Shocking Facts About Einstein
When the World was Flat (and we were in love) is based around a reimagining of
Albert Einstein’s decision not to accept a potentially life-saving operation.
I am not going to go into details, because that would involve giving away
spoilers, but I would love to tell you a bit about my research into Einstein.
I not only researched his theories for my novel, but also his life. Today, I have
compiled a list of the top five most shocking facts I read about Einstein, some of
which I mention in When the World was Flat (and we were in love).
1. He married his cousin
Yep. How very Downton Abbey. His cousin was also not his first wife. She was his second. Scandalous! His first wife was college sweetheart Mileva Maric, who he married in 1904 and divorced after a long separation in 1919. Later that year, he married his cousin and divorcee Elsa Loewenthal (which was her married name, as her maiden name was Einstein). They were first cousins through their mothers and second cousins through their fathers. They do look very happy together in photos though.
2. He had a secret illegitimate daughter
Einstein had two sons with his first wife Maric. However, scholars recently discovered they had a daughter before they were married, who they called Lieserl. Not much is known about Lieserl, as children born outside of wedlock were usually kept under wraps in those days. It is believed she either died of scarlet fever or was put up for adoption.
3. He blamed himself for the first atomic bomb
In 1939, Einstein wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt suggesting that the U.S. should build an atomic bomb before Germany. The letter led to the development of the atomic bombs ‘Little Boy’ and ‘Fat Man,’ which were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, killing more than
200,000 people. Einstein, who considered himself a pacifist, later described his letter to President
Roosevelt as his greatest regret.
4. He was expelled from school
Einstein went to a school called Luitpold-Gymnasium in Munich from 1888, but was reportedly expelled in 1894 for being “disruptive and affecting the other students” and left without a diploma. I read that he had been scheming to leave anyway and had secured a doctor’s certificate citing a nervous breakdown if he did not return to his parents, who had moved to Italy. I also read that he failed his college entry exams, but I am not sure about that, as there is a lot of misinformation about Einstein.
5. His brain has been used for scientific research
Einstein passed away on April 18 rupture of an aneurysm, which had previously been operated on. He refused a potentially life-saving operation, saying it was his time. The pathologist removed his brain within eight hours of his death for scientific study into his genius. There is debate around whether this was done with the permission of the family, although apparently his son agreed after the fact on the 18th, 1955, from internal bleeding caused by the condition that the research only be published in journals of high-standing. The findings are contradictory, but it seems to be agreed that he had unusual
brain anatomy. In 2012, a new study was published in the journal Brain, stating: Although the overall size and asymmetrical shape of Einstein's brain were normal, the prefrontal, somatosensory, primary motor, parietal, temporal and occipital cortices were extraordinary.
Looking back, I wonder if I had an inkling that my life was about to go from ordinary to extraordinary.
When sixteen-year-old Lillie Hart meets the gorgeous and mysterious Tom Windsor-Smith for the first time, it’s like fireworks — for her, anyway. Tom looks as if he would be more interested in watching paint dry; as if he is bored by her and by her small Nebraskan town in general.
But as Lillie begins to break down the walls of his seemingly impenetrable exterior, she starts to suspect that he holds the answers to her reoccurring nightmares and to the impossible memories which keep bubbling to the surface of her mind — memories of the two of them, together and in love.
When she at last learns the truth about their connection, Lillie discovers that Tom has been hiding an earth-shattering secret; a secret that is bigger — and much more terrifying and beautiful — than the both of them. She also discovers that once you finally understand that the world is round, there is no way to make it flat again.
An epic and deeply original sci-fi romance, taking inspiration from Albert Einstein’s theories and the world-bending wonder of true love itself.
About the Author:
Ingrid Jonach writes books for children and young adults, including the chapter books The Frank Frankie and Frankie goes to France published by Pan Macmillan, and When the World was Flat (and we were in love) published by Strange Chemistry.
Since graduating from university with a Bachelor of Arts in Professional Writing (Hons) in 2005, Ingrid has worked as a journalist and in public relations, as well as for the Australian Government.
Ingrid loves to promote reading and writing, and has been a guest speaker at a number of schools and literary festivals across Australia, where she lives with her husband Craig and their pug dog Mooshi.
Despite her best efforts, neither Craig nor Mooshi read fiction.
Find out more at www.ingridjonach.com
Giveaway Details
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There will be two winners worldwide. Each prize package includes:
• a signed copy of When the World was Flat (and we were in love)
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• a When the World was Flat (and we were in love) bookmark.
The competition will run until 21 October 2013 and the winners will be
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