The Compton effect: turning point in physics

by Roger H. Stuewer

Book by Stuewer, Roger H

367 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1975

Reviews

[Ian Slagle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first of many books on this list that I read because they're cited in *Structure* and caught my interest. That strategy has been hit or miss, but this was a hit; ironic considering Kuhn's review is fairly scathing. Kuhn argues that you can tell too much that this was a lightly edited thesis-turned-book; I like the precision at the expense of narrative fluorishes that provides. The history of this time period in the understanding of X-rays is somewhat complex, and that's okay. I found Stuewer's account to be about as clear as can be expected under the circumstances, and found it to be quite gripping. I wish Stuewer had written more such books, or that there were more good books on this kind of history in X-rays.