This "biography" of Ernest Hemingway is the most insightful into the author's life of any I have read. It is absolutely perfect in its presentation of the personal accounts of those who knew Ernest Hemingway. Because of the use of the personal accounts (actual quotes dictated to the author) of those involved, one feels that he truly understands Hemingway and his work through the defining decades of his life. From his life in Oak Park, IL to his last days in Utah, Brian fills the text with exuburance and an uncanny abiltity to bring the reader closer to the subject. The quotes are masterful!

My first reaction to finishing this book was "Gee, That was interesting... now I would like to read a biography about Einstein."

This book is so focused on the details, that at times it becomes incoherent. In its pursuit of distilling Einstein to a more personal level, it still rings shallow. There were so many relationships discussed in such cursory detail, that I was not able to get a flavor for Einstein's interactions with magnificent scientists such as Born, Bohr, Plank, Milliken, etc.

The books strength is that it is fact laden. If you finish this book, then you will be able to discuss the individual elements of his life with 98% of people. It dispels a lot of lure, and at the same time illuminates some majestical quotes.

One of my biggest beefs with the layout of this novel is that the author goes to great pains to break his life into 1 to 2 year intervals (which I like), but the chapter titles never seem to come across in what is written. For example there is a chapter title called "The FBI Targets Einstein" yet the chapter itself has very little to do with that, and certainly doesn't differ from the surrounding chapters that discuss Hoover. Thus, I felt that an opportunity to explore various elements of Einstein's life were entirely lost. If it had been presented in relation to ideas as opposed to time frame, then perhaps Einstein would have been better illuminated.

I realize that this review is a bit harsh. The bottom line is that I feel that I am better off from having read the book. Nevertheless, I must be honest and say that as a scientist and idolizer of Einstein... I found this book extremely painful to read. It gives a lot of information, but not in a particularly user-friendly manor.

Any reader who thinks it might be profitable to spend some quality time with Albert Einstein - arguably the greatest scientist of all time - should read this book. The author,
Denis Brian, knows how to write a biography and, in his 'Einstein, A Life", he offers a wonderful subject.
This reader - whose science background is close to nil - approached this book with considerable trepidation -needlessly. While the author deals properly and necessarily with Einstein's scientific pursuits and achievements - which means he sometimes
employs some 'heavy' jargon - like relativity theory, unified field theory, quantum mechanics, electromagnetism, superstring theory with 4 dimensions plus 6, photon theory, neutrons, protons, atoms, particles - negative and positive, etc. - he does so in a merciful fashion that places few demands on the reader. NOT to understand what Einstein was working on at any given moment was always pretty much the norm,anyhow, for even his peers and other world-class scientists.
On the other hand, there is plenty in Einstein's life that nearly any reader can understand and probably relate to- much of which is highly fascinating and illuminating. Here is a list of some of the subjects and issues that Einstein chose or was compelled to deal with - apart from his science: women and romances and marriage, religion and the hereafter, career decisions, anti-Semitism and racism, parenting and a mentally ill son, celebrity-status and death threats, Israel and Zionism, Russia and Communism, Hitler and Fascism, Gandhi and pacifism vs. defense needs, capitalism, atomic energy and weapons,
disarmament, Cold War politics, friends and relatives, Germany and Germans, Americans and their culture, world-wide lecture tours, mind vs. matter, Freud and psychoanalysis, G.B. Shaw and literary criticism and socialism, Upton Sinclair and social
reform, the Rosenberg spy case - and more. In short, while Einstein was always focused primarily on science and the mysteries of the universe, he also found some time to do some serious thinking, talking and writing about other serious, mundane issues, as well.
The author does a marvelous job of researching and organizing the materials in this book. I liked his decision to introduce each chapter with a title, the years covered therein, and Einstein's age during those years. I also liked his thoroughness in including first-hand accounts, letters, notes, and experiences of people of every possible age, class,
and status. The traits and qualities they describe show clearly the essence of Albert Einstein: mental genius, modest, shy, well-informed, explosive and lusty laugh, absent minded, casual, unkempt, outspoken, impulsive, punster, impudent, kind, enthusiastic, energetic, well-traveled, versatile, frugal, ebullient, stubborn, moody, lucid, liberal, unpretentious, warm-hearted, informal, passionate, workaholic, direct, absentminded,
prematurely aged, pro-world government, tobacco addicted, endearing, self-assured, handsome and noble face, sweet smile, radiant and penetrating eyes, high brow, egalitarian, mischievous, sparse eater, 'soft touch', metaphor lover, quick-witted, non-swimming boater, non-driver, walking and hiking enthusiast.
David Ben-Gurion, Israeli Prime Minister at the time, said this about Alfred Einstein: "He has the greatest mind of any living man...He's a scientist who needs no laboratory, no equipment, no tools of any kind. He just sits in an empty room with a pencil, a piece of paper, and his brain, thinking!"
"Thinking" was Einstein's favorite sport and his forte.
This book gets all the stars and 'thumbs up' I can give it.

