A review by ranam
Einstein's Dreams by Alan Lightman

4.0

This was a nifty read. I found all of the vignettes poignant, smart, and beautifully written in poetic prose. Einstein dreams about a series of scenarios that have time as a concept as their theme.  These worlds can exist with or without time. Time is either fluid or inert or non-existent. It is malleable, crossing into the realm of sci-fi. 
One example of such a world is one in which every day is the end of time.  People stop caring about anything and engage in activities they would not have at any other time. But is time a circle in such a world without any allusion to a hereafter? Are the citizens of such a world  destined to keep living the same day infinitely?

There's another issue I'd like to discuss. There's a type of person who lives in the past, refusing to move forward,  clinging to good times and happy memories. This person leads a stagnant,  fossilized life. In this world, the past and present are indistinguishable.  The past is gone, the future unknown and the present is a gift; that's why it's called the present.

My only issue is that the past was once the present. Even in heaven,  people have good memories from their previous life. Time I believe is linear because you can't repeat the past once it's gone even if you tried.  Each memory is etched in time like text on a chalk board, continually changing in the perspective of the memory holder.  I don't think the present can ever be indistinguishable  from the  past. Life goes on. 

You are dead and brought to life,  then you pass away, then you are brought before the Lord for judgment and sentenced to heaven or hell based on your book of deeds. Then you will have everlasting bliss or misery, the fire with charcoal to drink  or gardens with rivers of pure water, milk, honey, and wine of glorious substance without intoxicating qualities.
Time is just another creation based on quality, not quantity.  Not insurmountable but mercurial. There's a new standard for the next life.

Rana M.