So I’m going to go a little more in-depth with this review because of a few reasons. This is my 2nd review so I’ve learned a little bit from my last one Little Fires Everywhere By Celeste Ng. Also there will be a few spoilers in this review because this book both drew me in and infuriated me. It wasn’t so much the the book it’s self upset me to my core but rather the untold side of this genius who has been talked about since his first published theory, turns out he was a real jerk and a thief. As someone who is passionate about science and wished that Steven Hawkins would have adopted me before he passed away, finding out that one of the scientists that is to this day still praised for his theories is really a fraud and a Abusive controlling monster! I feel that word sociopath should have his name in the example section of the dictionary. Okay, let me climb off my soapbox for just a minute and tell you about the book!
Okay so the book centers around Einstein’s first wife. The author of the book did a lot of research before her book was published. So the book is her interpretation of those letters that detailed Mrs. Einsteins life. The book starts out telling how The two met. Which, if you didn’t know, she was one of the first seven women to attend the same university as Einstein because women had just gotten their rights to have a higher education. She had to earn the respect of the scientific world simply because of her gender. Those who knew her, knew how brilliant she was. Classmates would rely on her for help and in fact, so did Einstein. Fun fact, he was horrible at math. So, being the sweet woman that she was, she often helped him. She actually developed the theory of relativity. It was based on the loss of her first child. Einstein would later take credit for it and win a noble prize. The two of them would develop theories together and without her knowledge, he would remove her name from the applications for grants and articles. He would always tell her that he did no such thing because “They were the Einstien.” Can you say narsist?
Also while he was stealing from her, he was also having an Affair. When she finally confronted him, he told her that it was her fault. He then told her that he wanted nothing to do with her and wanted her to sign an agreement saying that she would basically be his live in slave. She would have to cook and clean for him. Needless to say, this was her breaking point. She packed her bags and fled back to her parents home with her little boy in tow. She would later win her divorce and gain part of the royalty checks for the rest of her life. Only weeks after the divorce her now ex husband would marry the woman he had been having an affair with.
During their marriage he would slowly become more and more abusive and controlling while becoming more and more distant. He would make her walk behind him during events and scold her for having an opinion. At one point in their marriage he struck her. Oh how I wished she had struck him back but, women didn’t really have rights back then and that would have only ended badly for her.
So as you can see, the book will make you fall in love with this genius of a woman while simultaneously make you loath a long time famous scientist.
“The Other Einstein takes you into Mileva’s heart, mind, and study as she tries to forge a place for herself in a scientific world dominated by men.”-Bustle
Purchase the book on Amazon here ⇒ The Other Einstein
Learn more about the Author here ⇒ Marie Benedict
Book Nerd Nomad 