Einstein's Dreams (Vintage Contemporaries)

After talking about this book for years I finally decided to look for a copy and gift it to my friend. It is a well imagined look at how Einstein thought about everyday life and the world at large. The book is comprised of several short stories which explore how Einstein thought about time. One story he used was about 2 women meeting for lunch. They lived in opposite directions from the restaurant. Each had to determine how long their commute would be. This left one thinking the lunch was at 11:45 AM while the other thought it was at 12:15 PM. It was amusing but something that I have experienced. My favorite story was about Einstein's concern that people living in valleys may age at rates differently than those who live high in the mountains. There are all sorts of dilemmas that the author thinks must Einstein must have worried about and it is interesting to read how the author thinks Einstein resolved them. It's a quick read because each question has its own short chapter. It's small in size so it's great for travel.

This book is intellectually stimulating, it's intriguing, and it's deep, in my opinion. It read like a literary work of art in that there are some strong characters developed throughout the book and the scenes it laid out were beautifully described. I was a little unhappy with the book in one small way, but it's just my own prejudice - the mood of this book seems too dark in most of its chapters. I guess that's a small price to pay, though, for the intellectual stimulation alone. The ideas the author puts forth are fascinating. I'm glad I read it and I'm only giving it 5 stars. I went back and forth - should I give it 4 or 5? - because it seemed unnecessarily depressed most of the time. In the end, I decided my petty bias over a book's tendency to be a little dark should cause me to knock it that much in its rating. I do, however, think it would've been a much better book if the author had put a little less bleakness in there. Still, it is a wonderful book to read, bleak as it is sometimes. Einstein lived in a relatively dark time in the world's history, too. Then again, my own country feels like it's going dark right now and my dreams are not always gray. To each his own, I guess. The author made assumptions about Einstein and wrote this book accordingly. Anyway, five stars. Great book overall.

"Einstein's Dreams" is a very thought-provoking novel with chapters representing what might have been the different ways Einstein might have been thinking about time as he developed his thoughts about it leading up to his groundbreaking theories, like.... 1. Suppose time is a circle resulting in the world repeating itself - people live their lives over, everything repeats. 2. A world where time is like a flow of water - sometimes lives are transported back in time. 3. A world where time has 3 dimensions just like an object can move in 3 dimensions - horizontal, vertical and longitudinal - so an object/person could participate in 3 different dimensions like having 3 different fates. 4. A world with 2 times, one mechanical - unyielding, pre-determined and one body - makes up its mind as it goes along. 5. A world where time flows slower the further from the center of the earth - likely people would prefer to live in mountains, height being a status. 6. A world where time is visible all over - clocks, watches, bells, etc, time being a reference for everything. 7. A world where cause and effect is erratic - scientists are considered buffoons, artists are joyous. 8. A world where time passes but little happens. 9. A world where the world will end on a specific day - so why learn of the future since everyone has the same fate. 10. A world where time is different in different places - 13th, 15th, 18th centuries for example - the tragedy is that no one is happy since everyone is alone. 11. A world where time brings more order. 12. A world where time stands still then picks up speed as it moves in concentric circles away from the center - sometimes people would like to live in different places. 13. A world with no time, only images. 14. A world with no memory, everything happens for the first time. 15. A world where time flows unevenly - changed plans,unexpected visions, therefore people take fewer risks. 16. A world where all is in motion, a fixation on speed - everyone moves fast so things appear slower. 17.A world where people live just one day - so no time to lose. 18. A world where time flows backwards. 19. A world where time is perceived differently by all. 20. A world where people are either "later" or "nows" - either everything can be postponed or achieved. 21. A world where time is not a quantity but a quality - no clocks, just perceive time by changes of the color of the sky, etc. 22. A world with no future. 23. A world where time is a visible dimension, like births, deaths, trees, etc. 24. A world which stops and starts. 25. A world where watches are not allowed, so there may be some great clock somewhere where people want to be. 26. A world where time is a local phenomenon. 27. A world where time is not fluid, but rigid extending infinitely in different directions. 28. A world where time is like a reflection between mirrors - infinite images. 29. A world with a shifting past - memories are fleeting. Maybe, just maybe, all these worlds or partial perceptions of them do exist with us - the book does let a reader's mind run with thoughts.

