Reviews (1)

Richard Feynman himself...
With this new book collecting Richard Feynman's correspondence, you won't only better know about a Nobel laureate physicist, but you will be able to appreciate the deepest insight, knowledge and inspiration of an honest man. From his first beloved wife or the Manhattan project to motivation and good understanding of Physics. I have loved Feynman since I first read one of R. Leighton books when I was a teenager, he inspired and encouraged me a lot and since I had a great interest in Science I eventually fell in love with Physics, which I'm studying know, thanks to him. Besides, his wise guide helped me out to understand life better and cope with difficulties, mostly tackling problems à-la Feynman. This book is worth reading and it's quite big with hardcover so the price is quite great!

Everybody interested in Feynman biography and character cannot miss this chance to meet him at his most personal book for which we all should thank his daughter Michelle Feynman. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR MAKING THE WORLD WISER ABOUT A GREAT SCIENTIST AND HUMAN BEING. ... Read more

Book Description

The Untold Story of the American Entrepreneur Who Helped Build the Atomic Bomb and Defeat the Nazis.

Legendary financier, philanthropist, and society figure Alfred Lee Loomis gathered the most visionary scientific minds of the twentieth century -- Albert Einstein, Werner Heisenberg, Niels Bohr, Enrico Fermi, and others -- at his state-of-the-art laboratory in Tuxedo Park, New York, in the late 1930s. He established a top-secret defense laboratory at MIT and personally bankrolled pioneering research into new, high-powered radar detection systems that helped defeat the German Air Force and U-boats. With Ernest Lawrence, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, he pushed Franklin Delano Roosevelt to fund research in nuclear fission, which led to the development of the atomic bomb.

Jennet Conant, the granddaughter of James Bryant Conant, one of the leading scientific advisers of World War II, enjoyed unprecedented access to Loomis' papers, as well as to people intimately involved in his life and work. She pierces through Loomis' obsessive secrecy and illuminates his role in assuring the Allied victory. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Fascinating portrait of a brilliant man of science &business
The subject of Tuxedo Park, Alfred Loomis, is an absolutely fascinating individual whose life story is so unique and so amazing that, were this book fiction, the reader would likely not believe it. Loomis, who undoubtedly was a brilliant left-brained rational thinker, was educated as a lawyer, rose through the ranks of a law firm, then quit to become one of the wealthiest bankers on Wall Street. He foresaw the 1929 stock market crash and cashed out beforehand, and then gave up his finance career to educate himself so that he could work on the very leading edge of scientific research in multiple fields, including biology, physics, astronomy, and (at the very end of his life), computer science. Because he possessed immense wealth, brains, and leadership qualities, as well as patriotism and a savvy understanding of geopolitics, he became a key individual who put together the multiple scientific labs and projects that helped the Allies win World War II.

Jennet Conant succeeds admirably in the primary objective of her book: to describe the many technical and leadership contributions Loomis made to the scientific efforts, especially the development of radar systems, that ultimately produced victory for the Allies in World War II. She makes a very strong case that without Loomis's leadership, the development of both radar and the atomic bomb would have been delayed, endangering the Allies' chances of success and resulting in many more lives lost. Loomis's World War II efforts and achievements occupy half the book; the remainder covers the rest of his biography.

Besides being a fascinating, engrossing story, Tuxedo Park has much to teach the reader. The common impression is that the development of the atomic bomb was the greatest scientific achievement in the Allies' victory; however, as one of the scientists says, "radar won the war, and the atomic bomb ended it". Radar was the weapon the Allies used to defeat the Germans' submarines, superior air force, and rocketry. Tuxedo Park also shows the interconnected web of relationships at the pinnacles of the worlds of science, academia, government, and business in the mid twentieth century. Rational thought alone does not produce results; all accomplishments involve humans, and Loomis was able to navigate these worlds and relationships with remarkable aplomb. The book also shows the negative side of Loomis and genius in general: the toll it exacts on family life, and the depression and suicide that plagues certain families.

I have only minor quibbles with Tuxedo Park. Loomis's pre-World War II achievements were so impressive and interesting that I would have enjoyed more detail about those years. When Conant describes the many inventions of Loomis and others, I often had difficulty visualizing them; some line drawings would have helped. And there are a few errors in the book, such as referring to the RAF when the author means the USAF.

I would recommend Tuxedo Park to anyone interested in biographies of scientific figures, as well as anyone who would appreciate a history lesson on the role science played in winning the last major world war.

Tuxedo Park is an impressive achievement
Tuxedo Park is a factual history lesson, in a vein similar to The Devil in the White City, only without the serial killer.

Tuxedo Park takes place a bit later, pre-World War II. It starts with the death of one of the scientists who used to visit Tuxedo Park, a veritable fortress of technology and leisure. The suicidal scientist posthumously published a fictionalized book about the goings on there and sold it as science fiction. It was so bizarre that of course, nobody suspected, although the primary subject of the novel, Alfred Loomis, knew better.

Alfred Loomis is the star of the story, a rich entrepreneur with an all-consuming, frightening intellect. He applies his own cold, nearly inhuman methodology to business and science and excels at both. Loomis is also charismatic and connects with people in a way that makes him irresistible. A veritable human whirlwind, he swept people up and sometimes left them broken and lost behind him, most notably his wife whom he tried to have committed and left for a younger woman.

Loomis invented electrocardiograms (those brainwave doohickeys that draw jagged lines as a patient sleeps) and radar and made fantastic leaps in refining the science of sonics and magnetics. If the book has a moral, it's that money brings freedom, and Loomis was the freest man on Earth. He developed what he wanted, hosted who he wanted, encouraged projects he felt had vision, and had enough influence to determine the course of events in World War II.

What's so striking is that the world needed Loomis. The author, Jennet Connant, makes striking connections that identify just how significant Loomis' contributions (and machinations) were in ensuring victory over the Axis powers. From the atom bomb to the British radar systems, Loomis' fingerprints are on them all. And it was through sheer force of will, coupled with his massive wealth that made things happen.

The book suffers from the same problems as Devil in the White City - some parts are more boring than others. It's entertaining to read about Loomis' inventions, but I had difficulty distinguishing between the various scientists. There are so many intellects that are hosted by Loomis that they start to run together; on the other hand, the book features a lot of familiar faces like Albert Einstein, Enrico Fermi, and others. Still, the physics and complexities of the inventions, along with the internecine squabbling drag in some places.

Perhaps the most exciting part of the book is when one British physicist embarks on a journey to bring all the technological advances of Britain to America with just himself and a trunk full of highly classified documents and devices. The thought of what could happen to that trunk (and how it nearly gets lost a few times) is nerve wracking and the makings of an excellent short story or role-playing adventure. It's the kind of scenario that is usually considered to be bad form by a writer - but it really happened.

Fortunately for us, the trunk made its way safely to America. The book really picks up as the devices Loomis raced to invent are finally implemented in the war. And then, when the action finally gets going, the book is over. There is definitely a feeling of the passing of something great that people could only look at indirectly and never touch - just like the intentional destruction of the Chicago World's Fair, Loomis Tuxedo Park is abandoned, his "rad lab" of scientists disbanded, only to backstab each other during McCarthy's "Un-American" committees. Worse, Loomis' divorce left his family sharply divided - like all things, Loomis treated his relationships with an intellectual clarity that was less a romance and more calculated odds. When Loomis felt his wife was not measuring up, she was discarded along with his other failed experiments. It dims, but cannot diminish completely, Loomis' personality.

