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Favorite books of Albert Einstein (With reading tips)

The world of books can be overwhelming to the casual reader. Still, for those who are truly interested in the subject, like the genius Albert Einstein, the world of books can be full of fascinating discoveries. Let’s enter his world and know more about the favorite books of geniuses like him wanted to read.


Albert Einstein and his Favorite Books

Albert Einstein was a genius. He was a pioneer in his field. But he also had a passion for books. Even while he was a student, he would spend his free time reading newspapers and books. While he was a professor at the university, he would often read while he was researching his work. He also loved to read about science and history.

Here are some of his favorite books:

  • Miguel de Cervantes’ “Don Quixote – is an 18th-century Spanish novel written and is considered one of the best novels in the Spanish language and the best known of Cervantes’ works. It is also considered to be one of the masterpieces of world literature. It was stated in Einstein’s biography about how much he loved this novel that he reads it for relaxation. (Check price on Amazon.com)
  • David Hume’s “A Treatise of Human Nature”The way we perceive the world and the things we do in it can be very different from how others perceive them. As a result of this, we often form opinions about things before we understand them, and we can also easily get trapped in our own minds. This is where David Hume, a Scottish philosopher from the 18th Century, comes in. Hume was a very influential thinker in the history of philosophy, and his book “A Treatise of Human Nature” is a philosophical masterpiece that takes a critical look at the human mind. (Check price on Amazon.com)
  • Books written by author Johann von Goethe – Albert Einstein was an avid reader in all genres, but he especially loved the works of Johann von Goethe. The two had a close relationship in which Einstein would send information in return. He even translated a section of Goethe’s unfinished play, The Sorrows of Young Werther. Some of his other favorite authors included Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, both of whom he read in the original English. (Check on Amazon.com)
  • Ernst Mach “Analysis of Sensations”The field of philosophy has typically been associated with the study of concepts, but there are also those who study the human mind. Such was the case of Ernst Mach, who studied the subject of physiology. His studies on the topic were published in his book “Analysis of Sensations” in 1883, but thanks to the advent of modern science, it is now considered a classic of science literature. (Check price on Amazon.com)
  • Baruch Spinoza’s “Ethics” – Spinoza was a Dutch philosopher of Jewish origin who is considered to be one of the greatest thinkers of all time. His work revolutionized the understanding of political philosophy by merging the ideas of the Enlightenment with the classic Jewish wisdom of the Talmud. (Check price on Amazon.com)

Albert Einstein may be the smartest person who ever lived, but he also had a love of books. He was a voracious reader and kept a personal library of approximately 1,500 volumes. Prior to his death, he made a file folder for his book list.


Read Like a Genius

Other geniuses like Stephen Hawking, Elon Musk, and even Bill Gates also have a list of their favorite books. These books played a big part in one’s life and career. It influences their views on various things. Well, Geniuses are people who have an incredible ability to learn. The process of learning can be quite distinct from the process of common mortals. It is almost as if they have a special connection to knowledge that they can’t fathom.

If you want to read like those geniuses have done, aside from reading their favorite books, here are the following tips that you can consider to improve your reading skills just like them:

  • Familiarize yourself with the author of the book before reading it. When you read a book before you start, you will come to know the author easily. This is because you will know what kind of person the writer is. When you know what kind of person the author is, you will be able to relate to the story more easily.
  • Know your purpose for reading. If you want to learn how to read like a genius, you have to have a purpose when reading. That purpose can be anything. Reading can teach you many things, but it can also help you discover your purpose in life. By reading, you can discover how to become the person you want to be, learn about yourself, and how to reach your goals.
  • Opt for a relaxing atmosphere for better reading indulgence. One of the most important elements in a good read is a comfortable atmosphere. If a book makes you feel like you’re in the middle of a storm, it’s going to be a lot harder for you to concentrate. Conversely, if you’re in a stress-free environment, you’ll be more likely to understand the book as a whole. Bright lights, dark colors, or backlighting can create an effect on your mind as well.
  • Skimming. Everyone is sure you’ve all heard of the ability to read faster because you can skim the material. But what is really good at skimming the material is the only thing that will make you read faster – it’s your ability to understand the material. Even when you can read faster than normal, you will still be able to understand the material if you read it in the proper way.
  • Finish reading those books that are worthy of finishing. A book is like a meal: you can pick it up when you’re hungry, but you have to finish it before you can have a second helping. In order to fully savor the experience, you have to read it from start to finish. You can’t just devour it in bits and pieces, then pick it up again a month or two later.

When we say we learn best from something we can relate to, we’re not kidding. The beauty of reading is that we can read about the same things we’re interested in and learn about them from a different perspective. Reading gives us a way to connect with other people who have thought about the same things we have. If our goal is to become a genius at something, reading books about geniuses is a great way to get a perspective on what makes them so smart.