THE OTHER EINSTEIN is a novel...a historical fiction about
the wife of Albert Einstein, the brilliant scientist. In
1896, Mileva "Mitza" Maric traveled to Zurich from Zagreb,
Croatia to attend the Federal Polytechnic University where
she would study Physics and Mathematics. Only five other
women had ever been invited to attend the school.
Extraordinarily gifted in Physics and especially
Mathematics, Mileva dreamed of becoming a teacher. Arriving
at the Uni, Mileva met her professor, Heinrich Weber, and
her five male classmates. A cold reception from all but one
who had wild, curly hair and gave her a smile. He introduced
himself as Mr. Einstein and they slowly became friends. He
doggedly pursued her, even followed her to her lodging. When
he discovered Mileva and her roommates took part in a music
hour before dinner each night, he barged in with his violin.
Although he was pushy and rude, their relationship continued
to grow. Einstein introduced her to his friends who met at a
cafe to discuss the newest scientific findings. Mileva was
accepted and part of his group.
Neither family approved of the relationship between Mileva
and Einstein. They sneaked away for a weekend together to
Lake Como, Italy. Sightseeing, lavish dinners too much
wine, and sex happen. Not long after their stolen weekend,
Mileva discovered she was pregnant. This was not Einstein
wanted and although he promised to marry her, Mileva returns
home and has their baby daughter with the help of her mother
and father. Einstein never saw his daughter who later dies
of scarlet fever. He encourages Mileva to join him in
Zurich. They marry and have two sons. Mileva contributes to
his scientific investigations, but Einstein refuses to
credit her for her help. Bored being a housewife, marriage
disintegrates and the marriage disintegrates and they
divorce.
Marie Benedict shines the spotlight on Mileva Maric, while
she paints a rich portrait of a brilliant woman who lost her
dream when she marries the wrong man. His promise of a
bohemian life together with shared scientific investigation
was just talk. He wanted a housewife to cook and clean for
him and take care of their two sons. He found female
companionship elsewhere and wanted her to just leave him
alone. Einstein is not seen in a positive light in this
story. I found him to be cold, calculating, selfish, and his
treatment of his wife was heartbreaking. How much is the
truth? It is fiction. A haunting story that I enjoyed but
left me with so many questions and praise for Ms. Benedict.
Well done.
In the tradition of The Paris Wife and Mrs. Poe, The
Other Einstein offers us a window into a brilliant,
fascinating woman whose light was lost in Einstein's
enormous shadow. It is the story of Einstein's wife, a
brilliant physicist in her own right, whose contribution
to the special theory of relativity is hotly debated and
may have been inspired by her own profound and very
personal insight.
Mitza Maric has always been a little different from other
girls. Most twenty-year-olds are wives by now, not
studying physics at an elite Zurich university with only
male students trying to outdo her clever calculations.
But Mitza is smart enough to know that, for her, math is
an easier path than marriage. And then fellow student
Albert Einstein takes an interest in her, and the world
turns sideways. Theirs becomes a partnership of the mind
and of the heart, but there might not be room for more
than one genius in a marriage.
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