Books on Alfred Nobel
Alfred Nobel. Networks of Innovation
by U. Larsson
Nobel Museum Archives; 10, published by the Nobel Museum, Stockholm, 2008, distributed in the USA and Canada by Science History Publications, USA
ISSN 1404-7586
ISBN N-0-88135-399-X
In English
Alfred Nobel
by T. Frängsmyr
Published by the Swedish Institute, 2004
Translation by Judith Black
| Presents the life of Alfred Nobel, not only tracing his scientific and entrepreneurial achievements from the earliest days, but also focusing on the private individual behind them.
ISBN 91-520-0417-I
ISSN 1101-6353
31 pages |
Alfred Nobel
by Thomas Hellberg and Lars Magnus Jansson
Publisher: Alno Production, KB, Stockholm, 1984
1986 updated edition; Publisher: Lagerblads Förlag, AB, Karlshamn, English version.
The authors have researched Alfred Nobel's life for more than ten years, primarily for material for a drama-documentary TV film. This richly illustrated book about Alfred Nobel's inventions, career and personal life was published to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Alfred Nobel's birth.
ISBN 91-7260-977-X
141 pages
The Legacy of Alfred Nobel
by Ragnar Sohlman
Authorized by the Nobel Foundation
Publisher: The Bodley Head, London, 1983
Translation by E. Schubert
First published in Swedish (
Ett Testamente) in 1950 and tells the full, dramatic story of the establishment of the Nobel Foundation. Written by Ragnar Sohlman, Alfred Nobel's secretary and assistant whom Alfred Nobel appointed as one of the executors of his will. The English translation was published in 1983, in association with the Nobel Foundation, to mark the 150th anniversary of Alfred Nobel's birth.
ISBN 0-370-30990-I
144 pages
Ett Testamente. Hur Alfred Nobels dröm blev verklighet
by R. Sohlman, published by Bokförlaget Atlantis AB, Stockholm, 2001,
in Swedish, ISBN 917486-529-3 (originally published as Ett Testamente. Nobelstiftelsens tillkomsthistoria och dess grundare by R. Sohlman, published by P.A. Norstedt & Söners Förlag, Stockholm, 1950. Out of print).
Translations:
- Zaveshchanie Alfreda Nobelja, translated by D. E. and E. M. Leykin, published by MIR Publishers, Moscow, 1993,
in Russian.
Alfred Nobel and the Nobel Prizes
Revised continuously
Published by the Nobel Foundation
| Brochure containing information about Alfred Nobel - his life and work; Nobel's will and estate; the Nobel institutions; nomination and selection of the Nobel Laureates and the presentation of the Nobel Prizes.
12 pages |
Nobel. The Man and His Prizes
by Schück, H. et al.
Edited by the Nobel Foundation
Publishers: Solhmans Förlag, Stockholm, 1950
University of Oklahoma Press, 1951
Third revised, updated and enlarged edition published by American Elsevier Company, Inc., New York, N.Y. 1972
First published in 1950 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Nobel Foundation. Contains a summary of Alfred Nobel's life and work; an account of the establishment of the Nobel Foundation; and surveys of outstanding achievements in the fields of physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace.
The third revised edition brings the history of the awards up to 1970. It contains a sketch of Alfred Nobel's life, an account of the initial difficulties and later development of the Nobel Foundation, and an extensively revised description of seventy years' progress in the five Prize categories, viewing in historical perspective the work of the Nobel Laureates.
ISBN 0-444-00117-4
659 pages
Translations:
- Los Premios Nobel y su Fundador, authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Aguilar S.A. de Ediciones, Madrid, 1959,
in Spanish.
- Nobel, l’uomo e i suoi Premi (abbreviated), authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Fratelli Fabbri Editori, Milano, 1963,
in Italian.
- Nobel, o homen e seus Prèmios (abbreviated), authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Editóra Delta, Rio de Janeiro, 1964,
in Portuguese.
- Nobel, l'homme et ses Prix (abbreviated), authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Presses du Compagnonnage, Paris, 1965,
in French. Abbreviated
Japanese version published by Shufunutomo Co., Tokyo, 1972.
- Alfred Nobel, der Mann und seine Preise (abbreviated) authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Coron Verlag GmbH, Stuttgart/Zürich, 1972,
in German.
Alfred Nobel. Mannen, Verket, Samtiden
by Sigvard Strandh
Publisher: Natur och Kultur, 1983
The author expounds on how Alfred Nobel built up his industrial empire as well as his enormous wealth, and views his inventions in the light of industrial, historical and political perspectives. The book is peopled with strong personalities - from Alfred Nobel's brothers to his co-workers, competitors, friends and relatives.
ISBN 91-27-01283-2
340 pages
In Swedish
The Russian Rockefellers. The Saga of the Nobel Family and the Russian Oil Industry
by R. W. Tolf
Publisher: Hoover Institution Press, Stanford CA, 1976
Contains the first fully documented history of the Nobel family and the first comprehensive survey of the oil industry in pre-Bolshevik Russia.
ISBN 0-8179-6581-5
269 pages
Alfred Nobel och hans släkt
by H. Schück and R. Sohlman, published by Almqvist & Wiksells Boktryckeri AB, Uppsala, 1926,
in Swedish. Out of print.
