From X-Rays to Quarks: Modern Physicists and Their Discoveries [Paperback]

Emilio Segre (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1980

A Nobel Laureate offers impressions and recollections of the development of modern physics. Rather than a chronological approach, Segrè emphasizes interesting, complex personalities who often appear only in footnotes. Readers will find that this book adds considerably to their understanding of science and includes compelling topics of current interest. 1980 edition.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Italian (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 337 pages
• Publisher: W H Freeman & Co (Sd) (October 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0716711478
• ISBN-13: 978-0716711476
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,736,769 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Modern Physics Narative, September 30, 2007

By 

Kennen Haas "Kennen" (Tampa FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: From X-rays to Quarks: Modern Physicists and Their Discoveries (Dover Classics of Science & Mathematics) (Paperback)

What this book is not:
A text book
Written to explain some controversial theory
Promoting a world view or pseudo religious belief
An artful work of literature
Written for a general audience

What this book is:
A chronological narrative of the development of modern physics
A series of stories about scientist and the nature of their experiments
A tome that covers the most important physics discoveries for the era it covers

Why read this book?
I would recommend this book to anyone who studies the hard sciences
This book would nicely augment a modern physics course
Because knowing the history of science promotes real understanding

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must read for all history of science enthusiasts, May 26, 2002

By 

Canay (Hillsboro, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From X-Rays to Quarks: Modern Physicists and Their Discoveries (Paperback)

This is a great book on the history of quantum mechanics. I highly reccomend it. Unfortunately the book is out of print and one needs to hunt down a used book.

It begins with the discovery of X-rays in 1895 and ends with events around the early 70's. It is interesting how the technological advances of today have come about after a sudden chain of discoverires starting with just 2 discoveries that acted as sparks: xrays and radioactivity (both of which thanks to some photpgraphic film that developed without the intention of the scientist). The chronological developments are nicely intertwined.

I enjoyed how the author has written of the rigorous development of quantrum mechanics from 3 different viewpoints of schrodinger, heisenberg and dirac and how they later proved that all 3 were the same. There are great photographs of the scientists of the time also. Overall very well written with lots of stories about the featured scientists. Can finish the book in one day, it was that incaptivating (to serve as a reference, am a chemistry student).

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Letter Perfect, January 2, 2004

By 

Avid Reader (Franklin, Tn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From X-Rays to Quarks: Modern Physicists and Their Discoveries (Paperback)

Segre` has written two excellect histories for the educated non-scientist. These are not "light" reads, but they are informative and entertaining. This is the second part of the pair (the first, "From Falling Bodies to Radio Waves") and is just exciting as the first. One could almost call this work, "The Story Continues". It tells of scientists working for years on end in attempts to understand the universe and its workings. Of course, we meet those geniuses that discovered a new aspect of reality or a long-sought explanation.

What is remarkable is how these great men and women used the work of each other to further their own endeavors. The practice of documenting new find and publishing scientific journals began during this era. Exquisite writine with diagrams, photographs and illustrations.