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Dewey Decimal Number: 509 EAN: 9781857027129 ISBN: 1857027124 Label: Fourth Estate Ltd Manufacturer: Fourth Estate Ltd Number Of Pages: 448 Publication Date: September 07, 2000 Publisher: Fourth Estate Ltd Studio: Fourth Estate Ltd Editorial Review: Amazon.com Review: Everyone knows that Galileo Galilei dropped cannonballs off the leaning tower of Pisa, developed the first reliable telescope, and was convicted by the Inquisition for holding a heretical belief--that the earth revolved around the sun. But did you know he had a daughter? In Galileo's Daughter, Dava Sobel (author of the bestselling Longitude) tells the story of the famous scientist and his illegitimate daughter, Sister Maria Celeste. Sobel bases her book on 124 surviving letters to the scientist from the nun, whom Galileo described as "a woman of exquisite mind, singular goodness, and tenderly attached to me." Their loving correspondence revealed much about their world: the agonies of the bubonic plague, the hardships of monastic life, even Galileo's occasional forgetfulness ("The little basket, which I sent you recently with several pastries, is not mine, and therefore I wish you to return it to me"). While Galileo tangled with the Church, Maria Celeste--whose adopted name was a tribute to her father's fascination with the heavens--provided moral and emotional support with her frequent letters, approving of his work because she knew the depth of his faith. As Sobel notes, "It is difficult today ... to see the Earth at the center of the Universe. Yet that is where Galileo found it." With her fluid prose and graceful turn of phrase, Sobel breathes life into Galileo, his daughter, and the earth-centered world in which they lived. --Sunny Delaney Product Description: From the international best-selling author of Longitude, Galileo's Daughter is the fascinating story of the relationship between the great Italian scientist Galileo and his daughter, Virginia. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) was the foremost scientist of his day, 'the father of modern physics -- indeed of modern science altogether' in the words of Albert Einstein. Though he never left the Italy of his birth, his inventions and discoveries were heralded around the world. His telescopes allowed him to reveal a new reality in the heavens and to defend the astounding proposition that the Earth actually moves around the Sun. For this belief he faced the Holy Office of the Inquisition and was subsequently tried for heresy and threatened with torture. Galileo is brought to life here as never before -- a man boldly compelled to explain the truths he discovered, human in his frailties and faith, devoted to family and, especially, to his daughter. Since there could be no hope of marriage for his illegitimate daughter Galileo placed her, aged thirteen, in a convent near him in Florence. She proved to be his greatest source of strength through his most difficult years. Through letters, contemporary writings, their voices are brought to vivid life and woven into Dava Sobel's compelling narrative. Galileo's Daughter tells the story of the most dramatic collision in history between science and religion. Dava Sobel illuminates an entire era, when the flamboyant Medici Grand Dukes became Galileo's patrons, when the Bubonic plague destroyed a generation and prayer was the most effective medicine, when one man fought to reconcile the Heaven he revered as a good Catholic with the heavens he revealed through his telescope. Galileo's Daughter is a rich and unforgettable story. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Brings 17th Century to LifeThis remarkable book compactly and comprehensively ties together many threads: Galileo's life, Galileo's scientific breakthroughs, Catholic Church theology and superstition, life in Italy, and the relationship of Galileo to his favorite child. The author weaves these together through the device of the 124 surviving letters that Galileo's eldest daughter Virginia sent to him from the convent near Florence where she lived from the age of 15 to her early death. It's a singular story, ... Read More Rating: - Amazing way to read about GalileoI was totally impressed with the way this book was written. I learned so much about Galileo and his life in this book. It is amazing how the author took actual letters from his daughter and created a fascinating book that tells of his life, all revolving around the letters. What a great way to combine his life and his family, his professional and personal life. I also find it amazing how far we have come from the times of Galileo. He was imprisoned and banned from returning home, by orders ... Read More Rating: - Loved it!If there is one book I would highly recommend from my recent reading list, this would be it. Talk about history coming alive - the story is based on letters his daughter wrote - and though you think you know the ending, there is a delicious twist. The book reads like a thriller and I simply loved it. Rating:  - An Entertaining, but Ordinary, Story of an Extraordinary ScientistGalileo is known both as a scientist and a symbol. As a scientist, he overtuerned almost all of the then-commonplace notions of physics and cosmology: heavy objects DO NOT fall faster than light ones; celestial bodies DO NOT consist of different materials than earth; most importantly, the sun DOES NOT revolve around a stationary earth. Dava Sobel's book focuses the majority of its attention on the controversy surrounding this last discovery of Galileo's, which put him in conflict with the teachings ... Read More Rating: - This is a biography!I had expected a fictionalized narrative following the daughter of the famous astronomer. What I got was a detailed biography of Galileo himself. However, I still continued reading to the end. With more warmth and humanity than your average historical account, Sobel's story weaves the life and family of its subject in among the facts of his life. Such things as his recurring illnesses and his struggles with the church authorities are brought to life and made more interesting. I recommend ... Read More |
