The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict
Not much is known about Albert Einstein's first wife, Mitza Maric. I call her Mitza, her nickname, not her given name, Mileva, because I grew to know her quite well on the pages of this book. The Other Einstein is historical fiction but the author has done extensive research into Mitza and Albert's relationship in order to craft her story.
In the late 19th century the only career option for women was learning how to cook and clean in preparation for marriage and children. Mitzi, born with a deformity which caused her to limp, knew from a young age that marriage was not in the cards for her. A close relationship with her father set her on a path of education in math and science. She secured a position in the physics program at the University of Zurich which would make a teaching career a real possibility. It is there however, she met Albert Einstein.
The pair fell in love with each other but also with their ability to collaborate so well on their physics projects. Mitza got Albert out of many a jam in math calculations but being a woman meant her brain power was not respected. When Albert began leaving her name off of their published work, Mitza had to learn to stand up for herself.
Albert Einstein was just not a nice guy, smart but with a big ego. Mitza was equally as intelligent but pushed aside because she was a woman. There are a lot of lessons in The Other Einstein to be learned especially for young women, such as the power of an education, standing by other women instead of competing with them and standing up for our rights as a human being.
The Other Einstein is a brilliant glimpse into a part of history most of us know little about. And it also tells us about the power of women. The Other Einstein is definitely worth your time.
Not much is known about Albert Einstein's first wife, Mitza Maric. I call her Mitza, her nickname, not her given name, Mileva, because I grew to know her quite well on the pages of this book. The Other Einstein is historical fiction but the author has done extensive research into Mitza and Albert's relationship in order to craft her story.
In the late 19th century the only career option for women was learning how to cook and clean in preparation for marriage and children. Mitzi, born with a deformity which caused her to limp, knew from a young age that marriage was not in the cards for her. A close relationship with her father set her on a path of education in math and science. She secured a position in the physics program at the University of Zurich which would make a teaching career a real possibility. It is there however, she met Albert Einstein.
The pair fell in love with each other but also with their ability to collaborate so well on their physics projects. Mitza got Albert out of many a jam in math calculations but being a woman meant her brain power was not respected. When Albert began leaving her name off of their published work, Mitza had to learn to stand up for herself.
Albert Einstein was just not a nice guy, smart but with a big ego. Mitza was equally as intelligent but pushed aside because she was a woman. There are a lot of lessons in The Other Einstein to be learned especially for young women, such as the power of an education, standing by other women instead of competing with them and standing up for our rights as a human being.
The Other Einstein is a brilliant glimpse into a part of history most of us know little about. And it also tells us about the power of women. The Other Einstein is definitely worth your time.
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