Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. General    3. Letters    4. Physics    5. Physics (General)    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Scientists - General    9. Biography: general    10. Other prose: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (10)

superbly researched and quite interesting
Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman have put an immense effort into writing an exhaustive review of Norbert Wiener, one of the great geniuses of the last century.Wiener spoke an ungodly number of languages, got his PhD from Harvard at the age of 19, made immense contributions to mathematics, biology, computer sciences, medicine, political thought - even in McCarthy's heyday he had no qualms about speaking his mind -, etc, etc.
I was there as Prof. Weiner's Student
When I first saw the title "Dark Heroof ...." I had to chuckle with the image it engendered of Norbert, dressed in a floppy Batman constume, goutee,thick glassed over his mask which of course hid his identy waddling down the corridors of Building 2, fighting crime in Tauberian Theorems.
A Forgotten Inventor & His Contributions.
This biography is about the author of the 1948 CYBERNETICS.He was called "the father of the information age" and yet these authors call him the "dark hero who has fallen through the cracks."Norbert Wiener, born in 1895, was a child prodigy who entered college in 1906 and earned his PhD from Harvard seven years later (it took my smart son ten years to get his from University of Chicago!)In 1919 he became a teacher at MIT in Cambridge, Massachuettes but, after two years he left for Cambridge, England, on a graduate fellowship.
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Subjects:  1. 1894-1964    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Cybernetics    7. Educators    8. General    9. Mathematicians    10. Mathematics (General)    11. Scientists - General    12. United States    13. Wiener, Norbert,    14. Cybernetics & systems theory    15. History of mathematics   

Reviews (6)

Physicist Redux
How does one trump a tour de force? Not easily.I greatly admired Cassidy's biography of Heisenberg in which he displayed great sensitivity of his subject, his work, and his times, not an easy task for the complex world of earlyquantum physics held against thebackdrop of Germany's self-destruction.I therefore approached Oppenheimer and the American Century with gusto.Unfortunately, Cassidy has a`problem with Oppenheimer which he did not have with Heisenberg; he detests the man.Consequently, his book contains a disoncerting assortment of irritated criticism and faint praise.Cassidy takes Oppenehimer to task on a number ofpoints: That he was a snob, that he was fickle, that he was aloof, that he was cowardly, and that he failed to realizehis potential as a physicist, to name a few.In fact, Oppenheimeronlysucceeds after he has been skewered at thehands of the Gray committee.He then enters- and only just- Cassidy's hagiography.Moreover, Cassidy holds Oppenheimer to modern academic standards which include a healthydisdain for government in all its manifold guises. For example, while it may befair to criticize Oppenheimer for not having been more vociferouslyopoposed tothe H-bomb, can Cassidyreally fault him for having run the Mnahattan project at a time when Hitlerism threatened to engulf the world?Is it fair to assume that the war against Japan could have been won without the A bombs and still avoided staggering losses?Cassidy also minimizes the fear generatedbyStalin's usurpation of all eastern European governments save Yugoslavia andalsoseemed to have forgotten that Stalin was a bona fide madman whohad eliminatedat least 20 million ofhis own people.He suggests instead that there was an equation of sorts between the USSR and USA.I am not interested in apologizing for the lunatic extremes of McCarthyism, but I do think that one ought to look at the wholepicture and not just those parts one wants to see.
Oppenheimer and the American century...
In 'J. Robert Oppenheimer and the American Century', acclaimed biographer and writer David C. Cassidy (Author of the highly readable 'Uncertainty: The life and science of Werner Heisenberg') spins a riveting and extremely interesting tale which puts this great man in context, in the middle of a century that witnessed great upheavals. In these, he was the observer as well as the participant. The most striking general scientific paradigm of the century, apart from the revolutions that were breathing new life into the fabric of the cosmos and of life, was the beginning of 'big science'. It was also the beginning of the 'American century' as we know it, spurred on by the advent of science and technology, and the fortuitous happenstances that the unfortunate act of war brought upon this country. People like Oppenheimer were right in the middle of this prophetic change. Although this particular subject with specific reference to Oppenheimer has been tackled in a disconnected way in many of his other biographies and books, Cassidy is probably the first one to weave the man and his times together into a coherent and insightful whole. In many ways, Oppenheimer defines the scientific and moral personality at the heart of those times. In a way, 'Science' and 'Morality', both in a general way provide a good description of the time that was the twentieth century.
Oppenheimer's Life
Oppenheimer was born to a wealthy family in NYC. The family owned a fabulous estate and yacht on Long Island. He wrote poetry prior to later in life achieving greatness in physics.
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Subjects:  1. 1904-1967    2. Atomic bomb    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. General    8. History    9. Oppenheimer, J. Robert,    10. Physicists    11. Physics    12. Scientists - Inventors    13. United States    14. Biography & Autobiography / Science & Technology    15. Biography: general    16. Science / General   

