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Albert Einstein

One of the most influential scientists of the 20 th century, Albert Einstein was a physicist who developed the theory of relativity.

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Early life, family, and education, einstein’s iq, patent clerk, inventions and discoveries, nobel prize in physics, wives and children, travel diaries, becoming a u.s. citizen, einstein and the atomic bomb, time travel and quantum theory, personal life, death and final words, einstein’s brain, einstein in books and movies: "oppenheimer" and more, who was albert einstein.

Albert Einstein was a German mathematician and physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity. In 1921, he won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect. In the following decade, he immigrated to the United States after being targeted by the German Nazi Party. His work also had a major impact on the development of atomic energy. In his later years, Einstein focused on unified field theory. He died in April 1955 at age 76. With his passion for inquiry, Einstein is generally considered the most influential physicist of the 20 th century.

FULL NAME: Albert Einstein BORN: March 14, 1879 DIED: April 18, 1955 BIRTHPLACE: Ulm, Württemberg, Germany SPOUSES: Mileva Einstein-Maric (1903-1919) and Elsa Einstein (1919-1936) CHILDREN: Lieserl, Hans, and Eduard ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Pisces

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, in Ulm, Württemberg, Germany. He grew up in a secular Jewish family. His father, Hermann Einstein, was a salesman and engineer who, with his brother, founded Elektrotechnische Fabrik J. Einstein & Cie, a Munich-based company that mass-produced electrical equipment. Einstein’s mother, the former Pauline Koch, ran the family household. Einstein had one sister, Maja, born two years after him.

Einstein attended elementary school at the Luitpold Gymnasium in Munich. However, he felt alienated there and struggled with the institution’s rigid pedagogical style. He also had what were considered speech challenges. However, he developed a passion for classical music and playing the violin, which would stay with him into his later years. Most significantly, Einstein’s youth was marked by deep inquisitiveness and inquiry.

Toward the end of the 1880s, Max Talmud, a Polish medical student who sometimes dined with the Einstein family, became an informal tutor to young Einstein. Talmud had introduced his pupil to a children’s science text that inspired Einstein to dream about the nature of light. Thus, during his teens, Einstein penned what would be seen as his first major paper, “The Investigation of the State of Aether in Magnetic Fields.”

Hermann relocated the family to Milan, Italy, in the mid-1890s after his business lost out on a major contract. Einstein was left at a relative’s boarding house in Munich to complete his schooling at the Luitpold.

Faced with military duty when he turned of age, Einstein allegedly withdrew from classes, using a doctor’s note to excuse himself and claim nervous exhaustion. With their son rejoining them in Italy, his parents understood Einstein’s perspective but were concerned about his future prospects as a school dropout and draft dodger.

Einstein was eventually able to gain admission into the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, specifically due to his superb mathematics and physics scores on the entrance exam. He was still required to complete his pre-university education first and thus attended a high school in Aarau, Switzerland, helmed by Jost Winteler. Einstein lived with the schoolmaster’s family and fell in love with Winteler’s daughter Marie. Einstein later renounced his German citizenship and became a Swiss citizen at the dawn of the new century.

Einstein’s intelligence quotient was estimated to be around 160, but there are no indications he was ever actually tested.

Psychologist David Wechsler didn’t release the first edition of the WAIS cognitive test, which evolved into the WAIS-IV test commonly used today, until 1955—shortly before Einstein’s death. The maximum score of the current version is 160, with an IQ of 135 or higher ranking in the 99 th percentile.

Magazine columnist Marilyn vos Savant has the highest-ever recorded IQ at 228 and was featured in the Guinness Book of World Records in the late 1980s. However, Guinness discontinued the category because of debates about testing accuracy. According to Parade , individuals believed to have higher IQs than Einstein include Leonardo Da Vinci , Marie Curie , Nikola Tesla , and Nicolaus Copernicus .

After graduating from university, Einstein faced major challenges in terms of finding academic positions, having alienated some professors over not attending class more regularly in lieu of studying independently.

Einstein eventually found steady work in 1902 after receiving a referral for a clerk position in a Swiss patent office. While working at the patent office, Einstein had the time to further explore ideas that had taken hold during his university studies and thus cemented his theorems on what would be known as the principle of relativity.

In 1905—seen by many as a “miracle year” for the theorist—Einstein had four papers published in the Annalen der Physik , one of the best-known physics journals of the era. Two focused on the photoelectric effect and Brownian motion. The two others, which outlined E=MC 2 and the special theory of relativity, were defining for Einstein’s career and the course of the study of physics.

As a physicist, Einstein had many discoveries, but he is perhaps best known for his theory of relativity and the equation E=MC 2 , which foreshadowed the development of atomic power and the atomic bomb.

Theory of Relativity

Einstein first proposed a special theory of relativity in 1905 in his paper “On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies,” which took physics in an electrifying new direction. The theory explains that space and time are actually connected, and Einstein called this joint structure space-time.

By November 1915, Einstein completed the general theory of relativity, which accounted for gravity’s relationship to space-time. Einstein considered this theory the culmination of his life research. He was convinced of the merits of general relativity because it allowed for a more accurate prediction of planetary orbits around the sun, which fell short in Isaac Newton ’s theory. It also offered a more expansive, nuanced explanation of how gravitational forces worked.

Einstein’s assertions were affirmed via observations and measurements by British astronomers Sir Frank Dyson and Sir Arthur Eddington during the 1919 solar eclipse, and thus a global science icon was born. Today, the theories of relativity underpin the accuracy of GPS technology, among other phenomena.

Even so, Einstein did make one mistake when developing his general theory, which naturally predicted the universe is either expanding or contracting. Einstein didn’t believe this prediction initially, instead holding onto the belief that the universe was a fixed, static entity. To account for, this he factored in a “cosmological constant” to his equation. His later theories directly contracted this idea and asserted that the universe could be in a state of flux. Then, astronomer Edwin Hubble deduced that we indeed inhabit an expanding universe. Hubble and Einstein met at the Mount Wilson Observatory near Los Angeles in 1931.

Decades after Einstein’s death, in 2018, a team of scientists confirmed one aspect of Einstein’s general theory of relativity: that the light from a star passing close to a black hole would be stretched to longer wavelengths by the overwhelming gravitational field. Tracking star S2, their measurements indicated that the star’s orbital velocity increased to over 25 million kph as it neared the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy, its appearance shifting from blue to red as its wavelengths stretched to escape the pull of gravity.

Einstein’s E=MC²

Einstein’s 1905 paper on the matter-energy relationship proposed the equation E=MC²: the energy of a body (E) is equal to the mass (M) of that body times the speed of light squared (C²). This equation suggested that tiny particles of matter could be converted into huge amounts of energy, a discovery that heralded atomic power.

Famed quantum theorist Max Planck backed up the assertions of Einstein, who thus became a star of the lecture circuit and academia, taking on various positions before becoming director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics (today is known as the Max Planck Institute for Physics) from 1917 to 1933.

In 1921, Einstein won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his explanation of the photoelectric effect, since his ideas on relativity were still considered questionable. He wasn’t actually given the award until the following year due to a bureaucratic ruling, and during his acceptance speech, he still opted to speak about relativity.

Einstein married Mileva Maric on January 6, 1903. While attending school in Zurich, Einstein met Maric, a Serbian physics student. Einstein continued to grow closer to Maric, but his parents were strongly against the relationship due to her ethnic background.

Nonetheless, Einstein continued to see her, with the two developing a correspondence via letters in which he expressed many of his scientific ideas. Einstein’s father passed away in 1902, and the couple married shortly thereafter.

Einstein and Mavic had three children. Their daughter, Lieserl, was born in 1902 before their wedding and might have been later raised by Maric’s relatives or given up for adoption. Her ultimate fate and whereabouts remain a mystery. The couple also had two sons: Hans Albert Einstein, who became a well-known hydraulic engineer, and Eduard “Tete” Einstein, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a young man.

The Einsteins’ marriage would not be a happy one, with the two divorcing in 1919 and Maric having an emotional breakdown in connection to the split. Einstein, as part of a settlement, agreed to give Maric any funds he might receive from possibly winning the Nobel Prize in the future.

During his marriage to Maric, Einstein had also begun an affair some time earlier with a cousin, Elsa Löwenthal . The couple wed in 1919, the same year of Einstein’s divorce. He would continue to see other women throughout his second marriage, which ended with Löwenthal’s death in 1936.

In his 40s, Einstein traveled extensively and journaled about his experiences. Some of his unfiltered private thoughts are shared two volumes of The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein .

The first volume , published in 2018, focuses on his five-and-a-half month trip to the Far East, Palestine, and Spain. The scientist started a sea journey to Japan in Marseille, France, in autumn of 1922, accompanied by his second wife, Elsa. They journeyed through the Suez Canal, then to Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Japan. The couple returned to Germany via Palestine and Spain in March 1923.

The second volume , released in 2023, covers three months that he spent lecturing and traveling in Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil in 1925.

The Travel Diaries contain unflattering analyses of the people he came across, including the Chinese, Sri Lankans, and Argentinians, a surprise coming from a man known for vehemently denouncing racism in his later years. In an entry for November 1922, Einstein refers to residents of Hong Kong as “industrious, filthy, lethargic people.”

In 1933, Einstein took on a position at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where he would spend the rest of his life.

At the time the Nazis, led by Adolf Hitler , were gaining prominence with violent propaganda and vitriol in an impoverished post-World War I Germany. The Nazi Party influenced other scientists to label Einstein’s work “Jewish physics.” Jewish citizens were barred from university work and other official jobs, and Einstein himself was targeted to be killed. Meanwhile, other European scientists also left regions threatened by Germany and immigrated to the United States, with concern over Nazi strategies to create an atomic weapon.

Not long after moving and beginning his career at IAS, Einstein expressed an appreciation for American meritocracy and the opportunities people had for free thought, a stark contrast to his own experiences coming of age. In 1935, Einstein was granted permanent residency in his adopted country and became an American citizen five years later.

In America, Einstein mostly devoted himself to working on a unified field theory, an all-embracing paradigm meant to unify the varied laws of physics. However, during World War II, he worked on Navy-based weapons systems and made big monetary donations to the military by auctioning off manuscripts worth millions.

In 1939, Einstein and fellow physicist Leo Szilard wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt to alert him of the possibility of a Nazi bomb and to galvanize the United States to create its own nuclear weapons.

The United States would eventually initiate the Manhattan Project , though Einstein wouldn’t take a direct part in its implementation due to his pacifist and socialist affiliations. Einstein was also the recipient of much scrutiny and major distrust from FBI director J. Edgar Hoover . In July 1940, the U.S. Army Intelligence office denied Einstein a security clearance to participate in the project, meaning J. Robert Oppenheimer and the scientists working in Los Alamos were forbidden from consulting with him.

Einstein had no knowledge of the U.S. plan to use atomic bombs in Japan in 1945. When he heard of the first bombing at Hiroshima, he reportedly said, “Ach! The world is not ready for it.”

Einstein became a major player in efforts to curtail usage of the A-bomb. The following year, he and Szilard founded the Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists, and in 1947, via an essay for The Atlantic Monthly , Einstein espoused working with the United Nations to maintain nuclear weapons as a deterrent to conflict.

After World War II, Einstein continued to work on his unified field theory and key aspects of his general theory of relativity, including time travel, wormholes, black holes, and the origins of the universe.

However, he felt isolated in his endeavors since the majority of his colleagues had begun focusing their attention on quantum theory. In the last decade of his life, Einstein, who had always seen himself as a loner, withdrew even further from any sort of spotlight, preferring to stay close to Princeton and immerse himself in processing ideas with colleagues.

In the late 1940s, Einstein became a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), seeing the parallels between the treatment of Jews in Germany and Black people in the United States. He corresponded with scholar and activist W.E.B. Du Bois as well as performer Paul Robeson and campaigned for civil rights, calling racism a “disease” in a 1946 Lincoln University speech.

Einstein was very particular about his sleep schedule, claiming he needed 10 hours of sleep per day to function well. His theory of relativity allegedly came to him in a dream about cows being electrocuted. He was also known to take regular naps. He is said to have held objects like a spoon or pencil in his hand while falling asleep. That way, he could wake up before hitting the second stage of sleep—a hypnagogic process believed to boost creativity and capture sleep-inspired ideas.

Although sleep was important to Einstein, socks were not. He was famous for refusing to wear them. According to a letter he wrote to future wife Elsa, he stopped wearing them because he was annoyed by his big toe pushing through the material and creating a hole.

One of the most recognizable photos of the 20 th century shows Einstein sticking out his tongue while leaving his 72 nd birthday party on March 14, 1951.

