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argrandelis0920's review against another edition
5.0
Consumed this in a day. Cried. Encouraged me to learn more about physics and nuclear theory.
miguelf's review against another edition
3.0
At the beginning of the book the author claims not to have a deep physics background, but it’s kind of inevitable that one will need to get into the science weeds in discussing one of the most well known physicists of the 20th century. Sure enough, it gets into detail at times, and I think the lack of a hard science background is to its detriment. Ironically, it seems like compared to someone like Dirac that Fermi lived a more interesting life, yet I recall being more engaged in the Dirac biography (The Strangest Man). It’s clear that the author is very excited about the life of Fermi, but the enthusiasm never really grabs the reader as much as it could. I did enjoy knowing more about Fermi and the people in his orbit as he is such a huge figure.
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
5.0
Schwartz read a lot about Fermi before he realized that there was no definitive biography on the man. After reading countless books and papers written about Fermi by his friends, loved ones, and acquaintances, he decided to write one himself. The result is fascinating--and not to dense for physics neophytes such as myself.
oldwindways's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the read and was fascinated by some of the larger than life nature of Fermi's story. It's hard to imagine an ordinary man crossing paths with so many titans from the world of Physics, but of course, that is because Enrico was no ordinary man. Rather, he was a giant of his generation of physicists.
I appreciated that the way book was written neither assumed a deep knowledge of atomic physics (and didn't try to fill the role of an advanced physics textbook), nor was it shy about explaining the importance of Fermi's work and how it dovetailed with the other major developments before, during, and after his contributions. I did not major in physics in college, but as an undergrad at MIT, I had a reasonable exposure in my freshman year. I felt that even someone who did not have the opportunity to do so would be able to follow the technical portions of this book.
That said, the pacing left a little to be desired. I would sometimes burn through pages in a single sitting, while on more than one occasion I had to put the book down for several days before I could climb back in.
In the end, it was a fascinating portrait of a man who accomplished so much and lived in truly interesting times. I would highly recommend to anyone with an interest in atomic physics that approaches the topic for a less academic angle, not to mention an interesting lens through which to view the buildup to World War II in Europe and America, the War Effort in America, and the dawning of the Cold War. Rarely do the scientists take center stage in the telling of such stories.
I appreciated that the way book was written neither assumed a deep knowledge of atomic physics (and didn't try to fill the role of an advanced physics textbook), nor was it shy about explaining the importance of Fermi's work and how it dovetailed with the other major developments before, during, and after his contributions. I did not major in physics in college, but as an undergrad at MIT, I had a reasonable exposure in my freshman year. I felt that even someone who did not have the opportunity to do so would be able to follow the technical portions of this book.
That said, the pacing left a little to be desired. I would sometimes burn through pages in a single sitting, while on more than one occasion I had to put the book down for several days before I could climb back in.
In the end, it was a fascinating portrait of a man who accomplished so much and lived in truly interesting times. I would highly recommend to anyone with an interest in atomic physics that approaches the topic for a less academic angle, not to mention an interesting lens through which to view the buildup to World War II in Europe and America, the War Effort in America, and the dawning of the Cold War. Rarely do the scientists take center stage in the telling of such stories.
ajlewis2's review
4.0
A very readable biography of a physicist--something that is hard to produce. A lot of the book is spent on the history of the production of the atomic bomb, but there is much more to Enrico Fermi's life and contribution to physics than that. This biography gives a picture of a real person. He is interesting even without the physics. He lived in interesting times. He enjoyed life, loved solving problems, and struggled with obstacles and decisions. The story is told well with some detail about the physics which is given in a way such that not understanding does not pop you out of the story. I guess understanding it all would make it that much better.
oldwindways's review
4.0
I enjoyed the read and was fascinated by some of the larger than life nature of Fermi's story. It's hard to imagine an ordinary man crossing paths with so many titans from the world of Physics, but of course, that is because Enrico was no ordinary man. Rather, he was a giant of his generation of physicists.
I appreciated that the way book was written neither assumed a deep knowledge of atomic physics (and didn't try to fill the role of an advanced physics textbook), nor was it shy about explaining the importance of Fermi's work and how it dovetailed with the other major developments before, during, and after his contributions. I did not major in physics in college, but as an undergrad at MIT, I had a reasonable exposure in my freshman year. I felt that even someone who did not have the opportunity to do so would be able to follow the technical portions of this book.
That said, the pacing left a little to be desired. I would sometimes burn through pages in a single sitting, while on more than one occasion I had to put the book down for several days before I could climb back in.
In the end, it was a fascinating portrait of a man who accomplished so much and lived in truly interesting times. I would highly recommend to anyone with an interest in atomic physics that approaches the topic for a less academic angle, not to mention an interesting lens through which to view the buildup to World War II in Europe and America, the War Effort in America, and the dawning of the Cold War. Rarely do the scientists take center stage in the telling of such stories.
I appreciated that the way book was written neither assumed a deep knowledge of atomic physics (and didn't try to fill the role of an advanced physics textbook), nor was it shy about explaining the importance of Fermi's work and how it dovetailed with the other major developments before, during, and after his contributions. I did not major in physics in college, but as an undergrad at MIT, I had a reasonable exposure in my freshman year. I felt that even someone who did not have the opportunity to do so would be able to follow the technical portions of this book.
That said, the pacing left a little to be desired. I would sometimes burn through pages in a single sitting, while on more than one occasion I had to put the book down for several days before I could climb back in.
In the end, it was a fascinating portrait of a man who accomplished so much and lived in truly interesting times. I would highly recommend to anyone with an interest in atomic physics that approaches the topic for a less academic angle, not to mention an interesting lens through which to view the buildup to World War II in Europe and America, the War Effort in America, and the dawning of the Cold War. Rarely do the scientists take center stage in the telling of such stories.
miguelf's review
3.0
At the beginning of the book the author claims not to have a deep physics background, but it’s kind of inevitable that one will need to get into the science weeds in discussing one of the most well known physicists of the 20th century. Sure enough, it gets into detail at times, and I think the lack of a hard science background is to its detriment. Ironically, it seems like compared to someone like Dirac that Fermi lived a more interesting life, yet I recall being more engaged in the Dirac biography (The Strangest Man). It’s clear that the author is very excited about the life of Fermi, but the enthusiasm never really grabs the reader as much as it could. I did enjoy knowing more about Fermi and the people in his orbit as he is such a huge figure.
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