Reviews (7)

From Physics to Touva!
My reading of "Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman" was surely "forced" me to read the life of Richard Feynman furthermore: NO ORDINARY GENIUS is a GREAT BOOK. Family, friends and colleagues of Feynman share their views regarding the genius (with bump's-language-style) Feynman. The photos are great and can make a good spot on his life. Truly inspiring especially when he stated that he's an irresponsible man! And also, he couldnt stop to do physics until several days before his death: he's still doing the physics in 70. Feynman also brought the tiny-state named TOUVA to the world: even a geographic teacher wouldn't know bout this region! Buy this book, okay?

fun character fun book!
This book made me laughed and it made me cry but most importantly it taught me a lot, not just about feynman but a lot more other stuff like science, life, having fun and reminded me why I got into science in the first place. It was very inpirational as well as fun. A Superb Introduction to an Under-Appreciated Man
Richard Feynman was a remarkable man who lived many remarkable lives, most of which are succinctly summarized in this fast, engaging read.Relying upon testimonials from close friends and associates of Feynman's and mostly from Feynman's own recollections, No Ordinary Genius delves into each of these lives, including Feynman's childhood obsession with finding out how things worked (a trait inherited from his father), his work at Los Alamos both as the keeper of the keys to the mainframe processing the mathematical calculations for the Manhattan Project and as the head of on campus hi-jinx and safe-cracking, his Nobel Prize for developing the field of Quantum electrodynamics (and along the way the now famous "Feynman diagrams" which have become the physicist's graphical tool for "viewing" sub-atomic activity), his very early visionary forays into what has become nanotechnology, and his ability to buck the NASA bureaucracy and quickly get to the bottom of what really went wrong with the 1986 Challenger disaster.Along the way we learn of his love of people (including his two wives, the first of whom died when she was only about 20 years old of TB), of life, and of physics (though probably not in that order), and what begins to emerge is a rare character, a multi-dimensional, and apparently "human" genius-one with foibles like anyone else...but one surprisingly devoid (at least as Sykes's book of recollections would have us believe) of the peccadilloes and neuroses of similarly brilliant historic figures.In fact one wonders whether Feynman's relative "normalcy" may have prevented him from being more widely known outside of scientific circles.This is itself somewhat ironic as Feynman was not just a brilliant physicist in his own right, but was perhaps the greatest interpreter (and hence most accessible) of all physicists who tried to explain how the world really worked to the rest of us.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Feynman, Richard Phillips    5. Physicists    6. Physics    7. Scientists - General    8. United States    9. Biography: general   

Editorial Review

Cool, classy, articulate, and brilliant--rarely do all of those adjectives apply at once to an astrophysicist.But Neil de Grasse Tyson is no ordinary scientist; as the director of New York City's Hayden planetarium, his job is to inspire the public with the beauty and grandeur of the universe, just as he was inspired there in his youth.Read more

Reviews (6)

by a sixteen-year old
The sky is not the limit is a novel that goes deep into the heart of the author, Neil de Grasse Tyson, who started out at a young age shooting for his dream to become an astrophysicist. This book gives the reader a mental view of the objects surrounding us both in space and on earth. Throughout Neil's life he has worked hard pursuing his passion in astrophysics.
out of this world!
Neil de Grasse Tyson's writing style is unpretentious and reads like a letter from a good friend.It reaches a wide audience from the high school student interested in astronomy to the astrophysist.It is easy to understand and appreciate, even if you don't have a degree in astrophysics. Upon completion of this book you will have gained a wealth of knowledge and a basic understanding of astronomy. This book is a great find for anyone intersted in learning about the how's and why's of the stars, solar system and the universe. The book is jam packed with interesting information presented to you as an autobiographyrather than a text book, which makes it very easy to read and very enjoyable. I would give it more stars if I could.

A life in astronomy
Tyson is an astrophysicist and the director of the Hayden Planetarium. He's also black. This unusual juxtaposition provides the grist for this autobiography.Read more

Subjects:  1. Astronomy - General    2. Astrophysicists    3. Astrophysics    4. Biography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Science    7. Science/Mathematics    8. Scientists - General    9. Tyson, Neil deGrasse    10. United States    11. Universe    12. Popular astronomy   

Reviews (9)

Deeply inspiring for an artist
After reading several books and essays on Picasso in the context of modern art movements, it was refreshing to read such a thoughtful and detailed review of Picasso's achievements from the perspective of how science, and the scientific achievements of his time, affected him and drove him to seek 'new dimensions' in his art. I admit as an art enthusiast I took greater interest in the Picasso chapters than the Einstein chapters, but was truly impressed by Miller's ability to dive so deeply into each of these worlds.

