Customer Rating: 
Summary: Disagree at times, but simply genius!
Comment: "Ideas & Opinions" is one of those books that makes you kinda laugh to yourself at reading some of the passages and hit yourself and think, "well, that makes sense!" It's an interesting look at the issues and thought processes which shaped the way Albert Einstein would live his life and lead his astonishing career. He tackles many difficult issues, including but certainly not limited to religion and war.
I don't always agree with his viewpoints on issues, especially war, but there is no denying that this man had the ability to think in a manner that is unlike others. He was a genius, and that's not a term to be used lightly. This man was a genius.
So, why would somebody want to read a collection of thoughts from Albert Einstein? Because it's plain interesting. Even if you disagree with the man, it sparks a thought--a reaction--from the reader. The passages discussed are short enough that it'd make for a great bathroom read (as opposed to Sports Illustrated or Cosmo), or curled up next to a fire this winter. It's a change of pace from most of the books I've read, but it was a breath of fresh air!
This is certainly not a "read it in a week" type of book, but you can read a few passages here and there just to recharge the batteries.
Customer Rating:
Summary: fascinating
Comment: This is a great book to read on Einstein. It is a selection of papers and speeches taken over his lifetime (notably the first half of the twentieth century), grouped by subject matter (pacifism, the Jews, etc.). His language certainly advances in later years. The last section deals with his scientific works, where one can also see progression. One also sees him as a man of his times, commenting on institutions such as the League of Nations and the UN. Highly recommended.
Customer Rating:
Summary: wonderful reading
Comment: All my life I have heard wonderful things about the brilliance of Einstein. I had been told he was brilliant but complex and hard to understand - they were wrong. I am sure that trying to understand his equations would make the mind spin, but he wrote far more then just equations.
The writings here give real insight into the man - these are documents written by him for newspapers, interviews, and such. These show the man Einstein and his personal views from politics (and war) to his ideas of god. Its wonderful reading for anyone who wants to know more about him as a man beyond e=mc2.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The hobo Philosopher
Comment: At $5.99, I would say this book is for free. Albert Einstein says more in one sentence than other intelligent writers can say in 10 pages. There is so much thought in this book that it boggles the mind. As I read the book, I found myself doing more thinking than reading. After each line or paragraph, I would find myself laying the book in my lap and thinking about what Albert just said. There is not one essay in this book that does not have something important to say and think about. On occasion I cautioned myself that if I did not stop thinking on every line, it could be possible that I would never finish reading this book.And as I sit here now, I feel that I should go get it out of my library and read it once again. I am left with no doubt that Albert Einstein was a very good man. To say that he was very intelligent is silly. But he was not just intelligent in his pursuit of science. He was a very practical philosopher and social thinker. He was a moralist. His views of God and the universe are thought provoking.He is interesting on every level and on all subjects. There is no doubt about this one - this is a great book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Something to read before you live this world
Comment: This is a very enlightening read. It takes you into the mind of a absolutely brilliant man to see his "ideas and opinions", sorry for the pun.
Honestly, i wasnt expecting a collection of his letters/speeches/lectures..etc but it was a nice surprise. It's much better than having some author display how they 'assumed' he thought.
The book can be tough to read at times (keep in mind he is a genius) but you can always search for certain topics that interest you. Everything from his theories of relativity and brownian motion to his family life are covered, so every reader could find something to relate to.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in first-hand ideas about Einstein or anyone looking to expand their mind.
Summary: Disagree at times, but simply genius!
Comment: "Ideas & Opinions" is one of those books that makes you kinda laugh to yourself at reading some of the passages and hit yourself and think, "well, that makes sense!" It's an interesting look at the issues and thought processes which shaped the way Albert Einstein would live his life and lead his astonishing career. He tackles many difficult issues, including but certainly not limited to religion and war.
I don't always agree with his viewpoints on issues, especially war, but there is no denying that this man had the ability to think in a manner that is unlike others. He was a genius, and that's not a term to be used lightly. This man was a genius.
So, why would somebody want to read a collection of thoughts from Albert Einstein? Because it's plain interesting. Even if you disagree with the man, it sparks a thought--a reaction--from the reader. The passages discussed are short enough that it'd make for a great bathroom read (as opposed to Sports Illustrated or Cosmo), or curled up next to a fire this winter. It's a change of pace from most of the books I've read, but it was a breath of fresh air!
This is certainly not a "read it in a week" type of book, but you can read a few passages here and there just to recharge the batteries.
Customer Rating:
Summary: fascinating
Comment: This is a great book to read on Einstein. It is a selection of papers and speeches taken over his lifetime (notably the first half of the twentieth century), grouped by subject matter (pacifism, the Jews, etc.). His language certainly advances in later years. The last section deals with his scientific works, where one can also see progression. One also sees him as a man of his times, commenting on institutions such as the League of Nations and the UN. Highly recommended.
Customer Rating:
Summary: wonderful reading
Comment: All my life I have heard wonderful things about the brilliance of Einstein. I had been told he was brilliant but complex and hard to understand - they were wrong. I am sure that trying to understand his equations would make the mind spin, but he wrote far more then just equations.
The writings here give real insight into the man - these are documents written by him for newspapers, interviews, and such. These show the man Einstein and his personal views from politics (and war) to his ideas of god. Its wonderful reading for anyone who wants to know more about him as a man beyond e=mc2.
Customer Rating:
Summary: The hobo Philosopher
Comment: At $5.99, I would say this book is for free. Albert Einstein says more in one sentence than other intelligent writers can say in 10 pages. There is so much thought in this book that it boggles the mind. As I read the book, I found myself doing more thinking than reading. After each line or paragraph, I would find myself laying the book in my lap and thinking about what Albert just said. There is not one essay in this book that does not have something important to say and think about. On occasion I cautioned myself that if I did not stop thinking on every line, it could be possible that I would never finish reading this book.And as I sit here now, I feel that I should go get it out of my library and read it once again. I am left with no doubt that Albert Einstein was a very good man. To say that he was very intelligent is silly. But he was not just intelligent in his pursuit of science. He was a very practical philosopher and social thinker. He was a moralist. His views of God and the universe are thought provoking.He is interesting on every level and on all subjects. There is no doubt about this one - this is a great book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Something to read before you live this world
Comment: This is a very enlightening read. It takes you into the mind of a absolutely brilliant man to see his "ideas and opinions", sorry for the pun.
Honestly, i wasnt expecting a collection of his letters/speeches/lectures..etc but it was a nice surprise. It's much better than having some author display how they 'assumed' he thought.
The book can be tough to read at times (keep in mind he is a genius) but you can always search for certain topics that interest you. Everything from his theories of relativity and brownian motion to his family life are covered, so every reader could find something to relate to.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in first-hand ideas about Einstein or anyone looking to expand their mind.