Memoirs: A Twentieth-Century Journey in Science and Politics

Mass.: Perseus Pub., Cambridge, 2001. First Edition, First Printing (stated). xii, 628 pages: illustrations; 24 cm Neat gift inscription else about fine(-) in fine(-) jacket now in archival mylar. Hardcover. ISBN: 9780738205328, 9780738207780

The story of Edward Teller is the story of the twentieth century. Born in Hungary in 1908, Teller witnessed the rise of Nazism and anti-Semitism, two world wars, the McCarthy era, and the changing face of big science. A brilliant and controversial figure, Teller brings to these events a perspective that is at once surprising and insightful. Edward Teller is perhaps best known for his belief in freedom through strong defense. But this extraordinary memoir at last reveals the man behind the headlines -- passionate and humorous, devoted and loyal. Never before has Teller told his story as fully as he does here. We learn Teller's true position on everything from the bombing of Japan to the pursuit of weapons research in the post-war years. In clear and compelling prose, Teller chronicles the people and events that shaped him as a scientist, beginning with his early love of music and math, and continuing with his study of quantum physics under Werner Heisenberg. Present at many of the pivotal moments in modern science, Teller also describes his relationships with some of the century's greatest minds -- Einstein, Bohr, Fermi, Szilard, von Neumann -- and offers an honest assessment of the development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs, the founding of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, and his complicated relationship with J. Robert Oppenheimer. He also offers, for the first time, a moving portrait of his childhood, his marriage and family life, and his deep friendship with physicist Maria Mayer. Writing about those aspects of his life that have had important public consequences -- from his conservative politics to his relationships with scientists and presidents -- Teller reveals himself to be a man with deep beliefs about liberty, security, and the moral responsibility of science. - Jacket flapContents: How many seconds in a year? (1908-1913). Learning about war, revolution, and peace (1914-1919). The other side of the war years (1914-1919). Romanian interlude (1919-1920). My name is KoKó (1920-1925). How to become a physicist the hard way (1926-1928). Brave new world (1928-1929). Journeymen year in physics (1929-1930). The pleasures of small successes (1930-1933). The future becomes obvious (1933). Copenhagen (1933-1934). The joy of being a foreigner (1934-1935). First years in the United States (1935-1941). Fission (1939-1941). Academicians go to work (1941-1943). Settling in at Los Alamos (March 1943-November 1943). On and off the Mesa (November 1943-January 1945). An end, a beginning (1945). Give it back to the Indians (1945-1946). Incomplete answers (1946). Among friends from home (February 1946-June 1949). The Reactor Safeguard Committee (1947-1949). Twenty years too soon (June 1949-January 1950). Our doubts have a firm foundation (1950). Damn the torpedoes (November 1950-April 1951). Pleasures in the Pacific, perils at Princeton. (April 1951-September 1951). The campaign for a second weapons laboratory. (November 1951-July 1952). The new wheel spins a bit (1952-1954). Other nuclear affairs (1949-1955). The Oppenheimer hearing (April 12, 1954-May 6, 1954). Sequelae (June 1954-February 1955). Three friends (August 1954-August 1958). Down to earth (1955-1958). The directorship (1958-1960). A few lessons in political affairs (1955-1960). The temperature of the Cold War rises (1960-1965). Educating inventive engineers (1961-1975). Uphill (1964-1972). Choices, critical and otherwise (1973-1979). Strategic defense (1980-1992). Other issues. public and private (1980-1990). Homecoming (1990-2000). Appendix: In the matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer. In the Matter ofJ. Robert Oppenheimer. Index.