This short, highly imaginative novel by Cal Tech physicist Alan Lightman only pretends to be a work of fiction. In fact, it’s a penetrating look at the human experience through a series of Einstein’s dreams, each just a few pages. As Einstein’s subconscious works out the concept of time for his Special Theory of Relativity, each dream is a different take on time, which is actually a different perspective on life. Instead of presenting a philosophy, a sermon, or conclusions of analysis on how we ought to live, Lightman’s method takes no position on what’s right or wrong. As Joseph Campbell shows myths can tell the truth because they’re not “true,” so too, Lightman’s book is “just a fiction.” The ways of living found in each dream about people in Einstein’s little Swiss town may oppose other dream world views, contradict them, compliment or reinforce them, just like the nature and trajectory of individual human existence. Multiple times as I read this at a fireside campsite alone in a national forest I felt like Lightman pulled those tiny passing moments of joy, sorrow, regret, promise, thrill, shame and loss from my own life. Lightman shows there’s room for compassion for we creatures who pretend to be in control when the end is the same for everybody. Just the kind of book to consult whenever alone at another campsite in the wilderness.

Einstein lui-même a dit que ses rêves l'inspiraient pour sa réflexion scientifique ; ici, le physicien Alan Lightman imagine une série de rêves qu'Einstein aurait pu faire sur le thème du temps pendant qu'il réfléchissait à la relativité générale. Dans chacun de ces rêves, Einstein expérimente un jeu de lois du temps et imagine les implications sur la vie de tous les jours. Faire parler les équations des sciences-physiques dans un langage courant est un exercice difficile qu'Alan Lightman réussit avec brio, mais le procédé s'essoufle vite car les variations crédibles ne sont pas si nombreuses, et passé la moitié du livre cela tourne un peu à l'exercice de style.

Excellent read. The author takes us through a journey of imaginary snapshots of life in time.very interesting book. A must read

From 1903 to 1909, Albert Einstein worked as a technical assistant in the patent office in Bern, Switzerland. In 'Einstein's Dreams', Alan Lightman transports the reader back to this setting. It is late June, 1905. We are introduced to Einstein, who is about to send the manuscript of his new theory of time to the German journal of physics. The author then presents thirty short chapters - each a sort of thought experiment - in the form of a fictional dream journal exploring the theme of time. These episodes are punctuated by three 'interludes' featuring imagined conversations between Einstein and his real-life friend and colleague, Michele Besso. In each chapter, the reader is invited to imagine a world where time works in a particular way, and to consider the consequences. In one world, time is a perfect circle that repeats itself endlessly. In a different scenario, time stands still. Then time is a quality, not a quantity. We are even shown a place where time does not exist at all, and there are only images. Sometimes these visions of an alternative reality are described as abstract philosophical musings - in a world where people live forever, we suppose that there are those who will seek to cram as much as possible into their infinite existence (the 'Nows'), whilst others will procrastinate endlessly (the 'Laters'). In other worlds, the author presents vignettes - a couple whose love affair ends because time stops for an instant and changes their view of each other; or a mother and daughter planning a trip to Lucerne because they know that the world will end soon. Such a technical description of the book belies the beauty of the writing, however; to fully appreciate this, you will just have to read it yourself! You can either sit down and devour the book in one sitting, as I did when I first discovered the paperback edition in the late 90s. Since then, I have found it a great book for dipping into, as most of the chapters are self-contained. I'm delighted to have found this Kindle edition, which even retains the illustrations from the original paperback edition. Readers in search of a 'story' in the traditional sense may be disappointed, as there is no driving plot line here. Modern readers might almost describe it as a collection of flash fiction, with each short tale examining the same theme from a different angle. Hardcore scientists may prefer a more literal exposition of Einstein's achievements. What I believe all readers will find here, though, is a beautiful exploration of the nature of scientific discovery, the power of the human mind and the complexity of human existence. This review refers to the Kindle edition of 'Einstein's Dreams' downloaded on 5 September 2012.

I get such a kick reading the 1 or 2 star reviews because they simply don't get it; they're looking for a book of answers to scientific or philosophical questions. THIS IS NOT A BOOK OF ANSWERS; IT IS A BOOK OF IDEAS. I teach a high school humanities class with this book. We read a chapter (journal entry, really) or two, briefly research and discuss the theories/ideas of time presented within those few pages, and then write a response in a variety of forms such as a flash fiction piece, a brief personal essay, a journal entry, etc. Once the book has been completely read and the students have in turn written their own "Dreams" book, they print them, bind them, and create leather-bound books out of them (which we also craft ourselves). It is a book of ideas intended to prompt thought. What would like be like where time really like this? IS time really like this? Do I live my life this way, whereas I could or should live it another way? If one could understand the nature of Time, could one understand the nature of God? Do not expect to find any answers in this book. It is a fictional piece of poetic prose. Rather, expect to be prompted to think. They're not deep, mind-blowing, philosophical questions, they're practical questions with applicable answers.

Since the book is not actually what Einstein was thinking at the time, I found that this piece was a bit too fictional for my taste. Don't get me wrong, it may be a good book for someone who loves philosophy and science fiction at the same time. My grandpa will love it.