James Nasmyth Book

Fantastic book!
Being a significant contributor and founding father of both China and US's rocket science and application in the defense, Qian Xuesen (Tsien Tsieshen in book) is an enigmatic character. He is above-normal smart and yet very hardworking. At his youth, he preferred the beauty of math and classic music, so much so that he is actually quite a loner. This didn't change, or, even worsened after he went to USA to further his study. The study opportunity is from the Boxer Indemnity Scholarship, which is very competitive, and is the by far, the best international scholarship ever devised in history. All the awkwardness of his characters are irrelevant in his age, as he developed so much math skills that is in inseparable from his adviser and revered from his students. He is on a way to the star of the space age in america, if there is no cleansing in the 1950's from the McCarthyism. And here is when the book turns, and his life changes dramatically.
He used to be a person only know math and its application to complicated engineering problems, now, back in China, he is treading waters of the politics. The notorious dictator in New China not demands EVERYONE in China's action, but effectively controls their MIND! He changed his mind in the long years in China. Although he, and solely because of him, changed the situation in China's rocket missile situation, and is conferred the state honor as a scientist. His ultimate life was considered a tragedy, that he was transformed to his ideological enemy.