Albert Einsteins brain floats in a Tupperware bowl in a gray duffel bag in the trunk of a Buick Skylark barreling across America. Driving the car is journalist Michael Paterniti. Sitting next to him is an eighty-four-year-old pathologist named Thomas Harvey; who performed the autopsy on Einstein in 1955 -- then simply removed the brain and took it home. And kept it for over forty years. On a cold February day; the two men and the brain leave New Jersey and light out on I-70 for sunny California; where Einsteins perplexed granddaughter; Evelyn; awaits. And riding along as the imaginary fourth passenger is Einstein himself; an id-driven genius; the original galactic slacker with his head in the stars. Part travelogue; part memoir; part history; part biography; and part meditation; Driving Mr. Albert is one of the most unique road trips in modern literature.
#3001727 in eBooks 2013-07-16 2013-07-16File Name: B00DPSK06I
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Not what I expectedBy Cat on a PC©I was expecting a book along the lines of Skyscraper: The Making of a Building by Karl Sabbagh. It tells the story of the construction of Worldwide Plaza. However; there is really very little in Tauranacs book about actually building; with only one chapter devoted to the actual construction. A shame; really; as some of the techniques used were pioneering at the time.This is not to say that this is not a good book. It does give an overall history of the development of the urban landscape in Manhattan during this period. If youre looking for a book about the era that produced a landmark building; then this is the book to get. However; if youre looking for something about the Empire State Building detailing its actual construction; then you wont find it here.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. An excellent book about a monumental project -- with only one flaw.By Harlan LeboThis is a superb book -- an extremely readable account of the building of Americas greatest skyscraper. The only flaw in the book is that in an otherwise crystal-clear book; Tauranac uses too many terms from architecture and construction without explaining them. The book is still perfectly appropriate for a lay audience; but it would have been even better if I had the context that understanding these terms would provide.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Early days of the Boom in Manhattan!By WBJJVery interesting and enjoyable for the most part. May be too detailed for some readers ( thus only four stars); but it is non fiction and informative regarding the early New Yorkers making their fortunes.