According to Discovery.com , Einstein was leaving his party at Princeton when a swarm of reporters and photographers approached and asked him to smile. Tired from doing so all night, he refused and rebelliously stuck his tongue out at the crowd for a moment before turning away. UPI photographer Arthur Sasse captured the shot.

Einstein was amused by the picture and ordered several prints to give to his friends. He also signed a copy of the photo that sold for $125,000 at a 2017 auction.

Einstein died on April 18, 1955, at age 76 at the University Medical Center at Princeton. The previous day, while working on a speech to honor Israel’s seventh anniversary, Einstein suffered an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

He was taken to the hospital for treatment but refused surgery, believing that he had lived his life and was content to accept his fate. “I want to go when I want,” he stated at the time. “It is tasteless to prolong life artificially. I have done my share, it is time to go. I will do it elegantly.”

According to the BBC, Einstein muttered a few words in German at the moment of his death. However, the nurse on duty didn’t speak German so their translation was lost forever.

In a 2014 interview , Life magazine photographer Ralph Morse said the hospital was swarmed by journalists, photographers, and onlookers once word of Einstein’s death spread. Morse decided to travel to Einstein’s office at the Institute for Advanced Studies, offering the superintendent alcohol to gain access. He was able to photograph the office just as Einstein left it.

After an autopsy, Einstein’s corpse was moved to a Princeton funeral home later that afternoon and then taken to Trenton, New Jersey, for a cremation ceremony. Morse said he was the only photographer present for the cremation, but Life managing editor Ed Thompson decided not to publish an exclusive story at the request of Einstein’s son Hans.

During Einstein’s autopsy, pathologist Thomas Stoltz Harvey had removed his brain, reportedly without his family’s consent, for preservation and future study by doctors of neuroscience.

However, during his life, Einstein participated in brain studies, and at least one biography claimed he hoped researchers would study his brain after he died. Einstein’s brain is now located at the Princeton University Medical Center. In keeping with his wishes, the rest of his body was cremated and the ashes scattered in a secret location.

In 1999, Canadian scientists who were studying Einstein’s brain found that his inferior parietal lobe, the area that processes spatial relationships, 3D-visualization, and mathematical thought, was 15 percent wider than in people who possess normal intelligence. According to The New York Times , the researchers believe it might help explain why Einstein was so intelligent.

In 2011, the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia received thin slices of Einstein’s brain from Dr. Lucy Rorke-Adams, a neuropathologist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, and put them on display. Rorke-Adams said she received the brain slides from Harvey.

Since Einstein’s death, a veritable mountain of books have been written on the iconic thinker’s life, including Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson and Einstein: A Biography by Jürgen Neffe, both from 2007. Einstein’s own words are presented in the collection The World As I See It .

Einstein has also been portrayed on screen. Michael Emil played a character called “The Professor,” clearly based on Einstein, in the 1985 film Insignificance —in which alternate versions of Einstein, Marilyn Monroe , Joe DiMaggio , and Joseph McCarthy cross paths in a New York City hotel.

Walter Matthau portrayed Einstein in the fictional 1994 comedy I.Q. , in which he plays matchmaker for his niece played by Meg Ryan . Einstein was also a character in the obscure comedy films I Killed Einstein, Gentlemen (1970) and Young Einstein (1988).

A much more historically accurate depiction of Einstein came in 2017, when he was the subject of the first season of Genius , a 10-part scripted miniseries by National Geographic. Johnny Flynn played a younger version of the scientist, while Geoffrey Rush portrayed Einstein in his later years after he had fled Germany. Ron Howard was the director.

Tom Conti plays Einstein in the 2023 biopic Oppenheimer , directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Cillian Murphy as scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer during his involvement with the Manhattan Project.

• The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.
• A question that sometimes drives me hazy: Am I or are the others crazy?
• A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.
• Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.
• I want to go when I want. It is tasteless to prolong life artificially. I have done my share, it is time to go. I will do it elegantly.
• If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.
• Nature shows us only the tail of the lion. But there is no doubt in my mind that the lion belongs with it even if he cannot reveal himself to the eye all at once because of his huge dimension. We see him only the way a louse sitting upon him would.
• [T]he distinction between past, present, and future is only an illusion, however persistent.
• Living in this “great age,” it is hard to understand that we belong to this mad, degenerate species, which imputes free will to itself. If only there were somewhere an island for the benevolent and the prudent! Then also I would want to be an ardent patriot.
• I, at any rate, am convinced that He [God] is not playing at dice.
• How strange is the lot of us mortals! Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what purpose he knows not, though he sometimes thinks he senses it.
• I regard class differences as contrary to justice and, in the last resort, based on force.
• I have never looked upon ease and happiness as ends in themselves—this critical basis I call the ideal of a pigsty. The ideals that have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth.
• My political ideal is democracy. Let every man be respected as an individual and no man idolized. It is an irony of fate that I myself have been the recipient of excessive admiration and reverence from my fellow-beings, through no fault and no merit of my own.
• The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion that stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are dimmed.
• An autocratic system of coercion, in my opinion, soon degenerates. For force always attracts men of low morality, and I believe it to be an invariable rule that tyrants of genius are succeeded by scoundrels.
• My passionate interest in social justice and social responsibility has always stood in curious contrast to a marked lack of desire for direct association with men and women. I am a horse for single harness, not cut out for tandem or team work. I have never belonged wholeheartedly to country or state, to my circle of friends, or even to my own family.
• Everybody is a genius.

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Albert Einstein

By: History.com Editors

Updated: May 16, 2019 | Original: October 27, 2009

The German-born physicist Albert Einstein developed the first of his groundbreaking theories while working as a clerk in the Swiss patent office in Bern. After making his name with four scientific articles published in 1905, he went on to win worldwide fame for his general theory of relativity and a Nobel Prize in 1921 for his explanation of the phenomenon known as the photoelectric effect. An outspoken pacifist who was publicly identified with the Zionist movement, Einstein emigrated from Germany to the United States when the Nazis took power before World War II. He lived and worked in Princeton, New Jersey, for the remainder of his life.

Einstein’s Early Life (1879-1904)

Born on March 14, 1879, in the southern German city of Ulm, Albert Einstein grew up in a middle-class Jewish family in Munich. As a child, Einstein became fascinated by music (he played the violin), mathematics and science. He dropped out of school in 1894 and moved to Switzerland, where he resumed his schooling and later gained admission to the Swiss Federal Polytechnic Institute in Zurich. In 1896, he renounced his German citizenship, and remained officially stateless before becoming a Swiss citizen in 1901.

Did you know? Almost immediately after Albert Einstein learned of the atomic bomb's use in Japan, he became an advocate for nuclear disarmament. He formed the Emergency Committee of Atomic Scientists and backed Manhattan Project scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer in his opposition to the hydrogen bomb.

While at Zurich Polytechnic, Einstein fell in love with his fellow student Mileva Maric, but his parents opposed the match and he lacked the money to marry. The couple had an illegitimate daughter, Lieserl, born in early 1902, of whom little is known. After finding a position as a clerk at the Swiss patent office in Bern, Einstein married Maric in 1903; they would have two more children, Hans Albert (born 1904) and Eduard (born 1910).

Einstein’s Miracle Year (1905)

While working at the patent office, Einstein did some of the most creative work of his life, producing no fewer than four groundbreaking articles in 1905 alone. In the first paper, he applied the quantum theory (developed by German physicist Max Planck) to light in order to explain the phenomenon known as the photoelectric effect, by which a material will emit electrically charged particles when hit by light. The second article contained Einstein’s experimental proof of the existence of atoms, which he got by analyzing the phenomenon of Brownian motion, in which tiny particles were suspended in water.

In the third and most famous article, titled “On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies,” Einstein confronted the apparent contradiction between two principal theories of physics: Isaac Newton’s concepts of absolute space and time and James Clerk Maxwell’s idea that the speed of light was a constant. To do this, Einstein introduced his special theory of relativity, which held that the laws of physics are the same even for objects moving in different inertial frames (i.e. at constant speeds relative to each other), and that the speed of light is a constant in all inertial frames. A fourth paper concerned the fundamental relationship between mass and energy, concepts viewed previously as completely separate. Einstein’s famous equation E = mc2 (where “c” was the constant speed of light) expressed this relationship.

From Zurich to Berlin (1906-1932)

Einstein continued working at the patent office until 1909, when he finally found a full-time academic post at the University of Zurich. In 1913, he arrived at the University of Berlin, where he was made director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics. The move coincided with the beginning of Einstein’s romantic relationship with a cousin of his, Elsa Lowenthal, whom he would eventually marry after divorcing Mileva. In 1915, Einstein published the general theory of relativity, which he considered his masterwork. This theory found that gravity, as well as motion, can affect time and space. According to Einstein’s equivalence principle–which held that gravity’s pull in one direction is equivalent to an acceleration of speed in the opposite direction–if light is bent by acceleration, it must also be bent by gravity. In 1919, two expeditions sent to perform experiments during a solar eclipse found that light rays from distant stars were deflected or bent by the gravity of the sun in just the way Einstein had predicted.

The general theory of relativity was the first major theory of gravity since Newton’s, more than 250 years before, and the results made a tremendous splash worldwide, with the London Times proclaiming a “Revolution in Science” and a “New Theory of the Universe.” Einstein began touring the world, speaking in front of crowds of thousands in the United States, Britain, France and Japan. In 1921, he won the Nobel Prize for his work on the photoelectric effect, as his work on relativity remained controversial at the time. Einstein soon began building on his theories to form a new science of cosmology, which held that the universe was dynamic instead of static, and was capable of expanding and contracting.

Einstein Moves to the United States (1933-39)

A longtime pacifist and a Jew, Einstein became the target of hostility in Weimar Germany, where many citizens were suffering plummeting economic fortunes in the aftermath of defeat in the Great War. In December 1932, a month before Adolf Hitler became chancellor of Germany, Einstein made the decision to emigrate to the United States, where he took a position at the newly founded Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey . He would never again enter the country of his birth.

By the time Einstein’s wife Elsa died in 1936, he had been involved for more than a decade with his efforts to find a unified field theory, which would incorporate all the laws of the universe, and those of physics, into a single framework. In the process, Einstein became increasingly isolated from many of his colleagues, who were focused mainly on the quantum theory and its implications, rather than on relativity.

Einstein’s Later Life (1939-1955)

In the late 1930s, Einstein’s theories, including his equation E=mc2, helped form the basis of the development of the atomic bomb. In 1939, at the urging of the Hungarian physicist Leo Szilard, Einstein wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt advising him to approve funding for the development of uranium before Germany could gain the upper hand. Einstein, who became a U.S. citizen in 1940 but retained his Swiss citizenship, was never asked to participate in the resulting Manhattan Project , as the U.S. government suspected his socialist and pacifist views. In 1952, Einstein declined an offer extended by David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s premier, to become president of Israel .

Throughout the last years of his life, Einstein continued his quest for a unified field theory. Though he published an article on the theory in Scientific American in 1950, it remained unfinished when he died, of an aortic aneurysm, five years later. In the decades following his death, Einstein’s reputation and stature in the world of physics only grew, as physicists began to unravel the mystery of the so-called “strong force” (the missing piece of his unified field theory) and space satellites further verified the principles of his cosmology.

HISTORY Vault: Secrets of Einstein's Brain

Originally stolen by the doctor trusted to perform his autopsy, scientists over the decades have examined the brain of Albert Einstein to try and determine what made this seemingly normal man tick.

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Science » Lives of Scientists » Albert Einstein

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Interview by Anna Blundy

Einstein’s Clocks, Poincaré’s Maps by Peter Galison

The Fabric of the Cosmos by Brian Greene

Evolution of Physics by Albert Einstein and Leopold Infeld

Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman

Einstein in Love by Dennis Overbye

1 Einstein’s Clocks, Poincaré’s Maps by Peter Galison

2 the fabric of the cosmos by brian greene, 3 evolution of physics by albert einstein and leopold infeld, 4 einstein’s dreams by alan lightman, 5 einstein in love by dennis overbye.

Y our first book choice is Einstein’s Clocks , Poincaré’s Maps: Empires of Time by Peter Galison.

Your next book is Brian Greene’s The Fabric of the Cosmos.

Brian Greene is one of the developers of string theory , the pioneer of string theory, and what he’s doing is he’s aiming at Einstein’s great unresolved quest for a theory that ties all the forces of the universe together. In The Fabric of the Cosmos he takes Einstein’s fundamental discoveries of special relativity and general relativity and puts them in their historical context. He starts with Newton’s theory of gravity and helps us understand all the developments that led to Einstein’s theory that space and time create a four-dimensional fabric that is related to gravity. This is the clearest explanation of Newton and Einstein available, and Greene does it with a great sense of humour and wonderful visual thought experiments.

