Luis Alvarez was an incredibly accomplished and influential physicist and Nobel Prize winner. He was involved in some truly amazing projects regarding fundamental physics, worked extensively with the government, and even made his mark in the paleontology community. Yet, it seems like he's remained relatively unknown compared to other physicists who were less active at the same time. This book tries to remedy that by giving a comprehensive overview of his life and work. Unfortunately, the book tends to be a bit dry and bog down in some of the details, particularly when it comes to the science. I came away feeling like I read a lot about experimental setups and particle physics without having a clear idea of the big picture. Alvarez as a person comes off as an arrogant, self-absorbed asshole, who people put up with because he was such a genius. This might have been the intention of the author, but it makes the book a harder read than a lot of other scientific biographies.

This interesting and informative biography provides a broad overview of the professional and personal lives of Luis W. Alvarez. The career of this brilliant but controversial physicist spanned from wartime innovations to groundbreaking discoveries in particle physics and paleontology. The book explores his genius, ambition, and complex legacy.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.