Tuxedo Park is an impressive achievement. It manages to record the origin of the American scientist, the belief that technology is inherently good, and sharply frames the slow, lumbering bureaucracies that run everything from medical achievements to military advancements. In comparison, Loomis and his teams are breathtakingly nimble at a time when the world needed speed and decisive action most. It is an important part of history and a sharp reminder that rich men, should they choose, could do great good or terrible harm. Loomis was that rare combination of brilliance and wealth that creates freedom - an aberration not likely to be seen again in my lifetime.

Life changing....what a life this man lived.
Never have I read something so exciting, meaty, romantic and adventurous. This is the life I can only imagine living. Loomis had it all, good looks, intelligence, but most of all...class and style. His way of life gives insight into what good breeding is all about. More than that, his ability to use common sense in dealing with business, and science and every aspect of his life and relationships gave me the confidence to venture out a little further and try and reach for the apple way up at the top of the tree. Reading this book forever changed my life and I tried to find a way to send the author, Jennet conant, a letter telling her that but I could not find her address on the website, so I guess this will have to do.

Jennet, even after death, Alfred Loomis continues to succeed, your story is worthy of his calibre. Beautiful.

Conant fails to tell the truth about Loomis: uncritical
Nowhere in the book does Conant talk about how Loomis used his regulated utility holdings to subsidize the unregulated holdings... and he charged regulated customers for the subsidiaries' huge profits. The Public Utilities Holding Companies Act (PUHCA) of the 1930's was enacted and made illegal the very things that Loomis made his fortune on. Check out the SEC for PUHCA. But there is no mention of this. Conant writes a biased and uncritical account of one of her relatives. Bad.
Also, many scholars attribute the Public Utility Holding Companies with causing the Stock Market Crash of '29. And Loomis was at the head of this. Nowhere does Conant mention this.
Also poorly written. Incoherent writing style that blends scientific writing with prose. makes for muddled and unnatural reading. Also fails to describe sufficiently, important scientific advances discussed in the book, namely the Cyclotron, which I had to go look up what it was. bad

THE LAST GREAT AMATEUR
Today with university and industrial labs conducting research using multi-million dollar grants and government contracts, it is amazing that in before the 1930s a brilliant banker had established, financed and staffed a private research lab that was superior at the time to university laboratories. This book by Jennet Conant is the story of Albert Lee Loomis who not only established his lab in Tuxedo Park, NY, he also personally conducted research there. Outstanding scientists such as Albert Einstein, Enrico Fermi, Neils Bohr, etc. visited his lab with Einstein describing the lab as a "place of science."

Loomis while interested in science at Yale nevertheless when to Harvard Law School and upon graduation entered the New York law firm of Winthrop & Stimson; Stimpson was a cousin of Loomis. During WWI, Loomis jointed the army, received a commission and was sent to Aberdeen Proving Ground where he struck up a friendship with Robert Wood of Johns Hopkins University, considered America's most brilliant experimental physicist, who later became Loomis' mentor. One year after WWI Loomis went to work in the investment business and later with his brother-in-law as partner purchased their employer. Recognizing the approaching financial crisis of 1929, the partners took appropriate action, with Loomis making $50 million during the first years of the Depression.

Loomis had established his lab at Tuxedo Park in the 1920s leaving the day-to-day running of the lab to a lab manager. Loomis worked in the lab evenings and on weekends, working alongside accomplished scientists. In 1934 he quit Wall Street for good devoting fulltime to his lab. The text notes "He played a major role in the development of the electroencephalograph, which went on to become an extremely valuable diagnostic tool and is used routinely in hospitals to detect epilepsy as well as many other diseases."

Loomis and other scientists became concerned about reports of German advanced weaponry; and aided by MIT, Tuxedo Park, devoted its work to the development of secret war-related radar systems to detect airplanes. When the 1940 British technical mission came to America, they brought their magnetron oscillator; Loomis immediately recognized that a major breakthrough had occurred in radar development. Loomis lead the establishment of a secret radar lab at MIT, closed his lab and shipped his valuable equipment to MIT. "For the next four years, he would drive himself and his band of physicists almost without break to develop the all-important radar warning systems based on the magnetron." Also, Loomis conceived the basis for and directed the development of the Loran navigation system, a system critical for accurate aircraft navigation during bombing missions.

In 1941 Loomis's involvement with the MIT Lab, called the Rad Lab, became increasingly sporadic as he was pressed into service on uranium research. One leading scientist noted "...it was a great stroke of luck for the country that Loomis was involved in the uranium project from the beginning, not as an originator of ideas as much as an individual who knew how to exploit them..." contributing to "the remarkable lack of roadblocks experienced by the Army's Manhattan District, the builders of the atomic bombs."

By June 1943 nearly 6000 radar set based on the MIT Rad Lab designs had been delivered with production climbing past 2000 sets per month. In the opinion of many of his peers, Loomis' greatest contribution lay in the brilliant manner he and the Secretary of War, his cousin Henry Stimson, had overcome military resistance to the flow of innovative ideas and applications.... and the military's acceptance of new weapons and systems. The author does an excellent job narrating Loomis' wartime work outlining his contributions in many areas.

In 1945 Loomis divorced his wife and married his mistress, the wife of his former Tuxedo Park lab manager. This produced strong reverberations in his elite financial and social circles. In 1947 he completed his administrative duties associated with radar and almost from the moment that the MIT Rad Lab ceased, Loomis began to disappear. In 1948 he was awarded the highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Merit. The book closes with an EPILOGUE which gives brief accounts of the post WWII lives of the key scientists and others with whom Loomis was associated during his active career. Loomis died in 1975 at age eighty-seven.

My main criticism is the account of Oppenheimer's opposition to the H-bomb in the EPILOGUE which concludes with the statement "Oppenheimer was ousted from power and publicly disgraced" leaving the impression Oppenheimer spent the rest of his life in disgrace. The text fails to tell that later the Atomic Energy Commission cleared Oppenheimer of all charges and in 1963 awarded him their highest honor the Enrico Fermi award. Oppenheimer served as director of the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton from 1947 to his retirement in 1966.

This was a difficult book to write, not only because of Loomis' countless activities, but because he destroyed his papers before his death. Consequently, the book does not always read smoothly. Nevertheless, the book provides valuable material not available from other sources. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In 1957, the Russians launched Sputnik and the ensuing space race. Three years later, Gene Kranz left his aircraft testing job to join NASA and champion the American cause. What he found was an embryonic department run by whiz kids (such as himself), sharp engineers and technicians who had to create the Mercury mission rules and procedure from the ground up. As he says, "Since there were no books written on the actual methodology of space flight, we had to write them as we went along."

Kranz was part of the mission control team that, in January 1961, launched a chimpanzee into space and successfully retrieved him, and made Alan Shepard the first American in space in May 1961. Just two months later they launched Gus Grissom for a space orbit, John Glenn orbited Earth three times in February 1962, and in May of 1963 Gordon Cooper completed the final Project Mercury launch with 22 Earth orbits. And through them all, and the many Apollo missions that followed, Gene Kranz was one of the integral inside men--one of those who bore the responsibility for the Apollo 1 tragedy, and the leader of the "tiger team" that saved the Apollo 13 astronauts.

