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S. Chandrasekhar, popularly known as Chandra, was one of the foremost scientists of the 20th century. The year 2010 marks the birth centenary of Chandra. His unique style of research, inward bound, seeking a personal perspective to master a particular field, and then pass on to another was so unique that it will draw considerable interest and attention among scholars. As Chandra elucidates in the preface, "The various installments describe in detail the evolution of my scientific work during the past forty years and records each investigation, describing the doubts and the successes, the trials and the tribulations. And the parts my various associates and assistants played in the completion of the different investigations are detailed." It is indeed a remarkable and rare document, fascinating to read and experience the joys, frustrations and struggles of a creative mind. In addition, a compilation of selected correspondence, which includes his correspondence with his father, some family members and other well-known scientists of the 20th century, will provide an interesting insight into the life of an extraordinary scientist.
List of contents
1943-48: A Happy Period: A History of My Papers on Radiative EquilibriumA"; 1948-60: A Period of Frustration and a Period of Grinding; 1961-69: Years of Adventure. Years of Obligation; 1970-1974: A Fallow Period. A Period of Indecision, Learning Relativity; 1975-85: Years of Effort. The Mathematical Theory of Black Holes Colliding Waves; 1985-90: The Non-Radial Oscillations of Stars in General Relativity; 1990-1995: Newton's Principia; Correspondence Between Chandra and His Father C S Ayyar, His Brother S Balakrishna and Some Other Family Members Close to Chandra; Chandra and David Shoenberg, E A Milne, A S Eddington, Leon Rosenfeld; Chandra and H N Russell, Andre Weil, George Gamow, Harlow Shaplay, John von Neuman;
