by Susan Mack, AIWC Düsseldorf
Marie Benedict’s The Other Einstein offers the chance to follow the life of a brilliant woman, Mitza Maric, whose own scientific merits were lost in husband Albert Einstein’s enormous shadow. In the early 20th century, Mitza was a brilliant physicist in her own right and her contribution to the theory of relativity is strongly debated. Was she simply an assistant and sounding board for Einstein or did she contribute something much more which was, as was the case for many professional women at the time, attributed to a man? You decide.
I found this book to be fascinating in so many ways. Firstly, you have to admire the courage of a young woman from Eastern Europe who decides to leave home to study physics at an elite Zurich university with only male students. When fellow student Albert Einstein takes an interest in her, Mitza is faced with the all-too-common dilemma for women, namely how to balance her professional and private aspirations. Benedict’s portrayal of Mitza’s challenges, struggles, heartbreaks and triumphs made this a you-won’t-want-to-put-it-down book for me.
The Education Team recommends this book as it provides fantastic insight into the life of one pioneering woman in STEM. Touching on our other teams, this book also offers commentary on the discrimination against foreigners as well as the antisemitism (Albert Einstein was Jewish) which was so prevalent in that era.
