Kære Einstein

by Jean-Claude Carrière, Niels Lyngsø (Translator)

“You said that time doesn’t exist,” she says, “so I took the liberty of coming to see you.”

“You did the right thing,” he replies without taking his eyes off her.

She is a student with some questions about physics. And he is Albert Einstein, the man who redefined the true nature of reality in the twentieth century. More than sixty years after his death, she finds him in an office building in an indeterminate central European city, ready and eager to give a private lesson. And so begins an unusual, wide-ranging conversation. They discuss relativity, light, and space-time. But Einstein also talks about the difficulty of fame and power and how his dreams of worldwide peace were shattered. He points to a stack of photographs, books about him, newspapers. “ ‘It still goes on,’ she says. ‘I thought about putting on an Einstein T-shirt but in the end, I didn’t dare . . . ’ ‘You must be joking,’ he says, ‘I’ve even worn one myself.’”

This book is one of a kind: a surprising and delightful journey through the life and thought of Albert Einstein.

Genres: Fiction, Physics, Science Fiction, Fantasy

218 pages

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Jean-Claude Carrière is a writer, playwright and screenwriter, who has also written under the pseudonym Benoît Becker.

Reviews

[Sara Mokken · Rating 3 out of 5]

Heel leuk omdat ik nu ook hier colleges over krijg. Heel veel kwam ook overeen. Het is wel meer een filosofisch boek wat het soms een beetje warrig maakte maar ook weer interessant. Ik heb ook weer meer over Eintein geleerd. Ik begon dit te lezen vanwege die colleges en dat ik er nu veel mee bezig was door films en series zoals Oppenheimer en Chernobyl. Alles kwam hierbij samen dus dat was leuk en leerzaam. Was het een geweldig boek? Dat dan weer niet.

[Kelsey P · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, but hurts the head. Though I liked the more personal side of these big, important theories. But will probably have to read a few more times to digest more.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a curio of a book - basically a philosophy and physics discussion wrapped in the guise of a conversation with Einstein in the present (or at least 2007 when the book was written). I picked it up due to Carriere's links with Bunuel, but there's little surrealism here other than speculation of the universe (which some might argue is surrealism itself). It's hard to know who it is aimed at: those with a background in physics will have little use - there is no 'story' as such - because for those adepts I imagine it would bring little new to the table (or Carriere himself would need to be a groundbreaking physicist); and those with no background in physics might find it a useful introduction but it is unlikely to propel further exploration (I fall into this category - I found it interesting, but I know anything more complicated is beyond me). Despite these reservations, I found it a light read which whilst it deals with 'heavy' topics does so in a way that makes them quickly understandable. I'm sure there are many other introductory books to physics on the market, but it's likely none of them personalise Einstein in a such a non-academic way. Worth seeking out by the curious.

[Elsa Silva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book is very curious for people who have an interest about physics and astronomy and would like to get elucidated. It is very understandable even if you're not familiarized with the terms, as is my case, and it raises your consciousness about some of the most relevant discoveries humanking has accomplished about the functioning of the universe, also explaining how past achievements were fundamental to get where we are today (well, by the time the book was written, but it's almost today). It has a surrealist touch, since in the plot Einstein has already died and his scenery is a kind of limbo where something is keeping him until he "finishes" his work (when does it finish is not specified). The whole scene is actualy very misterious and you don't even get to know the characters profoundly. It is an easy and pleasant reading I would recommend to anyone who has a little interest in these matters and would like to learn something new.

[Nikita Maria (reclaiming my literacy) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a summer reading book back when I was in high school. I did the petty thing and looked up on Amazon the page count for each book on the list, and intentionally picked the shortest books. The Powers That Be at high school probably took great care in constructing these summer reading lists, because the shortest books were usually the most boring and took me longer to read as a result. Please, Mr. Einstein is an example of one such book. I read it so long ago that my memories of it are scant, but I believe there was time travel, possibly involving a watch, and a young girl goes back in time to speak with Einstein in person. Einstein is portrayed as witty and knowledgeable, and his characterization and dialogue are the only strong points in this book. My main complaint is lack of plot--the character travels back in time, talks to Einstein, and then somehow goes back to the present day. It's truly meant to be an educational read, and since it's translated from French, some of the writing comes across a bit strange...not stilted, but not natural, either.

