Publisher's Weekly Review
Schwartz (NATO's Nuclear Dilemmas), a State Department alumnus, introduces a new generation to Enrico Fermi (1901-1954) with the first English-language biography of Fermi in 47 years. An Italian immigrant, Nobel laureate, and passionate outdoorsman, Fermi pioneered the physics breakthroughs that shaped the 20th century. Readers will find no equations here, only unfaltering, clear explanations of the science behind his discoveries relating to the weak and strong interactions, Fermi-Dirac statistics, computational physics, and nuclear reactors. Along with Fermi's life in Italy and America, Schwartz ably resurrects his Los Alamos years, showing how "much of what was secret in the Manhattan Project originated in Fermi's brain." Uniquely, Fermi triply excelled in experimentation, theory, and teaching. By "stripping problems to their bare essentials and leading his students through step-by-step solutions," Fermi "believed that anyone could learn what he knew." Charismatic, confident, and approachable, he was beloved by students and peers alike. But Fermi showed reticence "in every aspect of his personal life," writing "neither letters nor diaries." Schwartz recreates Fermi's story from the outside in, aided by the writings of his wife, Laura, and his colleagues. Told in a sure, steady voice, Schwartz's book delivers a scrupulously researched and lovingly crafted portrait of the "greatest Italian scientist since Galileo." (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* In 1942, after Enrico Fermi had forever changed the world by triggering the first-ever atomic chain reaction, a colleague asked his wife, Laura Fermi, Do you think anything is impossible for Enrico? In this compelling new biography, Schwartz makes clear how little lay beyond the reach of this scientific polymath. A laudably lucid narrative illuminates how Fermi's remarkable breadth of intellect established him as Italy's most celebrated twentieth-century scientist, a pioneer in theorizing on beta rays and in creating new elements through slow-neutron bombardment. Acclaimed as a Nobel laureate, Fermi uniquely excelled as theorist, experimentalist, and teacher. And that unparalleled range of talents quickly elevated Fermi to leadership in American science, after he fled a Nazifying Europe. Schwartz expertly captures all the high drama of Fermi's December 1942 breakthrough in fission and all the tense intrigue of the consequent Manhattan Project bomb-making in which Fermi's multifaceted genius again shone. Though comparable to Segrè and Hoerlin's The Pope of Physics (2016) as an account of Fermi's groundbreaking science, Schwartz's biography delivers a much fuller personal portrait, illuminating how this generous friend to scientific colleagues, this inspiring mentor to students, often proved a difficult husband and negligent father. A sophisticated portrayal of a complex man.--Christensen, Bryce Copyright 2017 Booklist
Choice Review
All physicists, and many others, know of Enrico Fermi--an extraordinary genius who was among a handful of individuals to revolutionize particle physics in the twentieth century. He is known as a Nobel laureate who worked on the Manhattan Project, but less widely known are the details of his life: his fascination for gambling, which first drew him to probability and statistics (a field he also revolutionized with the development of Fermi-Dirac statistics); his collaboration with Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar on cosmic rays; his secret hope that he wouldn't have to share a Nobel Prize with another physicist as Schrödinger and Dirac did; his detached attitude to death from an early age. These are some of the varied facets of Fermi's life as explored in Schwartz's biography. Schwartz, an author whose father was himself a Nobel-winning particle physicist, offers an engaging, carefully researched account of Fermi's life and career. Of particular interest to physicists is the chapter on Fermi's discoveries regarding beta-rays. The story of the inauguration of the first nuclear reactor is enriched with personal details. Overall, this volume provides a fascinating look at one of the greatest scientists of the twentieth century. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. --Varadaraja V. Raman, emeritus, Rochester Institute of Technology
Library Journal Review
One of Enrico Fermi's (1901-54) former students referred to him as "the last man who knew everything" because he was a physicist who was brilliant not only in the theoretical realm but also in the experimental branch. Schwartz (NATO's Nuclear Dilemmas) relates the life story of Fermi, including his younger years in Italy, the death of his brother, his immense capacity for learning mathematics and physics, his Nobel Prize work, his escape to America and work on the atomic bomb, and his legacy at the University of Chicago. Unfortunately, Schwartz has the tendency to use such phrases as "we now know" or "one is" to refer to the reader. His research is sound, and the book includes notes and a bibliography. Verdict In 2016, another Fermi biography was published-Bettina Hoerlin and Gino Segrè's The Pope of Physics, that is superior to this book in both writing style and organization of content.-Jason L. Steagall, Gateway Technical Coll. Lib., Elkhorn, WI © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.