Einstein's Dreams (Vintage Contemporaries)

For me this book is structured more like music than like prose -- a set of variations on the theme of time, not a novelistic examination of the topic. Lightman's "hero" is the young Einstein, living in Bern in 1905, working in a patent office but spending all his energies on his theory of relativity. But it isn't Einstein's daytime life that is the subject of this book, though that is touched on in a prologue, three interludes, and an epilogue. Rather, what matters here are thirty chapters showing us thirty different dreams that Einstein has about time. These explore different ways in which time might work, and the ways in which people would react under those assumptions, and they are altogether delightful. Some read like visions, some like the premises of sci-fi stories, some like -- dreams. The writing is beautiful, highly concrete about physical detail and more than occasionally witty, both of which help anchor these visions. I don't have the scientific knowledge to appreciate some of what is going on -- some of the different varieties of time, I am told, reflect thinking about relativity and other great matters. But I didn't need it to enjoy this book a great deal. Those who love Calvino's "Invisible Cities" may be particularly entranced.

This book is intellectually stimulating, it's intriguing, and it's deep, in my opinion. It read like a literary work of art in that there are some strong characters developed throughout the book and the scenes it laid out were beautifully described. I was a little unhappy with the book in one small way, but it's just my own prejudice - the mood of this book seems too dark in most of its chapters. I guess that's a small price to pay, though, for the intellectual stimulation alone. The ideas the author puts forth are fascinating. I'm glad I read it and I'm only giving it 5 stars. I went back and forth - should I give it 4 or 5? - because it seemed unnecessarily depressed most of the time. In the end, I decided my petty bias over a book's tendency to be a little dark should cause me to knock it that much in its rating. I do, however, think it would've been a much better book if the author had put a little less bleakness in there. Still, it is a wonderful book to read, bleak as it is sometimes. Einstein lived in a relatively dark time in the world's history, too. Then again, my own country feels like it's going dark right now and my dreams are not always gray. To each his own, I guess. The author made assumptions about Einstein and wrote this book accordingly. Anyway, five stars. Great book overall.

I like breaking away from the norm and I like Einstein and quantum mechanics and all those elements that intertwine and this was a nice way to turn it into a story that was different from the everyday science that could bore most folks.

"Einstein's Dreams" is a very thought-provoking novel with chapters representing what might have been the different ways Einstein might have been thinking about time as he developed his thoughts about it leading up to his groundbreaking theories, like.... 1. Suppose time is a circle resulting in the world repeating itself - people live their lives over, everything repeats. 2. A world where time is like a flow of water - sometimes lives are transported back in time. 3. A world where time has 3 dimensions just like an object can move in 3 dimensions - horizontal, vertical and longitudinal - so an object/person could participate in 3 different dimensions like having 3 different fates. 4. A world with 2 times, one mechanical - unyielding, pre-determined and one body - makes up its mind as it goes along. 5. A world where time flows slower the further from the center of the earth - likely people would prefer to live in mountains, height being a status. 6. A world where time is visible all over - clocks, watches, bells, etc, time being a reference for everything. 7. A world where cause and effect is erratic - scientists are considered buffoons, artists are joyous. 8. A world where time passes but little happens. 9. A world where the world will end on a specific day - so why learn of the future since everyone has the same fate. 10. A world where time is different in different places - 13th, 15th, 18th centuries for example - the tragedy is that no one is happy since everyone is alone. 11. A world where time brings more order. 12. A world where time stands still then picks up speed as it moves in concentric circles away from the center - sometimes people would like to live in different places. 13. A world with no time, only images. 14. A world with no memory, everything happens for the first time. 15. A world where time flows unevenly - changed plans,unexpected visions, therefore people take fewer risks. 16. A world where all is in motion, a fixation on speed - everyone moves fast so things appear slower. 17.A world where people live just one day - so no time to lose. 18. A world where time flows backwards. 19. A world where time is perceived differently by all. 20. A world where people are either "later" or "nows" - either everything can be postponed or achieved. 21. A world where time is not a quantity but a quality - no clocks, just perceive time by changes of the color of the sky, etc. 22. A world with no future. 23. A world where time is a visible dimension, like births, deaths, trees, etc. 24. A world which stops and starts. 25. A world where watches are not allowed, so there may be some great clock somewhere where people want to be. 26. A world where time is a local phenomenon. 27. A world where time is not fluid, but rigid extending infinitely in different directions. 28. A world where time is like a reflection between mirrors - infinite images. 29. A world with a shifting past - memories are fleeting. Maybe, just maybe, all these worlds or partial perceptions of them do exist with us - the book does let a reader's mind run with thoughts.