If you're a Physics student who doesn't enjoy reading, but has to read something for school, pick this one up--it's short and it's right in your wheelhouse.

[Thoaium · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eine junge Frau besucht Albert Einstein in seinem Arbeitszimmer. Sie unterhalten sich über seine großen Ideen der modernen Wissenschaft, aber auch über sein Leben.
Man begleitet die junge Frau zu Albert Einstein und ist stiller Zeuge aller Gespräche und Erlebnisse. Das Buch selbst ansprechend geschrieben. Laut Buchdeckel bringt es Erleuchtung für alle, die die Ideen Einsteins bisher nur rätselhaft fanden. Die Erleuchtung habe ich so nicht gefunden, aber immerhin eine Idee oder Vorstellung davon habe ich jetzt zumindest. Physik war aber auch nie meine Stärke. Andere mit mehr Verständnis der Physik werden in dem Buch mehr verstehen. Die Sachen selbst sind relativ einfach beschrieben, sprich man wird nicht mit Formeln und Berechnungen erschlagen. Einsteins Lebensgeschichte fand ich da spannender.
Für zwischendurch ist das Buch nur, wenn man sich physikalische Dinge gut merken kann, ansonsten muss man doch längere Abschnitte lesen. Durch die Kapitel ist es aber auch inhaltlich gut unterteilt.
Mit dem Buch ist bewiesen, dass man Physik erklären kann, ich aber kein Verständnis dafür hab.

[Meg Onthemove Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 4.5.

A fascinating gym for the mind, in that this is a wonderful mix of physics, philosophy, history, psychology and some interesting biography all in one.

At times it's like a thought experiment and at others a deep dive into the nature of the more broadly espoused Einsteinian theories and their supercedants.

This is definitely going to be a book that I return to as in places it's so difficult to get your head around everything that's being said, and yet at other points it's deceptively simple and elegant.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

[Kam Sova · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Evren karşı konulmazdır. [...] Kendini gizlemek için binbir özen gösteren Tanrı'nın tersine, o büyük bir teşhircidir."

Üzerinde düşünülmesi gereken, bilgilerinizi tazeleyebilecek veya yeni şeyler öğrenmenizi sağlayacak bana ilginç gelmiş bir kitap. Bulursanız kaçırmadan okuyun derim.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read. The novel reads like a play, it would be interesting if it was incorporated into one or in a form of a movie.

-Spoiler-


At the end of part seven, did Albert caused Isaac to vanish in order to prove a point? or maybe just to rid himself of the ideologue? I was shocked but for some reasons I also find it a tad funny. 😆

[Aaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Einstein on relativity..."If my theory of relativity is proven correct, Germany will claim me as a German and France will declare that I am a citizen of the world. Should my theory prove untrue, France will say that I am German and Germany will declare that I am a Jew."

[Tapani Aulu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kauniisti kirjoitettu filosofinen pohdiskelu mukamas keskusteluna Einsteinin ja Newtonin sekä parin muun kanssa. Hieno kehys ja oikein nautinnollista dialogin kehittelyä tieteestä.

[Curry · Rating 5 out of 5]

A romantic and fantastical exploration of the intersection of physics, philosophy, and history that maintains a sense of whimsy for discovery and curiosity.

[Emil · Rating 4 out of 5]

read some time back in 2015-2016
remembered reading it because i remembered reading What do you care what other people think, uncorrelated

[Andrew Roach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Less a novel than an exploration of physics and philosophy. A charming, quick read.

