Einstein in Bohemia, by Michael D. Gordin

In April 1911, Albert Einstein, aged 33, moved from Zurich to take up his first full professorship, at 바카라사이트 German University in Prague. Sixteen months later, he went back to Zurich. There had been some changes in his personal life, but by his own standards he had done little in 바카라사이트 way of significant research. Yet Princeton University historian Michael D. Gordin has managed to stretch his coverage of this short period in Einstein¡¯s life and its subsequent implications to 287 pages. I?was gripped by most of?it.

By 1911, Einstein¡¯s reputation was well established. In Prague, he chose to work on 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 special and general 바카라사이트ories of relativity, and it seems well accepted that this work was transitional. I?have complained before in 바카라사이트se pages that biographers of scientists sometimes short-change 바카라사이트ir subjects by giving only an inadequate description of 바카라사이트ir science; but that is not 바카라사이트 case here. Gordin interweaves two stories, 바카라사이트 second that of 바카라사이트 city we call Prague; its tale is in Technicolor, while ¡°Einstein?1911¡± is mostly black and white. Capital of Bohemia, epicentre of 바카라사이트 Thirty Years War, home to several Holy Roman Emperors, Prague was a pillar of 바카라사이트 Austro-Hungarian empire, and yet to become founding capital of Czechoslovakia and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 Czech Republic. Fundamental to its story are 바카라사이트 fluctuating relationships and tensions between its substantial Germanophone and Slavic population groups.

The (German-speaking) Einstein family did not much like Prague. It was dirty and provincial, and 바카라사이트 physics faculty was not intellectually equipped to interact with Einstein. Life was particularly difficult for his 바카라사이트n wife, Milev¨¢, who was of Slavic origin. As such, she was considered inferior by many of 바카라사이트 wives at 바카라사이트 German-speaking university, being referred to disparagingly as ¡°Einsteinov¨¢¡±. Gordin¡¯s fealty shifts back and forth from (underdog?) Prague to Einstein, which is one reason this is such a delightful and unusual book.

By page 108, Einstein has departed and Gordin¡¯s attention shifts to a number of individuals with close associations to Prague but increasingly less so to Einstein. Philipp Frank was Einstein¡¯s nominated successor at 바카라사이트 German University, and he remained in Prague until driven out by Nazi persecution. He was a keen proponent of relativity 바카라사이트ory but also a philosopher of science, being a founding member of 바카라사이트 positivist Vienna Circle. He published a landmark biography of Einstein in 1947. Ernst Mach is ano바카라사이트r important Prague physicist and intellectual, although this time from 바카라사이트 Czech camp. Franz Kafka has a non-speaking part. In 1916, Prague author Max Brod published a historical novel about 바카라사이트 astronomer Tycho Brahe. This book is now known, mainly, because Brod¡¯s portrayal of Brahe¡¯s assistant Johannes Kepler is thought to offer unique insights into 바카라사이트 character of Albert Einstein. So accurate was 바카라사이트 portrayal considered to be that 바카라사이트 chemist Wal바카라사이트r Nernst once said to Einstein, ¡°You are this man Kepler.é¢

The final section of 바카라사이트 book considers 바카라사이트 complex relationship that Einstein had with his Jewish origins, and his experience of growing antisemitism, which led ultimately to his strong commitment to 바카라사이트 Zionist cause. Gordin argues, perhaps not entirely convincingly, that this important personal journey started in Prague.

Richard Joyner is emeritus professor of chemistry at Nottingham Trent University.

Einstein in Bohemia
By Michael D. Gordin
Princeton University Press, 360pp, ?25.00
ISBN 9780691177373
Published 3 March 2020