Matvei Bronstein was a brilliant theoretical physicist with broad humanitarian interests. He was 30 when he was arrested on August 6, 1937, and executed on February 18, 1938. It was the time of Stalin’s Great Terror. He left a legacy of important works in quantum-relativistic physics as well as popular science books, among them «Solar Matter», «X-Rays» and «Inventors of Radiotelegraphy», all written especially for teens but interesting for any curious person. What is so extraordinary about Solar Matter? Apart from it being available in English now. Well, there’s a lot more behind it than just a history of helium. An iconic children's writer and head of children's literature at a major publishing house, Samuil Marshak, would only hand-pick authors who knew and lived what they were writing about. Marshak was enthralled by Matvei Bronstein's enthusiasm for science and literature, and coached the young physicist in the art of writing for youngsters. It wasn't easy. At first, Bronstein kept trying and failing to find the right thread, tone and words for young people who were beginning to learn about science. Then something clicked. Bronstein found his voice as an author, and with it came one story after another. His books became extremely popular, and no wonder. They show how things are connected. They are very human adventure stories about discovery, and working together as scientists, colleagues and competitors. After reading Solar Matter, you understand what air is made of and why noble gases are important, as well as the discoveries that sprang from that knowledge. The clear portrayal is a teacher's dream. The prominent Russian writer Kornei Chukovsky said the following about Matvei Bronstein: "I've had the good fortune of experiencing delight at meeting quite a few personable individuals. That's the kind of feeling I had each time I saw the young physicist Matvei Bronstein. It sufficed to spend about half an hour in his presence to sense that he was an extraordinary person. He was a brilliant speaker and companion, his general knowledge seemingly unbounded. He knew English, ancient Greek and French literature just as well as Russian literature. He had something of Pushkin's Mozart about him with his lively, joyful and captivating intellect." Lev Landau, Soviet physicist, member of the Academy of Sciences of USSR and Nobel laureate, stated: "The book Solar Matter, penned by the talented physicist Matvei Bronstein who died before his time, presents a remarkable phenomenon in the area of popular science. The book is written in such a simple and enthralling way that schoolchildren as well as professional physicists would find it interesting. Once you start reading, it’s hard to put it down."