Einstein's politics and roots of his pacifism. Perhaps Einstein needs a physicist to write a more respectful, thoughtful book about his life and work as a physicist.

for more information click here