Paterniti spends a lot of time pondering the riddle of Einstein–why do we like our geniuses part nutty professor, part holy fool? But Harvey is the real enigma here. Paterniti plainly wishes the old pathologist was wiser, more oracular, and not just an eccentric codger, who dithers forever over what to eat for breakfast. On the other hand, this is the guy who stole Einstein’s brain. And the harder he is to figure out, the more he reminds us, ironically, that this is not a legend. This happened. A splendid peek into the weird side of American life where, often as not, things simply do not add up, “Driving Mr. Albert” is a work of–OK, maybe not genius, but certainly uncommon intelligence.
Driving Mr. AlbertMichael Paterniti (Dial Press) 211 pages. $18.95
