The Life and Science of Harold C. Urey

by Matthew Shindell

Harold C. Urey (1893–1981), whose discoveries lie at the foundation of modern science, was one of the most famous American scientists of the twentieth century. Born in rural Indiana, his evolution from small-town farm boy to scientific celebrity made him a symbol and spokesman for American scientific authority. Because he rose to fame alongside the prestige of American science, the story of his life reflects broader changes in the social and intellectual landscape of twentieth-century America. In this, the first ever biography of the chemist, Matthew Shindell shines new light on Urey’s struggles and achievements in a thoughtful exploration of the science, politics, and society of the Cold War era.
 
From Urey’s orthodox religious upbringing to his death in 1981, Shindell follows the scientist through nearly a century of American his discovery of deuterium and heavy water earned him the Nobel Prize in 1934, his work on the Manhattan Project helped usher in the atomic age, he initiated a generation of American scientists into the world of quantum physics and chemistry, and he took on the origin of the Moon in NASA’s lunar exploration program. Despite his success, however, Urey had difficulty navigating the nuclear age. In later years he lived in the shadow of the bomb he helped create, plagued by the uncertainties unleashed by the rise of American science and unable to reconcile the consequences of scientific progress with the morality of religion.
 
Tracing Urey’s life through two world wars and the Cold War not only conveys the complex historical relationship between science and religion in the twentieth century, but it also illustrates how these complexities spilled over into the early days of space science. More than a life story, this book immerses readers in the trials and triumphs of an extraordinary man and his extraordinary times.

248 pages, Hardcover

Published December 3, 2019

About the author

Matthew Shindell lives and writes in La Jolla, California. He is a PhD student in History of Science and Science Studies at UC San Diego. He holds a BS (1999) and an MS (2004) from Arizona State University’s Center for Biology and Society, where his work focused on the social and historical study of science. He holds an MFA in poetry from the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop (2001).

Shindell's first full-length book of poems In Another Castle will be published in October 2008 by Three Candles Press.

Shindell's poems have been included in Digerati: 20 Contemporary Poets in the Virtual World , edited by Steve Mueske (3 Candles Press, 2006), and The Bedside Guide to No Tell Motel , edited by Reb Livingston (No Tell Books, 2006). One of his essays was included in Half/Life: Jew-ish Tales from Interfaith Homes , edited by Laurel Snyder (Soft Skull Press, 2006).

Shindell's limited edition chapbook, Were something to happen it would be both funny and interesting, was published by the Galom Press in 2001.

Shindell's poems have appeared in American Letters and Commentary, The American Poetry Review, Black Warrior Review, FENCE, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Jubilat, The Melic Review, No Tell Motel, Northwestern Review, Octopus Magazine, Phoenix Downtown Magazine, Pleiades, Tarpaulin Sky, and Unpleasant Event Schedule.

Reviews

[James E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent scientific biography of a pivotal figure in US Cold War science. Shindell explicates the cultural and religious background and how Urey navigated it-- shaping and reshaping his public persona as the times changed. Urey's life and work are a window into much 20th century science, politics and culture.
A great read-- Shindell's former poetry background comes through in his elegant prose.