summary ofEinsteinBook by Walter Isaacson

second KEY POINT

A tale of youth and curiosity

Einstein’s development as a child was slow. He didn’t use words until he was over two years old and had to practice everything before speaking aloud. He thought in pictures and later described them in words.His parents were of Jewish descent and lived in the rural villages of Swabia in southwestern Germany. His family valued education and were irreligious. This background nurtured independent thinking in Albert. His father, Hermann, was born in the Swabian village of Buchau in 1847. His mother, Pauline Koch, was 11 years younger than his father but had a strong personality that matched his father’s passivity.Einstein was born in Ulm on March 14, 1879, at 11:30 am. A year later, the family moved to Munich. His only sibling, Maria (called Maja), was born in November 1881, and they grew to become soul mates.He was a loner and spent more time meditating than playing games with his cousins and other children that often visited their backyard. He relished puzzles and the erection of complex structures with his toy building set. He had temper tantrums which he outgrew later in life.During childhood, he was fascinated with a compass whose needle was controlled by an invisible force field. Einstein later stated that this experience made a lasting impression on him. He became devoted to field theories.The boy never liked to cram. He considered mathematical problems as something that he could apply in everyday life. And although he knew how to compose complex equations, for him, they were primarily a way to designate the magic of nature.Einstein showed an inclination to systematize rather than the ability to empathize while growing up. He loved music and played the violin often.

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