I used this as a textbook in a college course on the history of 20th century physics. Kragh may be factual, and he may be a good historian, but he simply is not a good writer. (Even the professor admitted it was a good book to aid in falling asleep.) Emilio Segre offers a more personable view in From X-rays to Quarks, which I found far more valuable.

This is good History book about Modern Physics, starting from Maxwell to current level. Author provides considerable statistical data that also proves some claims about the success of some nations, and importance of some subjects etc. Author always identifies individuals with their nationality and I got a feeling that he also has a bias to German Physicists. Neverthelese it is a good Chronological and very lively description of the developments with a lot of references. The book does not get into the details of all the problems, tests, interpretations such as EPR, Aspec or Schro's Cat etc. So if you do not know particular Physical Problems and issues that led into certain theories, you do not get the reasons behind the developments. A lot of History is covered, Theory of Mass, Theory of Electron, Quantum Mechanics, Nuclear Physics, Political relations and influences on subjects and individuals. Atom Bomb, quantum electrodynamics, etc.It is very encylopedical knowledge that may guide you certain subjects if you are intereseted to explore. Author paints a good picture of the socio political conditions of the time. Simply said a lot of Historical Information and if you know physics and problems behind these developments from other sources than this book will be complete.

This book stands out for having fresh insights and authoritative writing even in a field, history of modern physics, with much competition. Probably not a good first book on the subject but if you have familiarity with the subject at all, this is a must. Not the only book that shows how development of QM was different than we were taught in elementary courses, but one of the clearest. More details of the physics would be great but somehow its lack does not compromise the virtues of this book.

This book is as dense as the primordial singularity! If you want proof, just turn to page 8, where the author blithely introduces Eintein's gravitational field equations: R(mn)-1/2 g(mn)R = -kT(mn). In his words, "Mathematically, the quantities with double indices are tensors, and, since the indices refer to the four coordinates of space-time, the tensor equation comprises ten second-order differential equations (R(mn)=R(nm), etc.; n, m=0,1,2,3)." [Lest you wondered, the "quantity R(mn) denotes the Ricci curvature tensor, and R is a curvature invariant derived from R(mn)."] Now, if you already understand that sort of mathematical symbolism and find clarity in the accompanying verbiage, or if you have an professional interest in recent (20th c.) history of scientific cosmology, then this book is for you. But if you are a reasonably intelligent layperson, with or without advanced degrees in other fields, you may agree that the author's focus on esoteric minutiae and excruciating detail, rather than explanation using ordinary language and analogy--like all good science writers and teachers--rather dashes hopes that "this book will not circulate in academic circles only [xi]." It is very interesting to learn even a smidgen about how SS was repeatedly modified ad hoc to "save the appearances"-yet this is just what we see happening with BB and inflation today. For example, Hoyle's postulation (p. 366) of separate "bubble universes"-that are unobservable in principle-strangely presages much of contemporary "scientific cosmology" involving inflation scenarios. That is, contrary to the previous reviewer's comments, BB is just a ideologically loaded as SS (a topic for which you might see Jastrow's "God and the Astronomers"). Overall, I suggest that you excuse yourself from this user-hostile tome with an audience identity problem. Unfortunately, there seems to be no other work on Big Bang vs. Steady State that follows the arguments and trajectories of these 2 theories as they unfolded in time. Ay, here's the rub: 'tis a pity Thomas Kuhn isn't still around to do justice to this topic...

Indeed, this book is superbly written. The account of the early works on the big bang is excellent. The author's knowledge of the subject is amazing. However, the central subject of the book is the bitter controversy between big bang and the steady state theory during the fifties and early sixties, and the book is very long on this subject. It is difficult to understand how this can have any interest to a scientific readership. The steady state theory was clearly inspired by philosophical prejudices which are quite outside science. The "perfect cosmological principle" on which it is based is quite arbitrary, and does not guarantee, as Bondi claimed, general invariance in the meaning implied by general relativity. This is to be opposed to Weyl's principle, which has a strictly empirical status. How, in these conditions could such a controversy be interesting from a scientific standpoint? I nevertheless give 3 stars to this book, as it remains a good piece of history.

This book is a detailed and masterful description of the history of big bang cosmology, from its emergence in the 1940s to its observational validation in the 1960s. It is also an inquiry into the nature of the scientific progress -- an equally fascinating subject. The book is complete with personal histories of the main participants and gives unique insights into their motivation and the evolution of their views, often obtained through personal correspondence with the author. Being a cosmologist myself, I can add that the book is written with a deep understanding of the subject.