“He had a religious-like reverence for the concept of a creator, even though he did not believe in a personal God”

He wrestles with the question Newton asked about whether a bucket of water spinning in an absolutely empty universe would show any signs of inerti would the water spin up against the sides? From that he is able to walk us through the great issues of gravity and space.

Would the bucket show signs of inertia?

Next: The Evolution of Physics, by Albert Einstein and Leopold Infeld.

Infeld was a poor Jewish refugee to America when he met Einstein. Infeld needed money and so Einstein said he would write a history of physics with him. Infeld was a great writer and Einstein was a great physicist and this book gives a history of physics in a way that helps you to understand Einstein’s great insights. Deeply woven into this is his idea that there must be laws of the universe that are invariable and it shows why Einstein was opposing quantum theory and quantum mechanics which say things happen at a sub-atomic level purely by chance.

But isn’t quantum theory still … valid?

Yes. Very valid. Einstein was wrong in resisting it. Or I guess I should say it seems like he was probably wrong. He had deep philosophical qualms that drove his scientific criticisms.

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He was afraid of uncertainty?

Now to Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman. This was an internationally bestselling novel in 1992

This is a work of fiction that weaves in the whimsy of Einstein’s days as a patent clerk in Switzerland and the types of dreams he may have had. They are little fables that come from his dreams and that relate the theory of relativity to real life. What makes this little book so good is that, as Tom Stoppard does, Lightman understands the science as he ties it into a literary piece of whimsy.

What kinds of dreams does he have?

Let’s talk about Einstein in Love: A Scientific Romance by Dennis Overbye.

This is a great piece of writing and of research about Einstein’s relationship with his first wife who served as his sounding-board in the miracle year of 1905 when he discovers special relativity and lays the groundwork for quantum theory. Mileva Maric was a physics student at Zurich Polytechnic, and when she and Einstein met they fell madly in love. Overbye wrote one of the first books to come out after the huge trove of letters between Einstein and Maric became available. He shows their passionate love but also their shared joy in physics. He helps us to assess how much she helped in the development of Einstein’s theories.

How much did she help?

Well, she didn’t come up with any of the concepts, but she was a sounding-board and she checked the maths and the proofs. When the passionate relationship exploded and Einstein wanted a divorce he couldn’t afford the money Maric wanted to raise their two boys. So Einstein says to her that one day he’ll win the Nobel Prize for his 1905 work and if she gives him a divorce he’ll give her the prize money when he wins. She takes a week to calculate the odds and consult other scientists, but she is a good scientist herself and she takes the bet. He didn’t win until 1921 but he did give her the money and she bought three apartment buildings in Zurich.

December 17, 2010

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Walter Isaacson

The former editor of Time magazine and CEO of CNN has written the seminal work on Einstein’s life and theory. He tells us Einstein bet his wife he’d win the Nobel Prize for his 1905 work and promised her the prize money in return for a divorce. ‘She takes a week to calculate the odds...and she takes the bet. He didn’t win until 1921 but he did give her the money and she bought three apartment buildings in Zurich.’

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Biography Online

Albert Einstein Biography

Einstein is also well known as an original free-thinker, speaking on a range of humanitarian and global issues. After contributing to the theoretical development of nuclear physics and encouraging F.D. Roosevelt to start the Manhattan Project, he later spoke out against the use of nuclear weapons.

Born in Germany to Jewish parents, Einstein settled in Switzerland and then, after Hitler’s rise to power, the United States. Einstein was a truly global man and one of the undisputed genius’ of the Twentieth Century.

Early life Albert Einstein

Einstein was born 14 March 1879, in Ulm the German Empire. His parents were working-class (salesman/engineer) and non-observant Jews. Aged 15, the family moved to Milan, Italy, where his father hoped Albert would become a mechanical engineer. However, despite Einstein’s intellect and thirst for knowledge, his early academic reports suggested anything but a glittering career in academia. His teachers found him dim and slow to learn. Part of the problem was that Albert expressed no interest in learning languages and the learning by rote that was popular at the time.

“School failed me, and I failed the school. It bored me. The teachers behaved like Feldwebel (sergeants). I wanted to learn what I wanted to know, but they wanted me to learn for the exam.” Einstein and the Poet (1983)

At the age of 12, Einstein picked up a book on geometry and read it cover to cover. – He would later refer to it as his ‘holy booklet’. He became fascinated by maths and taught himself – becoming acquainted with the great scientific discoveries of the age.

Albert Einstein with wife Elsa

Despite Albert’s independent learning, he languished at school. Eventually, he was asked to leave by the authorities because his indifference was setting a bad example to other students.

He applied for admission to the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. His first attempt was a failure because he failed exams in botany, zoology and languages. However, he passed the next year and in 1900 became a Swiss citizen.

At college, he met a fellow student Mileva Maric, and after a long friendship, they married in 1903; they had two sons before divorcing several years later.

In 1896 Einstein renounced his German citizenship to avoid military conscription. For five years he was stateless, before successfully applying for Swiss citizenship in 1901. After graduating from Zurich college, he attempted to gain a teaching post but none was forthcoming; instead, he gained a job in the Swiss Patent Office.

While working at the Patent Office, Einstein continued his own scientific discoveries and began radical experiments to consider the nature of light and space.

Einstein in 1921

He published his first scientific paper in 1900, and by 1905 had completed his PhD entitled “ A New Determination of Molecular Dimensions . In addition to working on his PhD, Einstein also worked feverishly on other papers. In 1905, he published four pivotal scientific works, which would revolutionise modern physics. 1905 would later be referred to as his ‘ annus mirabilis .’

Einstein’s work started to gain recognition, and he was given a post at the University of Zurich (1909) and, in 1911, was offered the post of full-professor at the Charles-Ferdinand University in Prague (which was then part of Austria-Hungary Empire). He took Austrian-Hungary citizenship to accept the job. In 1914, he returned to Germany and was appointed a director of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physics. (1914–1932)

Albert Einstein’s Scientific Contributions

Quantum Theory

Einstein suggested that light doesn’t just travel as waves but as electric currents. This photoelectric effect could force metals to release a tiny stream of particles known as ‘quanta’. From this Quantum Theory, other inventors were able to develop devices such as television and movies. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.

Special Theory of Relativity

This theory was written in a simple style with no footnotes or academic references. The core of his theory of relativity is that:

“Movement can only be detected and measured as relative movement; the change of position of one body in respect to another.”

Thus there is no fixed absolute standard of comparison for judging the motion of the earth or plants. It was revolutionary because previously people had thought time and distance are absolutes. But, Einstein proved this not to be true.

He also said that if electrons travelled at close to the speed of light, their weight would increase.

This lead to Einstein’s famous equation:

Where E = energy m = mass and c = speed of light.

General Theory of Relativity 1916

Working from a basis of special relativity. Einstein sought to express all physical laws using equations based on mathematical equations.

He devoted the last period of his life trying to formulate a final unified field theory which included a rational explanation for electromagnetism. However, he was to be frustrated in searching for this final breakthrough theory.

Solar eclipse of 1919

In 1911, Einstein predicted the sun’s gravity would bend the light of another star. He based this on his new general theory of relativity. On 29 May 1919, during a solar eclipse, British astronomer and physicist Sir Arthur Eddington was able to confirm Einstein’s prediction. The news was published in newspapers around the world, and it made Einstein internationally known as a leading physicist. It was also symbolic of international co-operation between British and German scientists after the horrors of the First World War.

In the 1920s, Einstein travelled around the world – including the UK, US, Japan, Palestine and other countries. Einstein gave lectures to packed audiences and became an internationally recognised figure for his work on physics, but also his wider observations on world affairs.

Bohr-Einstein debates

During the 1920s, other scientists started developing the work of Einstein and coming to different conclusions on Quantum Physics. In 1925 and 1926, Einstein took part in debates with Max Born about the nature of relativity and quantum physics. Although the two disagreed on physics, they shared a mutual admiration.

As a German Jew, Einstein was threatened by the rise of the Nazi party. In 1933, when the Nazi’s seized power, they confiscated Einstein’s property, and later started burning his books. Einstein, then in England, took an offer to go to Princeton University in the US. He later wrote that he never had strong opinions about race and nationality but saw himself as a citizen of the world.

“I do not believe in race as such. Race is a fraud. All modern people are the conglomeration of so many ethnic mixtures that no pure race remains.”

Once in the US, Einstein dedicated himself to a strict discipline of academic study. He would spend no time on maintaining his dress and image. He considered these things ‘inessential’ and meant less time for his research. Einstein was notoriously absent-minded. In his youth, he once left his suitcase at a friends house. His friend’s parents told Einstein’s parents: “ That young man will never amount to anything, because he can’t remember anything.”

Although a bit of a loner, and happy in his own company, he had a good sense of humour. On January 3, 1943, Einstein received a letter from a girl who was having difficulties with mathematics in her studies. Einstein consoled her when he wrote in reply to her letter

“Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics. I can assure you that mine are still greater.”

Einstein professed belief in a God “Who reveals himself in the harmony of all being”. But, he followed no established religion. His view of God sought to establish a harmony between science and religion.

“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”

– Einstein, Science and Religion (1941)

Politics of Einstein

Einstein described himself as a Zionist Socialist. He did support the state of Israel but became concerned about the narrow nationalism of the new state. In 1952, he was offered the position as President of Israel, but he declined saying he had:

“neither the natural ability nor the experience to deal with human beings.” … “I am deeply moved by the offer from our State of Israel, and at once saddened and ashamed that I cannot accept it.”

Einstein receiving US citizenship.

Albert Einstein was involved in many civil rights movements such as the American campaign to end lynching. He joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and  considered racism, America’s worst disease. But he also spoke highly of the meritocracy in American society and the value of being able to speak freely.

On the outbreak of war in 1939, Einstein wrote to President Roosevelt about the prospect of Germany developing an atomic bomb. He warned Roosevelt that the Germans were working on a bomb with a devastating potential. Roosevelt headed his advice and started the Manhattan project to develop the US atom bomb. But, after the war ended, Einstein reverted to his pacifist views. Einstein said after the war.

“Had I known that the Germans would not succeed in producing an atomic bomb, I would not have lifted a finger.” (Newsweek, 10 March 1947)

In the post-war McCarthyite era, Einstein was scrutinised closely for potential Communist links. He wrote an article in favour of socialism, “Why Socialism” (1949) He criticised Capitalism and suggested a democratic socialist alternative. He was also a strong critic of the arms race. Einstein remarked:

“I do not know how the third World War will be fought, but I can tell you what they will use in the Fourth—rocks!”

Rabindranath Tagore and Einstein

Einstein was feted as a scientist, but he was a polymath with interests in many fields. In particular, he loved music. He wrote that if he had not been a scientist, he would have been a musician. Einstein played the violin to a high standard.

“I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music… I get most joy in life out of music.”

Einstein died in 1955, at his request his brain and vital organs were removed for scientific study.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “ Biography of Albert Einstein ”, Oxford, www.biographyonline.net 23 Feb. 2008. Updated 2nd March 2017.

Albert Einstein – His Life and Universe

Albert Einstein – His Life at Amazon

Related pages

53 Interesting and unusual facts about Albert Einstein.

19 Comments

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• January 11, 2019 3:00 PM

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• November 15, 2018 7:03 PM
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• October 12, 2018 4:25 PM
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Biography of Albert Einstein, Theoretical Physicist

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Albert Einstein (March 14, 1879–April 18, 1955), a German-born theoretical physicist who lived during the 20th century, revolutionized scientific thought. Having developed the Theory of Relativity, Einstein opened the door for the development of atomic power and the creation of the atomic bomb.

Einstein is best known for his 1905 general theory of relativity, E=mc 2 , which posits that energy (E) equals mass (m) times the speed of light (c) squared. But his influence went far beyond that theory. Einstein's theories also changed thinking about how the planets revolve around the sun. For his scientific contributions, Einstein also won the 1921 Nobel Prize in physics.

Einstein also was forced to flee Nazi Germany after the rise of Adolf Hitler . It's no exaggeration to say that his theories indirectly helped lead the Allies to victory over the Axis powers in World War II, particularly the defeat of Japan.

