Broken Genius

' At last, the definitive, unstinting biography of this hugely important historical figure - complete with all his contradictions and idiosyncrasies. ' - Michael Riordan, coauthor of Crystal Fire

' Shurkin deftly tackles this complex figure - and his unraveling - and delivers an unflinching portrait of a tragic life. ' - Seed Magazine

' Shurkin does a good job of portraying a difficult man - a vivid portrait. ' - NewScientist

' The other wonderful thing about this book is that it manages to convey the excitement of scientific inquiry and invention. ' - New York Sun

' Shurkin is a good storyteller, and better still as a researcher of the personal facts. ' - Nobel Laureate Professor Philip Anderson, Times Higher Educational Supplement

' FIVE STARS: this gripping biography gives a balanced picture of the most bizarre of the great names of electronics. Recommended. ' - Brian Clegg, author of The God Effect and Light Years

' I recommend it to people curious about the history of technology and the computer or anyone interested in a rise and fall of truly epic proportions. ' - Cory Ondrejka, CTO Linden Labs/Second Life

' This portrait of a flawed giant reveals a man crushed under the weight of his own pathological insecurities. ' - David Bodanis, Discover

' Masterfully walks the fine line between presenting Shockley as purely evil and legitimizing his more controversial theories - very readable. ' - Physics World

' Shurkin reveals Shockley to be a fascinating example of an Aristotelian tragic hero - riveting. ' - Nature

' This informed and candid biography asks, ' Why did a man so brilliant deliberately destroy himself? ' ' - Skeptical Inquiry