Moviegoers know Gene Kranz through Ed Harris's Oscar-nominated portrayal of him in Apollo 13, but Kranz provides a more detailed insider's perspective in his book Failure Is Not an Option. You see NASA through his eyes, from its primitive days when he first joined up, through the 1993 shuttle mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope, his last mission control project. His memoir, however, is not high literature. Kranz has many accomplishments and honors to his credit, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, but this is his first book, and he's not a polished author. There are, perhaps, more behind-the-scenes details and more paragraphs devoted to what Cape Canaveral looked like than the general public demands. If, however, you have a long-standing fascination with aeronautics, if you watched Apollo 13 and wanted more, Failure Is Not an Option will fill the bill. --Stephanie Gold ... Read more

Reviews (73)

THIS BOOK ROCKED
I first learned about this book after I saw Apollo 13. I was inspired by Kranz's (Ed Harris in the movie) zealousness to bring our asronaughts home. I then purchased this book. As I got into it I found that I could not put the book down.. There is NEVER A DULL MOMENT.. somthing always seems to go haywire.. and when it does, The good ol boys at mission control with the skill of the astronaughts do their damnest to fix it. a Truly awe inspireing book not only for space buffs but for any one who needs a good pick er upper. A true tribute to our Space Program. Kranz inspired by Kennedy's words "ask not what your country can do for you .. ask you can do for your country" and "We choose to go to the moon - in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy but because they are hard." A true Patriot Kranz is. I wish there were more people like Gene Kranz out there. I salute you Gene Kranz!

Tour de Space
Using his extensive files (over 7 file cabinets) and numerous sources, Gene Kranz reviews each launch and narrates his participation in the space program from Mercury through Apollo. An amazing amount of detail is given for the numerous difficulties that were encountered in each phase of the space program. The recognition of problems, troubleshooting them and quick resolution is the driving force in this text. Readers remember Apollo 13's fuel cell crisis and the excellent job done by both Mission Control and the crew to safely return the space craft home. However, while not as dramatic as Apollo 13's potential for astronauts being lost in space, several other incidents that could have resulted in tragedy are detailed along with the actions taken to overcome each difficulty.

The text is an account of Gene Kranz's career from procedure writer to Flight Director and details the history of the development of NASA's Mission Control organization. There being no previous experience, the book outlines how the Mission Control organization was developed from scratch. The text illustrates that in space, team work and training was mandatory to be able to evaluate a problem and initiate action often within 60 seconds. This required a high degree of commitment and competence for all persons involved.

Kranz's accounts of training through simulation is fascinating. Malfunctions were programmed into the training without prior knowledge of the persons in the training session. In one case the simulated collapse of the mission doctor was so real that after the training session others had to be told the doctor was fine. Such detailed and stressful training and the actual mission performance required a detailed knowledge of systems by each person for their area of responsibility plus knowledge of adjoining areas. This training frequently revealed problems where such knowledge later paid off in successful missions.

The author briefly outlines the background of each person as they appeared in the narration. They were basically a mix of young engineers and aviators some having test pilot experience. All parties had to live by a time line whether it was during planning, training, launch, flight or recovery. The text clearly states that participation in the space program demanded discipline, commitment and risk. Some readers may criticize Gene Kranz for his strict military attitude, discipline and unwavering commitment but the question must be asked what other alternatives would have worked in situations where decisions had to be made in seconds for malfunctions involving life and death? I am reminded of the old saying "A camel is a race horse designed by a committee." As the author clearly illustrates, in space there was no margin for error or time for debate.

Also covered are several non-flight activities such as upper management, debriefings and press conferences. Each debriefing was critical to the success of the next mission especially if critical malfunctions had to be addressed. The text states that the space program was covered by a dedicated, well-informed, and highly professional press corps who "....knew the difference between objective reporting of news and hyping things up to entertain the audience...." Kranz notes that "The press conference was almost as much of an ordeal as the mission" and further states "They asked the tough questions, but they respected us and the work we did as long as we didn't try to mislead them."

Flight directors worked rotating shifts. Gene Kranz was a flight director for Apollo 11 during the actual first lunar landing and later led the team that developed the program to recover Apollo 13 after it suffered the fuel cell explosion. The text gives much interesting information about both flights. The last moon landing was Apollo 17 where once again Kranz was a flight director.

The book concludes with the usual chapter Where They Are giving an update of the history for the major players.

The book provides a tremendous amount of information. Readability may be a minor weakness of this work, but a most helpful appendix Glossary of Terms defines the many acronyms used in the text and helps the reader to move ahead. While not difficult to read, at times it is slow reading unless the reader is just skimming.

While some may take issue with Gene Kranz's stern, disciplined, military approach to the challenges faced, the results confirm the effectiveness of this approach to life and death situations where decisions must be made in seconds and there is no turning back once a decision was made.

A must read for those interested in a time when the United States successfully met a major challenge.

Must read after reading all the astronauts' books.
Gene Kranz's book tells a similar story, as told in books by Eugene Cerman, Scott Carpenter, and Chris Kraft, without being dominated by the author's ego. The others wrote good books. But Kranz avoids using personal attacks to tell his tale. The antidotes differ from those in other stories, as Kranz does not have a Boy Scout image to preserve. However, Kranz covers mission control only through Apollo 17.

This book is an excellent story of the space race from the ground.

Mercury to Apollo: the inside scoop on the US space program
In my boyhoood, I collected news clippings of space flights like some others collected stamps. While I knew of the the complete or near-disasters of Apollo 1 and 13 which never escaped media attention, I could not imagine how many more instances of nervous questions there were on the ground at Mission Control Center (MCC) during many of the celebrated successful space shots.

Gene Kranz's book provides an insider's view into the inner workings of MCC, all the way from the Mercury program to the final Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Probably better suited than almost any one else to tell this story on how things looked from the ground, Kranz worked his career in NASA up to Flight Director, including for the memorable Apollo 11 and 13 flights which provide some of the most dramatic passages in the book. While the world savored the euphoria of the first men landing on the moon, Kranz tells of how he and his team were worrying about near fatal computer problems with the lunar lander. Most readers will be familiar with the Apollo 13 episode which was well enacted on the big screen with Tom Hanks , but Kranz's book provides some of the finer detail that the movie misses.

The book not only provides flight details of the manned spaced shots, but discuss some of the important management and technical issues which need to be resolved to move from Mercury through Gemini and Apollo. Kranz's epilogue concludes with some of his broader observatons and recommendations for future space policy.

Readers will be struck by the authoritarian and disciplined management style in the program, which Kranz does not easily hide. The author would probably have done well to use a ghostwriter or good editor. But apart from its prose which lacks elegance and an easy flow, this book provides an illuminating insight into how such a complex management feat was accomplished.

Disappointing
I consider myself an afficianado of the U.S. space program of the 1960s and early '70s, so I eagerly anticipated the arrival of Kranz's book.

Kranz has always seemed to be a man of the utmost integrity, dedication and competence. But a page-turning writer he is not. If he used a ghost writer on this book he was ripped off, seeing as how the prose is dry as dust.