Fast Facts: Albert Einstein

• Known For : The General Theory of Relativity, E=mc 2 , which led to the development of the atomic bomb and atomic power.
• Born : March 14, 1879 in Ulm, Kingdom of Württemberg, German Empire
• Parents : Hermann Einstein and Pauline Koch
• Died : April 18, 1955 in Princeton, New Jersey
• Education : Swiss Federal Polytechnic (1896–1900, B.A., 1900; University of Zurich, Ph.D., 1905)
• Published Works : On a Heuristic Point of View Concerning the Production and Transformation of Light, On the Electrodynamics of Moving Bodies, Does an Object’s Inertia Depend on Its Energy Content?
• Awards and Honors : Barnard Medal (1920), Nobel Prize in Physics (1921), Matteucci Medal (1921), Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society (1926), Max Planck Medal (1929), Time Person of the Century (1999)
• Spouses : Mileva Marić (m. 1903–1919), Elsa Löwenthal (m. 1919–1936)
• Children : Lieserl, Hans Albert Einstein, Eduard
• Notable Quote : "Try and penetrate with our limited means the secrets of nature and you will find that, behind all the discernible concatenations, there remains something subtle, intangible and inexplicable."

Early Life and Education

Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879, in Ulm, Germany to Jewish parents, Hermann and Pauline Einstein. A year later, Hermann Einstein's business failed and he moved his family to Munich to start a new electric business with his brother Jakob. In Munich, Albert's sister Maja was born in 1881. Only two years apart in age, Albert adored his sister and they had a close relationship with each other their whole lives.

Although Einstein is now considered the epitome of genius, in the first two decades of his life, many people thought Einstein was the exact opposite. Right after Einstein was born, relatives were concerned with Einstein's pointy head. Then, when Einstein didn't talk until he was 3 years old, his parents worried something was wrong with him.

Einstein also failed to impress his teachers. From elementary school through college, his teachers and professors thought he was lazy, sloppy, and insubordinate. Many of his teachers thought he would never amount to anything.

When Einstein was 15 years old, his father's new business had failed and the Einstein family moved to Italy. At first, Albert remained behind in Germany to finish high school, but he was soon unhappy with that arrangement and left school to rejoin his family.

Rather than finish high school, Einstein decided to apply directly to the prestigious Polytechnic Institute in Zurich, Switzerland. Although he failed the entrance exam on the first try, he spent a year studying at a local high school and retook the entrance exam in October 1896 and passed.

Once at the Polytechnic, Einstein again did not like school. Believing that his professors only taught old science, Einstein would often skip class, preferring to stay home and read about the newest in scientific theory. When he did attend class, Einstein would often make it obvious that he found the class dull.

Some last-minute studying allowed Einstein to graduate in 1900. However, once out of school, Einstein was unable to find a job because none of his teachers liked him enough to write him a recommendation letter.

For nearly two years, Einstein worked at short-term jobs until a friend was able to help him get a job as a patent clerk at the Swiss Patent Office in Bern. Finally, with a job and some stability, Einstein was able to marry his college sweetheart, Mileva Maric, whom his parents strongly disapproved.

The couple went on to have two sons: Hans Albert (born 1904) and Eduard (born 1910).

Einstein the Patent Clerk

For seven years, Einstein worked six days a week as a patent clerk. He was responsible for examining the blueprints of other people's inventions and then determining whether they were feasible. If they were, Einstein had to ensure that no one else had already been given a patent for the same idea.

Somehow, between his very busy work and family life, Einstein not only found time to earn a doctorate from the University of Zurich (awarded 1905) but found time to think. It was while working at the patent office that Einstein made his most influential discoveries.

Influential Theories

In 1905, while working at the patent office, Einstein wrote five scientific papers, which were all published in the Annalen der Physik ( Annals of Physics , a major physics journal). Three of these were published together in September 1905.

In one paper, Einstein theorized that light must not just travel in waves but existed as particles, which explained the photoelectric effect. Einstein himself described this particular theory as "revolutionary." This was also the theory for which Einstein won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921.

In another paper, Einstein tackled the mystery of why pollen never settled to the bottom of a glass of water but rather, kept moving (Brownian motion). By declaring that the pollen was being moved by water molecules, Einstein solved a longstanding, scientific mystery and proved the existence of molecules.

His third paper described Einstein's "Special Theory of Relativity," in which Einstein revealed that space and time are not absolutes. The only thing that is constant, Einstein stated, is the speed of light; the rest of space and time are all based on the position of the observer.

Not only are space and time not absolutes, Einstein discovered that energy and mass, once thought completely distinct items, were actually interchangeable. In his E=mc 2  equation (E=energy, m=mass, and c=speed of light), Einstein created a simple formula to describe the relationship between energy and mass. This formula reveals that a very small amount of mass can be converted into a huge amount of energy, leading to the later invention of the atomic bomb.

Einstein was only 26 years old when these articles were published and already he had done more for science than any individual since Sir Isaac Newton.

Scientists Take Notice

In 1909, four years after his theories were first published, Einstein was finally offered a teaching position. Einstein enjoyed being a teacher at the University of Zurich. He had found traditional schooling as he grew up extremely limiting and thus he wanted to be a different kind of teacher. Arriving at school unkempt, with hair uncombed and his clothes too baggy, Einstein soon became known as much for his appearance as his teaching style.

As Einstein's fame within the scientific community grew, offers for new, better positions began to pour in. Within only a few years, Einstein worked at the University of Zurich ( Switzerland ), then the German University in Prague (Czech Republic), and then went back to Zurich for the Polytechnic Institute.

The frequent moves, the numerous conferences that Einstein attended, and preoccupation of Einstein with science left Mileva (Einstein's wife) feeling both neglected and lonely. When Einstein was offered a professorship at the University of Berlin in 1913, she didn't want to go. Einstein accepted the position anyway.

Not long after arriving in Berlin, Mileva and Albert separated. Realizing the marriage could not be salvaged, Mileva took the kids back to Zurich. They officially divorced in 1919.

Achieves Worldwide Fame

During  World War I , Einstein stayed in Berlin and worked diligently on new theories. He worked like a man obsessed. With Mileva gone, he often forgot to eat and sleep.

In 1917, the stress eventually took its toll and he collapsed. Diagnosed with gallstones, Einstein was told to rest. During his recuperation, Einstein's cousin Elsa helped nurse him back to health. The two became very close and when Albert's divorce was finalized, Albert and Elsa married.

It was during this time that Einstein revealed his General Theory of Relativity, which considered the effects of acceleration and gravity on time and space. If Einstein's theory was correct, then the gravity of the sun would bend light from stars.

In 1919, Einstein's General Theory of Relativity could be tested during a solar eclipse. In May 1919, two British astronomers (Arthur Eddington and Sir Frances Dyson) were able to put together an expedition that observed the  solar eclipse  and documented the bent light. In November 1919, their findings were announced publicly.

After having suffered monumental bloodshed during World War I, people around the world were craving news that went beyond their country's borders. Einstein became a worldwide celebrity overnight.

It wasn't just his revolutionary theories; it was Einstein's general persona that appealed to the masses. Einstein's disheveled hair, poorly fitting clothes, doe-like eyes, and witty charm endeared him to the average person. He was a genius, but he was an approachable one.

Instantly famous, Einstein was hounded by reporters and photographers wherever he went. He was given honorary degrees and asked to visit countries around the world. Albert and Elsa took trips to the United States, Japan, Palestine (now Israel), South America, and throughout Europe.

Becomes an Enemy of the State

Although Einstein spent the 1920s traveling and making special appearances, these took away from the time he could work on his scientific theories. By the early 1930s, finding time for science wasn't his only problem.

The political climate in Germany was changing drastically. When Adolf Hitler took power in 1933, Einstein was luckily visiting the United States (he never returned to Germany). The Nazis promptly declared Einstein an enemy of the state, ransacked his house, and burned his books.

As death threats began, Einstein finalized his plans to take a position at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, New Jersey. He arrived at Princeton on Oct. 17, 1933.

Einstein suffered a personal loss when Elsa died on Dec. 20, 1936. Three years later, Einstein's sister Maja fled from  Mussolini's Italy and came to live with Einstein in Princeton. She stayed until her death in 1951.

Until the Nazis took power in Germany, Einstein had been a devoted pacifist for his entire life. However, with the harrowing tales coming out of Nazi-occupied Europe, Einstein reevaluated his pacifist ideals. In the case of the Nazis, Einstein realized they needed to be stopped, even if that meant using military might to do so.

The Atomic Bomb

In July 1939, scientists Leo Szilard and Eugene Wigner visited Einstein to discuss the possibility that Germany was working on building an atomic bomb.

The ramifications of Germany building such a destructive weapon prompted Einstein to write a letter to  President Franklin D. Roosevelt  to warn him about this potentially massive weapon. In response, Roosevelt established the  Manhattan Project , a collection of U.S. scientists urged to beat Germany to the construction of a working atomic bomb.

Even though Einstein's letter prompted the Manhattan Project, Einstein himself never worked on constructing the atomic bomb.

Later Years and Death

From 1922 until the end of his life, Einstein worked on finding a "unified field theory." Believing that "God does not play dice," Einstein searched for a single, unified theory that could combine all the fundamental forces of physics between elementary particles. Einstein never found it.

In the years after World War II , Einstein advocated for a world government and for civil rights. In 1952, after the death of Israel's first President Chaim Weizmann , Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel. Realizing that he was not good at politics and too aged to start something new, Einstein declined the offer.

On April 12, 1955, Einstein collapsed at his home. Just six days later, on April 18, 1955, Einstein died when the aneurysm he had been living with for several years finally burst. He was 76 years old.

Resources and Further Reading

• “ The Year Of Albert Einstein. ”  Smithsonian.com , Smithsonian Institution, 1 June 2005.
• “ Albert Einstein. ”  Biography.com , A&E Networks Television, 14 Feb. 2019.
• Kuepper, Hans-Josef. “ The Collected Papers of Albert Einstein. ”  Albert Einstein - Honours, Prizes and Awards.
• Albert Einstein Printables
• The Life and Work of Albert Einstein
• Ancestry of Albert Einstein
• Biography: Albert Einstein
• 10 Things You Don't Know About Albert Einstein
• Einstein's Theory of Relativity
• Leo Szilard, Creator of Manhattan Project, Opposed Use of Atomic Bomb
• Erwin Schrödinger and the Schrödinger's Cat Thought Experiment
• Most Influential Scientists of the 20th Century
• Max Planck Formulates Quantum Theory
• Edward Teller and the Hydrogen Bomb
• 14 Notable European Scientists Throughout History
• James Clerk Maxwell, Master of Electromagnetism
• Introduction to the Major Laws of Physics
• Heinrich Hertz, Scientist Who Proved Existence of Electromagnetic Waves
• Georges-Henri Lemaitre and the Birth of the Universe

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10 Enlightening Albert Einstein Books

From intimate biographies to illuminating collections of Einstein’s written works.

• Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

"The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility … The fact that it is comprehensible is a miracle." 

Albert Einstein dedicated his life to unraveling the mysteries of the universe—mysteries he believed could be understood. More than a century after his "miracle year" papers shook the scientific world in 1905, scholars and laypeople alike still turn to the famed physicist for enlightenment and a generous dose of cosmic humor. Einstein left behind a wealth of wisdom in his scientific and philosophical pursuits. With that in mind, we collected the best Albert Einstein books, spanning intimate biographies to illuminating collections of Einstein’s written works. 

The Albert Einstein Collection

By Albert Einstein

This comprehensive box set delivers a fascinating look into the many facets of Einstein’s mind, from his scientific understanding of the universe to his reflections on the everyday world. In The Theory of Relativity and Other Essays , Einstein traces the thought process behind his signature discoveries, guiding us through the research that led to his breakthroughs. Essays in Humanism collects essays penned between the turbulent years of 1931 and 1950 and finds Einstein reflecting on everything from militarism and atomic war to world poverty and the global economy. The World As I See It, captures Einstein’s humanitarian side, collecting his observations about philosophy, religion, and contemporary affairs. The Albert Einstein Collection serves as a marvelous introduction to one of history’s most revered intellects. 

Related: The 15 Most Fascinating Biographies of the Last 25 Years  

Out of My Later Years

This illuminating collection, which includes a number of essays also found in The Albert Einstein Collection , is arranged by subject matter, from the reflective "Convictions and Beliefs" to the politically-minded "Public Affairs" and the discipline-focused section "Science". Together, Out of My Later Years provides a clear and handy survey of Einstein’s point of view, revealing a brilliant thinker fully engaged with science, philosophy, and worldwide humanitarian issues. 

Einstein's Greatest Mistake

By David Bodanis

In this celebrated biography, best-selling author David Bodanis sets out in search of the man behind the genius, discovering a world-renowned scientist who nevertheless found himself ostracized by the scientific community in his later years. Named a Science Book of the Year by the Sunday Times , Einstein’s Greatest Mistake delivers a crisp and engaging read on "what we owe Einstein today—and how much more he might have achieved if not for his all-too-human flaws." ( Bookreporter )

Related: 10 Back-to-School Books That Will Inspire Readers of All Ages

The World As I See It

This standalone book from the above box set reveals Einstein’s ever-evolving views on politics and culture. Collecting 67 works written before 1935, works that range in scale from speeches and letters to thoroughly reasoned essays, The World As I See It serves as a spirited portrayal of Einstein as a citizen of the world wrestling with an ever-changing social and political landscape.

