The Pope of Physics: Enrico Fermi and the Birth of the Atomic Age, Paperback

A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice

Named a Best Book of the Year by Bloomberg (Chosen by Philip Tetlock), Booklist's Top 10 Science Books of the Year, and Shortlisted for Physics World's Book of the Year

A Major Biography of the Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist, Enrico Fermi, a Leading Architect of the Atomic Age

Enrico Fermi is unquestionably among the greats of the world's physicists, the most famous Italian scientist since Galilo. Called ``the Pope`` by his peers, he was regarded as infallible in his instincts and research. His discoveries changed our world; they led to weapons of mass destruction and conversely to life-saving medical interventions. This unassuming man struggled with issues relevant today, such as the threat of nuclear annihilation and the relationship of science to politics. Fleeing Fascism and anti-Semitism, Fermi became a leading figure in America's most secret project: building the atomic bomb. An examination of the human dramas that touched Fermi's life as well as a thrilling history of scientific innovation in the twentieth century, this is the comprehensive biography that Fermi deserves.