The book is likely a valuable contribution to history, but it will probably be more referenced in future books than it will be read in its entirety. ... Read more

Book Description

The great politician, agriculturalist, economist, author, and businessman—loved and reviled, and finally now revealed. The first full biography of Henry A. Wallace, a visionary intellectual and one of this century's most important and controversial figures. Henry Agard Wallace was a geneticist of international renown, a prolific author, a groundbreaking economist, and a businessman whose company paved the way for a worldwide agricultural revolution. He also held two cabinet posts, served four tumultuous years as America's wartime vice president under FDR, and waged a quixotic campaign for president in 1948. Wallace was a figure of Sphinx-like paradox: a shy man, uncomfortable in the world of politics, who only narrowly missed becoming president of the United States; the scion of prominent Midwestern Republicans and the philosophical voice of New Deal liberalism; loved by millions as the Prophet of the Common Man, and reviled by millions more as a dangerous, misguided radical. John C. Culver and John Hyde have combed through thousands of document pages and family papers, from Wallace's letters and diaries to previously unavailable files sealed within the archives of the Soviet Union. Here is the remarkable story of an authentic American dreamer. A Washington Post Best Book of the Year. 32 pages of b/w photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Mr. Smith goes to Wasington ... and wins
I enjoyed this detailed account of the life of Henry Wallace. The book does read like a work by David McCullough, but is enhanced by a deep understanding of the culture of Washington. The book gives valuable insights into the practical political forces that shaped the New Deal and the beginning of the Cold War.

The underlying premise of this book as that an idealistic dreamer can make a huge difference in the creating and shaping policy in the United States. The co-author of this work is a former Senator from Iowa named John C. Culver. He served one-term in the 1970's. Through Henry Wallace, the authors mount a formidable defense of the ideals of American liberalism.

Yes...but
I enjoyed this book as a well-written biography and a tale of Americana and issues still relevant. I was amazed, though in re-reading McCullough's Truman, following reading Culver and Hude's
Wallace, how much they had simply picked up and reprinted from McCullough. Most of the Democratic convention in Chicago of 1944 is right out of the Truman biography - not that there was a great deal more to report, but word choices and whole phrases seem cribbed. Too bad, for most of the rest of the Wallace book is highly original and worth reading. Wallace is by now (2002) largely forgotten; too bad. He had a lot to offer and his life is both encouraing and is a cautionary tale. Let's just thank our lucky stars Harry Truman came along at the right time - Wallce as President would have been an idealist in a shark tank
and it would have been a disaster!

Facinating Account of the Man Who Was Almost President
This exceptionally well done biography of Henry Wallace tells the story of an unusual man who nearly became president of the US. As Vice-president during FDR's third term, Wallace could easily have become president as Roosevelt's health steadily worsened. Back-room dealings at the Democratic convention in '44, were all that prevented Wallace being VP during FDR's final term.

Wallace was a brilliant complex man. Early in his life he developed and promoted hybrid corn that improved the productivity of American (and subsequently world) farmers. He was the real drivers of the recovery of American agriculture during the Depression. Wallace made difficult, often unpopular choices, that had the long term effect of improving the country's agrarian strength.

As a politician he was simultaneously naive and crafty. His ability to move controversial New Deal legislation through Congress showed how skilled he could be. His run as a third party candidate for president in 52 demonstrated both his naivte and vanity (a quality he developed late in his life).

My only quibble with this book is that it tells very little about what happened to Wallace following his quixotic presidential run. While the remaining 17 years of his life were hardly as eventful as what came before, it certainly merited greater coverage. Don't let this small matter detract from reading this otherwise excellent biography.

After reading this biography, one reaches two conclusions: 1) it's probably best that Wallace never became president; as an idealist, he was too often unable to settle for the "good" instead of his view of the "perfect;" 2) despite his flaws, Wallace's brilliance and dedication make him seem much greater than anyone on the current political scene regardless of party.

Exceptionally well-done
This book does an excellent job of telling of a an amazing life. Henry Wallace was born in a farm house near Orient, Adair County, Iowa, without benefit of doctor or midwife. He went on to a life extremely beneficial to the American farmer, especially the corn farmer. When he was picked to become FDR's Secretary of Agriculture, many American farmers were encouraged, and he went on to be the greatest Agriculture Secretary ever. His career became much more controversial when he became Vice-President. This book's account of the 1940 and 1944 Democratic Conventions is extremely informative, and no one who lived through those times, or who has an interest in those momentous events, will fail to be appreciative of the good work the authors of this book have done in telling the story of those amazing political events. The account of Wallace's aberational seeking of the Presidency in 1948 is full of interest, and one is relieved that by 1950 Wallace's political insight was restored. This is a great book to read, full of insight into a complicated but amazing man. ... Read more

Book Description

From the #1 bestselling author of October Sky comes this rich, unforgettable tale. With the same dazzling storytelling that distinguished his first memoir, Homer Hickam takes us deeper into the soul of his West Virginia hometown at a moment when its unique way of life is buffeted by forces of time and change.

It is fall 1959. Homer “Sonny” Hickam and his fellow Rocket Boys are in their senior year at Big Creek High, and the town of Coalwood finds itself at a painful crossroads.

The strains can be felt within the Hickam home, where Homer Sr. struggles to save the mine, and his wife, Elsie, is feeling increasingly isolated from both her family and the townspeople. Sonny, despite a blossoming relationship with a local girl, finds his own mood darkened by an unexplainable sadness.

Then, with the holidays approaching, trouble at the mine and the arrival of a beautiful young outsider bring unexpected changes in both the Hickam family and the town of Coalwood ... as this luminous memoir moves toward its poignant conclusion.
... Read more

Reviews (56)

This book ROX!!!!!!!
I absolutely love this timeless classic by Homer Hickam! I'm just 17 years old, but know an awesome story when I read one! Homer's first book Rocket Boys changed my life. His book made me realize what life has in store for you when you take risks! The Coalwood Way is an excellent 2nd book in this "series". Mr. Hickam writes in such a way that it grasps you and wont let you quit reading. His style is perfect to read out loud to students in a classsroom setting. In fact, I plan on reading these books to my class when I become the band teacher I've always wanted to be. Thanx Mr. Hickam for this truly generous and awesome look into your exciting life as a coalwood boy!

A Deeply Satisfying Memoir
If you enjoyed Homer Hickam's Rocket Boys or the movie October Sky, this book is for you. Homer doesn't so much pick up where he left off at the end of Rocket Boys, but rather returns to the fullness of his senior high school year. He weaves a tapestry that provides detail in breadth and depth that keeps the pages turning. You'll suddenly discover it's well past bedtime and you are content to keep reading.

Homer discovers truths about himself and others, even as he's about to move away from home. There is always more to learn from one's parents. There are many emotional highs and lows in Coalwood, but lessons learned from both will leave you feeling hopeful for the human spirit. The people of Coalwood continue to display a dogged determination to get though the difficulties, even if they stumble along the way. Not one to cry easily, I found my eyes welling up with tears during the last chapter. It is possible to find great joy and beauty in hard times.

Homer doesn't miss on emotion. There's anger, joy, fear, excited anticipation, sorrow, laughter, and contentment. You may very well learn something about yourself while reading The Coalwood Way. I highly recommend it!