Related: FBI Surveillance: Why the Bureau Investigated Famous Writers  

Want more biographies? Sign up for The Archive's newsletter, and get our recommended reads delivered straight to your inbox. 

Einstein: His Life and Universe

By Walter Isaacson

Walter Isaacson is no stranger to the life and times of revolutionary thinkers, having penned masterful biographies of Benjamin Franklin, Steve Jobs, and Leonardo da Vinci. In this New York Times bestselling biography, Isaacson trains his lens on Einstein. Drawn from a previously sealed cache of Einstein’s personal letters, Einstein presents an in-depth chronicle of its subject: his scientific breakthroughs, his troubled personal relationships, his escape from Nazi Germany and emigration to America, and his final years in Princeton, New Jersey. Throughout, Isaacson argues that the key to Einstein’s achievements sprang from his curiosity and willingness to question—traits that he views as essential in our modern age.

Related: 13 Female Scientists Who Shaped Our Understanding of the World

On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein

By Jennifer Berne (Author) and Vladimir Radunsky (Illustrator)

Here’s a delightful children’s book for the little genius in your life. Author Jennifer Berne invites readers of all ages on a wondrous journey through Einstein’s universe. Elegantly written by Berne and beautifully illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky, On a Beam of Light celebrates difference, champions creativity, and encourages its reader to keep learning and laughing throughout life. The book also serves as an impressive introduction for young readers to Einstein’s life story and scientific achievements.

Related: Kit Williams' Masquerade , the Children’s Treasure Hunt Book That Captivated England  

Subtle is the Lord: The Science and the Life of Albert Einstein

By Abraham Pais

Prominent physicist and historian Abraham Pais was a colleague of Einstein’s. Here, Pais fuses his scientific expertise with vivid first-hand memories of the years he shared with Einstein to produce an illuminating scientific biography. Rich with personal history and in-depth assessments of Einstein’s theories and ideas, Subtle is the Lord delivers "a coherent account of almost everything of scientific significance that Einstein did...Unique and indispensable." ( Science )

Einstein: A Biography

By Jürgen Neffe

This unique biography by biochemist and Der Spiegel journalist Jürgen Neffe was a bestseller when it was first published in Germany in 2005. Eschewing chronology and citing newly discovered letters and journal entries, Neffe structures his Einstein biography by topic. Chapters explore Einstein's childhood, his distressed relationship with his children, his rise in the scientific community, and how the political climate of the era impacted his work. The result is a revealing portrait-in-essays of the famed scientist that captures his triumphs as well as his flaws.

Related: Apollo 11, 50 Years Later: The Space Race That Defined a Decade

Einstein on Politics: His Private Thoughts and Public Stands on Nationalism, Zionism, War, Peace, and the Bomb

By Albert Einstein (Author), David E. Rowe (Editor) and Robert Schulmann (Editor)

Einstein wrote passionately about the turbulent times in which he lived, voicing his opinion on topics that ranged from pacifism and militarism to nationalistic fear mongering and racial equality in America. Here, eminent Einstein scholars David Rowe and Robert Schulmann collect and contextualize Einstein's most powerful political writings. Bristling with energy, Einstein on Politics offers a revealing look at Einstein the activist and political thinker, tracing his views from WWI through the rising tide of European fascism and WWII and into the nuclear arms race of the Cold War.

Related: The Best History Book Deals of the Month  

E=mc2: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation

E=mc2. It’s the breakthrough equation that changed our understanding of space and time—but, uh, what exactly does it mean? David Bodanis takes up the lofty challenge of crafting a “biography” of Einstein’s revolutionary 1905 formula. With wit and clarity, the author transforms a scientific concept into a riveting scholarly narrative, charting the discoveries of the past that led to Einstein’s breakthrough and revealing how Einstein’s equation impacts our daily lives—from carbon dating to the atomic bomb.

Related: 8 Books About the History of Space Exploration

Opening quote from Albert Einstein's paper "Physics and Reality" published in the March 1936 issue of Journal of the Franklin Institute

Featured photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Albert Einstein: Biography, facts and impact on science

A brief biography of Albert Einstein (March 14, 1879 - April 18, 1955), the scientist whose theories changed the way we think about the universe.

• Einstein's birthday and education

Einstein's wives and children

How einstein changed physics.

• Later years and death

Gravitational waves and relativity

Additional resources.

Albert Einstein was a German-American physicist and probably the most well-known scientist of the 20th century. He is famous for his theory of relativity , a pillar of modern physics that describes the dynamics of light and extremely massive entities, as well as his work in quantum mechanics , which focuses on the subatomic realm. 

Albert Einstein's birthday and education

Einstein was born in Ulm, in the German state of Württemberg, on March 14, 1879, according to a biography from the Nobel Prize organization . His family moved to Munich six weeks later, and in 1885, when he was 6 years old, he began attending Petersschule, a Catholic elementary school.

Contrary to popular belief, Einstein was a good student. "Yesterday Albert received his grades, he was again number one, and his report card was brilliant," his mother once wrote to her sister, according to a German website dedicated to Einstein's legacy. But when he later switched to the Luitpold grammar school, young Einstein chafed under the school's authoritarian attitude, and his teacher once said of him, "never will he get anywhere."

In 1896, at age 17, Einstein entered the Swiss Federal Polytechnic School in Zurich to be trained as a teacher in physics and mathematics. A few years later, he gained his diploma and acquired Swiss citizenship but was unable to find a teaching post. So he accepted a position as a technical assistant in the Swiss patent office. 

Related: 10 discoveries that prove Einstein was right about the universe — and 1 that proves him wrong

Einstein married Mileva Maric, his longtime love and former student, in 1903. A year prior, they had a child out of wedlock, who was discovered by scholars only in the 1980s, when private letters revealed her existence. The daughter, called Lieserl in the letters, may have been mentally challenged and either died young or was adopted when she was a year old. Einstein had two other children with Maric, Hans Albert and Eduard, born in 1904 and 1910, respectively.

Einstein divorced Maric in 1919 and soon married his cousin Elsa Löwenthal, with whom he had been in a relationship since 1912.

Einstein obtained his doctorate in physics in 1905 — a year that's often known as his annus mirabilis ("year of miracles" in Latin), according to the Library of Congress . That year, he published four groundbreaking papers of significant importance in physics.

The first incorporated the idea that light could come in discrete particles called photons. This theory describes the photoelectric effect , the concept that underpins modern solar power. The second explained Brownian motion, or the random motion of particles or molecules. Einstein looked at the case of a dust mote moving randomly on the surface of water and suggested that water is made up of tiny, vibrating molecules that kick the dust back and forth. 

The final two papers outlined his theory of special relativity, which showed how observers moving at different speeds would agree about the speed of light, which was a constant. These papers also introduced the equation E = mc^2, showing the equivalence between mass and energy. That finding is perhaps the most widely known aspect of Einstein's work. (In this infamous equation, E stands for energy, m represents mass and c is the constant speed of light).

In 1915, Einstein published four papers outlining his theory of general relativity, which updated Isaac Newton's laws of gravity by explaining that the force of gravity arose because massive objects warp the fabric of space-time. The theory was validated in 1919, when British astronomer Arthur Eddington observed stars at the edge of the sun during a solar eclipse and was able to show that their light was bent by the sun's gravitational well, causing shifts in their perceived positions.

Related: 8 Ways you can see Einstein's theory of relativity in real life

In 1921, he won the Nobel Prize in physics for his work on the photoelectric effect, though the committee members also mentioned his "services to Theoretical Physics" when presenting their award. The decision to give Einstein the award was controversial because the brilliant physicist was a Jew and a pacifist. Anti-Semitism was on the rise and relativity was not yet seen as a proven theory, according to an article from The Guardian .

Einstein was a professor at the University of Berlin for a time but fled Germany with Löwenthal in 1933, during the rise of Adolf Hitler. He renounced his German citizenship and moved to the United States to become a professor of theoretical physics at Princeton, becoming a U.S. citizen in 1940.

During this era, other researchers were creating a revolution by reformulating the rules of the smallest known entities in existence. The laws of quantum mechanics had been worked out by a group led by the Danish physicist Niels Bohr , and Einstein was intimately involved with their efforts.

Bohr and Einstein famously clashed over quantum mechanics. Bohr and his cohorts proposed that quantum particles behaved according to probabilistic laws, which Einstein found unacceptable, quipping that " God does not play dice with the universe ." Bohr's views eventually came to dominate much of contemporary thinking about quantum mechanics.

Einstein's later years and death

After he retired in 1945, Einstein spent most of his later years trying to unify gravity with electromagnetism in what's known as a unified field theory . Einstein died of a burst blood vessel near his heart on April 18, 1955, never unifying these forces.

Einstein's body was cremated and his ashes were spread in an undisclosed location, according to the American Museum of Natural History . But a doctor performed an unauthorized craniotomy before this and removed and saved Einstein's brain. 

The brain has been the subject of many tests over the decades, which suggested that it had extra folding in the gray matter, the site of conscious thinking. In particular, there were more folds in the frontal lobes, which have been tied to abstract thought and planning. However, drawing any conclusions about intelligence based on a single specimen is problematic. 

Related: Where is Einstein's brain?

In addition to his incredible legacy regarding relativity and quantum mechanics, Einstein conducted lesser-known research into a refrigeration method that required no motors, moving parts or coolant. He was also a tireless anti-war advocate, helping found the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists , an organization dedicated to warning the public about the dangers of nuclear weapons . 

Einstein's theories concerning relativity have so far held up spectacularly as a predictive models. Astronomers have found that, as the legendary physicist anticipated, the light of distant objects is lensed by massive, closer entities, a phenomenon known as gravitational lensing, which has helped our understanding of the universe's evolution. The James Webb Space Telescope , launched in Dec. 2021, has utilized gravitational lensing on numerous occasions to detect light emitted near the dawn of time , dating to just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang.

In 2016, the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory also announced the first-ever direct detection of gravitational waves , created when massive neutron stars and black holes merge and generate ripples in the fabric of space-time. Further research published in 2023 found that the entire universe may be rippling with a faint "gravitational wave background," emitted by ancient, colliding black holes.

Find answers to frequently asked questions about Albert Einstein on the Nobel Prize website. Flip through digitized versions of Einstein's published and unpublished manuscripts at Einstein Archives Online. Learn about The Einstein Memorial at the National Academy of Sciences building in Washington, D.C. 

This article was last updated on March 11, 2024 by Live Science editor Brandon Specktor to include new information about how Einstein's theories have been validated by modern experiments.

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Adam Mann is a freelance journalist with over a decade of experience, specializing in astronomy and physics stories. He has a bachelor's degree in astrophysics from UC Berkeley. His work has appeared in the New Yorker, New York Times, National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, Wired, Nature, Science, and many other places. He lives in Oakland, California, where he enjoys riding his bike. 

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• Problematic Thinker His brain was eclpsed by other body parts concerning women. His wife worked to support him through school, forfeiting her own education until later, then he repaid her by having an affair with his much younger cousin and divorcing the wife. Quite an honorable little guy. Reply

Problematic Thinker said: His brain was eclpsed by other body parts concerning women. His wife worked to support him through school, forfeiting her own education until later, then he repaid her by having an affair with his much younger cousin and divorcing the wife. Quite an honorable little guy.

admin said: So much more than funny hair. Albert Einstein: The Life of a Brilliant Physicist : Read more

• William Madden Albert Einstein was never, ever a "professor of physics" at Princeton University. At the time, Princeton, like most Ivy League universities, was highly anti-Semitic and either forbad the hiring of Jewish faculty or enforced a quota on their number. Einstein accepted a position at the newly established Institute For Advanced Study, headquartered in the the town of Princeton but legally and operationally distinct from the university. At the time, this was not known to be a particularly elite appointment, the Institute having no track record whatsoever. Its ability to attract many of the finest minds in their fields quickly changed that perception. (Nevertheless, Richard Feynman, years later, was highly critical of its cloistered atmosphere and, in science at least, its disconnection with the experimental side of the constituent disciplines. ) The Institute is a purely postdoctoral entity, granting no degrees and offering no classes (apart from ad hoc seminars). In the ensuing years, some faculty at the Institute have established collaborative relationships with faculty and postdoctoral fellows at Princeton University, including Einstein with Nathan Rosen (who later moved from the university to the Institute). However, the Institute remains to this day entirely independent of Princeton University. Reply

William Madden said: Albert Einstein was never, ever a "professor of physics" at Princeton University. At the time, Princeton, like most Ivy League universities, was highly anti-Semitic and either forbad the hiring of Jewish faculty or enforced a quota on their number. Einstein accepted a position at the newly established Institute For Advanced Study, headquartered in the the town of Princeton but legally and operationally distinct from the university. At the time, this was not known to be a particularly elite appointment, the Institute having no track record whatsoever. Its ability to attract many of the finest minds in their fields quickly changed that perception. (Nevertheless, Richard Feynman, years later, was highly critical of its cloistered atmosphere and, in science at least, its disconnection with the experimental side of the constituent disciplines. ) The Institute is a purely postdoctoral entity, granting no degrees and offering no classes (apart from ad hoc seminars). In the ensuing years, some faculty at the Institute have established collaborative relationships with faculty and postdoctoral fellows at Princeton University, including Einstein with Nathan Rosen (who later moved from the university to the Institute). However, the Institute remains to this day entirely independent of Princeton University.

