摘要:"In this book Leslie Woods tells the story of his life from fisherman's son in New Zealand to Head of the Mathematical Institute at Oxford University." "He escaped from a trade school by winning a scholarship to university, and then ran away from home to join the RNZAF, and later became a fighter pilot in the Pacific. After the War he won a Rhodes Scholarship to Merton College, Oxford, and following several years of research in aerodynamics, became a Professor of Engineering at the University of New South Wales. In 1961 he was elected to a Fellowship of Balliol College, Oxford and undertook research into the theory of magnetically confined hot plasmas with a consultancy at Culham Laboratory." , "In 1970 he became a Professor of Plasma Theory, but became disillusioned with the fusion energy project, which he believes survived on exaggerated claims of progress, Woods explains why, in his view, magnetic fusion has failed to succeed and outlines the philosophy of science to which he subscribes. He writes frankly about both his successes and failures and finishes with an account of his taking up gliding at the age of 74"--Jacket.