I've said it before and I'll say it again:
How many wonderful works of literature were we denied by Homer Hickam (not Hickham or Hickman) going into Industrial Engineering?

This is the type of book that makes you yearn for the simpler, more innocent times of your childhood, no matter when you grew up. Something in each of us can identify with the antics of the Rocket Boys.

I sure hope that Mr. Hickam continues to write more wonderful books such as this one and all his other works.

main character is engaging, flawed, well written.
Written by the same author of October Sky, about the same period in his childhood, the COALWOOD WAY and OCTOBER SKY cover the exact same themes-a son trying to shine despite the disappointment/disapproval of his father, rocket trial and error, etc-and have the exact same arcs. Minor characters and sub plots are different, however, and are very poignant and engaging.The protagonist, Sonny is an earnest boy with enough flaws to make him interesting. He is smart yet a little too proud; a friend but sometimes too self-centered to see when his closest friends are in trouble; he's handsome yet can't get a date to the senior dance. These imperfections make him the perfect Everyman, easy to root for. Minor characters are well drawn, and some are heartbreaking to watch. Dreama's tragic arc is painful but gives the story a darkness and depth. Her ostracization by town snobs is well-depicted, and shows that the author didn't just sail through his childhood without noticing the little evils that men do. Great read.

Entertaining memoir
This is not to the same level of The Rocket Boys, which is a story much better told. However, The Coalwood Way is an interesting read, especially for those who truly liked The Rocket Boys.

For one thing, i was a bit disappointed about the author's foreword. He swears that even though the events in the book passed so long ago (1959), he remembers everything in tremendous detail. If he hadn't said that, i wouldn't have even thought about it. As a person with very bad memory, i don't believe him.

Some of the characters are described to a point that they almost seem caricatures. I couldn't help think of Martin on The Simpsons when reading about Quentin. Roy Lee reminded me of Elvis Presley in one of his cheesy movies.

The memoir almost redeemed itself in page 267 (chapter 27), when Sonny finally realizes what has been bugging him all along (here's something i wish i had done: jot down the items on Sonny's list as you read along). That discovery makes the book worthwhile. However, the memoir ends with the Christmas Pageant, and that image really ruined the moment for me. ... Read more

Book Description

This is a lively and compact biography of P. M. S. Blackett, one of the most brilliant and controversial physicists of the twentieth century. Nobel laureate, leader of operational research during the Second World War, scientific advisor to the British government, President of the Royal Society, member of the House of Lords, Blackett was also denounced as a Stalinist apologist for opposing American and British development of atomic weapons, subjected to FBI surveillance, and named as a fellow traveler on George Orwell's infamous list.

His service as a British Royal Navy officer in the First World War prepared Blackett to take a scientific advisory role on military matters in the mid-1930s. An international leader in the experimental techniques of the cloud chamber, he was a pioneer in the application of magnetic evidence for the geophysical theory of continental drift. But his strong political stands made him a polarizing influence, and the decisions he made capture the complexity of living a prominent twentieth-century scientific life.

Book Description

Royal Raymond Rife, (6/16/1888 - 8/5/1971), inventor, innovator, researcher, optical technician, microbiologist. A true genius, a man of phenomenal capabilities. Rife was not satisfied with the limited capabilities of microscopes of the era due to insufficient magnification and inability to view microorganisms in their live, natural state. In order to solve these troublesome issues Rife spent years in optical research before he was able to design and construct a microscope to meet his requirements.

On completion of his Rife Prismatic Virus Microscope, Rife was able to view a previously hidden microscopic realm never before seen by man. A new understanding of microorganisms allowed Rife to identify, isolate and manipulate disease causing organisms including cancer. He thus was able to cure major diseases including cancer. This was done with a system of radiant frequency energy emission - a simple, non-invasive procedure.

Although Rife proved over-and-over that diseases could be controlled with his simple concept, the world of medical science was not ready for such technology and refused to accept it.

The material in this book covers the historical background of Rife and his concepts of radiant frequency energy healing. ... Read more

Book Description

Foreword by David Koch of NASA's Kepler Mission

Isaac Newton said that if he had seen farther than others, it was because he was standing on the shoulders of giants: Nicolaus Copernicus, Tycho Brahe, Galileo Galilei, and Johannes Kepler. James A. Connor focuses on one of those giants in his fascinating and largely untold story of the "Protestant Galileo," Johannes Kepler. Set against the backdrop of the witchcraft trial of his mother, Kepler's Witch vividly brings to life the tidal forces of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation, submerging us into these turbulent times, revealing not only the surprisingly spiritual nature of early modern science, but Kepler's role as a neglected hero of conscience.

The doorway into Kepler's life and times begins with the sensational witchcraft trial of his elderly mother, Katharina, an eccentric woman who, like Kepler, was too smart for the world she lived in. The story is filled with crooked judges, sadistic bailiffs, and nasty neighbors bent on the destruction of this single, half-mad old woman. Using never-before translated transcripts of the trial, Connor explains that witches in the seventeenth century were the terrorists of their day. Tragically, thousands of people -- mostly women -- had gone to the stake by the time of Katharina Kepler's trial.

Johannes Kepler's life thus became a pilgrimage, a spiritual journey into the modern world through disease and horrible injustice on the eve of Europe's terrible and bloody Thirty Years' War. Kepler was concerned with more than scientific discoveries and achievement -- he fought for peace and reconciliation between the Christian churches, even when it nearly cost him his life. Exiled twice by Catholic princes and excommunicated by his fellow Lutherans, he was unbowed in his scientific and moral vision.

Besides the witchcraft trial records and testimonies, Connor has translated many of Kepler's diary entries and correspondence into English for the first time. With a great respect for the history of these times and the life of this man, Connor's unforgettable story illuminates Kepler, a man of science, as well as Kepler, a man of uncommon faith and courage.

Reviews (6)

Excellent Reading
Kepler's Witch is excellent reading. It is a well researched and poignant account of a man of science who suffered much with the deaths of members of his family, his mother's trial as a witch, and financial anxiety, and still maintained his faith in both his religion and his science. This book is a great read for those people who don't read history.

The Humor - The Wit - and How Fascinating the story is told
I picked up this book for two reasons: One - it was recommended to me by a friend that teaches Mathmatics; and Two - the cover of the book sparked my interest. As I started into the writings, I felt the beginnings of the passion that I felt in my University Days when I stumbled onto new knowledge and new possibilities in learning. I loved the first week or two of every semester, because most of my class choices were stimulating and exciting (I got my degree in Science - Biology, Agriculture - and most of my core Science classes thrilled me, especially in the beginning.) That's what this book feels like - finding yourself immersed in subject material that you never thought about and knew nothing of. Oh, I remember Math lecturers talking about Kepler, but his was a name that you tried to remember for an exam and you try to tie together what theories he was known for, and you don't really understand or care or know anything about Kepler the Man. This book opened up a lot of interest for me. I know that I now want to read more about the Reformation, the Counter Reformation, German History, and definately more about Kepler's role in today's ongoing sciences - Astronmy, Optics, and Calculus. Excellent book! worth Reading. Stimulating without being pretentious and the author has a sense of humor that bleeds through out the story. Thanks for a good read.

