I first was introduced to Loren Eisley by a roommate in graduate school who read aloud to me the final essay in this book. It is entitled, "The Brown Wasps," and if you've never read anything by Eisley, you might want to start there. Among many things, this particular essay is about memory, home, and the place of death in life - themes that run throughout the book whose essays are intimate narratives that intermingle meditations on science and personal history. Having now written these words I feel they miss the mark in recommending this book becuase the themes of Eisley's work seem more experiential than concrete to me, which is the case for many truths about life - truths that can be captured more by the feelings evoked by a time and a place than by mere words alone. And yet, his words do a remarkable job of evoking past times and places, locating them in your present life and providing a context for understanding their meaning. If you read this book, perhaps you'll want to share it with a friend, as my friend did with me, and I have with many good friends since. Eisley communicates the happy/sad, excited/melancholic, naive/wise tensions of nostalgia like no one else I've read.

Theodosius Dobzhansky described Eiseley as "...a Proust miraculously turned into an evolutionary anthropologist," and his works are greatly admired by Ray Bradbury. This was the second book I read of his after "The Immense Journey" and it was no let down at all! It too is haunting, beautiful, disturbing, hopeful, fearful, and immensely imaginative.

Here's a taste, from the chapter The Places Below: "If you cannot bear the silence and the darkness, do not go there; if you dislike black night and yawning chasms, never make them your profession. If you fear the sound of water hurrying through crevices toward unknown and mysterious destinations, do not consider it. Seek out the sunshine. It is a simpler prescription. Avoid the darkness."

This book breathes life into the very complex figure who is a progenitor of Science, and to an extent, Western civilization as we know them today. From Newton's correspondence and the memoirs of people who knew him, Christianson tells the story of the quiet child who revolutionized theories of light and mechanics, invented calculus (or did he? read!), served brilliantly as Master of the Mint, and presided over the Royal Society while privately holding heretical views and practicing alchemy. I got a great sense of the interrelatedness of the works of Newton and his contemporaries such that he seems neither untouchable and divine nor merely "in the right place at the right time", fashionable traps for biography. His interaction with many other contemporaries, such as Halley, Leibniz, and (Johann) Bernoulli were a reality check for my notions of genteel integrity among the lights of the age.

This is the first work of history and biography I've read in a long time. I'm now inspired to find more reading of this caliber. If only my formal education in history could have been this engaging!

Macmillan, please print this again so I can have my own copy!

Every one has heard of Isaac Newton. His laws of motion, how an apple fell on his head to help him understand gravity, etc. Those who go on to college to study science or engineering hear more of his work in optics, calculus, and a myriad other fields. When you understand how his work is at the very foundations of modern science, you begin to appreciate his genius.

This book by Gale E. Christianson is based on about 4 millions words (approximately 8000 pages on a standard 8 inches by 11.5 inches paper) written by Newton himself. The author succeeds in presenting everything that is known about Newton in less than 600 pages. Throughout the book, considerable amount of time is spent in outlining the external environment (political, religious, social and scientific) in England to help the reader understand Newton's life better.

The book starts off with Newton's ancestry and his own very difficult birth (prematurely born). His life is traced all the way to his education at Trinity College (University of Cambridge) and beyond as a Professor of Mathematics. The controversy regarding who is the originator of Calculus (Leibniz being the contender) is addressed in great detail. Everything you may want to learn about the origins of 'Principia Mathematica' is also covered in this book. Of course, there is no substitute for reading a copy of the original 'Principia Mathematica' itself if you are interested in exactly what it comprised.

I have yet to finish reading the entire book and it has been about 10 years since I purchased my copy. I skipped a few chapters when I first read the book and I have never been able to find the time to go back and fill in the blanks. The 600 pages are quite daunting to read yet thoroughly enjoyable if you can relate to his life in any way. Even otherwise, the life of one of the greatest abstract thinkers of all times is absolutely fascinating. What makes the book difficult to read is not the complex mathematics or physics (there is none of that in this book) but the pages and pages devoted to painting a picture of life in England at that time. There is so much information that you also need to find British History interesting in order to appreciate the entire book.

