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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
informative
medium-paced
A little unsatisfying. I didn't really feel like I got to know either Galileo or his daughter very well.
I audio-skimmed this as it was so boring it was impossible to pay attention. Felt like a textbook about Galileo with letters from his daughter thrown in to make it book-length and make it appear to be unique.
Well written. Some parts are rather boring but the manner in which the author was able to incorporate the letters from the daughter with as much as is known about Galileo's life--it was fascinating. Certainly makes me grateful for our freedom of speech. Makes me wonder how our world would be different today if his scientific work had not been suppressed for so many years. Glad some saw the wisdom to smuggle his work out of Italy.
Was this lent this by a friend who really enjoyed it. I liked the premise and since I'm planning to visit Italy later this month, thought it might be good timing.
Sadly the framework is only partially implemented. This really is a biography of Galileo and the interspersion of his daughter's letters merely a nice touch. It's hard to get much of a feel for her. Still, the author does manage to use Suor Maria Celeste's letters to humanise a man perhaps better known for his intellectual largesse. A good read, just doesn't quite live up to it's initial promises.
Sadly the framework is only partially implemented. This really is a biography of Galileo and the interspersion of his daughter's letters merely a nice touch. It's hard to get much of a feel for her. Still, the author does manage to use Suor Maria Celeste's letters to humanise a man perhaps better known for his intellectual largesse. A good read, just doesn't quite live up to it's initial promises.
Galileo's story was fascinating. I kind of felt like the letters from his daughter were kind of arbitrarily thrown in. They detracted from the presentation of Galileo's life. If Sobel wanted an excuse to show off the translated letters, I wish she would have focused more on Sour Maria Celeste's convent existence instead of focusing on her father and occasionally throwing in a letter.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
We picked this for book club because we're science nerds. We were not prepared for the documentary style of the book and found it very difficult to get through.
I listened the the book and though it is only 9 hours long, it took me >3 months to finish it. And I doubt I retained much of the information.
I listened the the book and though it is only 9 hours long, it took me >3 months to finish it. And I doubt I retained much of the information.
This is a fascinating look into the family and friends around this historic man. It was quite dense in parts. Seems well-sourced and full of the context around these incredible scientific discoveries that were punished by the Church.
I actually started this 10-15 years ago. So now it's finished. The narrative does not flow all of the time if you are thinking of Erik Larson, for example.
I actually started this 10-15 years ago. So now it's finished. The narrative does not flow all of the time if you are thinking of Erik Larson, for example.
informative
sad
medium-paced