From the title of this post, I know what you're thinking. You have been fooled. Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson is not a scientific novel. In fact the scientific theories in the novel are only briefly mentioned and not gone into great detail. Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson is more about the story of Einstein the man, more than Einstein the genius. The novel is presented in a chronological order and as I am now finishing it, I can say it has been a true page-turner and masterclass of a novel.
I evaluate novels(both fiction and non-fiction) by a few factors: readability, entertainment value, authentic dialogue, and character development. In each of these categories, Einstein exceeded my expectations. The readability of the novel was excellent, as there were few moments when I was clearly overwhelmed by the diction of the text. I was thoroughly entertained while reading this novel, as Isaacson expertly employed the use of different clever testimonies by Einstein and his colleagues. I did have to think while reading their testaments to Einstein and while he expressed his theories and his writing through letters. It doesn't matter. Thinking is good. The character development in the novel was very evident, as Isaacson used primary sources to explain Einstein's relationships with loved ones. What I find to be quite astounding about Einstein is his relatability to us "normal" people. Seriously. The way Einstein is portrayed in this novel reminds me of myself and many others.
As a child, Einstein daydreams and is very much "in the zone" most of the time. His teachers perceived this as a sign that Einstein wasn't mentally focused. However, this daydreaming gave Einstein time to think about everything from people riding light beams to the persecution of Jews in Nazi Germany. Einstein performed thought experiments where he would think about the outcome of an event. You may be surprised to hear, but we do our own thought experiments as well. We call them,"daydreams". Einstein was clever and funny and he honestly had the best intentions most of the time. But just as any other human being, Einstein did have a few struggles during relationships, some he was able to overcome, some not. He also had enemies just as we do. Walter Isaacson sums this all up when he states, “He[Einstein] was a loner with an intimate bond to humanity, a rebel who was suffused with reverence. And thus it was that an imaginative, impertinent patent clerk became the mind reader of the creator of the cosmos, the locksmith of the mysteries of the atom and the universe.”(Isaacson 591)
The following video goes further into detail describing Einstein the man.
Isaacson wrote the novel eloquently like a true professional. As a result, I found myself to have a completely different take on Einstein, as more of a good man than an intellectual legend. I highly recommend this novel to anyone whether you're a scholar or a casual reader, you will be entertained. Well done Mr. Isaacson. I look forward to reading many more novels by you.