If you are deeply interested in Physics or Mathematics, you will enjoy this book thoroughly. Otherwise, it will make a good addition to your biography collection. The effort that the author spent on putting this book together is absolutely monumental. I plan on keeping this as part of my library collection and someday pass it on to my progeny. I hope you find it as enjoyable a book to read as I did.

Although not very detailed on the scientific aspects of Newton's work, this biography places him very well in his historic period, where we find a tadpole spectacle-between two worlds--of an age in transition, and the arch-innovator, shaking the foundations. That said, and the tale makes it clear, Newton was still very much a man of another age, if not another world, and we can also forget his discretion towards what he had achieved, never mistaking it for a complete metaphysical system. The theologian competes with the tinkerer turned blazingly sharp intuiter of the method of fluxions. The issue is important because the monumental genius of his deed tends to induce imitation in the sciences to come, but this never suceeds, for a reason Newton might have found obvious as he expended a majority of his labors poring over theological and alchemical treatises. I shan't further, as is my wont, crack jokes about 'mad scientists'. Newton was the real McCoy, and so much more compellingly fascinating than the caricature. We might learn his system of the world, but never grasp the 'system' of his mind, where sanity and madness integrate as a mystery. The depiction in the book of the world of Newton's England, Cambridge, and in the period of a classic political passage, leaves only wonder at the pinnacle of accomplishment starting from such rough-scrabble beginnings.

The book, Isaac Newton and the Scientific Revoultion, was a good book beacause it went futher than the inventions and into Isaac Newton, the man. The book showed his public and private fueds with rival scientists. The books also shows his emotions; lots of resenment and hate, love of the unknown, and joy of experinicng life to the fullest. The only bad part of the book was it was to fast; it didn't show enough of the discoverery, it raced along to show what happened to Newton after the discovery like his fame and how it destroyed his rivals. But in the end you feel like you knew Newton and lived in the Scientiic revolution.

This is not just a great biography'it's one of the best-written science books around for young people. Christianson has sifted through the historical documents and accounts of Newton to paint a convincing and intelligent picture of the complex and at times irascible genius. Even more remarkable, the biographical portrait he presents is a compelling story. It begins with a beheading'that of Charles I'and ends with the poetic image of visitors to Newton's gravesite pausing "in silent tribute to the sacred permanence of the dead." The author demonstrates a remarkable sense of Newton and his times. For example, while many other biographers struggle to explain his experiments in alchemy, Christianson puts them in context of the great scientist trying to unravel the mysteries of the atomic world with the best tools available to him. The narrative also shows how Newton changed as he grew older: from a young, intense, reclusive academic to a living legend justifiably vain about his reputation. Reproductions of documents, Newton's sketches, and paintings of well-known figures illustrate this fine book

I have never read a biography quite as good as this. This book has some of the best descriptions of Newton that I've ever heard: "Like Leonardo da Vinci and Benjamin Franklin, Isaac Newton was not just an aimless childhood tinkerer, but a tinkerer playing with ideas and mechanisms." It has so many interesting details about his life, such as the jumping contest at school, or the many different clocks that he made. This book made me realize that Newton wasn't just a great scientist, but a political figure as well, with a seat in Parliment, head of the Royal Society, and Director of the Mint. If it is possible, Cristianson would be my nominee for the Pulitzer Prize.

Dr. Christianson's "Writing Lives is the Devil" is a quality choice for readers who want to learn the inside dealings of how a biography is written. The style Christianson uses to write the articles flows and shapes into a simple story the reader can easily follow. His articles on the back-door operations of a biographer at work clearly illustrate how complex the profession of historian can be. With several references to his previous works, the reader becomes enthralled in the lives of many of his subjects and may very well want to dive into the other biographies. "Writing Lives is the Devil" is a great choice for would-be biographers to learn the tricks of the trade, and for a easy-reading for current biographers as well.

I stumbled across this book without any prior exposure to Christianson or his other works but found it hard to put down. The topic is self-evident from the title, but this is no dry how-to treatise on biography. His essays are wonderfully crafted and paint a rich picture of the biographer's struggles and joys. Stories of the hassles and hardships of research, writer's block, publishers, editors and reviewers are nicely balanced with humerous anecdotes and richly textured stories from his biographical works on Isaac Newton and Loren Eiseley.

