Called "the Pope" by his peers, Enrico Fermi was one of the leading physicists of the 20th century and the most famous Italian scientist since Galileo. A rare combination of theory and experiment, Fermi's legacy encompasses key advances in fields as diverse as cosmic rays, nuclear technology, and early computers, and after fleeing Italy's anti-Semitism in 1938 he became a leading figure in America's atomic bomb project. In this New York Times Editor's Choice biography, Gino Segré and Bettina Hoerlin bring this unassuming scientific visionary to life, detailing how he struggled with such issues as the threat of nuclear annihilation and the relationship of science to politics.
"[Segrè and Hoerlin] have combined sophisticated understanding of Fermi's scientific achievements with intimate, often charming stories of the famed physicist's personal life, to create a book that's both intelligent and extremely engaging…. A story filled with drama, creativity, adventure."—The Washington Post