The Martians of science : five physicists who changed the twentieth century /

With such an interesting title, Hargittai (chemistry, Budapest Univ. of Technology and Economics; Eotvos Univ., Hungary) provides a good reason for some readers to pick up the book. They will not be disappointed. The author explains the title in the preface, noting that the label "Martian" for these five prominent Hungarian physicists was originally a joke: "Someone suggested that they had come from Mars, but to disguise themselves they spoke Hungarian." These five men were all born in Budapest, Hungary, near the turn of the 20th century, within a span of 27 years. They all moved to Germany to learn more about physics and eventually to the US as they contributed to the American war effort during WW II. For most chapters, Hargittai compartmentalizes the story of each physicist as he moves through life. Most of them knew one another when they lived in Budapest as young students, and their work and lives started to intertwine at a greater pace as they got older; this compartmentalization makes easier reading. Readers can choose to read biographical information concerning a single physicist, if desired. The supplemental material greatly enhances the text. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. General readers; lower-division undergraduates through professionals. J. R. Kraus University of Denver