[Michele Harrod · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young woman enters a building, to be quickly welcomed by the receptionist (much to the annoyance of the manner who are already in the waiting room). You know the feeling, you've been one of the waiting group at the doctors, haven't you? This young lady though, enters an office, and meets with Mr Einstein, whom she is studying at University. He is dead - but it seems the world still needs information from him, so here he is ready to answer her questions, along with a few of his own that have arisen in the last few decades. You'd need to love Physics to love this book. I love physics, and Einstein, so it was an absolute pleasure.

I saved a favorite line : "Even though, when studied as closely as we study ants, human beings have perfected some rudimentary techniques and some works of art which they alone admire, they are, compared to these putative oceans of knowledge that will always elude us, no more than a feeble, endangered, recent subspecies, surprisingly limited in terms of space and time and afflicted with an egocentricity so presumptuous that it only highlights their ignorance, conceit and weakness. The thinking of this species - infinitesimal relative to the universe - is necessarily restricted to itself."

An absolutely perfect summation of the human species, I thought!!!

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read most of this book during the recent eclipse and that may add to my liking of it. The story follows a young woman who we observe and follow for what seems like no particular reason. She somehow has attained an address at which Einstein presides though he has been dead for 50 years. It was a nice, relatively light book that was still incredibly thought provoking. Not sure if I totally believe the author's take on all aspects of what Einstein was like (he was a little lax about Einstein's position on quantum physics, but I could easily be wrong in my interpretation of this), but all in all, the premise is fascinating, the content interesting and it is written well.

It lacks a lot of what people seem to expect from a novel, there is little to no character development of the girl and not much in the way of traditional plot. It really reads a lot more like a short story than a novel.

[Johan Syahriz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now ask yourself; what does ‘practise makes perfect’ mean when the definition of the word perfect was made by humans and that different individuals have different meaning for perfection. What if that other person’s perfect is better than yours? Can it still be called perfect? Everyday we learn new things. The more we know the less we know. We acknowledged it and some just being ignorant. So when you’re reading this book, do you understand it or not? If you think you understand it, maybe you do understand it but only in your perspective and others will understand it in their own ways. But what if you don’t understand the more you understand ?

Are we living in a loop? What review is this? Do I even know what I’m reviewing about this book?

Whatever it is, we have a choice how to live in this universe.

[Joaquim Alvarado · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un dels llibres més irregulars que he llegit mai, m'ha costat molt donar-li una puntuació adequada. Un periodista de cap a 100 anys, que ha viscut el 6 d'octubre, la guerra civil, la II guerra mundial,... té moltes coses interessants a dir. Molt interessants la part explicant les campanyes de De Gaulle a Àfrica i la situació a Bèlgica després de la guerra, no tant la seva estada a Nova York i força decebedors els seus comentaris sobre Nuremberg i sobretot, sobre la trama monàrquica als anys 40. El perd les contínues justificacions a la seva actuació i els constants elogis a Cambó i a la monarquia. Tot i així, s'ha de reconèixer la gran vàlua intel·lectual de l'autor, quin gran polític que hagués estat en una Catalunya independent i democràtica!

[Shawn Dvorak · Rating 3 out of 5]

An unnamed young women discovers through mostly unexplained means that Albert Einstein is still "alive"
in some. sense, and sets out to interview him. She finds him in a nondescript office in an undisclosed city, continuing his physics studies. This setup gives the author the opportunity to explore modern physics, as well as touch on some biographical themes, as Einstein himself provides first-person expositions.

This narration method works pretty well, with Einstein giving explanations about quantum and relativistic physics at a simple enough level that the non-physicist interviewer (and therefore most readers) can understand. Einstein's existence in this quasi-real world, although fantastic, even fits in with the part physics, part philosophy discussions in the story.

[Coral · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps 2 stars is a bit harsh, but I can't bring myself to give it 3.

It's not that it's a bad book; it's that you're dropped into what, essentially, is a conversation between Einstein and a young girl. There's no plot, no character development.

Some of the ideas posed are very interesting and provide good jumping off points for thinking about science in general, and of time, space, physics in particular. But lacking a story to ground the conversation, I didn't grow attached to the girl and found myself distracted, knowing that there wouldn't be any real resolution and that the conversation would simply end.

