A review by balletbookworm
The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science by Richard Holmes

4.0

A very well-written history of the development of scientific inquiry at the intersection with the Romantic era in literature and art. The foundations of the modern scientist and disciplines of astronomy, chemistry, physics, botany, etc., all date from this period (mid-18th century to early 19th) and it was very interesting to see how many "men of science" also wrote poems/prose (i.e. Sir Humphrey Davy) and how many "men of letters" also dabbled in science (i.e. Coleridge). Additionally, Caroline Herschel (sister of Sir William Herschel) was a major historical figure in this book which was so good to see because the contributions of women to science are very often overlooked (cf. Rosalind Franklin in the race to find the structure of DNA) and Caroline's astronomical work was essential in mapping stars and comets.

I was also quite pleased to find that explanations of scientific theories weren't "dumbed down" in the text. And there were pictures and diagrams :)