In Search of the ultimate building blocks

In Search of the ultimate building blocks by Gerard 't Hooft gives a concise look at the development of particle physics at the end of the 20^th century. The first few chapters give a simple introduction to some of the basics of modern physics, but I don't think that this is a book for the complete beginner, since it quickly moves on to more advanced material. Although this is dealt with in a non-technical way, I feel that there isn't enough detail for a reader without at least a little previous knowledge of the subject.

't Hooft looks at the state of particle physics in the 1960's and describes how it moved forward during the next few decades, including his own contributions to the field. He looks at the development of the 'Standard Model' and shows how its predictions were bourne out in experimental discoveries. He covers a large range of subjects in this short book - magnetic monopoles, grand unification and technicolor, to name but a few. If you want a quick tour of how particle physics has developed and where it may be going, then this book by a well known expert in the subject is well worth reading.