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pkadams's review
5.0
This book focuses on the science between Newton and Darwin - or the Romantic Scientists. Starting with Joseph Banks and including Hershel & Davy, it explores the changing view of science, the expansion of science outside the academic cloisters, and the role of the individual scientist. I like the mix of biographical elements, as well as the discussion of the importance/impact of the individual discoveries. It is spectacularly well written and gives a fantastic glimpse into this time period. Holmes covers a lot of ground including the replacement of the Greek idea of fundamental elements (earth, fire, air, and dirt) with the notion of compounds and chemical elements. He also covers ballooning, first paid female scientist, and the birth of atheism.
e___ee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
slow-paced
4.0
kpeeps111's review against another edition
4.0
A very interesting examination of an entire era of philosophy and science, and the meeting between the two. This book is epic in scope, and really gives you a feeling for the Romantic period and the birth of modern science through a personal examination of several leading figures. All of the separate stories are tied together brilliantly into one coherent picture of a whole, leaving one to reflect on the philosophy of science here in the modern day.
giantarms's review against another edition
4.0
Alchemy shifts to chemistry. But more importantly, a dude has adventures in Tahiti and two German ex-pats never sleep.
It's a history of the men and women whose unbounded curiosity allowed them to build on the foundation on the past without fear of hacking out the bad bricks. The book blends scientific discovery with artistic reactions and fascinating biographies of everybody involved. I'd heard of Faraday. I'd never heard of Davy. There wouldn't have been one without the other.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that "Mungo Park" is the best name ever.
Four stars because it does get a little slow occasionally, but that's only in comparison to the amazing tale that is Banks's experiences in Tahiti.
Also of note: This is single best designed book I've ever handled. It's fat, but the pages lay nicely. The boring citations are all at the end, but the meaty side notes are conveniently there at the bottom of the page. There are color plates whose images are actually referenced in the text. There is an index, a bibliography with further reading, and a cast of characters in case you get confused with all the many, many names. It is like the book was designed by a dude who . . . reads books. Hooray!
It's a history of the men and women whose unbounded curiosity allowed them to build on the foundation on the past without fear of hacking out the bad bricks. The book blends scientific discovery with artistic reactions and fascinating biographies of everybody involved. I'd heard of Faraday. I'd never heard of Davy. There wouldn't have been one without the other.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is that "Mungo Park" is the best name ever.
Four stars because it does get a little slow occasionally, but that's only in comparison to the amazing tale that is Banks's experiences in Tahiti.
Also of note: This is single best designed book I've ever handled. It's fat, but the pages lay nicely. The boring citations are all at the end, but the meaty side notes are conveniently there at the bottom of the page. There are color plates whose images are actually referenced in the text. There is an index, a bibliography with further reading, and a cast of characters in case you get confused with all the many, many names. It is like the book was designed by a dude who . . . reads books. Hooray!
ejdecoster's review
4.0
Do not let the length of time I spent reading this book fool you - I moved and started a new job while still digging in to chapters of this book. It was interesting as history, as science writing, and as a combination. I would suggest this book for almost anybody interested in reading non-fiction.
samanthabryant's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating read. What I know of the Romantic period comes from my literature background: Shelley, Keats, Mary Shelley, Wordsworth, Coleridge, etc. I'm pretty woefully ignorant of what else was going on during this time period. I loved learning about how scientific thinking was developing in the context of Romanticism as a societal rather than just literary movement. I loved the historical personages I learned about and the discoveries, mistakes, limitations, etc. If you have any interest in the time period or in science as a field of study, you will probably love this book.