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Four book reviews in the May 2004 issue of Notes and Records P.M. Harman, The natural philosophy of James Clerk Maxwell . Crosbie Smith, The science of energy. A cultural history of energy physics in Victorian Britain . H.A. Bethe, Selected works of Hans A. Bethe, with commentary . Mario A.J. Mariscotti, El secreto atómico de Humuel. Cronica del origen de la energia atómica en la Argentina.

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The discovery of the electron, too years ago, was one among several discov eries in the span of a few years that heral ded a new era in physics. It is particularly for the electron that J.J. Thomson is rem embered, and the centenary celebrations should cause us to pause and reflect on its significance in our daily lives.When J.J. (as he was always known, even to his family) was elected to the Cav endish chair of experimental physics he was just 28, and the department was less than 14 years old. J.J.served for 35 years not obviously appropriate to the task. He was too clumsy to handle glassware safely, and he had shown less interest in experi ment than in advancing current ideas in mathematical physics: Maxwell's electro magnetic theory and Kelvin's notion of atoms as vortices in the ether. Neverthe less he had made a strong impression on the electors to be preferred above more experienced candidates, and the letters of congratulation he received show how highly he was regarded by many with ex cellent rival claims. Today it is hard to Six men from the 1898 photograph of Prof J.J. Thomson (1856Thomson ( -1949 with the research students, in the fornt row is J.J. with Paul Langevin (1872-1946) on his right and John Zeleny (1872-1951) on his left. Behind, from left to right, are C