Author:John Gribbin
Erwin Schrödinger was an Austrian physicist famous for his contribution to quantum physics. He won the Nobel Prize in 1933 and is best known for his thought experiment of a cat in a box, both alive and dead at the same time, which revealed the seemingly paradoxical nature of quantum mechanics.
Schrödinger was working at one of the most fertile and creative moments in the whole history of science. By the time he started university in 1906, Einstein had already published his revolutionary papers on relativity. Now the baton of scientific progress was being passed to a new generation: Werner Heisenberg, Paul Dirac, Niels Bohr, and of course, Schrödinger himself.
In this riveting biography John Gribbin takes us into the heart of the quantum revolution. He tells the story of Schrödinger's surprisingly colourful life (he arrived for a position at Oxford University with both his wife and mistress). And with his trademark accessible style and popular touch, he explains the fascinating world of quantum mechanics, which underpins all of modern science.
A fascinating tale of scientific endeavour . . . Gribbin expertly elucidates the relationships and discoveries that shaped Schrodinger's thoughts, including his lengthy correspondence with Albert Einstein, which led to the famous cat-in-the-box thought experiment . . . Anyone wishing to dip their feet in the muddy waters of quantum physics will enjoy this scientific soap opera. But it should be required reading for those eager to understand how the process of scientific discovery really works
—— New ScientistGribbin is an established master in the game of demystifying quantum mechanics
—— Jim Al-KhaliliThe master of popular science writing
—— Sunday TimesGribbin lucidly describes Schrödinger's Silver Surfer view of the universe, as well as revealing some of the more colourful details of Schrödinger's life... at its heart, this book is a fight for the soul of the quantum world
—— Daily TelegraphA fascinating insight into the mind and some of the more extreme forms of psychopathology
—— Linda PapadopoulosWhat physically causes our bodies and minds to age? And what happens in those critical moments before we die? Now I get it...
—— Andrea McLeanWow. After reading A Day In Your Life I'm going to look after myself a little better.
—— Aled JonesIncredible. Apparently there are more friendly bacteria inside my intestine than cells in my own body.
—— Penny SmithAn informative and entertaining introduction to the human body for all the family.
—— Good Book GuideRequires total immersion followed by quiet contemplation… Not only a history of medicine. It is a history dedicated to men […] for whom the war-afflicted body was a life sentence
—— Joanna Bourke , LancetHe found his best form as a storyteller and interpreter of the dynamic nature of our native woodlands.
—— Ian Edwards , Reforesting ScotlandAn informative history of the English relationship with trees
—— Arminta Wallace , Irish TimesElegant and heartfelt… Part eco-memoir, part monograph, wholly engrossing
—— Daily TelegraphFantastic
—— Neil Denny, Little AtomsA truly compelling book, savage and sparkling by turns
—— Kathryn Hughes , Mail on SundayAlan Root’s overflowing life as a dedicated, adventurous film-maker and naturalist is almost the story of wild East Africa itself in those glorious and tragic years surrounding the advent of political independence…a fresh, honest, often moving (and humorous) account, a terrific contribution to the literature
—— Peter MatthiessenRequired reading for anyone who wants to experience the joys and sorrows of conservation in today's Africa
—— Wilbur SmithRoot’s enthralling memoir…is the best true-life adventure story to come out of Africa for years
—— Sunday TelegraphHis is a funny, harrowing, beautifully written love letter to Africa
—— Christopher Hart , Sunday TimesIn this captivating memoir [Root] documents his brushes in the bush and his passion for wildlife
—— Big Issue in the NorthOscar-nominated filmmaker Root has written the most extraordinary love letter to Africa – packed with drama and knowledge, tragedy and hope... A completely gripping and important study of this complex and disappearing natural environment
—— Sally Morris , Daily MailHis is an extraordinary story laced with tragedy
—— Mail on Sunday[Root's] life story, vividly related here, is crammed with incident and adventure. Curious, creative and fearless, he has diced with death on numerous occasions and been mauled several times in his efforts to capture the daily lives of everything from silver-back gorillas to leopards in the wild on film. A gripping account of a life well lived
—— Good Book Guide