The Oxford Handbook of the History of Physics

This is a very valuable volume that should be in every physics department library. * Peter J. Bussey, Contemporary Physics *
What a wonderful book! From 1600 to the present day, we are led through the history of physics in its many guises. We see the strange and recalcitrant phenomena, the inventive development of instrumentation and experiments, the arcane intricacy of theory, and the pervasive social, cultural and economic influences and consequences of physics. Anyone interested in the history of science will delight in this book. So will any physicist, and any philosopher of science. * Jeremy Butterfield, Trinity College, University of Cambridge *
Over the last thirty years, historians of physics have re-examined and rethought almost every aspect of their subject. The time is clearly ripe for a fresh overview of the field, and Jed Z. Buchwald and Robert Fox have assembled a first rate group of scholars to provide just that. Their Handbook is filled with sharp insights on everything from Galileo's experimental practices to the role quantum physics played in the making of Silicon Valley. It will prove indispensible to anyone seeking to understand how physics has grown and shaped our view of the world over the past four centuries. * Bruce J. Hunt, University of Texas *
This excellent book points out connections between instruments, observations, theories and discoveries, as well as communication among physicists. The book is replete with key references, clear figures and name and subject indexes. * Optics and Photonics News *