Robert Oppenheimer: Letters and Recollections

Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) is one of the few American scientists who have become public and controversial figures in the twentieth century.T his book adds a new dimension to the Oppenheimer story by offering a look at the private man behind the public figure. It consists of letters spanning the period from his Harvard student days in 1922 to his departure from Los Alamos in 1945. The letters are supplemented by recollections of those who knew Oppenheimer and by his own recollections from an interview a few years before his death. ‘A beautifully organized collection of letters and reminiscences …The editors have interviewed those who knew and worked with him, stirred in the necessary explanatory background, and produced an account, both scholarly and highly readable, which throws fresh light on a man who will probably always remain something of an enigma. Amid devotional defense and almost rabid attack, their book is a model of objectivity.’ New York Times Book RevieW ‘An intimate, carefully documented, and honest book.’ Scientific American ‘The first scholarly attempt to come to grips with the development of Oppenheimer’s elusive personality, it is all the more impressive because its many revealing letters and candid commentary were gathered from those who knew him best.’ Science ‘A milestone in Oppenheimer scholarship …The full measure of Oppenheimer the man, the scientist, and the public figure remains to be taken, but the publication of this rich volume will markedly aid the accomplishment of that ultimate and demanding task.