David N. Schwartz

A very readable biography of a physicist--something that is hard to produce. A lot of the book is spent on the history of the production of the atomic bomb, but there is much more to Enrico Fermi's life and contribution to physics than that. This biography gives a picture of a real person. He is interesting even without the physics. He lived in interesting times. He enjoyed life, loved solving problems, and struggled with obstacles and decisions. The story is told well with some detail about the physics which is given in a way such that not understanding does not pop you out of the story. I guess understanding it all would make it that much better.… (more)