This book was recommended by someone who was rather passionate about it, or else I wouldn't have bothered with it. This book didn't present any challenging ideas. Lightman's inquiries are the same ones that we as children and our children have marveled about time. And I am sure when they get into middle ages like we do, they will also have the same wonderment and longings that we have as grown ups about the "what if's" and the "why did that or this happened?" When your five year old son ask "Can we go and visit George Washington?" because he just read a simple little book that fascinated him about the man. You try and try to explain that George is no longer alive, then the inivitable barage of questions regarding human immortality come rushing out of this curious little boy. As hard as you try, nothing is resolve so you leave the discussion there, then a few weeks later, your spouse calls you at work wanting any suggestions on how to calm a hysterical little boy because in the middle of playing with his legos he finally understands that people die, George died, Abraham died and yes everyone will die eventually, grandma, grandpa and yes even him. So you do your best to explain what the circle of life is all about. You then look upon your own life and how you have lived it so far. Are you happy? Did you make the right decisions? Did you chose the right mate? Did you always chose the right path? What if you didn't marry? These are common questions and experiences that we all share. The main merit of the book is Lightman's beautiful writing. I wouldn't call each chapter a vignette, infact he didn't need to divide this little brown black book into chapters, he could have just written it continously until he ran out of ideas. He didn't even have to have the gimmicky title"Einstien's Dreams" He could have just called it "Lightman's Dreams" I do have a bone to pick with the a reference to Einstien religous convictions in 3 May 1905 "I want to understand time because I want to get close to the Old One." Einstien was a well known athiest. His only God was the amazing beauty he saw in Science. He stated in a letter to a friend "If something is in me which can be called religious, then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as science can reveal it." ( an excerpt from Who's Who in Hell, compiled by Allen Smith), So in conclusion, I am not trashing this book, I think its a nice read, it is well written and it presents some really neat, cute ideas about time and our perception of it.

This short, highly imaginative novel by Cal Tech physicist Alan Lightman only pretends to be a work of fiction. In fact, it’s a penetrating look at the human experience through a series of Einstein’s dreams, each just a few pages. As Einstein’s subconscious works out the concept of time for his Special Theory of Relativity, each dream is a different take on time, which is actually a different perspective on life. Instead of presenting a philosophy, a sermon, or conclusions of analysis on how we ought to live, Lightman’s method takes no position on what’s right or wrong. As Joseph Campbell shows myths can tell the truth because they’re not “true,” so too, Lightman’s book is “just a fiction.” The ways of living found in each dream about people in Einstein’s little Swiss town may oppose other dream world views, contradict them, compliment or reinforce them, just like the nature and trajectory of individual human existence. Multiple times as I read this at a fireside campsite alone in a national forest I felt like Lightman pulled those tiny passing moments of joy, sorrow, regret, promise, thrill, shame and loss from my own life. Lightman shows there’s room for compassion for we creatures who pretend to be in control when the end is the same for everybody. Just the kind of book to consult whenever alone at another campsite in the wilderness.

I read this novel back in college and enjoyed it very much. For years I kept at least one copy handy so I could give it to a friend when the topic of this book came up (Often I was bringing it up). Now I have been in the workforce for almost 20 years, and my family of 5 keeps me running, so much so that I have little time to read. Remembering that this novel was essentially a series of vignettes on the concept of time (as a vehicle for some pretty insightful social commentary), I decided to pick up a copy, having given my last one away years ago. I may not have time (Yes...I see the irony) for a traditionally-written novel, but I can easily digest one of Lightman's chapters (and sometimes without interruption) in a short time frame. I am then left to ponder its point for the rest of the day. Lightman's expertise, somehow gracefully standing on that rickety bridge between the Sciences and the Humanities, makes for an ideal storyteller. His imagined worlds in Einstein's Dreams, some being more like our own world than others, challenge us to consider the laws of science, but also how we react to those laws. I highly recommend giving this book a try.

