This is a book review of Astrophysics, Astronomy and Space Sciences in the History of the Max Planck Society by Luisa Bonolis & Juan-Andres Leon.
What it says on the tin: the history of astronomy and related fields within the Max Planck Society (MPS), covering mainly the time from 1946 through 2000. Both of the authors are professional historians of science, associated with the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for the History of Science for this and other research. In addition to the archives of the MPS and of course normal publications, sources were fifty-four oral-history interviews with forty-four people (conducted over several decades, some by the authors), both with members of the MPS and with others. Such personal recollections complement the drier facts and together make up an interesting narrative. It is not a survey of all research done on those topics within the MPS; rather, it puts scientific developments into their socio-political contexts, follows how the MPS adapted to the changing research landscape, and shows the influence of the people involved, particular the Directors of the various MPIs. The sixteen main chapters of which are divided into five main parts: the nuclear age, the space age, growth and reorganization of the society, internationalization, and global leadership in emerging fields. Astronomy did not become a topic of the MPS until the 1960s. Despite the scholarly nature of the book, it is an interesting and exciting read. Even those familiar with the big picture will learn new details, especially _via_ the personal angle, in large part due to the input from many interviews. The price is certainly justified for such a long, well produced book. However, the PDF file is also publicly available for free. All interested in the history of astronomy and/or the relationship between research and politics will probably enjoy this volume.