The Other Einstein

Author: Marie Benedict
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Sourcebooks, 2016
Pages: 336
Rating: Recommend

Synopsis: This novel resurrects Einstein's wife, a brilliant physicist in her own right, whose contribution to the special theory or relativity is hotly debated. Was she simply Einstein's sounding board, an assistant performing complex mathematical equations? Or did she contribute something more?

Mitza Maric has always been a little different from the other girls. Most twenty-year-olds are wives by now, not studying physics at an elite Zurich university with only male students trying to outdo her clever calculations. But Mitza is smart enough to know that, for her, math is an easier path than marriage. Then fellow student Albert Einstein takes an interest in her, and the world turns sideways. Theirs becomes a partnership of the mind and of the heart, but there might not be room for more than one genius in a marriage.

Review: My sister recommended this book, and toward the end I texted her, "Einstein, what a jerk." My prior issue with Marie Benedict is that she doesn't take a deep dive into her subject matter, but that concern is unfounded in this novel. I'm glad someone finally told Mileva Maric Einstein's story, even if the author did have to fill in some of the gaps herself.