Unique discussion of early 17th century Europe
Reading this book gave me a very clear picture of just how inseparable religion and politics were in 17th century Europe. Ditto for astrology and astronomy. And like Gail Reid-Gurian noted in her review, I got a similar sense of just how little things have changed over time. Indulging in superstition and gossip are still favorite pastimes today. One noteworthy change for the better is the reduction in infant mortality. I lost track of the number of children and family Kepler lost to illness, there were so many.

I especially liked the personal letters of Kepler that were placed at the beginning of each chapter. They lent a perspective that can be gained no other way.

On a lighter note, I chuckled out loud over the image of King Friedrich and Queen Elizabeth forgetting the baby back in the castle as they fled an invading army and sent a Baron running back to retrieve the infant. What a story! This is a very worthwhile read on many levels.

a brilliant book
Jim Connor has written a brilliant work of history, biography, and politics. Before I read the book, I had heard of Kepler but knew little about him. Now, I feel like I've gotten to know one of history's most important figures. Especially compelling for me was my eerie sense as I read the book that a lot of Kepler's life-issues are going on today, as if Connor had written contemporary history. Kepler could have lived in 2004, with our intrigues, our witchhunts, and our confusions about who we are and who we hope to be.

Excellent
Kepler is one of the giants of science. Newton stole the idea of gravity from him ( just like he stole calculus from liebniz, nevermind) anyway. This book doens't really have much to say about his sceintific achievment but is a facinating acount of his life and the times ( early 17th century, the thrity year war) surrounding them.
The only weakness to this book was some heavy reptitition. The same incident described in exactly the same way over and over.
In summation, it won't advance your understanding of the science he deveoloped, but it has some interesting insights in to the life of the scientist during the reformation. Enjoy ... Read more

Book Description

This biography of Gauss, by far the most comprehensive in English, is the work of a professor of German, G. Waldo Dunnington, who devoted most of his scholarly career to studying the life of Germany's greatest mathematician. The author was inspired to pursue this project at the age of twelve when he learned from his teacher in Missouri that no full biography of Gauss existed at the time. His teacher was Gauss's great granddaughter, Minna Waldeck Gauss. Long out of print and almost impossible to find on the used book market, this valuable piece of scholarship is being reissued in an augmented form with introductory remarks, an expanded and updated bibliography, and a commentary on Gauss's mathematical diary, by the eminent British mathematical historian, Jeremy Gray. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Finally Republished !!
I am so glad to see this book back in print. I am a great great great granddaughter of Gauss and have been referring people to this book for the last several years, always knowing it was hard to find. It is my primary reference for Gauss, and much of it is very readable. It addresses Gauss' personal life, as well as his mathmatics, and the original edition has short biographies of Gauss' children, and a genealogy. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Biography at the Wood's Edge
Christianson gave the work a hearty try. His facts, often presented in calendar fashion, are given in such a way that one can glimpse the character of Eiselely as he would appear to one who was observing him. In this fashion, the book is a success. But I strongly wonder that the book misses its mark in finding what was inside the man, rather than merely describing what the man did. Christianson seems to have made a real effort, but the many people he interviewed or researched that were acquainted with Loren and Mabel, seem also to have been observers of WHAT THEY DID rather than who they were. In this sense, I dont think that anyone will do a better job at an Eiseley biography, as both Mr and Mrs E seem to have made it plain that they werent to be really known.

All the Strange Dours
As to the quality of the scholarship, there can be little question.With few exceptions, it appears that all of the "i's" are dotted, all the "t's" crossed.

Christianson rightly avoids emotional involvement with his "subject," except for occasional pronouncements and conclusions about Eiseley's character, mostly negative.The author avoids hero-worship with a vengeance.This makes the book interesting in another dimension, because it starts one to thinking about Christianson himself.The downside is that this inevitable digression of thought gets in the way of thinking about the subject of the work.But at least it's not a starry-eyed whitewash.

One can't help wondering why the author, who does let some positive elements shine through via quotes by Eiseley himself, seems resentful of his subject rather than understanding.Perhaps he admired his subject so much that he went overboard and emphasized the "warts" too much.Perhaps he began as one seduced by his subject's work, but had his bubble burst when his research exposed the "warts."Perhaps he was jealous.Perhaps he took pleasure in attempting to topple one more successful than he, a practice known as "trophy hunting" in some circles.One way of "standing tall" is to put down, but it is a curious way.

Read this book for information but not for a sympathetic treatment of Eiseley.Just as an overly sentimental treatment would be flawed, this book lacks balance, lacks any depth of understanding of the complex relationships of insight and science and literature and how these were combined in Eiseley.It is linear in its "analysis," and many a reader will want that.

It is a fair guide to the facts, but not skillfully written in the sense of being "reader-friendly."While real contortions of prose are relatively rare, the writing is not easy to follow.Certainly the author knew his subject well (at least one guesses that this must be the case), but the reader does not close this scholarly tome with a coherent picture of the subject.One is left with more of a sense that one has been present while Eiseley's closets were not only emptied of their skeletons, but watched while they were scattered about.One imagines Eiseley's own skeleton among them, disarticulated, incomplete, broken, even pulverized.But dead men cannot protest, eh? ... Read more

Book Description

Einstein looked up to him, the Nazis tried to abduct him, his institute in Copenhagen hosted just about every Nobel prize winner in physics you can name (and then some), and Winston Churchill considered him a dangerous, dangerous man. His friends and enemies agreed: Niels Bohr was more than the father of quantum mechanics - he was one of the most important figures of the 20th century. The Tony Award-winning Broadway play "Copenhagen" barely scratched the surface... Suspended in Language tells the complete story of Niels Bohr's amazing life, discoveries, and his pervasive influence on science, philosophy, and politics. Told in an engaging and accessible mixture of text and comics, it includes a full color supplement on how to teleport just like the pros do-and why you might not want to! ... Read more

Book Description

Homer Hickam won the praise of critics and the devotion of readers with his first two memoirs set in the hardscrabble mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia. The New York Times crowned his first book, the #1 national bestseller October Sky, “an eloquent evocation ... a thoroughly charming memoir.” And People called The Coalwood Way, Hickam’s follow-up to October Sky, “a heartwarmer ... truly beautiful and haunting.”

Now Homer Hickam continues his extraordinary story with Sky of Stone, dazzling us with exquisite storytelling as he takes us back to that remarkable small town we first came to know and love in October Sky.

In the summer of ‘61, Homer “Sonny” Hickam, a year of college behind him, was dreaming of sandy beaches and rocket ships. But before Sonny could reach the seaside fixer-upper where his mother was spending the summer, a telephone call sends him back to the place he thought he had escaped, the gritty coal-mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia.There, Sonny’s father, the mine’s superintendent, has been accused of negligence in a man’s death — and the townspeople are in conflict over the future of the town.

Sonny’s mother, Elsie, has commanded her son to spend the summer in Coalwood to support his father. But within hours, Sonny realizes two things: His father, always cool and distant with his second son, doesn’t want him there ... and his parents’ marriage has begun to unravel. For Sonny, so begins a summer of discovery — of love, betrayal, and most of all, of a brooding mystery that threatens to destroy his father and his town.

Cut off from his college funds by his father, Sonny finds himself doing the unimaginable: taking a job as a “track-laying man,” the toughest in the mine. Moving out to live among the miners, Sonny is soon dazzled by a beautiful older woman who wants to be the mine’s first female engineer.