Any reader who thinks it might be profitable to spend
some quality time with Albert Einstein - arguably the
greatest scientist of all time - should read this book. The
author, Denis Brian, knows how to write a biography
and, in his 'Alfred Einstein, A Life", he offers a
wonderful subject.
This reader - whose science background is close to
nil - approached this book with considerable trepidation
- needlessly. While the author deals properly and
necessarily with Einstein's scientific pursuits and
achievements - which means he sometimes employs
some 'heavy' jargon - like relativity theory, unified
field theory, quantum mechanics, electromagnetism,
superstring theory with 4 dimensions plus 6, photon
theory, neutrons, protons, atoms, particles - negative
and positive, etc. - he does so in a merciful fashion
that places few demands on the reader. NOT to
understand what Einstein was working on at any
given moment was always pretty much the norm,

anyhow, for even his peers and other world-class
scientists.
On the other hand, there is plenty in Einstein's life
that nearly any reader can understand and probably
relate to- much of which is highly fascinating and
illuminating. Here is a list of some of the subjects
and issues that Einstein chose or was compelled to
deal with - apart from his science: women and
romances and marriage, religion and the hereafter,
career decisions, anti-Semitism and racism, parenting
and a mentally ill son, celebrity-status and death
threats, Israel and Zionism, Russia and Communism,
Hitler and Fascism, Gandhi and pacifism vs. defense
needs, capitalism, atomic energy and weapons,
disarmament, Cold War politics, friends and relatives,
Germany and Germans, Americans and their culture,
world-wide lecture tours, mind vs. matter, Freud
and psychoanalysis, J.B. Shaw and literary criticism
and socialism, Upton Sinclair and social reform, and
the Rosenburg spy case. In short, while Einstein was always focused primarily on science and the mysteries
of the universe, he also found some time to do some
serious thinking, talking and writing about other serious,
mundane issues, as well.
The author does a marvelous job of researching and
organizing the materials in this book. I liked his decision
to introduce each chapter with a title, the years covered
therein, and Einstein's age during those years. I also liked
his thoroughness in including first-hand accounts, letters,
notes, and experiences of people of every possible age,
class, and status. The traits and qualities they describe
show clearly the essence of Albert Einstein: mental genius modest, shy, well-informed, explosive and lusty laugh,
absent minded, casual, unkempt, outspoken, impulsive, punster, impudent, kind, enthusiastic, energetic,
well-traveled, versatile, frugal, ebullient, stubborn, moody,
lucid, liberal, unpretentious, warm-hearted, informal, passionate, workaholic, direct, absentminded, prematurely
aged, pro-world government, tobacco addicted, endearing,
self-assured, handsome and noble face, sweet smile, radiant
and penetrating eyes, high brow, egalitarian, mischievous,
sparse eater, 'soft touch', metaphor lover, quick-witted,
non-swimmer boater, non-driver, walking and hiking
enthusiast.
David Ben-Gurion, Israeli Prime Minister at the time,
said this about Alfred Einstein: "He has the greatest mind of any living man...He's a scientist who needs no laboratory, no equipment, no tools of any kind.
He just sits in an empty room with a pencil, a piece
of paper, and his brain, thinking!"
"Thinking" was Einstein's favorite sport.
This book gets all the stars and 'thumbs up' I can give it.

It is only upon reaching the very last page of this 395 page biography that the reader comes to understand why this portrait of Pulitzer is so disappointing and, frankly, uncomfortable to read. There, the author cites as one of his sources, a PhD thesis from the 1940s which drew upon an interview with Mr. Pulitzer's aging valet. This interview. pursued at the urging of Pulitzer's son, revealed, apparently for the first time, Pulitzer's virtually disabling depression, the havoc it wreaked on the management of his papers and the misery it brought to his family. If one strips away the "eccentricities" catalogued in exhaustive detail by the author one is left with a narrative that is hardly insightful or illuminating. Like Mr. Pulitzer's beleaguered hirelings and pathetic and emotionally abused family members, the author seems to struggle to divine brilliance in every move of this isolated and miserable man. That Pulitzer and his "World" transformed and empowered the newspaper business at the turn of the last century is without question and the author provides a somewhat lively and entertaining picture of that business in those days. However, by asking the us to bear with Pulitzer through page after page of troubling and, often, psychotic behavior, the author imparts no more than the conventional appreciation of the proverbial "thin line between genius and madness." The reader comes to suspect that the key to the success of the "World" may actually have derived from the triumph of the genius of others over Pulitzer's madness; a test of this hypothesis requires more richly researched characterizations of the editors and reporters who labored beneath the Dome than the author has produced. In fact, the author rarely strays from Pulitzer's side such that what must have been a vibrant publishing world remains unidimensional and sketchy. By the end of this work, the nature of Pulitzer's genius remains obscure and relatively bereft of insight; it is his madness that is most appreciated as the reader emerges from an exhausting virtual immersion in the psychodrama that dominates this biography.

Joseph Pulitzer was a fascinating man. His battles with Hearst and his role in the foundation of modern journalism are the stuff of legend. However, I never actually realized how much of an impact Pulitzer had on the 20th century until I read Brian's terrific bio. Well worth the read.

This well-written, detailed biography is fascinating. This book, on Joseph Pulitzer, gives the reader a complete view of his life, his work, and his rise to power. Filled with details on his pioneering thoughts and practices, you'll see why Pulitzer's influence is still felt today. For anyone interested in publishing history and journalism, you won't want to miss this book!

A CD-Rom jammed with articles from EXECUTIVE EXCELLENCE. I actually got my copy as a bonus for subscribing a couple of years ago. Many of the articles are interesting, but they are all quite short, almost MTV-ish. This seems to be the preferred style for this publication. If you are a fan of Warren Bennis, or one of the writers who regularly contribute to that publication, this is a good way to pick up some new material from your favored writer. The articles are on a variety of topics, which means that there will probably be something for everyone with an interest in this subject, but by the same token, there will be a lot that won't interest you. The CD includes a search engine that is workable. I benefitted from the magazine and the CD, but they didn't set my world on fire.