User:MMLewis001/sandbox/Einstein's Dreams

Einstein's Dreams is a 1992 biographical historical fiction novel by Alan Lightman. With a degree in creative writing and a Ph.D. in theoretical physics, Lightman had only previously written about science in essay collections and reviews when he began writing in 1981, over a decade prior to the publication of Einstein's Dreams. The novel was the first of six that Lightman wrote and was his way of combining his love for science with the arts. His outstanding writing skills and extensive knowledge of Einstein's scientific studies led to Einstein's Dreams being an international bestseller and was later translated into thirty languages. The novel has been used in numerous colleges and universities such as Harvard and Princeton, and in many cases for university-wide adoptions in "common-book" programs.

Plot
The novel follows the dreams of Albert Einstein as he once worked in a patent office in Switzerland during the year 1905. The entire plot takes place within a two-hour frame during a late day in June. Every dream is fictionalized as the young scientist worked on his theory of relativity. The dreams are possibilities humans have theorized at one point in time. The book consists of 30 chapters, each exploring one dream about the concept of time that Einstein had during this period. The framework of the book consists of a prelude, three interludes, and an epilogue. Einstein's friend, Michele Besso, appears in these sections. Each dream involves a conception of time. Some scenarios may involve exaggerations of true phenomena related to relativity, and some may be entirely fantastical. The book demonstrates the relationship each human being has to time, and thus spiritually affirms Einstein's theory of relativity.

The novel is sometimes cited as the source of the urban legend apocryphal "universal force" letter from Einstein to his daughter, Lieserl, but the novel does not contain the letter.

Characters
 Albert Einstein : Albert Einstein (1879-1955) was a German-born physicist and main character of the story. He created the theory of relativity and created the main pillars of science today. In the novel, he is depicted as a drained patent clerk who works nonstop on his scientific theory of time. During the novel's Interlude, his good friend Michele Besso describes him as silent, aloof, and distracted, though deeply caring and devoted. Einstein is highly independent. He works tirelessly to find new equations, doesn’t mind his appearance, and his relationship with his wife is nonexistent. Einstein often ponders over the thought of leaving his wife and child, and constantly avoids them, choosing instead to work or spend time with Michele and his wife.

 Mileva Einstein : Mileva Einstein (1875-1948) was a Serbian scientist, mathematician, and Albert Einstein's first wife. She is not a good housekeeper, and it is inferred that she is also not a good cook.

 Michele Besso : Michele Besso (1873-1955) was a Swiss/Italian engineer as well as Einstein's best friend and colleague. Besso also worked with him at the patent office. Besso often argued with Einstein as the physicist worked on his emerging theories, helping to shape them before they were finalized. Besso was the only individual Einstein credited as contributing to his theory of relativity. Besso also acted as a sounding board and confidant for Albert Einstein, and in the novel, he functions as a separate lens through which to view the fictional Einstein in his waking world. Einstein dines with Besso and his wife, Anna, has lunch with Besso at a café, and goes fishing with him. In each episode of the novel, Einstein hints that he is working on his theory of time or relativity, and also mentions his progress. But Besso thinks that "for such a recluse and an introvert, this passion for closeness seems odd." He also thinks that Einstein, who is only twenty-six years old, may be too young to come up with a theory of time. In a later interlude, Besso tells Einstein that once his theory is complete, they will go fishing again and Einstein can tell him about it. "When you become famous, you'll remember that you told me first, here in this boat," Besso says.

By contrast, Besso and his wife Anna seem to have a happy marriage. Besso's circumstances are used as a foil, or contrast, to Einstein's, thus serving to define Einstein's character rather than demonstrating his own. While fishing, Einstein asks Besso what he sees in the clouds. When Besso replies, "I see a goat chasing a man who is frowning," Einstein responds, "You are a practical man, Michele."

 Anna Besso : Anna Besso (1872-1944) is the wife of Michele Besso and friend of Albert. She often cooks dinner for both Besso and Einstein. It is presumed that Anna and Besso have no children, as no mention is made of any.

 Dream Figures : Intentionally left nameless, they stand for humanity and represent the different ways in which people relate to time. Their relationships, sorrow, hope, and fears figure heavily in each vignette, showing the everyday human experience. Rather than mimic each other through a beginning, middle, and end of a complete story, the reader is meant to view the Dream Figures as a group. Even though they are without names and appear and reappear randomly, Lightman makes it easy for the reader to identify with their hopes and fears regarding the ways in which time impacts their lives. They provide the human connection and identification that is needed to humanize Einstein's abstract and scientific concepts of time.

Themes
Time

His theories of time, begin to infiltrate his sleeping subconscious. Each dream world shows a different way time could function, from looping in on itself to forming its very own dimension. Einstein's theory of time predicts individuals are unpredictable whereas time is predictable. Times plays a huge role in how individuals go on with their day. Every decision made by an individual is the product of an individual wanting to control time. The idea of time is a complicated conception to try and make sense of. Even if time functions the same way for everyone, no two individuals will be able to experience time in the same way.

Furthermore, in his first dream, he asks the question that if time were a circle, would it then bend back and repeat itself endlessly? He then goes on to answer that question as yes as the rest of his dreams then follow the same pattern. Albert's home town sparked all of his theories because all homes and businesses were created differently, and stayed the same throughout all of his time there.

