It took me some time to find a copy of this book. I checked the bookstores in the Philippines since last year and found none, and even from bookstores in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, no success. Until a staff from Magrudy’s offered to order it online for no extra charge, I exclaimed Eureka. For that one reason + other things, Magrudy’s is now my favorite bookstore in UAE.
Einstein’s Dreams is a novel by Alan Lightman. In this modern classic, a fictional collage of stories dreamed by Albert Einstein was narrated. He was working then in a patent office in Switzerland.
Between April 14, 1904 to June 28, 1905, while drafting his theory of relativity, Einstein dreamed of many possible worlds:
- Suppose time is a circle, bending back on itself. The world repeats itself, precisely, endlessly.
- Wherein time is like a flow of water, occasionally displaced by a bit of debris, a passing breeze.
- Time has three dimensions, like space. Such people are content to live in contradictory worlds, so long as they know the reason for each.
- A mechanical and body time.
Where the two times meet, desperation. Where the two times go their separate ways, contentment. For, miraculously, a barister, a nurse, a baker can make a world in either time. but not in both times. Each time is true, but the truths are not the same.
- Where future and past are entwined.
It is a world of impulse. It is a world of sincerity. It is a world in which every word spoken speaks just to that moment, every glance given has only one meaning, each touch has no past or no future, each kiss is a kiss of immediacy.
- A world where time passes, but little happens.
If time and the passage of events are the same, then time moves barely at all. If time and events are not the same, then it is only people who barely move. If a person hold no ambition in this world, he suffers unknowingly. If a person holds ambition, he suffers knowingly but very slowly.
- A time where no one is happy, whether stuck in a time of pain or of joy.
- A place where time stands still.
- A world without memory is the world of the present.
- A world in which people live only one day. In either case, a man or woman sees one sunrise, one sunset.
- A world where time is a sense.
- Suppose people live forever. Over time, some have determined that the only way to live is to die.
- Suppose that time is not a quantity but quality.
- A world where time is a local phenomenon.
This book is brilliant. At first glance it may appear like a fast read. But you have to think that you are actually in ‘each world’ (each chapter) to be more captivated and delighted. It is supposedly about metaphysics. But it turned out to be a romantic and oh so-poetic novel. Weird, but I can see myself re-reading it soon. That’s how much I did like it.
0 thoughts on “Einstein’s Dreams”
kayni
This book sounds interesting. I like “the only way to live is to die” for how can you really experience death without living? I’d like to read this book, but right now, all I can think of is just get more sleep =(. I feel pretty tired from our recent weekend trip. Be posting photos soon =). Hope all is well.
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sheng
Hay naku, I have a lot of books in queue pa talaga, and what you have in your hands is one I would love to get for myself too. Sana meron din niyan dito sa Pinas. I would love to browse it over.
shengs last blog post..What Happened at The Wedding
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BlogusVox
Hmm… this book captured my interest. I think I’ll look for it when I go home sa Pinas. Not only that, Einstein is one of the three people I admire.
BlogusVoxs last blog post..Prisoners of Our Own Device
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witsandnuts
@Kayni: It’s a great read. I’ve checked you Grand Canao post, that must have felt like being home.
@Sheng: Try to read it when there’s a chance. You’ll like it. I’ve got books in queue also. =)
@BlogusVox: Einstein is very interesting. I’ll try to blog about a few stuff on his personal life mentioned in the book. I hope they now have a copy in ‘Pinas. I didn’t find any last year.
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odette
you are in abu dhabi? i stopped over for like 6 agonizing hours, not much comfortable chairs to sit, too bad. i hope the new airport operates soon, i like flying with etihad, modern and the rate is really affordable. but i was amazed with all the filipinos, from the ground personnel, to the airport staff, to shop attendants, to cabin crews in etihad! i felt so at home. 🙂
odettes last blog post..a personal diary, read if you must
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witsandnuts
Yeah. When was that stop over? I’m not sure if it’s already the new airport when I came in last January. I never got to stay too long at the airport (only at the baggage claim counter). Flying with Etihad is good. But I’d be flying with Cathay Pacific this December ’cause I’m planning for a few days stop over in HK and Macau. Let me know if you’ll be in Abu Dhabi again. =)
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Alex
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you down the road!
Alexs last blog post..Russia and Georgia
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bw
Thanks for the tip. I will buy this book 🙂
bws last blog post..A Matter of Privacy
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