• James DeMeo Einstein's theory of relativity was negated by the positive ether-drift experiments that both preceded and followed his earliest works. Michelson-Morely got a 5 to 7.5 kps ether-drift, Dayton Miller got 11.2 kps, and in more recent years Munera got an 18 kps ether wind detection. Each progressively higher value was at higher altitudes, indicating an altitude-velocity dependency, which affirmed a material, entrainable and dynamic ether. Einstein knew these experimental detections would destroy both his general and special relativity theories, and wrote in June 1921, to Robert Millikan: "I believe that I have really found the relationship between gravitation and electricity, assuming that the Miller experiments are based on a fundamental error. Otherwise, the whole relativity theory collapses like a house of cards" In July 1925, Einstein wrote to Edwin Slosson: "My opinion about Miller's experiments is the following ... Should the positive result be confirmed, then the special theory of relativity and with it the general theory of relativity, in its current form, would be invalid. Experimentum summus judex." Miller's ether-drift work was carried out over many years, using a far more sensitive apparatus than M-M, including high atop Mount Wilson. The Mt.Wilson experiments ran over four seasonal epochs, detecting variations in net ether-wind velocity, and overall proving that space is not empty, and light-speed is variable according to direction, and in accordance with the velocity of the emitter and receiver. Experimentum summus judex? In spite of a slap-jack amateurish effort to "prove" Miller's work was due to thermal artifacts -- an unethical effort supported by Einstein in the year before he died -- Miller's findings, and those of other ether-drift experimenters (there are many) who got positive results stand unchallenged. By ignoring such empirical results, the discipline of astrophysics has run itself into a metaphysical cul-de-sac, and today uses brute force firings of professors, dismissals of students and censorship to maintain its assertions of an increasingly complicated and bizarre universe. A prime example is how Halton Arp's findings challenging redshifts as distance indicators was systematically ignored, censored, and he then being forbidden additional telescope time. He was forced to move to Germany to sustain an academic post. There are other examples, many, who didn't have Arp's good reputation prior to making his heresy, and who suffered far worse. Einstein's "space time gravity warps", the "big bang", "black holes", and other bizarre metaphysical fantasies of modern astrophysics will eventually go the way of the Ptolemaic astrologer's epicycles. A good introduction to these facts of science history is found in the book "The Dynamic Ether of Cosmic Space: Correcting a Major Error in Modern Science". https://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Ether-Cosmic-Space-Correcting/dp/0997405716 Reply

James DeMeo said: Einstein's theory of relativity was negated by the positive ether-drift experiments that both preceded and followed his earliest works. Michelson-Morely got a 5 to 7.5 kps ether-drift, Dayton Miller got 11.2 kps, and in more recent years Munera got an 18 kps ether wind detection. Each progressively higher value was at higher altitudes, indicating an altitude-velocity dependency, which affirmed a material, entrainable and dynamic ether. Einstein knew these experimental detections would destroy both his general and special relativity theories, and wrote in June 1921, to Robert Millikan: "I believe that I have really found the relationship between gravitation and electricity, assuming that the Miller experiments are based on a fundamental error. Otherwise, the whole relativity theory collapses like a house of cards" In July 1925, Einstein wrote to Edwin Slosson: "My opinion about Miller's experiments is the following ... Should the positive result be confirmed, then the special theory of relativity and with it the general theory of relativity, in its current form, would be invalid. Experimentum summus judex." Miller's ether-drift work was carried out over many years, using a far more sensitive apparatus than M-M, including high atop Mount Wilson. The Mt.Wilson experiments ran over four seasonal epochs, detecting variations in net ether-wind velocity, and overall proving that space is not empty, and light-speed is variable according to direction, and in accordance with the velocity of the emitter and receiver. Experimentum summus judex? In spite of a slap-jack amateurish effort to "prove" Miller's work was due to thermal artifacts -- an unethical effort supported by Einstein in the year before he died -- Miller's findings, and those of other ether-drift experimenters (there are many) who got positive results stand unchallenged. By ignoring such empirical results, the discipline of astrophysics has run itself into a metaphysical cul-de-sac, and today uses brute force firings of professors, dismissals of students and censorship to maintain its assertions of an increasingly complicated and bizarre universe. A prime example is how Halton Arp's findings challenging redshifts as distance indicators was systematically ignored, censored, and he then being forbidden additional telescope time. He was forced to move to Germany to sustain an academic post. There are other examples, many, who didn't have Arp's good reputation prior to making his heresy, and who suffered far worse. Einstein's "space time gravity warps", the "big bang", "black holes", and other bizarre metaphysical fantasies of modern astrophysics will eventually go the way of the Ptolemaic astrologer's epicycles. A good introduction to these facts of science history is found in the book "The Dynamic Ether of Cosmic Space: Correcting a Major Error in Modern Science". https://www.amazon.com/Dynamic-Ether-Cosmic-Space-Correcting/dp/0997405716

Mario Sanchez said: Thanks, for these irrelevant informations that are nothing important to understand the matter.

Pifou said: Feminist zealots in despair fellows. They think that there is always someone smarter that is being exploited while the other one steals all the glory. Do not worry about them here they are just dumb as bricks. They have been trying to push this story about Einstein for the last 40 years while themselves cant even make a good sandwich

• Mario Sanchez Who is really this participant adopting these names? (Shwinger_Feinmann) Reply
• View All 16 Comments

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The 15 Best Documentaries About Albert Einstein

Oct 20, 2023 | Best Of , Celebrities , History , Science

When it comes to understanding one of history’s greatest minds, no other resource is more revealing and engaging than documentaries about Albert Einstein. Through a combination of archival footage, interviews with experts in the field, and reenactments of key moments from his life, these documentaries bring alive the brilliance of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist. As we trace his journey from student to scientist, it’s remarkable to see how Einstein changed and shaped the world of science in so many ways. From his revolutionary theories on relativity to his pioneering work with quantum mechanics, these documentaries will leave you inspired by the genius that was Albert Einstein.

1. Einstein (2008)

2. Working With Einstein (1979)

3. Einstein’s Universe (1979)

4. Einstein and the Theory of Relativity (2020)

5. Inside Einstein’s Mind (2015)

The 10 Best Free Documentaries About Albert Einstein

1. albert einstein full documentary hd 2015.

Einstein’s scientific discoveries shook the foundations of most existing theories and opened a world of possibilities. This documentary looks at the life and work of Albert Einstein, the genius who changed the way we look at our universe. Through interviews with scientists, historians, and experts on his life, this film takes an in-depth look at how he made such revolutionary leaps in science, and how his discoveries have impacted our lives today. From the basics of relativity to his groundbreaking work on quantum mechanics, Albert Einstein’s impact on the world is undeniable.

2. Albert Einstein – Greatest Brain of the 20th Century Documentary

The video content has been checked for plagiarism with the Sribbr software, and the score came back at 3%. In academics, a rating of 15% or below is considered to be to an acceptable standard. So why not enjoy watching this amazing documentary about Albert Einstein? The film showcases his incredible life and career achievements, from theorizing the General Theory of Relativity to the discovery of nuclear energy. You’ll get an insight into his thoughts on faith and philosophy, as well as stories from family and friends who knew him best.

3. Albert Einstein – Biography of a Genius – Full Documentary

Albert Einstein was a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who revolutionized the field of science with his groundbreaking theories and discoveries. His most famous equation, E = m c2, is known as one of the world’s most recognizable equations. He developed two major pillars of modern physics : quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity. With these discoveries he forever changed the way scientists viewed the universe. He was also influential in the philosophy of science, and received the Nobel Prize for his work on Photoelectric effect which was a major step towards quantum theory. His impact on mankind has been extraordinary and he continues to be an inspiration for generations of scientists to come.

4. Theory Of Relativity Full Documentary – Best Story Of Albert Einstein’s Extraordinary Universe

Einstein’s Extraordinary Universe is a documentary that traverses three different regions to explore the legacy of Albert Einstein. By visiting research facilities across the globe, viewers can glimpse into how his theories continue to shape and challenge our understanding of the universe today—a full century after he first published them. The documentary provides audiences with an up-close and personal look into the science of our universe through engaging interviews, stunning visuals and other immersive elements. It is a great way to learn more about this remarkable man and his lasting impact on modern science.

5. Albert Einstein – Genius – Physics – Science – Part 1

Are you interested in learning more about one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century? Do you want to uncover fascinating stories about Albert Einstein and his influence on modern science? Look no further than ExoticWorldVideos. Here, you can explore and appreciate some of the best documentaries about one of history’s greatest inventors. Einstein’s theories of relativity revolutionized the way we look at the world.

6. Albert EINSTEIN 1879 – 1955 HD Real Video Footage of His Life

Filmgoers get an intimate look into the life of Albert Einstein, from his pioneering work in theoretical physics to his later years advocating for peace and nuclear disarmament. Through newsreel, film, and home movie footage, we witness the incredible story of one of the world’s greatest minds. From his early success as a student to international accolades such as the Nobel Prize in Physics, Einstein’s brilliance and impact are made tangible. In addition, his commitment to world peace is clearly seen as he speaks out against nuclear arms during the height of the Cold War. From intellectual prodigy to humanitarian leader, this documentary provides a comprehensive look into the life of Albert Einstein.

7. Albert Einstein – Documentary

Copyright Disclaimer: This content is protected under the US Copyright Act of 1976. Fair use and educational purposes are considered when creating this material, allowing for comment, criticism, news reporting, teaching, scholarship and research. It is not intended to infringe upon any copyrights but rather to provide a unique perspective on the Albert Einstein documentaries. To ensure fair usage it is encouraged to keep the content non-profit, educational or for personal use. There are plenty of documentaries about Albert Einstein available to watch that explore his life and work. Some provide a comprehensive look into his scientific achievements while others focus on more personal aspects such as his relationships and philosophy on life.

8. Albert Einstein – Genius – Physics – Science – Part 2

As a child, I was fascinated by stories of extraordinary scientists who made amazing discoveries and pushed the boundaries of science. In particular, I was drawn to Albert Einstein — the man who revolutionized modern physics with his Theory of Relativity. To this day, his theories are studied and discussed in classrooms around the world. There have been many documentaries produced about Albert Einstein over the years, and they offer a wealth of information on his life and work. From his groundbreaking scientific research to his personal struggles, each documentary provides an in-depth look at one of history’s most influential figures.

9. What Inside Albert Einstein Mind The Theory of General Relativity Documentary NOVA Full HD

Albert Einstein is one of the most iconic and influential scientific figures in history. His theories of relativity have shaped our knowledge and understanding of physics, and his genius continues to fascinate people across the world. To get an even greater insight into this brilliant man’s life, there are a number of documentaries available which explore the subject in depth. NOVA’s ‘What’s Inside Albert Einstein’s Mind? The Theory of General Relativity Documentary’ is one such film, providing a comprehensive look at the theories which formed the basis of modern physics.

10. Albert Einstein Documentary

Explore the life of world-renowned physicist, Albert Einstein, with our comprehensive collection of eBooks and audiobooks. Our selection covers a range of topics from his childhood to his contribution to modern science and beyond. Get an in-depth look at Einstein’s theories, his family life, and much more – all provided through engaging texts and interviews. With such a rich collection of material, Einstein fans and students alike will be able to discover new details about this fascinating figure. Whether it’s learning more about his groundbreaking discoveries or delving into the life he led, you can find all the answers in our selection of titles.

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20 Best Books on Albert Einstein (2022 Review)

September 16, 2020 by James Wilson

DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, I receive a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Albert Einstein was an intelligent man who discovered groundbreaking theories. He was a german who changed the world of physics. He created the theory of relativity. He’s done so much for physicists and the world. His death was nearly a centennial, yet he’s still one of the most notable, if not the most notable, physicist to this day. He has done amazing work, but people just see him as the crazy smart physicist with wacky hair. Where did he grow up? What was his life like? What did he do to achieve his success?

