Einstein: 2a Life in Science

The authors' second in a series of ``life in science'' biographies, after Stephen Hawking , is aimed more toward the general reader than the specialist; a slightly didactic tone even suggests a young adult audience. Although Gribbin and White do not avoid real physics, nor the corollary metaphysics that give their subject his iconic halo, their examination of Einstein's (1879-1955) life and career makes for considerably less rigorous reading than Abraham Pais's Subtle Is the Lord , which, published in 1982, is the most recent full Einstein biography. Purposefully directing themselves to examine the origins of Einstein's contributions (``If you want to know how often Einstein brushed his teeth, you will not find the answer in our book''), the authors have crafted a deft invitation to further reading. (Mar.)