From the reviews of the first edition: "J. Michael Cole translated this biography, which appeared in German on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the death of Otto Hahn. ... the description of the life and thinking of this great scientist is fascinating and thrills everyone who takes an interest to read it. ... the chronological course of events in his life, career, and his thinking is presented in such a gripping style, that it is hard to put the book down." (K.-E. Hellwig, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1069, 2005)