Memoirs: A TwentiethCentury Journey in Science and Politics

The story of Edward Teller is the story of the twentieth century. Born in Hungary in 1908, Teller witnessed the rise of Nazism and antiSemitism, 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 headlinespassionate 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 centurys greatest mindsEinstein, Bohr, Fermi, Szilard, von Neumann, Oppenheimerand 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 consequencesfrom his conservative politics to his relationships with scientists and presidentsTeller reveals himself to be a man with deep beliefs about liberty, security, and the moral responsibility of science.