Jews make up 0.2% of the worlds’ population, yet they have won over 20% of the Nobel prizes—204 in total out of around 900 awarded since the first Laureates at the start of the 20th century. When one considers that Jews weren’t even admitted to University in Britain until the 1820s, and were on a quota at some American Ivy League colleges until after the Second World War, their successes are truly remarkable. Nobel prizes can be worth up to a million pounds, and it is not surprising there are hundreds of nominations every year in each category. What is the reason for this disparity? Derek Taylor provides biographical chapters on all the prize-winning men and women, and an additional one on the founder, Alfred Nobel himself. These chapters include their backgrounds and the work for which they received the awards. In addition to this Taylor provides the historical background to the development of scientific research. If physics has previously been a closed book to you, if your knowledge of chemistry is somewhat limited, if you’ve wondered how solutions were discovered for so many previously incurable diseases, you will find the answers clearly and simply explained. The book also covers the Literary, Economics and Peace awards in similar detail. It all makes a fascinating story of how to overcome prejudice, and how to take advantage of ancestry and tradition.