Customer Reviews

Nobel Dreams: Power, Deceit, and the Ultimate Experiment

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This book hooked me so completely that when I came across it in the library I read it from cover to cover standing (then sitting) in the aisle. Anyone with an interest in high-energy physics or academic politics with enjoy it immensely.

Contains a good combination of hard science and the politics of actually getting stuff done. I appreciated the details of experimental particle physics, but the best part of the book is the insider perspective on getting grant money, timing the delivery of experimental results and positioning oneself for recognition from the Nobel committee. The interplay between the theorists and experimentalists was also illuminating. The only negative factor's were the needless comments on what people were wearing at a meeting or how handsome/pretty they were that day and I believe (not positive since the only account I have is the book) a few remarks that were quite obviously taken out of context and the author failed to acknowledge this.

The author trashed a well known physicist for reasons totally beyond me. Most super-stars of science have huge egos and many detracters.
Kerry Mullis, Robert Good, and David Baltimore have all three been accused of arrogance so its nothing new.
Incidently,the author trashed Nobelist Prusiner too so Rubbia is in good company!!!!!!!!!!!!
Aside from The Patchwork Mouse and False Prophets, very few journalists do justice to the subject of scientific fraud!!!!