Bubble chamber tracks were always a mystery to me ... until I discovered "The Particle Explosion". This book is wonderful because ... The edited & colorized bubble chamber photographs engender a new, visceral, level of understanding of elementary particles. With so many books and articles on theoretical and abstract aspects of quantum mechaniscs, this book reveals the, oft neglected, world of experimental particle physicists and their immense accomplishments. It is a wonderful example of expository writing, where complex mechanisms are clearly described without resorting to diagrams.

The reason I got into physics in the first place was the combined allure of subatomic strangeness and huge machines at the edge of technology and cleverness. This book distills those attractions in beautiful descriptions and stunning photography. If I ever needed reaffirmation in my choice to become a particle physicist, this book would surely do the trick.