Memoirs : a twentieth-century journey in science and politics

The fascinating recollections of one of the most brilliant and controversial scientists of the 20th century. The story of Edward Teller is the story of the twentieth century. Born in Hungary in 1908, Teller witnessed the rise of Nazism and anti-Semitism, two world wars, the McCarthy era, and the changing face of big science. A brilliant and controversial figure whose work on nuclear weapons was key to the American war effort, Teller has long believed in freedom through strong defense, a philosophy reflected in his stance on arms control and nuclear policy. These extraordinary recollections at last reveal the man behind the headlines-passionate and humorous, devoted and loyal. In clear and compelling prose, Teller tells of the people, events, and ideas that shaped him as a scientist, beginning with his early love of music and math, and continuing with his study of quantum physics with Werner Heisenberg. Present at many of the pivotal moments in modern science, Teller also describes his friendships with some of the century's greatest minds-Einstein, Bohr, Fermi, Szilard, von Neumann, Oppenheimer-and offers an honest account of the development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs. He also offers a moving portrait of his childhood, his marriage and family life, and his friendship with physicist Maria Mayer. Writing about those aspects of his life that have had important public consequences-from his conservative politics to his relationships with scientists and presidents-Teller reveals himself to be a man with deep beliefs about liberty, security, and the moral responsibility of science. The Story Of Edward Teller Is The Story Of The Twentieth Century. Born In Hungary In 1908, Teller Witnessed The Rise Of Nazism And Anti-semitism, Two World Wars, The Mccarthy Era, And The Changing Face Of Big Science. A Brilliant And Controversial Figure, Teller Brings To These Events A Perspective That Is At Once Surprising And Insightful. Edward Teller Is Perhaps Best Known For His Belief In Freedom Through Strong Defense. But This Extraordinary Memoir At Last Reveals The Man Behind The Headlines -- Passionate And Humorous, Devoted And Loyal. Never Before Has Teller Told His Story As Fully As He Does Here. We Learn Teller's True Position On Everything From The Bombing Of Japan To The Pursuit Of Weapons Research In The Post-war Years. In Clear And Compelling Prose, Teller Chronicles The People And Events That Shaped Him As A Scientist, Beginning With His Early Love Of Music And Math, And Continuing With His Study Of Quantum Physics Under Werner Heisenberg. Present At Many Of The Pivotal Moments In Modern Science, Teller Also Describes His Relationships With Some Of The Century's Greatest Minds -- Einstein, Bohr, Fermi, Szilard, Von Neumann -- And Offers An Honest Assessment Of The Development Of The Atomic And Hydrogen Bombs, The Founding Of Lawrence Livermore Laboratory, And His Complicated Relationship With J. Robert Oppenheimer. He Also Offers, For The First Time, A Moving Portrait Of His Childhood, His Marriage And Family Life, And His Deep Friendship With Physicist Maria Mayer. Writing About Those Aspects Of His Life That Have Had Important Public Consequences -- From His Conservative Politics To His Relationships With Scientists And Presidents -- Teller Reveals Himself To Be A Man With Deep Beliefs About Liberty, Security, And The Moral Responsibility Of Science. - Jacket Flap. The Controversial Scientist Describes His Early Life In Hungary, His Role In The Development Of The American Nuclear Weapons Programs, His Conservative Politics, And His Friendships With Other Distinguished Scientists. How Many Seconds In A Year? (1908-1913) -- Learning About War, Revolution, And Peace (1914-1919) -- The Other Side Of The War Years (1914-1919) -- Romanian Interlude (1919-1920) -- My Name Is Kokó (1920-1925) -- How To Become A Physicist The Hard Way (1926-1928) -- Brave New World (1928-1929) -- Journeymen Year In Physics (1929-1930) -- The Pleasures Of Small Successes (1930-1933) -- The Future Becomes Obvious (1933) -- Copenhagen (1933-1934) -- The Joy Of Being A Foreigner (1934-1935) -- First Years In The United States (1935-1941) -- Fission (1939-1941) -- Academicians Go To Work (1941-1943) -- Settling In At Los Alamos (march 1943-november 1943) -- On And Off The Mesa (november 1943-january 1945) -- An End, A Beginning (1945) -- Give It Back To The Indians (1945-1946) -- Incomplete Answers (1946) -- Among Friends From Home (february 1946-june 1949) -- The Reactor Safeguard Committee (1947-1949) -- Twenty Years Too Soon (june 1949-january 1950) -- Our Doubts Have A Firm Foundation (1950) -- Damn The Torpedoes (november 1950-april 1951) -- Pleasures In The Pacific, Perils At Princeton -- (april 1951-september 1951) -- The Campaign For A Second Weapons Laboratory -- (november 1951-july 1952) -- The New Wheel Spins A Bit (1952-1954) -- Other Nuclear Affairs (1949-1955) -- The Oppenheimer Hearing (april 12, 1954-may 6, 1954) -- Sequelae (june 1954-february 1955) -- Three Friends (august 1954-august 1958) -- Down To Earth (1955-1958) -- The Directorship (1958-1960) -- A Few Lessons In Political Affairs (1955-1960) -- The Temperature Of The Cold War Rises (1960-1965) -- Educating Inventive Engineers (1961-1975) -- Uphill (1964-1972) -- Choices, Critical And Otherwise (1973-1979) -- Strategic Defense (1980-1992) -- Other Issues--public And Private (1980-1990) -- Homecoming (1990-2000) -- Appendix: In The Matter Of J. Robert Oppenheimer. In The Matter Ofj. Robert Oppenheimer -- Index. Edward Teller, With Judith L. Shoolery. