Customer Reviews

Albert Einstein: Out of My Later Years

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Out of my Later Years is a collection of Einstein's speeches and articles covering not just physics but his thoughts on the social condition of man, of Jews, and of war as well as several speeches about the likes of Max Planck, Mahatma Gandhi, and Marie Curie.

As letters and speeches, these are written as the ordinary man that Einstein once was - very easy to read and understand. Even some of the physics lectures are understandable. Each is relatively short making this perfect for when you want to read something of substance but don't have much time.

The sections on Public Affairs are especially haunting as Einstein presents his arguments for the "global village" and advocated someting akin to the current U.N. - things that began to come into their own after his passing. In particular, there is an interchange between him and a group of Communist scientists that underlines the Cold War tension in its height and is a chilling read now in the Post Soviet Union age.

This volume collects essays of the last fifteen years of his life. The work has sections on 'Convictions and Beliefs' 'Science and Life' ' Public Affairs' ' Personalities' and 'His own people: The Jews"
The work features expositions of some of Einstein's major scientific work.
Among the personalities written about are Gandhi who Einstein greatly admires, Newton, Kepler, Planck, Madame Curie, Langevin, and lesser known figures Paul Ehrenfest,Carl von Ossietsky.
Einstein writes much about the terrible changes in Germany he saw in his own lifetime, the rise of Nazism and Anti- Semitism.
He writes about the creation of a national homeland for the Jews, his own Zionism, and his own connection with the Jewish people.
He writes too about his conception of world- peace, about the threat to the world brought about something he is no small part a contributor to, the harnessing of the atom.
In writing about himself in the opening section of the work he says, "I do the thing which my own nature drives me to do. It is embarassing to earn so much love and respect for it."
He celebrates the life of thought , of the solitary individual .
Einstein is the greatest modern example of Keynes dictum of how it is 'ideas' that change the world. He is the example of how one man alone , thinking, transformed our understanding of nature, and our power to change it.
In these essays the main interests of Einstein's life are touched upon. He writes with clarity and modesty.
An invaluable opportunity to be in touch with ' the Mind that defined an Age'.

The man is a hero for me & source of inspiration. To read his musings & heartfelt beliefs is a real treat! He was a straightforward, humble man... one can almost forget how his theorems changed the way we see the world. Reading he concerns for what one should strive for, feels like being in a parlor talking with your favorite grandfather. And you're old enough to enjoy the wisdom of what he has to say. I got this on kindle because my old battered paperback is falling apart. You'll want to return to this again & again!

You feel like you get to know the man behind the genius. easy to read and quite inspirational. should buy.

Considering this book offer insights into the mind of one of history's greatest thinkers, I was slightly disappointed to find Einstein's views outside of science to be somewhat thin. It is natural to not expect great revelation from outside one's specialty, but as a famous intellectual, Einstein's should be the exception.

I do not rate this book poorly because it does offer a wide spectrum of topics which coming from Einstein is appealing. Some of the topics outside of science include politics, religion, and even racism; thus offering an ample range of thought. The section on science is sound as expected and perhaps on this portion alone the book is worthwhile; however, his thoughts on the other topics included offer little revelation or at least nothing new or profound. It is for this reason I do not rate this book highly.

I offer three stars so as not to discount the enjoyable read one might find merely gaining access to Einstein's thoughts on a spectrum of topics. However, on the same account, I do not offer more as I do not feel this book presents the insight one would expect from Einstein and thus it is somewhat disappointing.

I found Einstein's desire to start a rock band at such an early age very surprising. A man before his time for sure. Singing about relativity while distancing himself from the groupies must have been difficult. The book reads like a good guitar riff, jolting one's mind from time to time. Excellent!