Imagine a world where you know when the world will end. Would you spend the rest of your life reading poetry, making love and taking vacations to exotic locations? Would you work furiously until the last second, when the earth dissolves into raindrops or melts from the heat of the sun? So many questions, so many ideas to turn into dreams of what time could be, what it actually is and what it might be in your future. As we find ourselves falling into time over the years, time seems to be racing by faster. Imagine a world where time is different for everyone, or is this already true? Almost every chapter in this book is a dream or a thoughtful consideration. There are moments of sublime beauty and unexpected humor. Visual paradise jumps out from the pages as you read vivid descriptions of worlds where time changes as constantly as the hands on a clock. Alan Lightman presents a journey into worlds where your life could either repeat in endless cycles or you could live your entire life in a day. The concept of being able to live three lives or more at once sounds wonderful because imagine the goals you could accomplish. The moment of stunning clarity came to me on page seventy. "There is a place where times stands still. Raindrops hang motionless in air. Pendulums of clocks float mid-swing." Alan Lightman is an artist with words and paints breathlessly beautiful images. Time could be a flock of birds or a movie rewinding endlessly into eternity past. After reading Einstein's Dreams you may feel you have lived in a dream. I recognized a number of my own philosophies of life and was amazed by the way Alan Lightman weaves dream-like contemplations into revelations of the philosophy of life itself. The time you spend reading Einstein's Dreams will seem far too short. This book is 4 ½ x 6 ½ and I recommend the hardcover edition. The cover is beautiful with golden chocolate brown and black backgrounds. The clock is printed in a shiny black ink and is much more impressive than the picture online. I must say this book impressed me and is much more an imprinting of impressions than a story with a specific plot and developed characters. The dreams of time are the main focus and the exploration of unique words will be exciting to anyone who enjoys climbing out of reality and searching for possibility in worlds of vivid words. ~The Rebecca Review P.S. Now that I'm over 50 I want to read this book again as time definitely is going by twice as fast as when I was 30!

Excellent read. The author takes us through a journey of imaginary snapshots of life in time.very interesting book. A must read

From 1903 to 1909, Albert Einstein worked as a technical assistant in the patent office in Bern, Switzerland. In 'Einstein's Dreams', Alan Lightman transports the reader back to this setting. It is late June, 1905. We are introduced to Einstein, who is about to send the manuscript of his new theory of time to the German journal of physics. The author then presents thirty short chapters - each a sort of thought experiment - in the form of a fictional dream journal exploring the theme of time. These episodes are punctuated by three 'interludes' featuring imagined conversations between Einstein and his real-life friend and colleague, Michele Besso. In each chapter, the reader is invited to imagine a world where time works in a particular way, and to consider the consequences. In one world, time is a perfect circle that repeats itself endlessly. In a different scenario, time stands still. Then time is a quality, not a quantity. We are even shown a place where time does not exist at all, and there are only images. Sometimes these visions of an alternative reality are described as abstract philosophical musings - in a world where people live forever, we suppose that there are those who will seek to cram as much as possible into their infinite existence (the 'Nows'), whilst others will procrastinate endlessly (the 'Laters'). In other worlds, the author presents vignettes - a couple whose love affair ends because time stops for an instant and changes their view of each other; or a mother and daughter planning a trip to Lucerne because they know that the world will end soon. Such a technical description of the book belies the beauty of the writing, however; to fully appreciate this, you will just have to read it yourself! You can either sit down and devour the book in one sitting, as I did when I first discovered the paperback edition in the late 90s. Since then, I have found it a great book for dipping into, as most of the chapters are self-contained. I'm delighted to have found this Kindle edition, which even retains the illustrations from the original paperback edition. Readers in search of a 'story' in the traditional sense may be disappointed, as there is no driving plot line here. Modern readers might almost describe it as a collection of flash fiction, with each short tale examining the same theme from a different angle. Hardcore scientists may prefer a more literal exposition of Einstein's achievements. What I believe all readers will find here, though, is a beautiful exploration of the nature of scientific discovery, the power of the human mind and the complexity of human existence. This review refers to the Kindle edition of 'Einstein's Dreams' downloaded on 5 September 2012.

I get such a kick reading the 1 or 2 star reviews because they simply don't get it; they're looking for a book of answers to scientific or philosophical questions. THIS IS NOT A BOOK OF ANSWERS; IT IS A BOOK OF IDEAS. I teach a high school humanities class with this book. We read a chapter (journal entry, really) or two, briefly research and discuss the theories/ideas of time presented within those few pages, and then write a response in a variety of forms such as a flash fiction piece, a brief personal essay, a journal entry, etc. Once the book has been completely read and the students have in turn written their own "Dreams" book, they print them, bind them, and create leather-bound books out of them (which we also craft ourselves). It is a book of ideas intended to prompt thought. What would like be like where time really like this? IS time really like this? Do I live my life this way, whereas I could or should live it another way? If one could understand the nature of Time, could one understand the nature of God? Do not expect to find any answers in this book. It is a fictional piece of poetic prose. Rather, expect to be prompted to think. They're not deep, mind-blowing, philosophical questions, they're practical questions with applicable answers.

Since the book is not actually what Einstein was thinking at the time, I found that this piece was a bit too fictional for my taste. Don't get me wrong, it may be a good book for someone who loves philosophy and science fiction at the same time. My grandpa will love it.

Several stories are written in relation to the universe descript by Einstein. It doesn't very clear how it works, but a sense of all exists. Every story explicates some particularities of the Einstein model. For example, the time can flows in a certain way, the events happen in according to same order. Then the narration goes away with a sure difficulty of approach. But the style of writing is good and it is possible to read with pleasure.