4 ms·

The night I Met Einstein

87 points by digamber_kamat 17y ago

lambdom 17y ago
Already posted some time ago but still a beautiful story that I enjoyed (re)reading : )
RiderOfGiraffes 17y ago
A brilliant article with many lessons. Some of the comments from last time it was submitted are interesting: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=589608 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=589608 Another story about Einstein is told by a small girl who sees an apparently crazy man standing in a public square in front of a fountain waving his hands in front of his face. He turned to her and said: "See! If you wave them at the right speed and look through your fingers, you can make the droplets stand still!" That's the story that has always stuck with me, the delight in simple, elementary techniques to reveal things that otherwise can't be seen. The story of progressing from the simple through phases to greater and greater complexity is also of value. Oldie, goodie, and definitely worth remembering.
- JacobAldridge 17y ago
  If you haven't already, I recommend reading a book called Mister God, This is Anna by Fynn - http://www.amazon.com/Mister-God-This-Anna-Fynn/dp/0345327225 http://www.amazon.com/Mister-God-This-Anna-Fynn/dp/034532722... A whole book of learning and wonder and beauty. If it doesn't make you cry, read it again.
- barrkel 17y ago
  Heh. I used to use that trick when I was a kid, to see the refresh rate of the television.
fizx 17y ago
This story seems too perfect to be true.
- oliveoil 17y ago
  I don't believe it either. Readers digest oozes out of its every sentence.
  - MikeCapone 17y ago
    > Readers digest oozes out of its every sentence. Definitely in the way it's told. But that doesn't automatically mean that the story isn't true. I'm sure RD could report on Barack Obama's election and make you doubt it really happened..
- noonespecial 17y ago
  I've seen it a couple of times over the years and always wondered. Its not on snopes either way. Think I'll submit it and let them sort it out.
  - ErrantX 17y ago
    That would be cool! But also a disappointment. I've always read it under the assumption it isn't true - but that it's such a wonderful story Im going ot pretend it is anyway :)
    - wallflower 17y ago
      Someone on the previous thread did some good research. I believe it's golden. Yes, RD does occasionally publish fiction but I believe, without heading to my city library's microfiche archives, that it is true. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=591165 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=591165 "3 points by gry 289 days ago | link Seems on the up and up to me. Originally published in 1955 in the Reader's Digest by Jerome Weidman. The table of contents are highlighted in this eBay posting, corroborating the byline." Updated Ebay auction search for November 1955 Reader's Digest, see the TOC image from [updated] ebay listing: "The Night I Met Einstein by Jerome Weidman . . . . . .61 http://cgi.ebay.com/Readers-Digest-November-1955_W0QQitemZ380204103352QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMagazines?hash=item5885ee36b8 http://cgi.ebay.com/Readers-Digest-November-1955_W0QQitemZ38...
dan-kruchinin 17y ago
Very interesting story. Thanks.
ivenkys 17y ago
Very nice read but is it true ? It seems for want of a better word - just too pat.
iBercovich 17y ago
Beautiful story-- I love Einstein. This reminds me of this awesome book:http://bit.ly/cprbVP http://bit.ly/cprbVP
- ramchip 17y ago
  Link routes me back here. You probably want to avoid bit.ly too, since HN shortens URLs anyway.
  - iBercovich 17y ago
    Sorry, here you go: http://www.amazon.com/Driving-Mr-Albert-America-Einsteins/dp/0385333005 http://www.amazon.com/Driving-Mr-Albert-America-Einsteins/dp...
gruseom 17y ago
It's hard to tell if this is authentic or not. It's easy to confirm (e.g. by Google Book Search) that it was published in Reader's Digest by Jerome Weidman in 1955. What's not clear is whether the incident ever happened or to what extent Weidman embellished it. I wouldn't hold the style of the piece against it; everything in Reader's Digest is like that, or used to be, and 1955 was probably a good year for smarm. On the other hand, "it appeared in Reader's Digest" isn't much evidence of anything.
10ren 17y ago
Sheep May Safely Graze http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jEXDPzqo2g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jEXDPzqo2g A modern version of this story could include links to all 12 recordings, so you could follow along at home, as if with your own personal Einstein. It makes me think that the internet must be helping to accelerate technological advancement, singularity-style. Although, it might be mainly at the dissemination stage, rather than the cutting-edge. And... the same thing was probably thought of for television... Of course, the key ingredients here are not informational resources - but someone who is profoundly interested in your growth, who is profoundly capable, and... someone you'll actually listen to.
gsk 17y ago
Denis Brian relates this incident in the book 'Einstein, a life', if my memory serves right. I believe it is true.