What are the Best Albert Einstein Books to read?

These are some questions that the following 20 books can answer. This book discusses Einstein’s incredible achievements, but they also discuss the rest of his history. He was more than just a physicist. He did a lot of great work. These books will delve into just what he did, and the impact he has made.

Best Books on Albert Einstein: Our Top 20 Picks

Here are some of the best Albert Einstein books that you can consider to expand your knowledge on the subject:

1. Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything

Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer is not really about Einstein at all. This book is actually about memory techniques, and applying them to everyday life. The book draws inspiration from Foer who used this research to help his own memory. He does plenty of research in this book that helps back his claims.

The book is mostly about memory athletics. This is a very engaging book. It keeps readers drawn in and entertained. The book mixes the tips on memory techniques with stories about them. This book has a lot of incredible information, but it only includes a few techniques. It is more about the experience than it is about the advice.

• Authors : Joshua Foer (Author)
• Publisher : Penguin Books; Reprint Edition (February 28, 2012)
• Pages : 307 pages

2. Einstein: His Life and Universe

Albert Einstein was a noble man who did a lot of work. He was underappreciated during this time. After his death, the importance of his work was realized. He is one of the world’s greatest physicists. Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson discusses the life of Einstein and all of his achievements.

This book was based on personal letters that Albert Einstein wrote himself. Albert Einstein was not a “go with the flow” kind of guy. He questioned everything. He also sought the truth. This book is all about the way Einstein thought. It also discusses his personal life. He was a struggling father, the creator of the cosmos, and a true genius. This book is a great history of Albert Einstein that includes his own point of view.

• Authors : Walter Isaacson (Author)
• Publisher : Simon & Schuster; 1st Edition (April 10, 2007)
• Pages : 675 pages

3. Relativity: The Special and General Theory

The theory of relativity is arguably Albert Einstein’s greatest achievement. He did a lot of research, and spent countless hours discovering new information on physics. Relativity: The Special and General Theory by Albert Einstein is about Einstein’s process in discovering the theory of relativity. The good gives the basis for the many theories of relativity that Einstein worked with.

This book wasn’t really about Einstein’s life. It’s more about the science he pursued and the work he did. He explains it very well, but non-physicists may have a hard time grasping what Einstein is saying. This is a complicated read, but it’s very informative and has a lot of great knowledge. This is a wonderful read for those who appreciate Einstein and want to know more about his research.

• Authors : Albert Einstein (Author)
• Publisher : Dover Publications; Illustrated Edition (October 18, 2010)
• Pages : 192 pages

4. Einstein’s Dreams

Albert Einstein was an incredible man with deep, thoughtful ideas. Einstein’s Dream by Alan Lightman is a fictional collage of stories that Einstein dreamed up. This work puts a different light on Einstein and the work he did. It takes his importance to a new level. LIghtman was clever to think up this book. It’s interesting, intriguing, and fun. It’s a fairly quick read. It feels like no time goes by when reading this book.

This book is fiction, but it is based on Einstein and research that has been done on him. Historical fiction is great because it’s interesting, yet still educational and informed. This book will help readers have exciting, stimulating, and beautiful dreams. This book is thought-provoking, yet informative. Anyone who loves Albert Einstein will love this book.

• Authors : Alan Lightman (Author)
• Publisher : Vintage; Illustrated Edition (November 9, 2004)
• Pages : 144 pages

5. Who Was Albert Einstein?

Albert Einstein was a great man who did great work. Who Was Albert Einstein? By Jess Bralier is the perfect book for kids wanting to learn about Einstein and his work. The book is an easy read for kids, and does a great job of explaining who Einstein was. The book is funny and engaging. Kids will laugh and smile as they read about Einstein’s life.

This book is particularly perfect for essay assignments on Einstein. Kids will get to know every aspect of his life in an easy to read way. This is good read for young kids, too. Kids as young as seven can read this book and understand what it is saying. This is a wonderful chapter book that is fun, enlightening, and wonderful for kids of all ages. Einstein would be happy to know kids take an interest in him with this book.

• Authors : Jess Brallier (Author), Who HQ (Author), Robert Andrew Parker (Illustrator)
• Publisher : Penguin Workshop; Illustrated Edition (February 18, 2002)
• Pages : 112 pages

6. The World As I See It

Albert Einstein was known best as a physicist, but he was also a writer. The World As I See It by Albert Einstein is a book full of Einstein’s writings. He was a thoughtful man who was both charming and witty. He was perceptive and cared about the world.

This book is great, but it is edited down from Einstein’s original work. It picks and chooses what is shared, so it doesn’t include the full story. Where there are problems, there are also benefits. Because this book is editing down, it is a quick and simple read. It is interesting and contains easy language. The content of the book is great, but there are many grammatical errors that clutter the story and make it incomprehensible at times.

• Publisher : CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (January 2, 2014)
• Pages : 108 pages

7. I Am Albert Einstein

I Am Albert Einstein by Brad Meltzer is a great kids book about Einstein. The book has lots of great illustrations that accompany the biography. The book discusses Einstein’s childhood, a part of his life that kids can relate to. This book is a quick and easy read. Kids of all ages can enjoy this book, but it’s particularly great for kids aged five- eight. This book is non-fiction, but it reads like fiction. This is a great bedtime story for children that is also highly educational.

This book is part of a series on many other historical figures who did great things. The series does a great job of introducing kids to the people who shaped history, and explaining just what they did. This is a very fun read. It has great pictures and great information.

• Authors : Brad Meltzer (Author), Christopher Eliopoulos (Illustrator)
• Publisher : Dial Books (September 16, 2014)
• Pages : 40 pages

8. Ideas and Opinions

Ideas and Opinions by Albert Einstein is a book full of Einstein’s essays. This book includes essays for all parts of his life. The essays are full of all kinds of topics with all kinds of opinions.  Einstein discusses relativity, war and peace, human rights, government, religion, science, and economics. These are some of Einstein’s most popular essays gathered in one place. Einstein has a lot of great perspectives.

This book goes to show how brilliant of a mind Einstein was. Einstein even goes on to explain the meaning of life, or what he considers the meaning of life. Einsteins was a brilliant physicist, but he was also a humanist with a large heart, and many thoughtful opinions. Anyone interested in learning about Einstein should read his essays first. They truly grasp his personality and who he was as a person.

• Publisher : Broadway Books; 3rd ed. Edition (June 6, 1995)
• Pages : 384 pages

9. Learn Like Einstein

Albert Einstein had one of the greatest minds in the world. Many others wish for that same mind. Learn Like Einstein by Peter Hollins is a book that does, in fact, helps readers learn like Einstein. This book focuses on tips for learning, studying, and memorizing information. Of course, it doesn’t actually give readers Einstein’s brain, but it bases studying habits on how he learned. This book can help readers increase their reading speed, improve focus and concentration, practice memory techniques created by experts, and cram information in the right way.

This book explores different learning methods and how people learn the way they do. The book looks into learning with music, learning through listening and movement, and how note taking can actually be a disadvantage when studying. This is the perfect book for those who have faulty memory and have a hard time studying for tests. The book is full of plenty of great tips that will help students who failed their past test, ace the next one.

• Authors : Peter Hollins (Author)
• Publisher : PH Learning Inc. (March 18, 2017)
• Pages : 162 pages

10. When Einstein Walked with Godel: Excursions to the Edge of Thought

When Einstein Walked with Godel: Excursion to the Edge of Thought by Jim Holt is more about the scientific aspect of Einstein’s life, and questions it poses today. The book addresses questions like “does time exist?” and “what is infinity?” This book helps readers explore the human mind, the cosmos, and more. Holt explains physics through humor and logic.

This book is informative and interesting. He uses sketches, experiments, and examples to help explain physics and Einstein’s work. The book has many essays on math, physics, and science. It is a lot of great information, but non-scientists should hold off on reading it, because the language is a bit complicated.

• Authors : Jim Holt (Author)
• Publisher : Farrar, Straus and Giroux; First Edition, First Printing (May 15, 2018)

11. Einstein’s Unfinished Revolution: The Search for What Lies Beyond the Quantum

Albert Einstein’s research on the theories of relativity and in quantum physics in general has changed the world of science. Einstein’s Unfinished Revolution: The Search for What Lies Beyond the Quantum is a book about another man’s research, Lee Smolin. Smolin has researched quantum physics and believes that some of the problems they face are unsolvable. This book has all kinds of information on physics.

The book is full of puzzles, stories, experiments, and so much more. This book delves into the fun part of physics: the labs. This book aims to complete the work Einstein created, and argues that completing his work should be a top priority.  There are many quantum problems that the world faces. By working with Einstein’s previous work and creating new work, those problems could be solved.

• Authors : Lee Smolin (Author)
• Publisher : Penguin Press; Illustrated Edition (April 9, 2019)
• Pages : 352 pages

12. Einstein and the Quantum: The Quest of the Valiant Swabian

Einstein and the Quantum: The Quest of the Valiant Swabian by A. Douglas Stone is about the significance of Albert Einstein and his research. The book discusses Einstein’s relationships with quantum mechanics, religion, and more. The book is a combination of physics, biography, and science.

The book gives a glimpse into his life and how his personal relationships affected his science. Stone has so done so much research on Einstein and truly shares the person he was to the best of his ability. This book doesn’t diminish him to his work, but also discusses the person behind it. Albert Einstein was essential to the evolution of science, and Stone proves it with this book. This book is not too complicated of a read, and is actually very interesting. It’s a little long, but definitely worth the read.

• Authors : A. Douglas Stone (Author, Preface)
• Publisher : Princeton University Press; Revised Edition (October 6, 2015)
• Pages : 344 pages

13. Simply Einstein: Relativity Demystified

Simply Einstein: Relativity Demystified by Richard Wolfson is a book about relativity that is easy to read. This book was not created for physicists. In fact, it was made for everyone but. Wolfson is a physicist himself. With this book, he aims to explain different elements of physics and the ideas that are associated with them. Wolfson explains time travel, black holes, curved space, and more in this book. He was everyone to have an idea of how physics works. He answers many commonly asked questions.

This book isn’t easy to read, but it is much simpler than many other physics books. The language isn’t too complicated. It is a great book for beginners, and anyone else who wants to know about Einstein, physics, and the theory of relativity.

• Authors : Richard Wolfson (Author)
• Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company; Illustrated Edition (November 17, 2003)
• Pages : 288 pages

14. Relativity: The Special and the General Theory

Relativity: The Special and the General Theory by Albert Einstein is on its 100th anniversary edition. The book was written by Einstein, but this edition has commentary from Hanoch Gutfreund and Jürgen Renn. Einstein wrote this book for popular audiences. His intent was to explain relativity to modern audiences who wouldn’t ordinarily understand it. He wanted everyone to understand his work, not just physicists.

This book has an introduction, and an analysis of Einstein’s work that is contributed by Gutfreund and Renn. This book is the perfect read for curious minds who love Einstein. This book is very helpful for understanding Einstein and the work he did. He was a brilliant man who wanted everyone to understand him.

• Authors : Albert Einstein (Author), Hanoch Gutfreund (Commentary), Jürgen Renn (Commentary)
• Publisher : Princeton University Press; 100th Anniversary ed. Edition (June 16, 2015)
• Pages : 320 pages

15. Gravity: An Introduction to Einstein’s General Relativity

Gravity: An Introduction to Einstein’s General Relativity by James B. Hartie is an introduction to general relativity and the work of Einstein. This book is informative and thought-provoking. It is the perfect book for physics professors to use as their class textbook. The book has information on Einstein, but also on physics in general. The book is the perfect combination of math and science.

This book includes discussions on many topics: The Global Positioning System, black holes, X-ray sources, pulsars, quasars, the Big Bang, gravitational waves, and more. This book is super informative. It has lots of knowledge on physics that goes into depth on all of the topics. This book can be boring at times, but it is certainly not under-researched.

• Authors : James Hartle (Author)
• Publisher : Pearson (December 26, 2002)
• Pages : 608 pages

16. The Ultimate Quotable Einstein

Albert Einstein was a notable man who said a lot of great things. The Ultimate Quotable Einstein by Alice Calaprice includes some of the best quotes Einstein said. The book is full of 1,600 quotes that came from the brilliant mind of Einstein. The books fall understand different topics, like “On Race and Prejudice,” and “On and to Children.”

In addition to the many Einstein quotes this book has, it also has a chronology of Einstein’s life and achievements. This book is perfect for people who want to use an Einstein quote, but have no source to back it up. This book works perfectly for a “works cited” page in an essay. Instead of scouring through countless quotes, this book helps readers find and choose the best one for them.

