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A Second World War flyer in the Pacific, later a fellow of Balliol, a
professor of plasma theory and a glider pilot in his 70s, New Zealander Leslie
Woods has plenty to relate in his engaging autobiography, Against the
Tide. He is scathing about his time at the Culham Laboratory. Convinced he
had found a fatal flaw in fusion experiments with Tokamak machines that
permanently ruled out any success, he was cold-shouldered. Happily for us, his
shoulders are broad and free of chips. Published by IOP, £26, ISBN
0750306904.