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beckydham's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, I really loved this one. It was long, but each section stands alone. The stuff I never knew about ballooning, 18th-century laughing gas parties...also makes me want to read more poetry--which is unusual!
jenmcmaynes's review against another edition
4.0
In some ways, I don’t think this book was particularly successful in its stated aim of linking the scientists and poets of the romantic age in terms of philosophy, hopes, and beliefs. However, I immensely enjoyed the in-depth biographies of some of the leading scientists of the time that I was virtually ignorant of: Joseph Banks, William and Caroline Herschel, and Humphry Davy in particular. So I enjoyed it more as a snapshot of the science of the time and as a focus on these leading scientists than as a reflection on the goals stated in the subtitle. (Side note: I listened to an audio version and it was over 20 hours long. Much too long for the few hours a week I dedicate to audio books!)
paladintodd's review against another edition
3.0
For the word being right there in the title, there just wasn't much "wonder" in this book. While science/history reading is made better by including the human element involved, this book got bogged down in too much minutia of the personal lives - where they lived, how they grew up, who their parents were.
danchibnall's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the finest non-fiction books I have read in years. I tend to read non-fiction more than fiction and I simply could not put this book down. Holmes does a superb job of weaving the romantic art, poetry, and writing of the 18th and 19th centuries with the growing love of science. He successfully shows you just how science became so important in people's lives and how it made our world better in the process. The giants of scientific history that he focuses on (Banks, Herschel, Davy, Faraday, etc.) are not just interesting because of their accomplishments, but because of their deep passion for the natural world. That is Holmes gift to the reader: successfully showing you just how passionate people can be about the universe around them.
If you are a fan of scientific history, this book is a must-read.
If you are a fan of scientific history, this book is a must-read.
bethsmath's review against another edition
5.0
It was interesting, especially how science and art influenced each other
mkean's review against another edition
4.0
A well-researched book for sure, with some inspiring chapters for my artwork. However, I felt like this was more of a biography of some of the featured scientists, rather than focusing on their work and methods. More weight is given to their interactions and how they presented their work than the discoveries themselves. I would have preferred something more focused on primary sources, but it's good if you are curious.
dangrous's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
2.0
This was interesting enough. It took me ages (literally years) to get through the first chapter but once I powered through Tahiti I had a good enough time (history of science is my subject, too). I don't think it needed to be as long or in depth as it was, I think more of a survey would have satisfied at least my desire for learning. This read more like a PhD thesis almost. But some neat stories in there, and it's truly a fascinating period.