And as the days of summer grow shorter, Sonny finds himself changing in surprising ways, taking the first real steps toward adulthood. But it’s a journey he can make only by peering into the mysterious heart of Coalwood itself, and most of all, by unraveling the story of a man’s death and a father’s secret.

In Sky of Stone, Homer Hickam looks down the corridors of his past with love, humor, and forgiveness, brilliantly evoking a close-knit community where everyone knows everything about each other’s lives — except the things that matter most.Sky of Stone is a memoir that reads like a novel, mesmerizing us with rich language, narrative drive, and sheer storytelling genius.
... Read more

Reviews (35)

Captivating
Sonny Hickam, the first year college man, returns home to a summer filled with mystery in his hometown of Coalwood. And our boy gains 20 lbs of muscle in the mines. But as in the other two stories about Coalwood, the center of attention is on his views of others in the town, the strong and capable and those who have suffered severely in the town's industry of mining coal. This is a moving story, seen thru the eyes of a bright 18 year old boy who is learning about life. Each Hickam book reveals more about Sonny's father; a special person who is easy to admire but not so easy to like. Sky of Stone is outstanding for adults, and a great book for young teens. I suggest Hickam books (Rocket Boys, Coalwood Way and now Sky of Stone) to all the undergraduates at my university. Exciting and poignant, with all of lifes secrets. Sky of Stone is a book you will re read time and again. And you may be enticed to visit the town where it all took place.

Sonny Does It Again!
Well, here I am again, writing another bleary-eyed rave review for one of Homer Hickam's fantastic books that I could not put down till the wee hours of the morning! This one almost surpasses the wonder I felt when I read ROCKET BOYS-- almost, but not quite--- hence four stars, instead of five! SKY OF STONE has different excellent qualities going for it--- one of which is a mystery, one that is well-constructed so that even the most avid mystery reader does not know what the real truth is until the very last moment. That is what kept me up all night-- I wanted to see how it ended! I love that the characters of Coalwood are once again painted against that familiar tapestry that was "ROCKET BOYS"--- I felt myself drawn into that place I have physically driven through so many times in my life (living only 20 minutes away from Coalwood), but only know personally through Sonny's books. I missed the Rocket Boys in this one, those comrades who shared so much in ROCKET BOYS and THE COALWOOD WAY. But the characters that were involved in the telling of this story had so many wonderful aspects to them that I found myself enthralled by their interactions with Sonny. Floretta was my favorite. I also loved how Elsie Hickam was the puppetmaster for this book, even though she was in her beloved Myrtle Beach for most of the book--- GIRL POWER!!! I cannot say enough about this book or the two that precede it, so I will just say this (in an unfair take on the film "Field of Dreams"), "Sonny Hickam, write them, and I will come!" Another well-written, awesome tale of life in the county I, too, call home!

I'm sure Mr Hickam was a great scientist, but....
just think how many more wonderful literary masterpieces we would have today if he'd focused on writing instead!

I picked this book up at the library after I happened upon some good reviews here. I must say, I am very much impressed with Homer Hickam. The writing is fluid and very well developed. The story is wholesome and reminiscent of simpler times, and the plot is superb.

I am definitely going to be reading more of Mr. Hickam's works, which, if you notice, all receive 4-5 stars here. America, I think the writing of Homer Hickam will continue to do us proud!

Coalwood's swan song
Through Homer Hickam's marvelous memoirs, readers have been transported to Coalwood, West Virginia, of the late 1950s - first in ROCKET BOYS (made into the film OCTOBER SKY), then THE COALWOOD WAY, and now SKY OF STONE.

It's the summer of 1961. After his freshman year at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Homer wants to join his mother at her new house in Myrtle Beach, a coastal resort in South Carolina. But there's been a fatal accident back in the mine at Coalwood, and Homer's Dad, the mine superintendent, is under investigation by state and federal agencies. So, Mom tells Homer to go back home and keep his Dad company. And, as readers of the series know, Elsie Hickam is not one to trifle with.

SKY OF STONE is, I think, certainly superior to THE COALWOOD WAY, and perhaps even to ROCKET BOYS. It's in this third volume that Homer emerges from adolescence. He comes to grips with his parents' increasing estrangement from each other, his father's emotional distance, the loss of beloved pets, and the primacy of his older brother in his father's affections. Then there's Homer's first serious crush, the object being Rita, a junior mining engineer several years his senior. Finally, to pay off damage done to his father's Buick, Homer defies both parents, joins the United Mine Workers of America, moves out of the family home, and goes to work in the coal mine as a summer job. (SKY OF STONE refers to the ceiling of solid rock over the mine's tunnels.)

Homer's semi-dysfunctional family remains a source of reader sympathy. Over one weekend, young Hickam resides with the Likens family, the menfolk of which are going to improve their guest's softball skills. (Homer's been drafted by the union team that will play management on the Fourth of July.) At breakfast, Homer notices:

"(Mrs. Likens) smiled lovingly at her husband, and I thought again how much I envied her family. They all just seemed to like each other." The poignancy of this observation is heartbreaking.

Hickam self-deprecating humor makes him an eminently likable protagonist. He sets out to that July 4th showdown on the baseball diamond with the thought:

"... I had, in fact, only two hopes: one, that I wouldn't hit myself with the bat, and the other, that nobody would hit a ball in my direction." But, Homer rises to the occasion, much to the satisfaction of the reader.

Since, in the book's epilogue, Homer's narrative summarizes his life since that maturing summer of '61, I assume that SKY OF STONE is to be the last in the Coalwood series, which has been a genuine piece of true-life Americana. I shall miss it.

According to the author, Coalwood's mine has long since shut down, and the town itself barely exists as a place on the map anymore. However, there's a museum there dedicated to the town's mining heritage and the exploits of the Rocket Boys. Homer's books leave me wanting to travel across country to visit. Honor is due.

A budding Hickamite
It is really heartening to find a modern author who can write a book without a lot of violence and sexual content and come up with a work that you simply cannot put down. This is easily the best of his three novels about his Southern West Virginia roots. I spent just enough years in Southern West Virginia, worked just enough years in the coal mines, and lived just about the right time to be totally entertained by this book. I think that Hickam is something of an American hero and he has downplayed a life that the Nation can be proud of. Homer Hickam is one of the few (like former President Jimmy Carter or the late Justice Byron White) whom America could erect a statue to and say "this is what a person of any age or nationality should be" - both very accomplished and very moral. Also, what a great storyteller. ... Read more

Book Description

Charles Darwin stands as a towering figure in science, who changed the direction of modern thought in establishing the basis of evolutionary biology. These letters offer a fascinating window onto his daily experience, scientific observations, personal concerns and friendships, affording a unique glimpse of Darwin as both naturalist and family man. From his early years at Edinburgh University up to the publication of The Origin of Species in 1859, the letters in this volume chart the most exciting years of Darwin's life, including the voyage of the Beagle and the subsequent findings which led to his theory of natural selection. The Cambridge Edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (winner of the first Morton N. Cohen Award for a Distinguished Edition of Letters) has been hailed as a monumental edition and a triumph of post-war publishing. This selected edition, introduced by Stephen Jay Gould, makes these engaging letters newly available. ... Read more

Book Description

Here is a multidimensional playland of ideas from the world's most eccentric Nobel-Prize winning scientist. Kary Mullis is legendary for his invention of PCR, which redefined the world of DNA, genetics, and forensic science. He is also a surfer, a veteran of Berkeley in the sixties, and perhaps the only Nobel laureate to describe a possible encounter with aliens. A scientist of boundless curiosity, he refuses to accept any proposition based on secondhand or hearsay evidence, and always looks for the "money trail" when scientists make announcements.

