Panofsky on Physics, Politics, and Peace: Pief Remembers (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780387697314)

This book is both an autobiography of W.K.H. Panofsky, the respected physicist and director of the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center as well as a discussion and analysis of issues critical to the relationship between independent academic inquiry and imposed government orthodoxy. It chronologically discusses the major phases of Dr. Panofsky's life, from his early research at the beginning of World War II to his recent efforts towards arms control and the nonproliferation of nuclear weapons. The book describes each phase of Dr. Panofsky's career in sufficient detail to inform the reader of the nature of the issues surrounding his work, and to lay the basis for explaining the course of action chosen. It invites "out of context" reading by those interested in the particular issues covered, separate from their biographical relevance.