Einstein: His Life and Universe

Walter Isaacson

Apr 2007 · Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

By the author of the acclaimed bestsellers Benjamin Franklin and Steve Jobs, this is the definitive biography of Albert Einstein.

How did his mind work? What made him a genius? Isaacson’s biography shows how his scientific imagination sprang from the rebellious nature of his personality. His fascinating story is a testament to the connection between creativity and freedom.

Based on newly released personal letters of Einstein, this book explores how an imaginative, impertinent patent clerk—a struggling father in a difficult marriage who couldn’t get a teaching job or a doctorate—became the mind reader of the creator of the cosmos, the locksmith of the mysteries of the atom, and the universe. His success came from questioning conventional wisdom and marveling at mysteries that struck others as mundane. This led him to embrace a morality and politics based on respect for free minds, free spirits, and free individuals.

These traits are just as vital for this new century of globalization, in which our success will depend on our creativity, as they were for the beginning of the last century, when Einstein helped usher in the modern age.

Ratings and reviews

Very solid, listenable bio. Enough science for me to feel I can at least differentiate between special and general relativity (though the mysteries of quantum mechanics quickly leave me behind). Didn't realize how deeply and broadly felt his impact was - scientists are still struggling to confirm his thought experiments. Wonderfully gentle view of mankind, too.

While reading this great book i noticed that at some places in the book it just skips 10-30 pages. Mid chapter i turn the page and i'm at the beginning of a new chapter. So i don't get to read the whole book. I would like this to be fixed. Edit: It happened again. Another 20 pages gone. I think i have already lost 70-80 pages and i'm at page 470 right now. That's 15% of the book that is just missing! So please fix this and otherwise give me the bio of benjamin franklin for free please.

Very long (600 page) account of Einsteins life from birth through to death and beyond. Isaacson did his research for this book it is very well laid out for anyone to understand. Make sure you set some time aside to finish this one as slower reading is essential to grasp all the events in this complicated man's life.

About the author

Walter Isaacson is the bestselling author of biographies of Jennifer Doudna, Leonardo da Vinci, Steve Jobs, Benjamin Franklin, and Albert Einstein. He is a professor of history at Tulane and was CEO of the Aspen Institute, chair of CNN, and editor of Time. He was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2023. Visit him at Isaacson.Tulane.edu.