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The Pope of Physics

Enrico Fermi and the Birth of the Atomic Age

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The Pope of Physics

By: Gino Segre, Bettina Hoerlin
Narrated by: Tim Campbell
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About this listen

Enrico Fermi is unquestionably among the greats of the world's physicists, the most famous Italian scientist since Galileo. Called "the Pope" by his peers, he was regarded as infallible in his instincts and research. His discoveries changed our world; they led to weapons of mass destruction and conversely to life-saving medical interventions. This unassuming man struggled with issues relevant today, such as the threat of nuclear annihilation and the relationship of science to politics. Fleeing Fascism and anti-Semitism, Fermi became a leading figure in America's most secret project: building the atomic bomb.

The last physicist who mastered all branches of the discipline, Fermi was a rare mixture of theorist and experimentalist. His rich legacy encompasses key advances in fields as diverse as cosmic rays, nuclear technology, and early computers. In their revealing book, The Pope of Physics, Gino Segrè and Bettina Hoerlin bring this scientific visionary to life. An examination of the human dramas that touched Fermi's life as well as a thrilling history of scientific innovation in the 20th century, this is the comprehensive biography that Fermi deserves.

©2016 Gino Segrè and Bettina Hoerlin (P)2017 Tantor Americas Physics Professionals & Academics Science Science & Technology United States

Critic reviews

"Segrè and Hoerlin draw an engaging portrait of a man with boundless curiosity who delighted in his work; fans of pop science and history will thoroughly enjoy this entertaining and accessible biography of a scientist who deserves to be better understood." ( Publishers Weekly)
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An interesting book, certainly in detailing the intellectual development of the young physicist. Learning about his experimental and theoretical achievements, as well as his follies, gave me a great insight into the development of this titan of the field. It does however, deal with his personal growth too, even if in a manner I found forced at times especially when dealing with early childhood. Overall I found it a fascinating read and learned a huge amount from it, definitely will recommend it to friends.

Fascinating Character

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I listened to this over the course of a day it was so interesting.

Fermi was a fascinating man in, in my opinion, the most fascinating career in the most fascinating historical era and this book captures it all really well.

The narrator didn’t botch any of the European names (and judging by his pronunciation it sounds like he also learned how to pronounce Japanese and Indian names).

And that is rare, the amount of books on the two wars where American narrators butcher every place and name has made me listen to less history.

As a biography it is a fantastic example of the genre.

Fascinating

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