The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict

Did Mileva Mavic, Albert Einstein’s first wife, contribute to developing Einstein’s theories? This subject is hotly debated. What is undisputable a fact that she was a genius in her own way. Brilliant mathematician studying at university when it was unheard of for women.

Mileva Mavic, a remarkable woman of petit frame with genius mind comes from an Eastern European country of Serbia looked upon as inferior to such country as Switzerland where she makes home now. It is October 1896, she starts studying at the Swiss Federal Polytechnic of Zurich. She is the fifth woman to be admitted to this school. Making her way in a male dominated world is not an easy path. But what keeps her motivated are her father’s words: “Be bold, you are a wise one.”

As her male colleagues are only trying to be civil to her, her only chance of finding a lab partner in physics is Albert Einstein, who treats her as equal. Early on, she is recognized by Albert as a brilliant mathematician and physicist.

Their partnership progresses, from lab partners to more than friends and now sharing old and new theories and exploring the nature of light and electromagnetism.

After school years, there is marriage and children, but what hasn’t changed is the passion for science and further collaborations. From collaborations come fruits, but only one name continues to be listed underneath the publications.

It would be interesting to see what this brilliant woman was capable of achieving if she lived at a different time.

It is a revealing story woven with dazzling dialogue that made me laugh many times. Albert asking Mileva about her being so quiet: “…Unusually quiet, I mean. As if an important theory has taken hold. What thought has captured your formidable mind?”

Well-presented time period, from setting the atmosphere with bringing political situation of late 19th century Europe to the advances of Zurich offering the electric street lamps, as well as progressive thinking and open minded universities admitting women, all this woven with café culture and proper etiquette.

If you like this book, you will most likely like this author’s following book The Carnegie’s Maid.

The author brings such famous characters as Einstein and Carnegie (latest book), diving into unexplored waters. Kudos to her for questioning what has been taken for granted.

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