Nuclear Instruments and Methods (click here for full version)

William A. Barletta

Department of Physics, MIT, Cambridge, MA

…… ..the technical literature of particle accelerators is now rich and expanding, yet the dimensions of the human enterprise remain too little known. To remedy this deficiency, Andrew Sessler and Edmund Wilson, two illustrious participants in the advance of accelerator-based science have written what is almost the “coffee-table book” of accelerators. Written in language that is easily accessible to the layman, their book is lavishly illustrated with photographs of ground-breaking machines from the dawn of the accelerator age to the present. Episodes in historical development are grouped in nearly independent chapters according to the type of accelerator – linac, cyclotron, synchrotron, collider, etc. Each chapter is an intellectual adventure story with its own heroes – described in sidebars – its own dramas, its own competitions, and its own missteps.

CERN Courier (click here for full version)

“Above all, this book uplifts one’s spirit; one reads it with zest, admiration and awe. The power of sheer dedication, brilliance, creativity, humility and humanity of the whole enterprise expressed in the pages of the book is sure to inspire and motivate generations to come.”

Professor Alexander W Chao
SLAC, Stanford

"History is not arbitrary. The history of accelerators is no exception. For nearly a century, ideas of newer and ever more advanced accelerators evolved, one new brilliant idea led to another, and one pioneer built on the accomplishments of predecessors. Told by two story-tellers, this insightful book weaves together the stories of the people, the episodes, and their moments of eureka. The reader is to be pleasantly rewarded with their own moments of revelations."

Dieter Möhl
Honorary Member, CERN
" This beautiful book traces the history of particle accelerators, from the first table-top devices to the present 30-km-circumference colliders. Very richly illustrated, written in a fresh, 'non-technical' yet scientifically accurate style, it admirably transmits the spirit of this truly international venture. With excellent biographical material on the main actors and the numerous 'sidebars' explaining technical developments, it appeals to the expert as well as to the general public. A delight and a 'must' for anybody interested in the (ongoing!) saga of accelerator development."

Claudio Pellegrini
Distinguished Professor of Physics, UCLA
" I believe that the book describes very well the history of particle accelerators. Active scientists and historians of science will appreciate this chronicle of the development of particle accelerators and their key role in the progress of physics and other sciences during the last half century. Once again the authors show how the progress of science is strongly related to the progress in the instruments that allow us to 'see' beyond our senses, to see the structures of atoms and molecules, and the structures inside the atoms and inside the protons and neutrons. From the structure of proteins to the standard model of elementary particles, the scientific development is traced back to the development of these wonderful instruments, the particle accelerators."

Herwig Schopper, Professor Emeritus
University of Hamburg and former Director General, CERN
" The development of particle accelerators presents one of the great intellectual and technical achievements of human activities. Its history is told in the book from the very beginnings to future projects in an extremely competent and complete manner since the two authors have contributed themselves in many ways to its success. They report in a very fair way the achievements by small and large laboratories on both sides of the Atlantic and elsewhere. Thanks to the many nice pictures the book is easy to read also for the non-expert and in 'biographical sidebars' the careers of many physicists and engineers are brought back to life in an animated fashion. One should appreciate that not only the well-known 'stars' are mentioned but appropriate credit is given also to those who made essential contributions but remained more in the shadows. Anybody who is interested in scientific and technical history or in the achievements of human intellect should read this book."