Mullis writes with passion and humor about a wide range of topics: from global warming to the O. J. Simpson trial, from poisonous spiders to HIV, from scientific method to astrology. Dancing Naked in the Mind Field challenges us to question the authority of scientific dogma even as it reveals the workings of an uncannily original scientific mind.

... Read more

Reviews (85)

A portrait of the scientist as a human being
For those of you who know Don Cherry, I can only compare Mullis with that legendary hockey personality. They both let you know exactly what they think, no holds barred. Mullis' autobiography is well written, fascinating, and even infuriating at times. The central theme seems to be, "don't believe everything you hear". As a research scientist myself, I must strongly echo that sentiment. There are usually (and I am not exaggerating when I say >75%, at least in my field of chemistry) errors in the reports of scientific matters in the media, even from such reputable services as AP and CNN.

Therefore, read this book, enjoy it, and don't believe any of it just because Mullis says it's so. Sure, I'll take his word for it if he says there's no definitive link between HIV and AIDS, but he didn't convince me atrology is real. Just mentioning these two diverse topics gives you a flavour for what it'll be like to enter the Mind Field.

It's neither a textbook nor a journal article on PCR...
Nor does it pretend to be. I am disappointed that some of my fellow reviewers have actually critiqued this work according to standards I normally reserve for treatises.

Yes, Mullis is a hedonistic, puerile man with an ego of whopping proportions who wrote a book about himself.

Yes, he engages in some very unscientific hypothesis. Frankly, I'm glad he's stepped outside of the lab a time or two. It made for an interesting read. Further, I wouldn't hesitate to blame natural selection for any casualties resultant from literal interpretation of this work.

Mullis seems to enjoy a colorful square as much as he does a gold star. Seems to me that he's had a healthy dose of both, right in the middle of his forehead.

I found his tribute to himself refreshing in its honesty. In my book (and apparently his), feigned humility is a bit cloying. I'd think pretty highly of myself if I were a nobel laureate. Actually, I think pretty highly of myself without one. I don't necessarily believe self-confidence should be reserved for professional athletes only. Would Mullins' critics have allowed him to join in the reindeer games if he had titled the book, "Why, This Old PCR?"

After spending far too long in a huge cardboard moving box, then almost three months on my "to read" shelf, "Dancing Naked in the Mind Field" was selected purely by chance as my companion on a weekend journey by train from New York City to Philadelphia.

It was an amusing trip.

Musings Of A Brilliant Skeptic
Author Kary Mullis attended the same high school as this reviewer, and knew some of the same people, but, unlike most of our school-mates, went on to win the Nobel prize in chemistry. In this delightful book, he explains for the layman's benefit such matters as the polymerase chain reaction, for which he won the Nobel, talks about his early exposure to chemistry (blowing things up), his conversations with the king and queen of Sweden, his experiences with LSD, and a possible abduction by aliens.

It is all beautifully written, sparkling with manic humor, highly personal, and yet with a profoundly serious dark edge. Dr. Mullis is deeply concerned about the evolution of science in our time. He is skeptical of much current dogma and doesn't hesitate to shoot any cows no matter how sacred. He has some sharp words for environmentalists, for microbiologists, even nutritionists. He doesn't buy a lot of popular ideas which are supposed to be scientific. He doesn't buy into global warming. He doesn't necessarily believe that the HIV virus is the cause of AIDS. He even wonders if there might be something valid in astrology. Well, has anyone proved otherwise?

This is a thoroughly entertaining book. I just read it for the second time, and while I still laughed my head off, I found it more disturbing on the second reading. Author Mullis raises some important questions. In an age that prides itself on being scientific, it is just possible that dogma has begun to replace experiment in the scientific method. Dancing Naked will definitely challenge your thinking, and it is fun to read. I recommend it highly. Reviewed by Louis N. Gruber.

think for yourself - educate yourself
most neg. reviews seem to complain about the lack of scientific detail or that mullis doesn't adequately back up his observations, opinions, assertions, etc. or that his writing style is not polished enough to warrant reading. why??

this book is NOT represented as a biography, text, or treatise. it is a look into the life and thoughts of an extraordinary person and i would rather read his own words as he writes them than some editor's attempt to cram them into an 'accepted style'.

you don't have to agree with him. you don't have to like him. but at least think about the things he has to say. do your own research to determine if you share is views.

and for those of you who don't feel he deserved the nobel prize because of other things he has done or things he believes....while your opinions are valid, as everyone's are, you don't get to make that decision. so instead of cutting the guy down and panning the book....

go write your own! *I* am.

this is a great book to motivate you to think for yourself and educate yourself.

beautiful humanist genius teaches gently by example
kary mullis is a genius, but genius alone is not enough to encapsulate his humanistic and respectful value system. the book is a series of vignettes from mullis' experiences -- including some science and a lot of life. it was a great pleasure to read, not particularly for literary value but, instead, for the direct uncensored access to his thoughts. mullis interposes no artifice, and has quite a lot to say. ... Read more

Book Description

Long out of print, the much-loved autobiography of celebrated comet-hunter Leslie Peltier is being reissued on the 100th anniversary of his birth. In a career spanning six decades and using telescopes from 2 to 12 inches in diameter, Peltier discovered a dozen comets and six novae and made more than 100,000 observations of variable stars. In Starlight Nights he recalls these achievements and reflects on the meaning of observational astronomy as well as all of nature. This new edition features an introduction by Sky & Telescope magazine contributing editor David H. Levy plus 16 black-and-white photographs from the Peltier family archives. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Captures the Essence of Amateur Astronomy
Starlight Nights: The Adventures of a Stargazer by Leslie Peltier is a wonderful book, which embodies the heart and soul of stargazing.It was out of print for many years, but has been republished by Sky Publishing, and is available through Amazon and through the Sky & Telescope Store online.I obtained a copy last year and read it.Once started, I couldn't put it down.

Peltier begins when, as a child of five, he first saw the Pleiades.As a young teenager he saved up his money and bought his first scope, made his own observing pier in the pasture, and hung out every night learning the night sky.The book covers about 60 years in Peltier's life, including his stargazing honeymoon out west.He observed every night he could, undeterred by cows in the field or snow on the ground.

He became an avid variable-star observer and a comet hunter. He tells the story of bicycling into town on a dark November night in 1925 to telegraph his first comet discovery to Harvard College Observatory.One of his early telescopes, a six-inch refractor, had a wooden (mahogany) tube. When he found each comet he neatly carved the date in the tube of the telescope.

Over the years he built his own observatories, and obtained castoff FAMOUS telescopes (a twelve-inch refractor made by Alvan Clark), when Miami University of Ohio, 125 miles from his home, wanted to upgrade theirs. He became famous among astronomers, but always lived a simple life, shunning publicity, and not straying far from