IPAC2010 Accelerator Prize article: Particle accelerators and colliders

In this document, I recall my own personal memories of the conception, design, construction and operation of particle accelerators and particle colliders over the past 50 years. This is not meant to be a technical report, and this is evidenced by the style of writing (commonly used first person singular), but more to give an insight to the historical beginnings and endings of some of the world’s most technically complex and expensive scientific instruments.