Einstein: His Life and Universe
Walter Issacson
***
A good read. Interesting details about early relationship with wife and family. He and his first wife had a daughter whom they later gave up for adoption, something no other biographies had revealed. More of a bohemian than I realized. Einstein never really collaborated in a deep way and, once he came up with his main ideas, became fixed on them.
Anthony Everitt
***
A fast moving account of Augustus's unlikely rise to power. Interesting elements:
- soldiers and citizens had allegiance to generals/leaders and not to state
- constant drive for top honors and unbridled competition between individuals prolonged Roman civil wars
- issues were rarely ideological between factions other than status differentiation between senate/aristocracy and commoners (and that wasn't even so simple)
- Augustus's determination to keep power in family led to it's dissolution (Tiberius renouncing role for TEN years)
- better understanding of Cleopatra and Anthony's alliance
A. J. Langguth
***
Having Read Gary Will's Henry Adams and the Making of America this was a good review for me and told via the biographies of the main characters. Wasn't as clear about Napoleon's machinations to force America into war with Britain, but a great retelling of the conflict between Napoleon and his brothers over the wisdom of selling Louisiana (He was in the bath and forcefully told them to bug off!)
Garry Wills
****
It's been a while since I read this, but it's essentially a summary and commentary of Adam's history of the US during Jefferson, Madison. Monroe presidencies. It gave me a much better understanding of world politics vis a vis the US during this period.
**
I read this book more for information to see what a little of my daughter's time in Sweden might be like. It's a very interesting part of the world with a complex and unusual society of Sami, Norwegian, Finnish, and Swedish cultures brewing together. Change is coming to the North and this book benchmarks the present with a good presentation of the past as well. That being said, the writing was good but not great. Pace was a little slow.