Journal of Statistical Physics, Vol. 46, Nos. 5/6, 1987. p. 843-860.
In the fall of 1951 I joined the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. In physics, that was a time of quiet following the burst of activity in renorrealization theory, and before the strange particle physics, which was to come a couple of years later. The younger physics members at the Institute decided to have a special seminar on statistical mechanics, to the dismay of Oppenheimer, who felt that somehow this would not be the best use of our energy, nor in the best interests of the Institute. The seminar consisted of a series of lectures by Jan de Boer and H. A. Kramers. Both gave very good lectures. Then one day a new speaker came whom I had not heard before. His talk was even better; it was exceptionally clear and extremely lively. I thought, here is a physicist who not only knows his stuff, but can truly communicate with his audience. That was the first time I met Mark Kac...