Already posted some time ago but still a beautiful story that I enjoyed (re)reading : )

A brilliant article with many lessons. Some of the comments from last time it was submitted are interesting: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=589608 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=589608 Another story about Einstein is told by a small girl who sees an apparently crazy man standing in a public square in front of a fountain waving his hands in front of his face. He turned to her and said: "See! If you wave them at the right speed and look through your fingers, you can make the droplets stand still!" That's the story that has always stuck with me, the delight in simple, elementary techniques to reveal things that otherwise can't be seen. The story of progressing from the simple through phases to greater and greater complexity is also of value. Oldie, goodie, and definitely worth remembering.

JacobAldridge 17y ago
If you haven't already, I recommend reading a book called Mister God, This is Anna by Fynn - http://www.amazon.com/Mister-God-This-Anna-Fynn/dp/0345327225 http://www.amazon.com/Mister-God-This-Anna-Fynn/dp/034532722... A whole book of learning and wonder and beauty. If it doesn't make you cry, read it again.
barrkel 17y ago
Heh. I used to use that trick when I was a kid, to see the refresh rate of the television.

fizx 17y ago

This story seems too perfect to be true.

oliveoil 17y ago
I don't believe it either. Readers digest oozes out of its every sentence.
- MikeCapone 17y ago
  > Readers digest oozes out of its every sentence. Definitely in the way it's told. But that doesn't automatically mean that the story isn't true. I'm sure RD could report on Barack Obama's election and make you doubt it really happened..
noonespecial 17y ago
I've seen it a couple of times over the years and always wondered. Its not on snopes either way. Think I'll submit it and let them sort it out.
- ErrantX 17y ago
  That would be cool! But also a disappointment. I've always read it under the assumption it isn't true - but that it's such a wonderful story Im going ot pretend it is anyway :)
  - wallflower 17y ago
    Someone on the previous thread did some good research. I believe it's golden. Yes, RD does occasionally publish fiction but I believe, without heading to my city library's microfiche archives, that it is true. http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=591165 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=591165 "3 points by gry 289 days ago | link Seems on the up and up to me. Originally published in 1955 in the Reader's Digest by Jerome Weidman. The table of contents are highlighted in this eBay posting, corroborating the byline." Updated Ebay auction search for November 1955 Reader's Digest, see the TOC image from [updated] ebay listing: "The Night I Met Einstein by Jerome Weidman . . . . . .61 http://cgi.ebay.com/Readers-Digest-November-1955_W0QQitemZ380204103352QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMagazines?hash=item5885ee36b8 http://cgi.ebay.com/Readers-Digest-November-1955_W0QQitemZ38...

dan-kruchinin 17y ago

Very interesting story. Thanks.

ivenkys 17y ago

Very nice read but is it true ? It seems for want of a better word - just too pat.

iBercovich 17y ago

Beautiful story-- I love Einstein. This reminds me of this awesome book:http://bit.ly/cprbVP http://bit.ly/cprbVP

ramchip 17y ago
Link routes me back here. You probably want to avoid bit.ly too, since HN shortens URLs anyway.
- iBercovich 17y ago
  Sorry, here you go: http://www.amazon.com/Driving-Mr-Albert-America-Einsteins/dp/0385333005 http://www.amazon.com/Driving-Mr-Albert-America-Einsteins/dp...

gruseom 17y ago

It's hard to tell if this is authentic or not. It's easy to confirm (e.g. by Google Book Search) that it was published in Reader's Digest by Jerome Weidman in 1955. What's not clear is whether the incident ever happened or to what extent Weidman embellished it. I wouldn't hold the style of the piece against it; everything in Reader's Digest is like that, or used to be, and 1955 was probably a good year for smarm. On the other hand, "it appeared in Reader's Digest" isn't much evidence of anything.

10ren 17y ago

Sheep May Safely Graze http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jEXDPzqo2g http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jEXDPzqo2g A modern version of this story could include links to all 12 recordings, so you could follow along at home, as if with your own personal Einstein. It makes me think that the internet must be helping to accelerate technological advancement, singularity-style. Although, it might be mainly at the dissemination stage, rather than the cutting-edge. And... the same thing was probably thought of for television... Of course, the key ingredients here are not informational resources - but someone who is profoundly interested in your growth, who is profoundly capable, and... someone you'll actually listen to.

gsk 17y ago

Denis Brian relates this incident in the book 'Einstein, a life', if my memory serves right. I believe it is true.