Overview
Advance Praise for The Unexpected Einstein
"Einstein, the scientist who rejected all mythology, has himself become something of a mythological character—a god of the universe. Einstein would have approved of Denis Brian's demystification of the real genius who used facts to demolish myths. The real Einstein, with his complex views regarding God, politics, and life, is far more interesting and human than the mythological caricature."
—Alan Dershowitz
Critical acclaim for Denis Brian's Einstein: A Life
"Denis Brian's convincing picture . . . only makes our wonder grow at Einstein's sublime achievements."
—The Washington Post
"A fascinating, vastly enjoyable, deeply researched, and fair account of Einstein the man."
—Physics World
"Exhaustively researched, almost obsessively detailed, written with unobtrusive informality, the book is exemplary as a record of Einstein's personal and professional life."
—The Spectator (UK)
"An utterly fascinating life of a great scientist full of new insights and very readable."
—Ashley Montagu
"A fascinating read with more interesting material about Einstein as a human being than I have ever seen before. . . . Once I started it, I couldn't put it down."
—Robert Jastrow, astrophysicist and bestselling author
"A thoughtful and captivating account of one whom I had the joy of knowing and loving."
—George Wald, Nobel laureate
"Brian's ambitious and well-researched work is a refreshing change from the recent glut of revisionist Einstein biographies. . . . Does a fine job of depicting the man, not the myth."
—Library Journal
Synopsis
The Unexpected Einstein tackles many unexpected and rarely covered aspects of Albert Einstein’s life, thoughts, and personality. This fast-paced and informed account strips away the myths, rumors, and outright lies that continue to circulate about Einstein to offer readers a uniquely intimate portrait of the living, breathing man. Brian draws upon an impressive array of original sources including recently discovered documents and interviews—many previously unpublished—with Einstein’s relatives, colleagues, lovers, enemies, lifelong friends, and relative strangers. In their own words, these men and women share their memories of the "father of modern physics" and offer insight into his character. The profoundly complex man who emerges from these pages may be best understood in his own words: "I live and feel puzzled, and all the time I try to understand."