Book summary

Letters between Einstein and his first wife, made public in 1986, revealed that they had a daughter one year before they married. After contracting an illness, the 1-year old Lieserl--who was raised by relatives and hidden from society--virtually disappeared. After a five-year investigation, the author offers conclusions on Lieserl's fate, and reflects on the historical and cultural implications of her parents' actions.

Media reviews

"Helped by small grants and loans, Zackheim set off on her five-year quest for Lieserl, crisscrossing Switzerland, Germany, England, Hungary and especially Serbia....The result is a colorful glimpse of rural Serbian culture, with its patrimonial society, strong family loyalties, female subservience, slow, leisurely discourse....Zackheim will be adding, the popular re-evaluation of Einstein that is slowly catching up with the scholarly revelations. Knowing Lieserl's fate, of course, doesn't make much difference when it comes to Einstein's science....But it is critical for cultural iconography. Einstein reshaped our view of the universe. That he was a flawed human being is not only fascinating in a tabloid sort of way but reassuring as well. It makes our heroes, even those of unfathomable genius, seem a little more like us."