1 comments about Julian Schwinger: The Physicist, the Teacher, and the Man.

1. For those interested in History of Science, Quantum Mechanics or Julian Schwinger, this is a great book-- at least from the science perspective.

   This volume has essays by many of the contemporaries and students of Schwinger. In them, they talk a lot about his science, and how this has influenced various areas of physics. In that the book is quite valuable. Thus, Schwinger the Physicist.

   They also talk a great deal about how great a lecturer he was, and even discuss his lecturing style-- which I found quite interesting. I even found myself making a couple of mental notes for when I lecture. Thus, Schwinger the Teacher.

   However, after reading many of these essays, I still could not get a really good feel of what Schwinger the Man was like. There were several anecdotes by some of his students of the sort: "In my five years of graduate school, Schwinger invited me to his house for dinner once. The evening was spent pleasantly." Or: "One time when I went to office hours, Schwinger asked me a question, and I explained why that could not be so. He said "Oh yes! How stupid of me!" This was the only time I heard him admit he was wrong." Or: "Schwinger enjoyed history, but not music." Or: "One time, after he had bought a new car, he took me driving. Usually restrained, on this day he showed reckless abandon." (paraphrasing these)

   The feeling I got after reading these essays was that either: (1) Schwinger was such a private man, that no one really got to know him very well or (2) Physicists do not have a good idea what an adequate description of a man is, other than describing his science--and that these anecdotes encompass what they feel is an adequate representation of the type of man he was.

   Personally, I would have liked to hear more about Schwinger the NON-physicist. For example, how did he relate to his children? What about when his mother or father died? How about his relationship with his wife?

   Who's to say, though? These are just my thoughts--- and I haven't won a Nobel Prize!

   As an added bonus, there is a delightful transcript of a lecture Schwinger gave the year before he died in 1993, on George Green and physics.

   This is still worth a look, if you are interested in this sort of thing.

1 comments about Making Genes, Making Waves: A Social Activist in Science.

1. An intelligent, clearly written book by Harvard microbiologist and social activist Jon Beckwith. He describes his eventful life in science and activism, and makes some interesting points about the nature of science: "the actual practice of science is a human endeavor with the flaws and virtues of any human activity." He emphasizes the importance of ethics in science, and says that scientists and non-scientists must work together for science to help mankind, and not be used unwisely. I knew Beckwith years ago when I lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and wish him well with the book.

No comments about Ingenuity In A Can: The Ralph Stolle Story.

No comments about Benjamin Franklin's Science.

No comments about Engine Revolutions: The Autobiography of Dr. Max Bentele (Sae Historical Series).

1 comments about Fred Hoyle's Universe.

1. Fred Hoyle was one of the most distinguished and at the same time the most controversial scientists of the twentieth century. He was also a quite popular author of science fiction novels, a popular radio announcer on the BBC -- a true renaissance man.
   
   His scientific achievements consisted of pioneering work in areas like the radioactivity in stars that produce all of the heavy elements which when subsequently blown into space and collected into planets become the stuff out of which we are all made. He also did fundamental research into some of the practical problems facing the use of Radar during World War II.
   
   The biggest controversy came from his support of the steady state theory of the cosmos rather than the Big Bang. Not only did he support steady state, he continued his support long after it became discarded by the mainstream of science. In fact, his last book, published just before his death continued steady state support and further annoyed most of the scientists with a photograph of a flock of geese blindly following one another representing the failure of the big-banger's to even consider an alternate approach.
   
   This book is essentially a biography, but it also gives a good look into the world of science in the last century. Good Reading!

No comments about American Scientist in Early Meiji Japan: The Autobiographical Notes of Thomas C. Mendenhall (Asian Studies at Hawaii).

No comments about Wings Over Illinois.

1 comments about Howard Aiken: Portrait of a Computer Pioneer (History of Computing).

1. The book is a partisan contribution to a long running skirmish about the dawn of modern computing. To what extent did Aiken influence the design of IBM's first postwar computers? Today, this issue is of interest only to the historians of computing. But Cohen takes us back to those early times. When the basic architecture was being laid down, and not all the implications were fully understood.
   
   It is best to keep that in mind when reading the book. Neither Aiken or IBM's engineers fully understood what they were doing. But we can only say that with the benefit of 60 years hindsight, and a hugely successful computer industry. Certainly, Aiken comes off as visionary. But perhaps Cohen understates IBM's contribution?

1 comments about Amelia Earhart: Challenging the Skies Great Lives Series.

1. Amelia Earhart: Challenging the Skies is a great book. It is an informative, easy to read book that only focuses on the information needed but has enough to keep it interesting. This book is about Amelia's many adventures and accomplishments in flying that she hoped would open up the world of aviation to women. It describes the many records that Amelia broke: she was not only the first woman to do many things in aviation but, in some cases, the first person. It also gives many different possible explanations for the disappearance of Amelia and the reasons and arguments why or why they are not a possibility. This book is very well written and gives wonderful information, especially if you just want to touch on it.