• Authors : Albert Einstein (Author), Alice Calaprice (Editor), Freeman Dyson (Foreword)
• Publisher : Princeton University Press; Illustrated Edition (September 23, 2013)

17. Einstein’s War: How Relativity Triumphed Amid the Victorious Nationalism of World War I

Albert Einstein’s work spans wars, two of the most notable being World War I and World War II. Einstein’s War: How Relativity Triumphed Amid the Victorious Nationalism of World War I by Matthew Stanley discusses how Einstein’s work impacted World War I.

Even though Einstein is more associated with World War II, the first world war had a great deal in contributing to his success. It shaped him to be the person he was. During this war, Einstein was working on general relativity that helped blockading in Berlin. Even though he never fought, he did a lot of behind the scenes science work for the war. This book delves into the work Einstein did for the war. He did many notable things that would not have been possible without his position in the first world war.

• Authors : Matthew Stanley (Author)
• Publisher : Dutton; Illustrated Edition (May 21, 2019)
• Pages : 400 pages

18. Einstein’s Relativity and the Quantum Revolution: Modern Physics for Non-Scientists

Einstein’s Relativity and the Quantum Revolution: Modern Physics for Non- Scientists by Richard Wolfson and The Great Courses is an introduction to modern physics. The book is on its second edition, so it is up to date on all kinds of new information. The book is meant for non-scientists. It aims to help everyday people who don’t know about physics. This book makes complex concepts simple and easy to understand.

The book can be read, but it is also audible, so readers can enjoy listening to the actual lecture. This book is great for beginner scientists, and anyone who wants to understand physics and the work that Einstein spent his life committing to.

• Authors : Professor Richard Wolfson (Author)

19. Einstein: The Man, The Genius, and the Theory of Relativity

Albert Einstein was a great man of history. He spent his early years making science experiments in Germany before and the work he did when he moved to the United States. Einstein: The Man, The Genius, and the Theory of Relativity by Walter Issacson is all about Einstein’s life. This book discusses every aspect of Einstein’s life, from E= MC2 to his marriages and children.

The book isn’t too long, so it focuses on the highlights of Einstein’s life. Because of this, the book does not get too into depth into Einstein’s life. The book has lots of great information, but only scratches the surface on Einstein. The book has wonderful accompanying photos that help readers understand the content of the book in an interesting way.

• Publisher : Andre Deutsch; Illustrated Edition (August 7, 2018)
• Pages : 160 pages

20. Einstein on the Run: How Britain Saved The World’s Greatest Scientist

It is a known fact that Einstein is a German who lived in the United States. What is lesser known is the fact that he lived in Britain, too. Einstein on the Run: How Britain Saved the World’s Greatest Scientist by Andrew Robinson is about Einstein’s short residence in England. The place was a perfect refuge for Einstein against Nazi assasins.

The book recounts the work Einstein did in England, how the country saved his life, and why he eventually left. Einstein spent plenty of time in England, and almost became a citizen. But what changed? And what effect did it have on his science? These are the questions addressed in this book. Living in England wasn’t a huge part of Einstein’s life, but it was important.

• Authors : Andrew Robinson (Author)
• Publisher : Yale University Press; Illustrated Edition (October 8, 2019)
• Pages : 376 pages

Choosing the Best Albert Einstein Books

Albert Einstein was an incredible physicist, and an even more incredible man. He did amazing work with physics and science. When people hear E=MC2, they think of Einstein. He discovered the theory of relativity and changed the way people viewed and used physics. Einstein passed away in 1955, but he is still relevant in the world of science. He was a kind, empathetic soul who did amazing work. These books explain just the kind of man and he was, and helps readers understand him on a whole new level. They explain his history, his science, and best of all, they explain his character.

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Albert Einstein

• Occupation: Physicist
• Born: March 14, 1879 in Ulm, Germany
• Died: April 18, 1955 in Princeton, New Jersey
• Best known for: Founder of modern physics and the formula E=MC2

Overview and Interesting Facts

• His birthday, March 14, is also known as "Pi" day because 3/14 makes up the first three digits of the number pi (3.14).
• When a young Einstein was introduced to his new baby sister, he thought that she was a toy his parents had bought for him. After looking her over for a few minutes he responded "where are the wheels?"
• Einstein's parents initially wanted to name him "Abraham" but, according to Albert, they eventually thought the name sounded "too Jewish" and opted for another "A" name, "Albert."
• While working at the patent office, Einstein found he could get his daily job done in just a few hours. This left the rest of the day open for him to work on his own scientific theories.
• Einstein and two of his best friends formed a discussion group they jokingly called the Olympia Academy where they debated physics theories and philosophy.
• When his son Hans Albert announced that he wanted to be an engineer Einstein replied "I think it's a disgusting idea."
• In 1921, the United States Senate debated the Theory of Relativity while Einstein was visiting the United States.
• Einstein chose to exchange letters with Sigmund Freud in 1932 to discuss politics and war. Freud was also a known pacifist. Einstein suggested in his letters that the only way to end war was to have an international organization with more power than the current League of Nations.
• When Einstein discovered that the Germans had put a $5,000 bounty on his head he replied "I didn't know it was worth that much!"
• He once had a pet parrot named Bibo.
• The FBI gathered 1,427 pages of information while investigating Einstein to determine if he was a communist. Einstein wasn't a communist and no incriminating evidence was found. Oddly enough, Einstein did unknowingly have an affair with a Soviet spy. Fortunately for him, the FBI didn't discover the affair despite their ongoing investigation.
• When asked if he believed in immortality Einstein responded "No. And one life is enough for me."
• Einstein was once playing violin in a quartet that included a famous violin virtuoso. When Einstein's timing got off the frustrated virtuoso stopped playing and said "What's the matter professor, can't you count?"
• He nicknamed his violin Lina.
• Einstein loved to walk, but didn't drive. His wife Elsa once said "The professor does not drive. It's too complicated for him."

• Growing up Einstein
• Education, the Patent Office, and Marriage
• The Miracle Year
• Theory of General Relativity
• Academic Career and Nobel Prize
• Leaving Germany and World War II
• More Discoveries
• Later Life and Death
• Albert Einstein Quotes and Bibliography

• Science & Math

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Albert Einstein: A Biography Hardcover – March 1, 1997

Purchase options and add-ons.

• Print length 889 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Viking Adult
• Publication date March 1, 1997
• Dimensions 6 x 2 x 9.25 inches
• ISBN-10 0670855456
• ISBN-13 978-0670855452
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From library journal, from booklist, from kirkus reviews, product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Viking Adult; 1st edition (March 1, 1997)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 889 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0670855456
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0670855452
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 2 x 9.25 inches
• #284 in Relativity Physics (Books)
• #71,120 in Biographies (Books)

About the author

Albrecht fölsing.

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Two Books on Einstein and the World He Made

A lbert Einstein is one of the most written-about figures of the 20th century, and for good reason. His theories upended the system that physicists had used to describe the world since Newton. Along the way, he became a figure of public fascination—a true celebrity. Now two books further scrutinize different aspects of the man.

Samuel Graydon’s “Einstein in Time and Space” is not an exhaustive biography. Instead it presents 99 vignettes, most of them one to three pages long, that highlight key qualities of this complex person: the curious child, the rebellious student, the serial adulterer, the wily prankster, the loyal friend, the civil-rights defender, the intellect unsurpassed in his time. Mr. Graydon, the science editor at the Times Literary Supplement, has chosen his number of chapters in a playful homage to the atomic number of the element einsteinium.

Even if readers are familiar with these stories, Mr. Graydon’s approach often delivers a fresh take on episodes not strongly emphasized in other biographies. Here is Einstein the engineer patenting a unique refrigerator design and a hearing aid. There he is building a miniature cable car out of matchboxes for his young son Hans. “That was one of the nicest toys I had,” Hans later recalled.

As a correspondent, Einstein could be quite impish: “So, what are you up to, you frozen whale, you smoked, dried, canned piece of soul, or whatever else I would like to hurl at your head?” he once wrote to a friend. While starting his career in Bern, Switzerland, the young physicist formed a little club called the Olympia Academy with two friends to discuss science and philosophy. “Einstein, despite being the youngest,” writes Mr. Graydon, “was elected president, earning him the title ‘Albert Ritter von Steissbein’ (roughly, ‘Sir Albert, Knight of Backside’). A certificate was made up, featuring a drawing of a bust of Einstein beneath a string of sausages.”

Mr. Graydon’s stated goal is to point out “the inconsistencies inherent in a life, the inexplicable, incompatible, insane motivations that punctuate days and years.” The author notes how Einstein, a devoted pacifist, maintained a close friendship with the German chemist Fritz Haber, who pioneered the use of both chlorine and mustard gas during World War I. He observes that the deep thinker didn’t pass up the chance to party with the movie stars Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks when out in California.

The book also includes moments of quiet dignity, such as the story of the black contralto Marian Anderson, who had been invited in 1937 to give a concert at Princeton University but was denied a room at the local hotel due to her race. Einstein simply prepared a room for her at his home, an invitation that was extended from that day forward whenever she visited the town.

Mr. Graydon has woven from these separate strands a compelling and beautifully written narrative, though I have one caveat. In his acknowledgments, the author admits that he “lightly fictionalized” a few chapters about representative days at Einstein’s office. Given the wealth of material on hand, a summary of Einstein’s life hardly needs any false embellishments.

While “Einstein in Time and Space” primarily concentrates on Einstein’s personal experiences, Hanoch Gutfreund and Jürgen Renn’s “The Einsteinian Revolution” delves deeply into his science. Mr. Gutfreund, the academic director of the Albert Einstein Archives at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Mr. Renn, the director of the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science in Berlin, have written extensively on Einstein and with this book take on a particular challenge: “to dispel the popular myth that Albert Einstein, the unconventional scientific genius, instigated an overwhelming scientific revolution through pure thought alone.” They succeed in that goal, along the way providing an excellent overview of Einstein’s major discoveries, from his early work on quantum theory to general relativity, the new law of gravity that overturned Newton. It is a welcome addition to any collection of books on modern physics.

A true understanding of Einstein’s accomplishments, they write, demands a revision of the legendary concept of the “paradigm shift.” The notion was introduced in 1962 by the historian of science Thomas Kuhn, who argued that a scientific revolution suddenly replaces a previous system of knowledge with a new one unconnected to the past. But Messrs. Gutfreund and Renn prefer to view Einstein’s work as an evolutionary process, where the new system is built upon the scientific scaffolding already in place.

In the late 19th century, that scaffolding was constructed around three dominant areas of physics: mechanics, thermodynamics and electromagnetism. Troubling puzzles were beginning to arise at the intersections between these fields, and many scientists attempted to find solutions within their own isolated specialties. But Einstein—with his deep reading of the scientific literature and the philosophy of science, his constant dialogues with scientific friends, and his careful attention to new experimental discoveries—stood above those boundaries, enabling him to perceive an entirely new vista.

The authors provide a detailed examination of Einstein’s annus mirabilis in 1905, when he recognized that light can act like a particle as well as a wave; proved that atoms exist; linked matter with energy in that celebrated equation E=mc2; and, with the special theory of relativity, swept away the idea that we live in a fixed space governed by a universal clock.

Before these discoveries, the authors note, the Dutch physicist Hendrik Lorentz had developed a mathematical scheme to explain the behavior of charged particles moving through the ether—the medium that supposedly permeates physical space to allow light to travel. Lorentz’s equations foresaw many of the phenomena later explained by special relativity. But his physical interpretation, complicated and full of assumptions, was still rooted in classical physics. Einstein jettisoned this kludge by doing away with the ether, recognizing that space and time are not absolute and declaring that the speed of light is a constant whether a body is stationary or in motion.

Einstein didn’t arrive at this solution in a single eureka moment. It was the result of deep reflection over the years, influenced by such philosophers as David Hume, who questioned the causal relations between events; Ernst Mach, who objected to Newton’s idea of absolute space; and Henri Poincaré, who early on noted the possible relativity of time. Einstein stood upon the shoulders of giants to gain his new perspective.

While “The Einsteinian Revolution” is written for a general audience, a background in physics helps make certain sections more accessible. Yet the authors’ overall thesis is clear and convincing. “The substance of Einstein’s work was not new,” they stress, “but rather was the result of an accumulation of knowledge over centuries; it was his conceptual organization that was new.” Their book, along with Mr. Graydon’s “Einstein in Time and Space,” enhances our understanding of both a great scientist and an exemplary humanist.

Ms. Bartusiak is a professor emeritus at MIT and the author of “Einstein’s Unfinished Symphony.”