The history of physics since the turn of the century is set forth in seven biographies that concentrate on the people and lives behind the scientific breakthroughs of the nuclear age. Beginning with the Curies' radiation experimentation, Henderson (Modern Mathematicians, 1995) reveals how each scientist chronologically and inspirationally built on the findings of his or her predecessors and colleagues. Neils Bohr relied on Rutherford's ideas about the nuclear atom for his theories of quantum physics; Lise Meitner expanded upon the work of the Curies, Einstein, Fermi, and Planck for her groundbreaking developments in nuclear fission. Clear language and precise examples mark the discussion of each pioneer and their innovations, from the discovery of X rays and the naming of electrons and protons, to the atomic bomb and the existence of quarks. Struggles as well as achievements are outlined in this Milestones in Discovery and Invention Series entry. The concepts are complex; readers with a background in the subject will find this accessible, although for neophytes, terminology is often defined, and icon-driven insets highlight key ideas, connections, trends, parallels, and quotes tangentially related to the time period or person at hand. (index, not seen, b&w diagrams, charts, photos, chronologies, bibliographies) (Biography. 12-15)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1998
ISBN: 0-8160-3567-9
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Facts On File
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 1997
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This oversized, handsome book is an excellent introduction to one of America’s great photographers and her work, which influenced generations of others who followed her craft. Rubin (Toilets, Toasters, and Telephones, 1998, etc.) covers Bourke- White’s life chronologically, from her youth, when she wanted nothing more than to be a herpetologist, through her college years, when she first took a photography class, to her subsequent struggle to find her place in a largely male-dominated profession, photojournalism. By the time she was 30, Bourke-White had made her mark, and was able to earn a handsome living as she traveled the world, not only consorting with presidents and princes, but photographing some of the planet’s most wretched places, including concentration camps. Some of her most powerful photographs illustrate the book, and also give an insight into era in which she earned her place as an artist. Rubin makes clear that Bourke-White’s reputation continues to grow, providing researchers and browsers alike with a warm, admiring glimpse of a woman and her times. (notes, bibliography, index) (Biography. 10-13)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-8109-4381-6
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1999
In a sequel to the well-received I Have Lived a Thousand Years (1997, not reviewed), Bitton-Jackson writes of her life as Elli Friedmann in 1945, when she, her brother, and mother were liberated from Auschwitz and sent back to their former home in Czechoslovakia. Finding only a shell of the place they had known, they struggled to rebuild some semblance of life and waited for the return of Elli’s father. When they realized he was gone for good, their only hope through all their efforts was the prospect of obtaining papers that would allow them to emigrate to America. Through the long years that they waited, Elli found work teaching, and helping other Jews escape to Palestine, a dangerous and illegal undertaking. When they finally arrived in New York City, relatives welcomed them; an epilogue collapses most of the author’s adult life into a few paragraphs so readers will know the directions her life took. Interesting and inspiring, this story makes painfully clear how the fight to survive extended well beyond the war years; the discomforts and obstacles the author faced and articulates in such riveting detail will make readers squirm at the security and ease of their own lives. (Memoir. 12-14)
Pub Date: March 1, 1999
ISBN: 0-689-82026-7
Page Count: 258
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1999
BOOK REVIEW
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