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scarlettletters's review
This book gives a historical overview of the development of quantum physics in the first half of the twentieth century. Interestingly enough, until I read the book I both liked it and didn't like it. Haha. Anyway it is written for a non-expert; there are no equations or anything like that. However, for the non-scientist, I would recommend having either wikipedia or a physicist handy to answer questions (I actually had two physicists handy). The historical context for these discoveries was the most interesting part of the book for me and I would like to read more about the lives of the individuals involved in the numerous scientific breakthroughs described.
tolkienist's review
3.0
I read this book for a class in college, and our professor ivited the authot of the book to come and talk about it. Gino Segre is a physicist himself, like his uncle Emilio Segre, who won the Nobel prize for discovering anti-protons. He talked about how his own experience of growing up affected him becoming a writer. His father and uncle were not on good terms, and his father, a historian, didn't want him to become a physicist like his uncle. Now he is a little bit of both, writing books about physics history.
satyridae's review
2.0
The Faust component of the book was minuscule and the struggle for the soul of physics (whatever that might be) was to my eyes illusory. The book was, for the most part, a series of anecdotes- most of which have been more coherently told elsewhere. I was disappointed.
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