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Rating: Summary: Einstein biographer,Pais, delivers snaps of science giants Review: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PUBLICATION DATE: June 1, 2000Contact: Purdy, Publicity Manager 212-726-6113, cjp@oup-usa.org EINSTEIN BIOGRAPHER, ABRAHAM PAIS, DELIVERS AN INSIDER'S VIEW OF THE GREAT BRAINS WHO CHANGED THE WORLD OF PHYSICS THE GENIUS OF SCIENCE A Portrait Gallery of 20th-Century Physicists Abraham Pais, the highly acclaimed author of the American Book Award-winning Einstein biography Subtle is the Lord: The Science and the Life of Albert Einstein (OUP, 1982), which, the Christian Science Monitor called "an extraordinary biography of an extraordinary man," and The New York Times Book Review said it was "the biography of Einstein he himself would have liked best," adding that "it is a work against which future scientific biographies will be measured," as well as the Bohr biography Niels Bohr's Times (OUP, 1991), which was named an Outstanding Academic Book of 1992-1993 by Choice, once again puts pen to paper and delivers insight into the lives of the twentieth century's greatest brains. In his new book, GENIUS OF SCIENCE: A Portrait Gallery of 20th-Century Physicists, Pais delivers a portrait of sixteen of last century's leading scientists: the famously taciturn Paul Dirac; Max Born, who coined the term "quantum mechanics"; Wolfgang Pauli, famed for his exclusion principle and known as the conscience of twentieth-century physics; Mitchell Feigenbaum, inventor of chaos theory; and John von Neumann, one of the most influential mathematicians of the century. Pais turns his attention to these and other instrumental scientists, all distinguished in their own right, but who had appeared only as the supporting cast in his previous biographies of Einstein and Bohr, Subtle Is The Lord, and Niels Bohr's Times, respectively. In addition, and because their work is so relevant to the others discussed, Pais has included chapters on Einstein and Bohr, in each case giving the essence of the man's character and scientific achievement. From his distinctive position as both a distinguished theoretical physicist and an acquaintance of the personalities portrayed, Pais provides an overview over the scientific achievement of each subject, and captures the genius, and the person behind the science. The result is an illuminating collection of portraits that sheds light on their personalities, their work, and their lasting influence on the world of science. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Abraham Pais is Detlev W. Bronk Professor Emeritus at Rockefeller University in New York City. He is the author of SUBTLE IS THE LORD, INWARD BOUND, and NIELS BOHR'S TIME. THE GENIUS OF SCIENCE: A Portrait Gallery of 20th-Century Physicists Abraham Pais $30.00, 368pp. ISBN: 0-19-850614-7 PUBLICATION DATE: June 1, 2000
Rating: Summary: Influential 20th century physicists Review: Pais has previously written terrific biographies of Niels Bohr and Albert Einstein. Here he writes about sixteen brilliant 20C scientists who don't quite have the same name recognition as those two, but who made towering contributions - people like Dirac and von Neumann. And as a physicist himself, he knew them personally and worked with some of them. In fluid prose he makes the excitement of their milieu and their science come alive.
Rating: Summary: Excellent biographies of sixteen who remade our worldview Review: Someone once wrote that there was more imagination in the mathematician and physicist Archimedes than in all of Homer. The arguments in favor of that statement are very strong. It took a great deal of original, abstract thought to solve the problems that Archimedes resolved. However, that pales before the level of original and abstract thinking that went into the creation of the modern models of the physical universe. Some of the confirmed results are so strange that it is simply impossible to relate them to what we see on the macro scale. The collection of people who created these models are described in this book. Their exploits make very interesting reading, and although some could be placed in the strange genius category, most were otherwise rather ordinary. Some were devoted to their lives outside physics and others knew only physics. Some had tight partnerships with their spouses while others had tolerant spouses who accepted extra-marital affairs. While including more of the slush would have made the book more interesting to the voyeur and perhaps increased sales, the author raises the personal details only when they are needed. The true measure of a quality biography of a scientist is that you find their lives interesting even when their science is being discussed. Such is the case here. These giants of the physical realm led interesting lives that the author describes very well in relatively few pages. The physics is also made quite interesting, in that the explanations make you appreciate their accomplishments all the more. Given the wide variety of personalities described here, one is led to the conclusion that it takes all kinds to make a world view.
Rating: Summary: Excellent biographies of sixteen who remade our worldview Review: Someone once wrote that there was more imagination in the mathematician and physicist Archimedes than in all of Homer. The arguments in favor of that statement are very strong. It took a great deal of original, abstract thought to solve the problems that Archimedes resolved. However, that pales before the level of original and abstract thinking that went into the creation of the modern models of the physical universe. Some of the confirmed results are so strange that it is simply impossible to relate them to what we see on the macro scale. The collection of people who created these models are described in this book. Their exploits make very interesting reading, and although some could be placed in the strange genius category, most were otherwise rather ordinary. Some were devoted to their lives outside physics and others knew only physics. Some had tight partnerships with their spouses while others had tolerant spouses who accepted extra-marital affairs. While including more of the slush would have made the book more interesting to the voyeur and perhaps increased sales, the author raises the personal details only when they are needed. The true measure of a quality biography of a scientist is that you find their lives interesting even when their science is being discussed. Such is the case here. These giants of the physical realm led interesting lives that the author describes very well in relatively few pages. The physics is also made quite interesting, in that the explanations make you appreciate their accomplishments all the more. Given the wide variety of personalities described here, one is led to the conclusion that it takes all kinds to make a world view.
Rating: Summary: Intelligent and warm biographies Review: The physicist Abraham Pais met these scientists and developed strong human bonds with them. So, besides concise accounts of their scientific contributions, he tells us some moving, insightful and unforgettable events of their lives.
Rating: Summary: Remarkable Review: Usually one finds biographies of worldwide famous scientists. There are several books talking about life and times of these celebrities. In this book Pais presents not only those but some of the remarkable scientists not widely known outside the technical community. Being a member of scientific realm and eminent physicist he knew all the 16 experts he is talking about. His personal view of each of these Geniuses of the technical world gives a unique flavor to the book. As lay but loving fan of Physics, I think this book is outstanding. Whether you want to know about the men behind the beautiful field known as Modern Physics you should read, it is an insider view.
Rating: Summary: Remarkable Review: Usually one finds biographies of worldwide famous scientists. There are several books talking about life and times of these celebrities. In this book Pais presents not only those but some of the remarkable scientists not widely known outside the technical community. Being a member of scientific realm and eminent physicist he knew all the 16 experts he is talking about. His personal view of each of these Geniuses of the technical world gives a unique flavor to the book. As lay but loving fan of Physics, I think this book is outstanding. Whether you want to know about the men behind the beautiful field known as Modern Physics you should read, it is an insider view.
Rating: Summary: People in science. Review: What makes Pais' book especially compelling and captivating is that he knew the main players in Science over the period of a lifetime. And then the unique quality of his writing! The result is a page turner. We are given a glimps into the personal lives of Bohr, of Dirac, of Einstein, of von Neumann, of Pauli, and of others of the major profiles in science in the twentieth century;-- and Pais offers his own thoughts on their scienceas well. Based on having worked with them...Pais also wrote landmark biographies of Bohr and Einstein. Highly recommended.
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