Author Topic: Big Library Read -- The Other Einstein (Read 651 times) Tweet

Ann in Arlington · « **on:** June 12, 2017, 08:00:52 PM »

Just got an email from Overdrive about a global eBook club via local libraries everywhere. The book is The Other Einstein: A Novel which is a historical fiction about Einstein's wife who was a smart cookie in her own right -- and probably ought to get partial credit for the theory of relativity.

The book is available for instant borrowing -- no waitlists -- through Overdrive.

Here's the text of the email:

Quote

The Big Library Read � the first global eBook club through libraries � is now live with The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict until June 26, 2017. If your library is participating, you�ll be able to borrow the eBook instantly without being placed on a waitlist. Visit your library website today to join in!
Visit the Big Library Read website to:
�   Listen to OverDrive�s Professional Book Nerds podcast interview with author Marie Benedict as she discusses the book, her love of libraries, music, Broadway and so much more. She also talks about her excitement for Big Library Read and the chance to interact with readers on the discussion boards.
�   Share your thoughts by joining our book discussion and on social with #biglibraryread.
�   Check out our Big Library Read video with Marie Benedict.

When I looked up the book on Overdrive directly, it was available in all of the libraries I have access to.

Linjeakel · « **Reply #1 on:** June 13, 2017, 06:52:35 AM »

As I hadn't had any email from Overdrive I wondered if this would be available for me in the UK but when I logged in to check this at my library, it was being advertised on the home page, with links to borrow the book, listen to the podcast or join in the discussion. It wasn't there yesterday.

I can't say that I'm particularly interested in being part of a book club, but if it gets the library to make more ebooks available it will be a good thing - there are only a few thousand at my library - not a huge range, at least not when you consider how many are available on Amazon. Incidentally, this book is available on Amazon for Kindle at a whopping �12.62. (about US$16)

Ann in Arlington · « **Reply #2 on:** June 13, 2017, 10:01:01 AM »

The US kindle price is $9.36 -- more than I'd generally spend, but it does look like an interesting book. I jumped at the chance to borrow.

But, yeah, probably not going to take part in any discussions -- unless we have one here in this thread.

Betsy the Quilter · « **Reply #3 on:** June 13, 2017, 10:13:01 AM »

I've tried to borrow it several times through my "liberry" but it hasn't worked yet. Will try again...

Edit: Worked this time, yay!

Betsy

Betsy the Quilter · « **Reply #4 on:** June 13, 2017, 10:14:57 AM »

I'm all for a discussion here! We can make this the official thread.

Betsy

Linjeakel · « **Reply #5 on:** June 14, 2017, 08:10:53 AM »

I didn't realise at first that this is a novel - a work of fiction - rather than a biography of Mitza Einstein. I decided to borrow it anyway, but at 15% in, I'm finding it a little dry.

I'm going to persevere a little longer because it might just be me - I've given up on the last three books I started, for various reasons and I can't seem to settle on anything at the moment. I think I'm getting stressed out at all the books I have waiting for me to read, especially when library books I've got on hold suddenly appear and I only have a limited time to get to them!

Ann in Arlington · « **Reply #6 on:** June 14, 2017, 08:40:16 AM »

I started it last night -- but only 2 chapters in. We'll see. I did know it was a novel . . . we'll see.

Linjeakel · « **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2017, 07:52:01 AM »

Without doing the appropriate research I have no idea how much of this novel is known or reasonably supposed fact, and how much of it is dramatic licence.

In the author's notes at the end of the book, Marie Benedict says that it is "first and foremost, fiction" but she also says "The purpose of The Other Einstein is not to diminish Albert Einstein's contribution to humanity and science ..." Regardless of that assertion, I would say that a more thorough hatchet job of him, both as a human being and as a scientist, I could not imagine.

As for the prose itself, I found it very stilted - possibly because it was written in the first person. An intriguing read for sure and an interesting choice to write a novel rather than a biography.

Ann in Arlington · « **Reply #8 on:** June 19, 2017, 08:43:38 AM »

Quote from: Linjeakel on June 19, 2017, 07:52:01 AM

Without doing the appropriate research I have no idea how much of this novel is known or reasonably supposed fact, and how much of it is dramatic licence.

In the author's notes at the end of the book, Marie Benedict says that it is "first and foremost, fiction" but she also says "The purpose of The Other Einstein is not to diminish Albert Einstein's contribution to humanity and science ..." Regardless of that assertion, I would say that a more thorough hatchet job of him, both as a human being and as a scientist, I could not imagine.

As for the prose itself, I found it very stilted - possibly because it was written in the first person. An intriguing read for sure and an interesting choice to write a novel rather than a biography.

I didn't have a problem with the way it was written -- wouldn't call it exciting, but it didn't put me to sleep.

I agree it was a kind of hatchet job on Albert -- he wasn't portrayed as a nice human being at all. And it did pretty strongly imply that his greatest work is at least partly and maybe mostly not really his at all.

It reminded me a bit of a certain sort of historical romance where the heroine has 21st century values and opinions in an 18th or 19th century world, and somehow that's not really a problem at all for anyone.

I'm glad I read it, but also glad I didn't have to pay money to do so.

Linjeakel · « **Reply #9 on:** June 19, 2017, 02:54:40 PM »

Quote from: Ann in Arlington on June 19, 2017, 08:43:38 AM

I'm glad I read it, but also glad I didn't have to pay money to do so.

Yes, I think that's pretty much how I felt about it in the end.

Author Topic: Big Library Read -- The Other Einstein (Read 651 times) Tweet

Ann in Arlington

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