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Title ......Page 2 Copyright ......Page 3 Dedication ......Page 4 Contents ......Page 5 Acknowledgments ......Page 8 Introduction ......Page 10 1 How Many Seconds in a Year? (1908-1913) ......Page 12 2 Learning About War, Revolution, and Peace (1914-1919) ......Page 17 3 The Other Side ofthe War Years (1914-1919) ......Page 26 4 Romanian Interlude (1919-1920) ......Page 33 5 My Name is KoKo (1920-1925) ......Page 40 6 How to Become a Physicist the Hard Way (1926-1928) ......Page 51 7 Brave New World (1928-1929) ......Page 62 8 Journeymen Year in Physics (1929-1930) ......Page 73 9 The Pleasures of Small Successes (1930-1933) ......Page 81 10 The Future Becomes Obvious (1933) ......Page 91 11 Copenhagen (1933-1934) ......Page 103 12 The Joy of Being a Foreigner (1934-1935) ......Page 118 13 First Years in the United States (1935-1941) ......Page 131 14 Fission (1939-1941) ......Page 147 15 Academicians Go to Work (1941-1943) ......Page 178 16 Settling in at Los Alamos (Match 1943-Novembet 1943) ......Page 191 17 On and Off the Mesa (November 1943-Januaty 1945) ......Page 209 18 An End, A Beginning (1945) ......Page 223 19 Give It Back to the Indians (1945-1946) ......Page 238 20 Incomplete Answers (1946) ......Page 253 21 Among Friends From Home (February 1946—June 1949) ......Page 264 22 The Reactor Safeguard Committee (1947-1949) ......Page 288 23 Twenty Years Too Soon (June 1949-January 1950) ......Page 298 24 Our Doubts Have a Firm Foundation (1950) ......Page 316 25 Damn the Torpedoes (Novembet 1950-April 1951) ......Page 334 26 Pleasures in the Pacific, Perils at Princeton (April 1951-September 1951) ......Page 345 27 The Campaign for a Second Weapons Laboratory (November 1951-July 1952) ......Page 355 28 The New Wheel Spins a Bit (1952-1954) ......Page 368 29 Other Nuclear Affairs (1949-1955) ......Page 385 30 The Oppenheimer Hearing (April 12, 1954-May 6, 1954) ......Page 394 31 Sequelae (June 1954-February 1955) ......Page 426 32 Three Friends (August 1954-August 1958) ......Page 443 33 Down to Earth (1955-1958) ......Page 456 34 The Directorship (1958-1960) ......Page 477 35 A Few Lessons in Political Affairs (1955-1960) ......Page 494 36 The Temperature of the Cold War Rises (I960-1965) ......Page 502 37 Educating Inventive Engineers (1961-1975) ......Page 517 38 Uphill (1964-1972) ......Page 533 39 Choices, Critical and Otherwise (1973-1979) ......Page 555 40 Strategic Defense (1980-1992) ......Page 566 41 Other Issues — Public and Private (1980-1990) ......Page 582 42 Homecoming (1990-2000) ......Page 592 Epilogue ......Page 603 Appendix: In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenbehner ......Page 611 Index ......Page 644 Introduction How many seconds in a year? (1908-1913) Learning about war, revolution, and peace (1914-1919) The other side of the war years (1914-1919) Romanian interlude (1919-1920) My name is KoKó (1920-1925) How to become a physicist the hard way (1926-1928) Brave new world (1928-1929) Journeymen year in physics (1929-1930) The pleasures of small successes (1930-1933) The future becomes obvious (1933) Copenhagen (1933-1934) The joy of being a foreigner (1934-1935) First years in the United States (1935-1941) Fission (1939-1941) Academicians go to work (1941-1943) Settling in at Los Alamos (March 1943-November 1943) On and off the Mesa (November 1943-January 1945) An end, a beginning (1945) Give it back to the Indians (1945-1946) Incomplete answers (1946) Among friends from home (February 1946-June 1949) The Reactor Safeguard Committee (1947-1949) Twenty years too soon (June 1949-January 1950) Our doubts have a firm foundation (1950) Damn the torpedoes (November 1950-April 1951) Pleasures in the Pacific, perils at Princeton (April 1951-September 1951) The campaign for a second weapons laboratory (November 1951-July 1952) The new wheel spins a bit (1952-1954) Other nuclear affairs (1949-1955) The Oppenheimer hearing (April 12, 1954-May 6, 1954) Sequelae (June 1954-February 1955) Three friends (August 1954-August 1958) Down to earth (1955-1958) The directorship (1958-1960) A few lessons in political affairs (1955-1960) The temperature of the Cold War rises (1960-1965) Educating inventive engineers (1961-1975) Uphill (1964-1972) Choices, critical and otherwise (1973-1979) Strategic defense (1980-1992) Other issues, public and private (1980-1990) Homecoming (1990-2000) Epilogue Appendix : In the matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer