“I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.” While many might argue with Albert Einstein’s modest assessment of his abilities, Marfé Delano’s engaging biography clearly conveys that it was his passionate curiosity that drove him to make extraordinary discoveries about the universe. As a child bored by the rigid, rote learning emphasized in most German schools, Einstein focused his energy on the things he cared about, especially math and science. As a young adult, he worked a job in a patent office and did his scientific research in his spare time. His greatest discoveries—his two theories of relativity (yes, two—clearly explained so that the essence of each is understandable)—were made before he was 40, but he continued to pursue other theories for the rest of his life, always driven by the desire to understand. Other passions drove Einstein as well, among them pacifism and the need for tolerance. Readers will discover how Einstein saw the world, and to some extent how the world saw Einstein, in this beautifully designed volume that features many black-and-white photographs of Einstein, often accompanied by his inspiring quotes about the nature of his beliefs, or set against the backdrop of his work. (Ages 10–13)

This photobiography of Albert Einstein publishes to coincide with the year that marks the 100th anniversary of what has been described as Einstein's "miraculous year" and the 50th anniversary of his death. In 1905 Einstein published three important papers describing ideas that changed science forever and eventually had an effect on much of modern life. The most famous of these ideas was his theory of relativity, which took a startling new approach to space and time. In signature National Geographic photobiography format, author Marfe Ferguson Delano covers the life and times of Einstein from his childhood to his death, with a particular emphasis on his scientific contributions. She draws connections between Einstein's ideas and modern technology, so that kids can see how his theories led to technologies they take for granted. She discusses Einstein's theory on the structure of light, in which he theorized that light behaved not only like a wave but also like a stream of particles, providing the basis for television, lasers, and semiconductors. Einstein's theory of relativity paved the way for the atomic bomb and opened up an understanding of many things, from the Big Bang to black holes. Ferguson Delano discusses the power of Einstein's ideas, and their influence not only on science but on art, music, and even literature and politics. She places Einstein in context as a world figure and discusses the causes he supported, including nuclear disarmament and civil liberties. And she provides the context of world events as they affected Einstein's life, including the rise of Hitler and World War II. Running text, raised quotes, and extraordinary archival photographs all stunningly designed and handsomely produced make this entry in the National Geographic photobiography series one of the most attractive and compelling yet. The publication date will coincide with celebration of Einstein's life and achievements. In recognition of Einstein's ideas and his influence on modern life, the year 2005 has been declared the "World Year of Physics" (WYP) by such organizations as the American Institute of Physics, the American Physical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers, and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics. The theme for the WYP celebration in the U.S. is "Einstein in the 21st Century." Organizers are planning large-scale national projects, including a poster contest for elementary school students. Other planned events can be found at http://www.physics2005.org/events