Pierre Curie - by Marie Curie (Paperback)

About the Book

Intimate memoir of the Nobel laureate, written by his wife and lab partner, analyzes the nature and significance of the Curies' experiments. In addition, the author reconstructs her own work with radiation.

Book Synopsis

"A delightful book. It marks one of the few instances in which the proverbial humdrum life of the student of physical science, together with the more austere ideals, have been made intelligible." -- The New York Times
Nobel laureate Marie Curie offers a memorable portrait of her equally famous husband and lab partner, Pierre Curie. A scientific biography as well as an intimate memoir, this unique narrative recaptures Pierre Curie's youthful research and his first scientific breakthrough, the discovery of piezoelectricity. It further explores his pioneering work in crystallography and magnetism along with the couple's most famous achievement, the discovery of radium.
In addition to firsthand accounts of laboratory work and techniques, Marie Curie offers observations on her husband's personality and character, their family life, and the work of their scientific contemporaries, including Ernest Rutherford, Frederick Soddy, Friedrich Oskar Giesel, and Henri Becquerel. Curie also reconstructs her studies of radiation, discussing equipment, procedures, and results. These rare insights into two of history's great scientific minds will fascinate students of science and all readers interested in scientific discovery.

About the Author

French physicist Pierre Curie (1859-1906) shared the 1906 Nobel Prize with his wife, Marie, and Henri Becquerel for their work on radioactivity. Curie was also a pioneer in crystallography, magnetism, and piezoelectricity.Polish physicist Marie Curie (1867-1934) was the first person to receive two Nobel Prizes, in physics and in chemistry. She was the first female professor at the University of Paris.