Greg Laughlin, Associate Professor
Astronomy and Astrophysics

Inward Bound by Abraham Pais

I encountered this volume by chance in the University of Illinois Physics Library while I was an undergraduate. I was studying for a looming quantum mechanics exam, when I noticed the book lying out waiting to be reshelved. I picked it up distractedly, and was immediately hooked (to my definite disadvantage on the quantum mechanics exam, but now that's all water under the bridge). Pais does a wonderful job of describing the historical progression of the understanding of Nature on successively smaller size scales. I found this book to be of great value because of the way it entwines an accurately researched history of science with a masterful discussion of the scientific results themselves.