by Robert Serber, Victor F. Weisskopf, Abraham Pais, and Glenn T. Seaborg. Introduction by I. I. Rab

Christy, Robert F.

Name not available

OPPENHEIMER 
By Robert Serber, Victor F. Weiss- 
kopf, Abraham Pais, and Glenn T. 
Seaborg. Introduction by I. I. Rabi 
Scribner's . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $5.95 
reviewed by Robert F. Christy, pro- 
fessor of theoretical physics and ex- 
ecutive officer for physics. 
This thin volume consists of 
speeches delivered at the Oppen- 
heimer memorial session of the 
American Physical Society held in 
April 1967 and published in Physics 
Today, October 1967. To this has 
been added an introduction by I. I. 
Rabi. who was unable to speak at the 
original APS session; a number of 
photographs, many contributed by 
Mrs. J. Robert Oppenheimer; and a 
selected bibliography, chronology, 
and biographical and reference notes. 
The introduction by Rabi and the 
collection of photographs are very 
welcome additions to the original, 
and indeed tend to complete the pic- 
ture of Oppenheimer. The photo- 
graphs provide an excellent character 
study of Oppenheimer and also pro- 
vide a collection of familiar faces, 
many now famous, which is replete 
with nostalgia for one who has grown 
up in the field of theoretical and nu- 
clear physics. The introduction gives 
a brief account of Oppenheimer's 
early years, and attempts an overall 
appraisal of his place and contribu- 
tion in physics. This is an interesting 
speculation on the correlation or lack 
of it between originality and crea- 
tivity on the one hand and intellec- 
tual stature on the other. 
Robert Serber's contribution cov- 
ers Oppenheimer7s prewar profes- 
sional life. Serber is eminently quali- 
fied because of his own lengthy 
association with Oppenheimer, and 
he provides an excellent account of 
Oppenheimer's contributions to sev- 
eral basic areas of physics-the pro- 
ton and antiproton, field theory and 
cosmic rays, and nuclear physics. 
This account even served to remind 
the reviewer of a forgotten paper 
contributed jointly with Oppen- 
heimer at a Physical Society meeting 
in 194 1. It also serves to remind us 
of the strange twists actually taken 
by science in the course of its devel- 
opment: Developments do not follow 
a simple, logical course. Serber also 
gives an account of Oppenheimer's 
teaching and his relationship with the 
growing band of students and "post- 
docs" in prewar Berkeley, whom he 
taught, led, and inspired. 
Victor Weisskopf's contribution 
on the Los Alamos years is less spe- 
cialized, dealing in broad terms with 
the general character of work at Los 
Alamos. He gives a good impression 
of the basic science, but even more, a 
feeling for Oppenheimer's remark- 
able ability to handle the group and 
lead their efforts to the atomi~c bomb. 
Abraham Pais' "The Princeton 
Period" starts with a brief account of 
the theoretical physics conferences in 
1947-49 which saw the birth of the 
new quantum electrodynanlics - a 
most remarkable period in physics. 
Pais weaves Oppenheimer's interest 
into the general fabric of postwar 
physics but also discusses Oppen- 
heimer's deep interest in the relation 
of science to our general culture. 
Glenn Seaborg emphasizes Op- 
penheimer's public service and hu- 
man contributions. He had known 
Oppenheimer in prewar Berkeley but 
concentrates on Oppenheimer's role 
as first chairman of the General Ad- 
visory Committee of the Atomic 
Energy Commission. During this 
period much of the course of our 
national policy in atomic energy was 
charted under his guidance. His lead- 
ing role in formulating the Acheson- 
Lilienthal Report, aimed at interna- 
tional control of atomic energy for 
peaceful purposes, exemplifies his 
far - seeing humanitarian outlook. 
This approach, in the H-bomb de- 
bate, led him to recommend against 
a crash development program which 
would have stepped up the arms race. 
It led to his famous security hearing. 
It  is appropriate now to reflect on 
this period, for we are now in the 
middle of another major debate-on 
the ABM question. Perhaps this time 
we can turn aside from the road to 
escalated destruction and follow the 
path that Oppenheimer tried to lead 
us in-and failed. Seaborg closes by 
quoting a number of memorable pas- 
sages from Oppenheimer's writings, 
which serve to remind us more than 
anything else of the "singular combi- 
nation of talents of this extraordinary 
man." 
THE GOLDEN GUIDE TO 
SCUBA DIVING 
by Wheeler J, North 
ress, Paperback . . . . $1 .OO 
As professor of environmental 
health engineering at Caltech, marine 
biologist Wheeler North's primary 
professional interest has been the 
ecology of the submarine kelp forests 
of California. To this end he has 
made several thousand undersea 
dives in two oceans and four seas, 
and in a normal year he spends about 
500 hours under water. For more 
than ten years he has trained scien- 
tists and laymen in diving. His 160- 
page handbook covers the basic tech- 
niques and knowledge needed for 
exploring the underwater world- 
including information on training, 
safety, and equipment and on the 
observation, collection, and photo- 
graphing of marine creatures. The 
book is generously illustrated with 
diagrams and photographs. 


Oppenheimer

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Oppenheimer

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