[Breann Thompson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book during some downtime before the start of glasses the NYU graduate school of arts and science. It falls into the category of "interesting concept" but is not something I would leap on to read again and again. I don't feel that there's much that could be gained from multiple readings of this particular novel.

The concepts touched on are explained "enough" for most readers to be capable of following the plot, meger though such plot may be. There is little to no character development, but the most intriguing and engaging portions of the book are those in which Carrier explores Einstein's involvement in and experiences during WWII.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting conversation between a young girl and Albert Einstein. In reading this novel, I realized I have forgotten so many of the groundbreaking scientific discoveries that have changed our lives. It was interesting to see the author's take on how Einstein would perceive his involvement in the creation of the atom bomb.

This was such a short book but it's one I'll have to revisit again just to understand how so many of the things we take for granted today are based on the scientific work of many.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Years after Albert Einstein passed from this mortal coil, our unnamed female protagonist seeks him out in order to understand his ideas. Finding the famous physicist seemingly hale and hearty in an office building, the student and the professor begin a discussion on life and relativity. In this novel, Jean-Claude Carriere crafts a quirky tale of science amidst science-fiction. Breathing life into Einstein's theories and equations is no easy feat! Overall, a fun little book that makes me wonder if Einstein is not secreted away around the corner, waiting to be asked a question.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far so good, verbose in the French way rather than wordy in the English or repetitive in the American style. At least that was how I thought of it about a third of the way in. The book gets better the further you read, touching on history, philosophy and of course some general physics in a non mathematical way. Information about Einstein and other scientists is, as far as I can from other sources, accurate, and this includes personality traits as well as discoveries discussions. A pleasure to read

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pleasant daydream, with some tantalizing details that hopefully will hook readers into looking up more nonfiction about physicists. I've read a bunch, so there wasn't much that was new in this book for me, but it did make me want to find another book and read further. I was a little disappointed that the author reverted from the POV of the young student to an omniscient narrator for some chapters. Sure, it gets more info on the page most efficiently, but it breaks the spell. Still, a good book.

[Tony Frampton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little book, with quite a bit over my head. Not that the casual reader truly understands quantum mechanics and string theory, but there is just enough philosophical discussion to keep me engaged. Oh, how I miss my college days, having admittedly naive late night discussions about religion and philosophy over multiple beers.

Fun side note: I purchased this book in Prague on my honeymoon 13 years ago, and only made it through the first chapter on the flight home (likely choosing to watch some stupid in flight movie instead) and forgot all about it.

[Piper Mejia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is difficult to define what type of book this is and who would enjoy it. On one hand I felt it was trying to be too clever when exploring Einstein's personal philosophy towards the impact his theories has had on our world though a conversation with a time traveler from current time. On the other hand there was a strong sense of personal voice of the author and their own exploration of Einstein's theories. I suggest you give it 20 pages to decide.

[Carles · Rating 1 out of 5]

Per les biografies que he llegit, l’Einstein que m'agrada imaginar-me, abans que parlar d’ell, hagués prioritzat l’explicació, amb dibuixos, de les idees motrius de les seves teories; es sorprenia del valor que la gent sol atorgar a les explicacions que no s’entenen.

Una conversa amb Einstein és una gran idea. En aquest cas, no s’han complert les expectatives que hi depositava, i de trama tampoc no n’hi ha gaire més.

[Hillary · Rating 4 out of 5]

reading this book was an exercise in mental exhaustion. i would literally read about 4 paragraphs, then declare myself too tired to go on. this book definitely made me think about things in ways i hadn't before. and i completely appreciate that this is a book about relativity, and the book, itself, is relative.

[heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Philosophical and laical foray into physics, suitable for the curious non-scientist. Begins with a hypothetical question "What if you get to interview Einstein for an afternoon?" and proceeds to explain how mankind's modern physics began from Newton's classical mechanics up to Einstein's own theories of special and general relativity.