Simply Dirac - (Great Lives) by Helge Kragh (Paperback)

About the Book

Simply Dirac looks at the life and work of theoretical physicist Paul Dirac (1902-1984), one of the most important-and strangest-scientists of the 20th century.

Book Synopsis

"What a fantastic entrée into the life of Paul Dirac and the exotic world of Quantum Mechanics, of which he was one of the great pioneers. With its cast of some of the most important scientists of the modern age, this is both an entertaining and an enlightening read."
--Michael White, Bestselling author of 39 books including Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer

Paul Dirac (1902-1984) was a brilliant mathematician and a 1933 Nobel laureate whose work ranks alongside that of Albert Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton. Although not as well known as his famous contemporaries Werner Heisenberg and Richard Feynman, his influence on the course of physics was immense. His landmark book, The Principles of Quantum Mechanics, introduced that new science to the world and his "Dirac equation" was the first theory to reconcile special relativity and quantum mechanics.

Dirac held the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics at Cambridge University, a position also occupied by such luminaries as Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking. Yet, during his 40-year career as a professor, he had only a few doctoral students due to his peculiar personality, which bordered on the bizarre. Taciturn and introverted, with virtually no social skills, he once turned down a knighthood because he didn't want to be addressed by his first name. Einstein described him as "balancing on the dizzying path between genius and madness."

In Simply Dirac, author Helge Kragh blends the scientific and the personal and invites the reader to get to know both Dirac the quantum genius and Dirac the social misfit. Featuring cameo appearances by some of the greatest scientists of the 20th century and highlighting the dramatic changes that occurred in the field of physics during Dirac's lifetime, this fascinating biography is an invaluable introduction to a truly singular man.

Review Quotes

"Paul Dirac is one of the most in uential scientists of the twentieth century, often called 'the theorist's theorist.' Yet he is much less well known than many lesser physicists. In Simply Dirac, the distinguished historian Helge Kragh gives an accessible introduction to Dirac's most famous contributions to our understanding of the workings of nature, and gives us a good sense of the theoretician's singular personality. A most enjoyable read." -Graham Farmelo, Author of The Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Mystic of the Atom "Kragh, who is a respected colleague and authoritative historian, has taken up an imposing challenge. Dirac's work is obscured by three barriers to understanding: The complexity of quantum mechanics, the novelty of Dirac's take on this eld, and the strangeness of the man. To reveal Dirac's genius through this triple veil in such a clear way was no easy task, but one that Kragh has handled remarkably. He is a reliable guide through this di cult terrain and has contributed many valuable insights to this work." -Hans Christian von Baeyer, Chancellor Professor of Physics, Emeritus, at the College of William and Mary "What a fantastic entrée into the life of Paul Dirac and the exotic world of Quantum Mechanics, of which he was one of the great pioneers. With its cast of some of the most important scientists of the modern age, this is both an entertaining and an enlightening read." -Michael White, Bestselling author of 39 books including Isaac Newton: The Last Sorcerer