The book of the famous Russian theoretical physicist Ioffe Boris Lazarevich is devoted to highlighting the achievements of physical science at an important stage in the development of the USSR - the creation of Soviet atomic energy and the atomic bomb. Without delving into the details of theoretical scientific research, the author, through the prism of personal contacts and scientific interaction, the creative characteristics of leading physicists, gives a voluminous picture of the creative, and sometimes tragic life of scientists who have achieved universal, not only domestic, but also world recognition. The book is addressed to a wide range of readers interested in the history of the formation of nuclear physics and the practical application of its results.