Ivar Giaever Knihy

Ivar Giaever's memoir offers an engaging glimpse into the life of a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, highlighting the role of luck and fortune in his journey from an ordinary childhood in Norway to groundbreaking work in superconductivity. After completing his engineering degree and serving in the military, he moved to North America, where he thrived in research despite lacking an advanced scientific degree. Blending humor with reflections on science, contemporary issues, and personal passions, Giaever's narrative reveals the mind of a creative thinker and problem solver.

Growing up in Norway -- The German occupation -- Attending university (NTH) -- Adulthood in Norway -- Emigration to Canada -- Emigration to the USA -- Norwegian vacation -- GE research laboratory -- Friends at laboratory -- My trip to Moskva -- More research -- Sabbatical leave in England -- Back in the USA -- Receiving the Nobel prize -- My first trip to China -- Working in biology -- Coolidge fellowship -- Back at GE -- University of Oslo -- Applied biophysics -- Korea -- Lindau -- Sports as an adult -- In business -- Today -- Epilogue