The Practical Einstein

A lesser-known aspect of Einstein’s incredible contribution to understanding the physical universe and human creations makes up the subject of this fascinating book… In this compact, readable account, one discovers Einstein’s practical interests that lay beyond his seminal work in relativity and quantum physics… Highly recommended. Choice One turns to Jozsef Illy’s lovely little book on Einstein the experimenter and inventor… With a lean and matter-of-fact prose, he takes us through a long history of such things as Einstein’s many expert opinions on everything from gyrocompasses and pile drivers to an ‘electrophonic piano’ and a makeup mirror. We learn about Einstein’s own inventions, ranging from an airfoil and a refrigerator to an altimeter and a light-intensity self-adjusting camera. The book concludes with the most complete history ever written of Einstein’s work for the US Navy during World War II on magnetic-influence proximity fuses for torpedoes. – Don Howard Physics Today Einstein’s papers reveal a down-to-earth side. Learn about his inventions and ideas, including waterproof breathable clothes and an explanation for rivers’ meanderings. Science News A must for any Einstein historian and refreshing reading for anyone interested in the meanderings of a great scientist, The Practical Einstein is a special book. Enjoy! – Adriana Palffy Contemporary Physics This short but well-documented book is not a radical evaluation, but an engaging one. It suggests a more human and more ‘hands-on’ Einstein than the popular myth, and perhaps a better role model: his career of mixed productivity, eclectic interests, consulting work and brief enthusiasms may be recognizable to more than a few contemporary scientists. – Sean Johnston British Journal for the History of Science

Jozsef Illy is a visiting senior editor with the Einstein Papers Project and a visiting associate in history at the California Institute of Technology. He is the editor of Albert Meets America: How Journalists Treated Genius during Einstein’s 1921 Travels, also published by Johns Hopkins.