Free Will vs Destiny

Destiny is the predetermined fates in an individual's life. Whereas free will is the option or the ability to act upon one's opportunities that will, in the end, lead one to their own destiny. It's also the opportunities the individual does not take that steers that individual towards certain fates. If an individual realizes the consequences of one's actions, that individual will be obsessed with controlling time. Each Dream Figure experiences time differently and yearn for the possibilities other Dream Figures have even though they don't realize the consequences of their desired life. Individuals will be held accountable for their use of free will. It is impossible for individuals to seize every opportunity; therefore, no fate alone is guaranteed. Shortcuts in life do not exist; therefore, humans do not have the freedom to control their destinies. They must brace the unexpected and live in the moment.

Style
The book Einstein's Dreams was written completely with historical context. The style of the book is written in third person omniscient so that way as the reader goes through the book it is as if you are inside of Einstein's mind. This is the same for Einstein's friend Michele Besso within the story. The narrator of this book exposes each layer of reality to find the meaning within a reality that exists only within Einstein's brain and what he is about to do. The character of Einstein's friend and colleague, Michele Besso, gives the reader an outsider's point of view of Albert Einstein's life and work.

The mysterious workings of Einstein's mind are hidden to the outside world, including from his best friend Besso. However, the workings of Einstein's mind are not hidden from the reader because of the third person style the story is written in. This helps the reader work through his mind to understand just how his life influenced his dreams which later became a reality. This is why each of Albert's dreams reveals a little more about reality and time as the book gets closer to the end.

Background
This book has been set looking at the life of Albert Einstein and everything leading up to his greatest breakthrough in 1905. Critics saw this book as a re-creation of the centuries most influential scientists. Also, several critics see this as a tiny glimpse into Einstein's actual life. This brought up the feeling that the scanty view that is shown of Einstein is not enough to get the full effect solely on him. Furthermore, it being a short book at only 144 pages, makes it hard to put all of Einstein's achievements into such a short novel. Upon the ending of the book, many critiques wished it could go on and further regarding more on Einstein himself, as well as his daily life and some of the more personal aspects of what he went through leading up to his career. The book Einstein's Dreams overall has been considered fun, puzzling, intimate, elegant, inspiring, and one of the best non-fiction books about a historical figure to date.

Publication History
Einstein's Dreams was published in 1993 by Warner Bros. It is a novel that consists of 192 pages. The novel was first published as a paperback book. Einstein's Dreams became an instant critical and popular success, becoming an international bestseller. It has been translated into thirty languages. Einstein's Dreams hit the best-seller list, back in the early 1990s. The novel has been used many times throughout colleges and universities, causing it to be a "common-book" in programs. Over one hundred dance, video, musical productions, and independent theatrical has been based on Einstein's Dreams around the world. It is currently ranked #14,667 overall amongst Amazon Books, #45 in Biographical Historical Fiction, #33 in Time Travel Fiction, and #212 in Contemporary Literature & Fiction.

Stage Adaptations
Einstein's Dreams was first adapted for the stage by David Gardiner and Ralf Remshardt and was performed at the University of Florida in 1996. An off-off-Broadway production of this stage version ran briefly at the New York Fringe Festival in 2001. A musical adaptation of Einstein's Dreams, with book and lyrics by Joanne Sydney Lessner and music and lyrics by Joshua Rosenblum had its international debut in Lisbon in 2005. A concert performance of the Lessner-Rosenblum adaptation took place at Symphony Space in New York in 2009, starring John Bolton and Kate Shindle. The performance was a benefit fundraiser for the Harpswell Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded by Lightman, whose mission is to advance a new generation of women leaders in Southeast Asia. It has also been performed in Beijing (2009). In total, there have been two dozen theatre and musical productions since the novel's initial publication.

The Lessner-Rosenblum musical recently had its Off-Broadway premiere at New York's 59E59 Theaters in November 2019, produced by the Prospect Theater Company and directed by Cara Reichel.

Reception
The novel has received an influx of positive reviews since it’s publication, receiving an audience rating of 4.1/5 on Goodreads, a 4.2/5 from Barnes & Noble and a 94% positive rating from Google reviews. The New York Times' review of the book called it "Whimsical and meditative, playful and provocative...pulls the reader into a dream world like a powerful magnet. As in Calvino's work, the fantastical elements of the stories are grounded in precise, crystalline prose." Los Angeles Times' Richard Eder noted that "[Lightman] is an artist who paints with the notion of time...a provocative exploration of time's elusive nature." The Wall Street Journal' called it "thought-provoking...a delight to read." It was runner up for the 1994 L. L. Winship/PEN New England Award. Einstein's Dreams was also the March 1998 selection for National Public Radio's "Talk of the Nation" Book Club.

The novel has become a commonly reviewed piece among college publications, including Harvard's student-run newspaper, The Harvard Crimson. Lightman has, in turn, visited the prestigious university numerous times to discuss his novels. "After reading Einstein's Dreams, one feels disconcerted and confused," Sarah Schmidt, writer for The Harvard Crimson says shortly following the novel's publication. "Living in a world filled with uncertainties, time provides regularity and predictability. In Lightman's worlds, however, this is not true. Although these dreams only exist in the wonderful imagination of Lightman, one has to wonder if some of these visions hold true for this world as well." The novel has not only struck writers, but scientists as well. PhysicsCentral's Brain Jacobsmeyer calls the novel insightful, and "at minimum, it's a poetic primer on the very basis of special relativity. On a deeper level, there's a great deal to take from this book."