Going over Boundaries between Disciplines
What factors can be motivations of a genius's reformative work? Is it possible that the same notions affect geniuses in science and art? What is the daily life of geniuses? What processes are going on when a genius does a monumental work? We often have such questions as above. Arthur I. Miller, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at University College London, wrote a wonderful book to answer all of those questions and to tell us more about creative activity by the example of the two giants of the twentieth century, Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso. Great minds think alike.
Arthur Miller is a Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at London's University College. Equal parts biography and art-science history, his interesting book follows the parallel lives of physicist Albert Einstein (1879-1955) and painter Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) into the 20th Century. Although the two lives never actually intersected, Miller demonstrates that as a result of the intellectual atmosphere of 1905, Einstein and Picasso "began exploring new notions of space and time almost coincidentally" (p. 4). "I wrote EINSTEIN, PICASSO," Miller tells us, "for lovers of art and science practiced at their most fundamental and exciting level, for aficionados of thinking across disciplines and generally for readers interested in the drama of high creativity. We wonder about the moment when everything comes together to produce incredible insights. How does this happen? How do thoughts emerge that go beyond the information at hand?" (p. 8).Read more

Subjects:  1. Artists, Architects, Photographers    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Historical - General    6. Modern - 20th Century    7. Scientists - General    8. Biography: general    9. History of science    10. Individual artists    11. Painting & paintings    12. Relativity physics    13. Science    14. Art    15. Biography/Memoir   

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Scientists - General   

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. History    3. Relativity    4. Science    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Scientists - General    7. Science / Relativity   

Editorial Review

Born in Austria and something of a bumpkin by nature, the 19th-century physicist Ludwig Boltzmann did not fit in easily in the highly cultured German universities at which he taught for many years. To add to his difficulties, Boltzmann stirred up controversy by proposing that scientists could make intelligent guesses about the behavior of atoms, which, though they moved randomly, could be described by certain probabilistic generalizations. His suggestion, hinging on novel interpretations of statistical theory, was not immediately acclaimed. "To an audience of physicists raised in the belief that scientific laws ought to encapsulate absolute certainties and unerring rules," writes scientist and journalist David Lindley, "these were profound and disturbing changes."Read more

Reviews (12)

scientists are people, too
David Lindley's book is a beautifully written and subtle portrait not only of a very important scientist, but of a place and time in scientific history. Some rather slippery scientific concepts are expertly communicated at the same time -- that Lindley manages to do all of this in the space of about 230 pages makes this book a model, in my mind, of concision and expert communication. It is a joy to read.
Father of Atomic theory
The scientific community of the late 19th century were scandalised when Boltzmann introduced his Atomic theory.First his attribution of probability, and using statistical methods to explain thermodynamics went against the longstanding trend of assuming absolute fixed laws. In comparison the implication of probability in Quantum theory, caused bewilderment rather than stringent criticism of the theory. Second, due to lack of observable evidence, atoms were considered a figment of Boltzmanns imagination. This is not very dissimilar to the opposition faced by String Theory proponents even today who have no way of confirming existence of Strings.
So bright and ahead of his times, he hung himself
Boltzmann was Lise Meitner's professor--Lise later figured out the key physical principle behind the atomic bomb.But Boltzmann was responsible for so much more: the invention of so-called statistical physics.
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Subjects:  1. 1844-1906    2. 19th century    3. Atomic And Nuclear Physics    4. Atomic theory    5. Austria    6. Biography    7. Boltzmann, Ludwig,    8. History    9. History Of Physics    10. Physicists    11. Physics    12. Science    13. Science/Mathematics    14. Scientists - General    15. 20th century    16. Atomic & molecular physics    17. Popular science    18. Science / Physics   

Reviews (11)

another doctor book
self absorbed, self centered book, hopefully useful for young md's. myself, at end of career, found little of interest.

Wow!
I rarely review books on Amazon because my writing always seems so abysmal in comparison to the work I'm reviewing.However, I really want to tell everyone what a wonderful book this is.I was deeply touched and found myself crying over several essays, wondering how my husband (a physician) manages.Ofri is a very good writer, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.My only complaint was that it ended too soon, so I'm off to go buy "Singular Intimacies."

Elijah
Bought the book a month ago. I am very sensitive leaving comments and reviews about the books. This one, I recommend it. This book is for everyone in any field. It's just not about just a simple Doctor's story. I have read many Doctor's story but this is quite different. Just buy it and read it. You'll understand. Please email me if you have any question about the book. I'll be more than willing to help you. (For the buyers who had horrible experience purchasing books online as myself) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. General    3. Health & Fitness    4. Health/Fitness    5. Medical / Nursing    6. Medicine    7. Physician & Patient    8. Physician and patient    9. Physician-Patient Relations    10. Physicians    11. Practice Of Medicine    12. Biography & Autobiography / Science & Technology   

