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Einstein: His Life and Universe

Walter Isaacson

The definitive biography of Albert Einstein from the bestselling author of Benjamin Franklin and Steve Jobs.

Featured in the 'Heroes And Leaders' Collection

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The Bottom Line

An ambitious biography of the man and the mind behind the theory of relativity that delves into the personal as well as the scientific — and uncovers new material that sheds light on one of history’s great geniuses.

I. A Curious Child

Albert Einstein, born in 1879, developed a sense of wonderment about the universe early, starting when he 4 years old and sick in bed and his father gifted him a compass. Shortly after, he learned to play the violin, a skill he pursued throughout his life. At age 10, a young medical student named Max Talmey served as a mentor, introducing him to books on philosophy and science. Although Einstein excelled academically — he performed at the top of the class at his Catholic school in Munich — his classmates teased him for being Jewish. This prompted him to question both authority and the anti-Semitic environment that had emerged in Germany. To compensate, he became an impish prankster.