Planck by Brandon R Brown
The biography of Max Planck, a brilliant scientist living in Nazi Germany, and a man considered to be the father of quantum theory.
I loved every aspect of this engaging portrait of Max Planck* Naomi Pasachoff, Metascience *
Historians of leading physicists and their complex scientific theories will appreciate Brown's inclusion of many of them here. He valiantly tries to explain these theories in simple terms, including Einsteins work, but often comes up short. This is not a weakness but an indication that sections of this book are intended for advanced readers. Understanding the science is not necessary to appreciate the main points of the book, however. In the end, Brown's work is not just a reflection of one man, albeit a remarkable one, nor simply an examination of the collective contributions of his many colleagues. Rather, this book is also an examination of evil and the many ways that people reacted to it. * David Mills, H-War *
Brandon Brown [focuses] on the tragedy of one man, the Nobel physicist Max Planck, whose son Erwin was executed because of nebulous connections to the plot to kill Hitler. The cruel inevitability of Erwin's fate is chillingly played out against the larger narrative of Plancks extraordinary life. Beautiful words describe terrible heartache. * Gerard DeGroot, Books of the Year 2015, The Times *
Brown's fervour is inspiring. He has done a great service by shedding light on the life and work of a very brilliant though troubled individual, 'father of quantum theory' and witness to the greatest upheavals of the 20th century. * History Today, Giulia Miller *
"[Planck's story] is told rather perfectly... Since memories are by nature random and ephemeral, there's nothing linear about the way [his story] unfolds. That's precisely what makes this book so special. * The Times *
An illuminating biography... Brown interweaves a gripping backstory, ranging from Planck's landmark theoretical description of blackbody radiation to his loyal advocacy for fellow physicist Lise Meitner. * Nature *
A captivating biography. * Physics Today *
Planck had his flaws, but readers of this engrossing, insightful, and definitive biography will share Brown's admiration and agree that he deserves his iconic reputation. * Publisher's Weekly *
Historians of leading physicists and their complex scientific theories will appreciate Brown's inclusion of many of them here. He valiantly tries to explain these theories in simple terms, including Einsteins work, but often comes up short. This is not a weakness but an indication that sections of this book are intended for advanced readers. Understanding the science is not necessary to appreciate the main points of the book, however. In the end, Brown's work is not just a reflection of one man, albeit a remarkable one, nor simply an examination of the collective contributions of his many colleagues. Rather, this book is also an examination of evil and the many ways that people reacted to it. * David Mills, H-War *
Brandon Brown [focuses] on the tragedy of one man, the Nobel physicist Max Planck, whose son Erwin was executed because of nebulous connections to the plot to kill Hitler. The cruel inevitability of Erwin's fate is chillingly played out against the larger narrative of Plancks extraordinary life. Beautiful words describe terrible heartache. * Gerard DeGroot, Books of the Year 2015, The Times *
Brown's fervour is inspiring. He has done a great service by shedding light on the life and work of a very brilliant though troubled individual, 'father of quantum theory' and witness to the greatest upheavals of the 20th century. * History Today, Giulia Miller *
"[Planck's story] is told rather perfectly... Since memories are by nature random and ephemeral, there's nothing linear about the way [his story] unfolds. That's precisely what makes this book so special. * The Times *
An illuminating biography... Brown interweaves a gripping backstory, ranging from Planck's landmark theoretical description of blackbody radiation to his loyal advocacy for fellow physicist Lise Meitner. * Nature *
A captivating biography. * Physics Today *
Planck had his flaws, but readers of this engrossing, insightful, and definitive biography will share Brown's admiration and agree that he deserves his iconic reputation. * Publisher's Weekly *
Brandon R. Brown is a Professor of Physics at the University of San Francisco. He completed doctoral training in superconductivity, with postdoctoral work in science communication. His biophysics work on the electric sense of sharks, as covered by NPR and the BBC, has appeared in Nature, The Physical Review, and other research journals. His writing for general audiences has appeared in New Scientist, SEED, the Huffington Post, and other outlets.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780190219475 |
| ISBN 10 | 0190219475 |
| Title | Planck |
| Author | Brandon R Brown |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press Inc |
| Year published | 2015-07-23 |
| Number of pages | 280 |
| Prizes | Winner of 2016 Housatonic Book Award for Non-Fiction Recipient. |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |