What are the three best popular-science books?

My favourite is From X-rays to Quarks by Emilio Segrè, in which the author not only describes the work of a number of leading scientists but also illustrates their human dimensions. His portraits of the likes of Niels Bohr, Ernest Rutherford and Marie Curie – weaknesses and all – are far more realistic than the usual, stereotypical descriptions. My second choice is Richard Feynman’s Surely You’re Joking, Mr Feynman! because the author does for himself what Segrè did for other physicists. For sentimental reasons, my third choice is Laura Fermi’s Atoms in the Family, because she talks about the school of physics at Rome, where I also studied. The book played an important role in turning me on to physics.

What science books are you currently reading?

The most recent was L’irresistibile fascino del tempo by Antonino Zichichi. I found it very stimulating and good for a broad readership, in particular because the author is not afraid of repeating the important concepts over and over again as all good teachers do. I do not know if it has ever been translated into English, but I think it should be.

What else are you reading?

Tales of the South Pacific by James A Michener. It is a wonderful book that renews the feeling of my visits to that marvellous region in a non-touristy way.

Which popular-science book have you never read, but feel you ought to have tackled, and why?

Abraham Pais’s biography of Einstein Subtle is the Lord. However, I should qualify my answer: I did once read this book, but only in a rather superficial way. I believe it is a wonderful book. It is slightly above the level of most popular-science books and deserves to be read more thoroughly. I hope to find time to do so one of these days.