Editorial Review

Carl Sagan may have been one of the greatest scientists who ever lived.Then again, he may have been a relentless self-promoter who convinced everyone he was one of the greatest scientists who ever lived. Keay Davidson, science writer for the Read more

Reviews (43)

I used to run the Carl Sagan Electronic Monument; I took the site down when I read this book...
I grew up with Carl Sagan.An avid watcher of his COSMOS program when it aired in 1980, I like to credit Carl with turning me on to the wonders of science and, especially, the wonders of space exploration.Prior to seeing COSMOS I thought outer space was just a playground for X-Wing fighters, Colonial warriors, and the Starship Enterprise.Carl made space into a very real place, more fascinating than my young mind had ever thought possible, and COSMOS similarly impressed upon me the value of science as, to borrow the sub-title from one of Carl's best-known volumes, a candle in the darkness.
A book to make the myth into a man
This biography differs from many of the other sycophantic works about celebrity lives in that it treats its subject as its subject treated the world: objectively.Those who have ears to hear, they will hear and agree.
For Sagan-Haters Only
This "biography" is one, long malicious attack upon Carl Sagan.
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Subjects:  1. 1934-    2. Astronomers    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography/Autobiography    7. Historical - U.S.    8. Sagan, Carl,    9. Scientists - General    10. United States    11. 20th century    12. Astronomy, Space & Time    13. Biography & Autobiography / Science & Technology    14. Biography: general   

Editorial Review

As a schoolbook figure, Isaac Newton is most often pictured sitting under an apple tree, about to discover the secrets of gravity. In this short biography, James Gleick reveals the life of a man whose contributions to science and math included far more than the laws of motion for which he is generally famous. Gleick's always-accessible style is hampered somewhat by the need to describe Newton's esoteric thinking processes. After all, the man invented calculus. But readers who stick with the book will discover the amazing story of a scientist obsessively determined to find out how things worked. Working alone, thinking alone, and experimenting alone, Newton often resorted to strange methods, as when he risked his sight to find out how the eye processed images: Read more

Reviews (66)

on the shoulders of giants
My view of the world clearly owes a lot to Newton - especially as I have a scientific/engineering/mathematical background. Regretfully however, if Newton stood on the shoulders of giants to get his better view of how things are, I am struggling to get to Newtons waist. And as for Einstein.....
Newton is the Genius
Mr. Gleick, thank you! Your book is fascinating. I always wanted to know who is the smartest man ever lived. You books answers my question: Sir. Isaac Newton without any doubt!

Interesting, but not as rich as hoped for
I saw a PBS show recently that traced the history of E=MC2 and Newton featured heavily in it. I was so struck by his story, I wanted to read on. Evidently, the producers of the PBS show must have used this book as research since I learned very little new about Newton that the show didn't convey: obsessive, loaner, brilliant, ahead of his time. My critique of the book was that it dwelled a lot on Newton's accomplishments, but little on him. For instance, we learn at the end that he died a very wealthy man, but for the life of me, I couldn't tell you where Newton made his money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1642-1727    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. History    6. Newton, Isaac,    7. Scientists - General    8. Sir,    9. Biography & Autobiography / Science & Technology   

Reviews (9)

Breathtaking Imagination
At the height of Einstein's career it was joked that only about a dozen people in the entire world actually understood the master's theory of relativity, which leads to the question of whether we mere mortals should even attempt this 882-page tome. The answer is a resounding yes. Albrecht Holsing never forgets that he is writing a biography, not a physics text. The result is a colorful biography of a learning disabled civil servant with perhaps the most fertile imagination in the history of science. Holsing's Einstein is a man without a country, an unabashed lover, an avowed pacifist, a born-again Zionist, bon vivant and alleged subversive. And yes, smart and eccentric as hell. Gets his life right, but the science is too dense for me
Albert Einstein led an interesting life, from his beginnings as a mathematical prodigy, to his heyday when he popularized physics, to his old age where his status as a living legend afforded him many opportunities. Folsing does a great job detailing Einstein the man in each of these sections. Generally he uses Einstein's own writings, either in letters or in papers, a technique that some find off-putting but I found useful and relevant. A wonderful biography of a twentieth century giant..
This is the BEST biography of Einstein that I have read. The writing style is 'European' in that all dimensions of Einstein are explored and referenced.A strong point of this biography is the extensive research and documentation that backs up the text.Einstein's life in science AND out of it are explored thoroughly.My only quibble is that the quality of pictures in the text is shoddy.I have the Penguin edition.I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.If you want a quick superficial biography try Banesh Hoffman's Einstein (still in print?). If you want a fairly good biography I recommend Denis Brian's Einstein.If you want a very precise and detail biography get this one and enjoy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1879-1955    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Einstein, Albert,    7. Historical - General    8. Physicists    9. Scientists - General    10. Biography & Autobiography / Science & Technology    11. Biography: general    12. PHYSICS