Includes Peierls's notes on the book, his draft review and later correspondence with the author, J. Gribbin.

Comprises correspondence relating to reviews of: C.P. Snow, The Physicists S.J. Heims, John Von Neumann and Norbert Wiener (review published as 'Odd Couple', Feb 1982)

Mainly on Peierls's review of A. Pais, Subtle is the Lord: the science and the life of Albert Einstein (review published as 'What Einstein did', Apr 1983), with draft.

Comprises correspondence relating to reviews of: J.L. Heilbron, The dilemmas of an upright man: Max Planck as spokesman for German science (review published as 'Conservative revolutionary', Nov 1986), includes draft R. Rhodes, The making of the atomic bomb (review published as 'Making it', Nov 1987)

Comprises correspondence relating to reviews of: D. Cassidy, Uncertainty: the life and science of Werner Heisenberg (review published as 'The uncertain scientist', Apr 1992) the 'Farm Hall transcripts' Thomas Powers, Heisenberg's War (review published as 'The bomb that never was', Apr 1993) ...

Relating to Peierls's article, 'Nuclear weapons: How did we get them and where are we going?', published in Oxford Magazine, 51 (1989), with draft and amended versions. Peierls originally wrote offering the article in error to Oxford Today with which a little correspondence is also included.

Relating to publication of Surprises in theoretical physics. In the event, this and Peierls's other books were published by Princeton University Press (q.v.), largely because a UK tax anomaly treating Peierls as a non-resident made this financially attractive (his letter of 2 Oct 1978 explains).

Relating to Bird of Passage. OUP suggested various modifications to the draft; Princeton agreed 'to publish it without reservation' (letter, 11 Nov 1983) and Peierls accepted their offer.

Relating to the Oxford Illustrated Encyclopedia vol. 6, The World of Technology.

Relating to entries for the Dictionary of National Biography. Peierls declined to write on Klaus Fuchs.

Relating to the Oxford Dictionary of Scientific Quotations. Peierls declined a request to join the editorial advisory board but contributed anecdotes and quotations.

Correspondence on Peierls's preface for a biography of Landau, 1979; correspondence on the death of Lifshitz, 1985.

Includes correspondence about Peierls's obituary of Penney, with draft.

Mainly on Peierls's suggestion of an article to mark the centenary of Y.U. Frenkel, and eleven page draft of article to be published in 1994.

Mainly on Peierls's article, 'In defence of "measurement"', published as an 'Opinion' article in Physics World, 4 (1991).