Albert Einstein is one of the greatest icons of our age: the kindly refugee from oppression whose wild halo of hair, twinkling eyes, engaging humanity and extraordinary brilliance made his face a symbol and his name a synonym for genius. In this first full biography since all Einstein's papers have become available, bestselling author Walter Isaacson explains not just how his mind worked but also presents a marvellously clear picture of the mysteries of the universe that he discovered - and of the very human man who discovered them. Working as a clerk in the Swiss patent office in 1905, Einstein produced four papers that redefined physics. His success came from questioning conventional wisdom and marvelling at mysteries that struck others as mundane. This led him to embrace a morality and politics based on respect for freedom of spirit and individuality - all of which helped make Einstein into a rebel, but with a reverence for the harmony of nature, one with just the right blend of imagination and wisdom to transform our understanding of the universe. Brilliantly readable and compellingly accessible, Einstein: His Life and Universe is a fully realised portrait of this extraordinary human being, and great genius.