The story of the winners of the world's most prestigious prize, now updated to include the 2009 recipients.

The Nobel Prize is widely regarded as the most prestigious award one can receive. The Prize is administered by the Nobel Foundation, and the award ceremonies receive extensive media coverage. The awards are often politically controversial, and many winners use their acceptance speech to further favorite causes.

Along with background information, the book provides a look at the 200 most famous and most interesting Nobel winners. The profiles are arranged by prize and by year. A photo or illustration appears with each profiled Laureate. Other illustrations help to explain complex subjects in science and make it easier for the reader to appreciate the accomplishments for which the prize has been awarded.

A number of fascinating facts emerge from this lively account. For example, only 40 of the 829 Nobel Laureates have been women, among them Marie Curie, who won twice. Linus Pauling is the only person to have been awarded two Nobel Prizes in different categories, the 1954 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the 1962 Nobel Peace Prize. The youngest Laureate is Lawrence Bragg, who was 25 years old when he received the Nobel Prize in Physics with his father in 1915. The oldest is Leonid Hurwicz, who was 90 years old when he received the 2007 Economics Prize. Two Laureates have declined the Nobel Prize: Jean-Paul Sartre, and Le Duc Tho. Other famous names include Ernest Hemingway, Albert Einstein, Albert Schweitzer, James Watson and Francis Crick, Paul Krugman, Charles Kao, Elizabeth Blackburn and Barack Obama.

Nobel: A Century of Prize Winners is sure to find a readership among the millions who follow the awards each year and want to understand more about the most important prize in the world.

 

Michael Worek is a writer and editor with a special interest in nature, history, and American architecture and urban development. His previous books include Nobel: A Century of Prize Winners and An American History Album.

Michael Worek's profile page

[Review of previous edition:] Nobel: A Century of Prize Winners groups winner in annotated lists by decade and then by year... It's all fascinating.

May Day

[Review of previous edition:] This volume offers a general readership brief profiles of 308 of the approximately 800 people and organizations who have received the Nobel Prize for achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, peace, and economics since its inception in 1901. The selected profiles are organized by decade each a page long, with an additional page accompanying some of the science honorees that illustrates a major discovery. Chapter conclusions contain a complete list of winners from that decade. A brief profile of Alfred Nobel is included.

Book News

(review of the first edition) The story of the Nobel prizes and the man who chose to use his fortune in this way is fascinating, and this collection of profiles of prize recipients is equally interesting and inspiring.... This book can be used as a reference tool or simply to browse out of interest.

Canadian Teacher

[Review of previous edition:] Knowing we have shared the planet with Nobelists like these can in itself be uplifting.

Montreal Gazette

[Review of previous edition:] This handy reference profiles about 200 of the most famous past winners (by prize and by year). A great fact-checker to consult and learn from.

Library Journal

This current to 2009 title is thorough well written and interesting. The text is broken down by discipline--science, literature, peace and economics. The works of each Nobel laureate (they are not referred to as winners) are explained. Photographs pepper the book and time lines of awards and an extensive index complete the text. This is a fine effort especially useful for reports.

School Library Journal

[Review of previous edition:] This volume will be a welcome addition in any public or academic library reference collection.

American Reference Book Annual

Generally regarded as the world's most prestigious award, the Nobel Prize has been given to over 800 writers, artists, and scientists since 1901. Organized by decades, this book contains short profiles of the 200 most famous and most interesting prize winners, explaining why they were awarded the prize and, in the case of winners in science and medicine, explaining the significance of their research.... A book that can be dipped into or read straight through, this volume will have wide appeal.

Book News

The book is well organized and especially good for quick reference.

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