From a beginning in an Egyptian delta town and the port of Alexandria to the scenic vistas of sunny southern California, Ahmed Zewail takes us on a voyage through time — his own life and the split-second world of the femtosecond. In this endearing exposé of his life and work until his receipt of the Nobel Prize in 1999, he draws lessons from his life story so far, and he meditates on the impact which the revolution in science has had on our modern world — in both developed and developing countries. What makes the book enchanting and engaging is Zewail's emphasis on the human dimension and his unique ability to paint the journey of Life and Science with insightful analogies and ingenious metaphors.
But this inspiring book goes far beyond the usual province of an autobiography. Zewail integrates the two worlds he equally belongs to — Egypt and America — and, despite differences, he emphasizes the confluence of the two cultures — the East and the West. He rejects the view that the current state of the world is due to a clash of civilizations or a conflict of religions, and suggests a concrete course of action for the world of the have-nots. The book ends with his road map for a partnership between developed and developing worlds. Throughout the book, Zewail takes on the mantle of philosopher, historian and even political and economic adviser.
Sample Chapter(s)
Prologue (407 KB)
Contents:
- First Steps
- The Gate to Science
- The American Encounter
- California Gold
- The Invisible Atom
- The Race Against Time
- Time and Matter
- On the Road to Stockholm
- A Personal Vision
- Walks to the Future
Readership: General public; historians; scientists; educators; undergraduates and graduates; biographers.
“One of the most inspiring autobiographies, destined to become a classic … Beautifully illustrated, what an epitome of wisdom, blends the real with the ideal.”
Amazon.com
“Through Voyage shines an ability to combine an excellent sense of fun with dedication to work … The author gives us a fascinating insight into the early experiences and thoughts of a boy growing up in Egypt and leading to the Nobel Prize in America.”
Royal Society, London
“Zewail's book includes more than just his life and science. It is his forum to address social and political issues — from the challenges developing countries face in the age of globalization, to what can be done for the have-nots, to the perceived conflicts between science and religion.”
The Daily Star
“Zewail is not just a brilliant scientist; he has also taken on the mantle of philosopher, historian and even political and economic adviser … What this regular genius offers in his personal tale is an inspiring glimpse of how an individual can achieve tremendous success through passionate dedication, talent and hard work.”
Business Monthly
“We are pleased to give two thumbs up to this fascinating and inspiring volume and recommend it to scientists, historians of science, and laypersons concerned with science and life of one of its most prolific and far-seeing luminaries.”
Chemical Heritage / The Chemical Educator
“Voyage through Time is a captivating and inspiring account of the personal, humanistic, and scientific vision of a truly brilliant and illustrious scientist.”
B Vincent McKoy
Professor
California Institute & Technology
“The conviction of passion and rigor in science and generosity and intelligence du coeur is confirmed throughout the pages of this autobiography.”
Majed Chergui
Professor
Université de Lausanne
“By inventing these methods Zewail was the Christopher Columbus of the femtoworld, becoming the first to witness chemical events that occurred in quadrillionths of a second.”
Robert Paradowski, Historian of Science
Rochester Institute of Technology
“Zewail's use of the fast laser technique can be likened to Galileo's use of his telescope … Zewail turned his [femtoscope] towards the frontiers of science.”
Bengt Nordén
Chairman of Nobel Committee
Swedish Academy of Sciences
“This is a charming, effortlessly pedagogic and inspirational book, and a pleasure to peruse.”
Sir John Meurig Thomas
University of Cambridge
Zewail is the first scientist from the Arab world to ever receive the Nobel Prize, and the only living scientist from the entire Islamic World of more than one billion people so honored. An Egyptian by birth, he currently occupies the Linus Pauling Chair Professorship at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena. He is also Director of the National Science Foundation's Laboratory for Molecular Sciences at Caltech. In addition to the Nobel Prize, Zewail has been awarded the Grand Collar of the Nile, Egypt's highest state honor. He has received more than a hundred honorary degrees, prizes, and Orders of States from around the world, and he is an elected member of numerous prestigious academies and societies, such as the U. S. National Academy of Sciences, the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the European Academy of Arts, Sciences, and the Humanities, and the Royal Society of Great Britain. Zewail is renowned for his public lectures and writings in many fields and world affairs. He currently lives with his family in California.