Alfred Nobel
by E. Bergengren, published by Gebers Förlag, Stockholm, 1960,
in Swedish.
Translations:
- Alfred Nobel. The Man and his Work, authorized by the Nobel Foundation and published by Thomas Nelson & Sons Ltd., Edinburgh, 1962,
in English.
- Alfred Nobel, authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Bechtle Verlag, Munich, 1963,
in German.
- Alfred Nobel, authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Hakusuisha Publ. Co., Tokyo, 1968,
in Japanese.
- Alfred Nobel. L'homme et son oeuvre, authorized by the Nobel Foundation, published by Sequoia-Elsevier, Paris- Brussels, 1970,
in French.
Nobel
by S. Tjerneld, published by Albert Bonniers boktryckeri, Stockholm, 1972,
in Swedish, ISBN 91-0-037341-1.
Alfred Nobel som internationell företagare
by R. Lundström, thesis at Uppsala University 1974, printed by Tofters Tryckeri AB, Östervåla 1974,
in Swedish, ISBN 91-554-0197-X.
Nobel a Sanremo
by G. Lotti, published by Officina Grafica della Sagep S.p.A., Genoa, 1980,
in Italian.
Nobel och hans tid. Fem essayer
by G. Brandell, T. Browaldh, G. Eriksson, S. Strandh and S.Tägil, edited by P. Sörbom, published by Bokförlaget Atlantis AB, Stockholm, 1983,
in Swedish, ISBN 91-7486-315-0.
Alfred Bernhard Nobel
by K. Fant, published by Norstedts Förlag AB, Stockholm, 1991,
in Swedish, ISBN 91-1-919072-7.
Translations:
- Alfred Nobel, published by Arcade Publishing Inc., New York, 1993,
in English, ISBN 1-55970-222-2.
- Alfred Nobel, published by Birkhäuser Verlag AG, Basel, 1995,
in German, ISBN 3-7643-5059-8.
- Also translations by Estonian (Vilnius), Latvian (Tallin), Bulgarian (Sofia), Japanese and Swiss publishers.
Chère Baronne et Amie. Cher monsieur et ami. Der Briefwechsel zwischen Alfred Nobel und Bertha von Suttner
by Edelgard Biedermann, published by Georg Olms
Verlag, Hildesheim (Germany), 2001,
in German, ISBN 3-487-11492-5.
Aphorisms by Alfred Nobel
Literature occupied a central role in the life of Alfred Nobel. He regarded various literary forms of expression as opportunities to achieve a greater understanding of our own thoughts, lives and relationships with other people and our surroundings.
Alfred Nobel had an extensive library, which included important European literary works. Inspired by Shelley and Byron, he wrote poems in English as a young man. Toward the end of his life, he wrote the tragedy Nemesis. His best literary form of expression was probably the aphorism, where he often expressed himself drastically.
"A heart can no more be forced to love than a stomach can be forced to digest food by persuasion."
"Second to agriculture, humbug is the biggest industry of our age."
"Contentment is the only real wealth."
"We build upon the sand, and the older we become, the more unstable this foundation becomes."
"The truthful man is usually a liar."
"Justice is to be found only in the imagination."
"It is not sufficient to be worthy of respect in order to be respected."
"Worry is the stomach's worst poison."
"The best excuse for the fallen ones is that Madame Justice herself is one of them."
"Self-respect without the respect of others is like a jewel which will not stand the daylight."
"Hope is nature's veil for hiding truth's nakedness."
"Lying is the greatest of all sins."
"Home is where I work and I work everywhere."
Virtual Tour of Alfred Nobel's Home in Björkborn
Towards the end of his life, Alfred Nobel acquired the company "AB Bofors" in Karlskoga, Sweden. At Björkborn, a property on the Bofors estate, Björkborn Manor became his last home in Sweden.
Björkborn Manor is now a museum where visitors can go back in time and imagine what it was like when Alfred Nobel spent his summers here. Apart from the manor, another point of interest is the laboratory where Nobel continued with his experiments before his death in 1896.
Take a Virtual Tour of Björkborn Manor and Laboratory! |
The tour is available in three versions: |
|
| Java Tour
The Java Tour is of low quality. Java is incorporated into all major Web browsers. |
| QuickTime VR Tour
This QuickTime VR technology allows you to interact with a 360 degree virtual scene. |
| Ipix Tour
For the best experience, we recommend this tour, which is viewed with the IPIX plug-in. |
Exhibition on the Enlightenment
Alfred Nobel was inspired by the movement called the Enlightenment, a period during the eighteenth century when philosophy was guided by reason. Because of his familiarity with Enlightenment philosophers such as Voltaire and Rousseau, their thoughts influenced Nobel's life and work.
Watch the exhibition 'Enlightenment!' from La Bibliothèque nationale de France.
The Will
On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his last will in Paris. When it was opened and read after his death, the will caused a lot of controversy both in Sweden and internationally, as Nobel had left much of his wealth for the establishment of a prize! His family opposed the establishment of the Nobel Prize, and the prize awarders he named refused to do what he had requested in his will. It was five years before the first Nobel Prize could be awarded in 1901.