I particularly enjoyed his extensive use of quotations from other historians and literary luminaries. My favorite: "The vision of the historian as a sort of intellectual private eye swashbuckling through a succession of unremittingly fascinating adventures of the mind can survive only among those who do not destroy it by engaging in historical research (J.H. Hexter)."

Christianson's other works have now found their way on to my (admittedly lengthy) "to-read" list. I suppose this is the ultimate measure of my enjoyment of this 5-star effort.

If you ever wondered why the Hubble Telescope is called the Hubble Telescope, I have a book that has the answer for you. In an age where all you have to do to have a highway or bridge or named after you is get elected to some minor office (the "Eric Winkler Parkway" ???) and where all you have to do to be referred to as a "genius" is guide an NFL team to a winning record ("Tampa sure has turned around since Smith arrived to handle the coaching chores haven't they Dandy? Yes Frank, they sure have, Coach Smith is a genius"), it is sobering to meet true genius -- warts and all.

When I was in high school, I studied nothing but sciences - with a particular emphasis on Physics and Astronomy - As a child I dreamed of being an astronomer - I built my own telescope. But then fate intervened and I ended up studying English literature and becoming a music lawyer. But later in life, in my early forties, I returned to my first love via a series of general interest science books. One of those books was "Edwin Hubble, Mariner of the Nebulae".

This compelling, lovely book was written by Gale Christianson, the author of an equally engaging portrait of Isaac Newton. Christianson is a Professor of History and writes with a down to earth, straightforward style. He writes for the general reader and does not presume that you are grounded in science or astronomy. So do not fear - dragons be not here.

Hubble is easily one of the most important figures to have graced the 20th century - or for that matter all of history. If you think that is an overstatement, then factor this into your thinking. This one man is responsible, virtually single-handedly, for several of the most important discoveries of all time. It was with reference to a discovery of Hubble's that the famous Harlow Shapley remarked, "here is the [discovery] that has destroyed my universe".

1. It was Hubble who confirmed the existence of other nebulae, what are now called galaxies, outside of the "Milky Way". This seems trite now, but it was not at ALL obvious at the time. Having discovered a Cepheid variable in Andromeda he was able to measure the distance to that body of stars -- the results of his calculation (using the period/luminosity relationship (discovered by Henrietta Leavitt in 1912) that makes Cepheids the standard candles of the universe) proved beyond a doubt that Andromeda was much farther away athan any star in the Milky Way.

2. It was Hubble who proved that the universe was expanding (and worked out the famous "Hubble Constant")- an insight of incalculable significance that laid the cornerstone for the Big Bang theory.

3. It was Hubble who developed the system of classification for galaxies that is used to this day.

4. It was Hubble who brought forward evidence that the universe is homogenous - i.e., the same in all directions.

Incredibly, he never won the Nobel Prize - he died before they got around to recognising him.

But this is only part of the story. For Hubble was probably one of the most unlikeable men of all time. He was arrogant, unkind, a publicity hound, revoltingly condescending and patronising, and at times even dishonest. A considerable portion of the book is devoted to exploring his extraordinary "reinvention of himself". A polite way of saying that he made up stories about his past life to enhance his reputation - for example he claimed to have practised law.

Shinning out of the pages of this book, like one of his Cepheid Variables, is the story of his truly extraordinary wife Grace who put up with everything and was constant and faithful to a fault.

I guarantee that you will not be able to put this book down. You will be by turns elated, repulsed, amazed, disappointed, astounded and saddened. I very nearly wept during the achingly touching Epilogue. It is one of those special books that you will return to more than once.

I believe the biography presents a complete and balanced account of the life of Edwin Hubble. The account covers his early years, family, education, military service, and his notable scientific career. The account of his education was interesting, especially his time at Oxford, England. Hubble's brief military career was covered, and his use of the image of "Major Hubble" afterwards tells much of his character. His scientific career, his work and professional controversies were covered in detail. If I were to be critical, I feel Hubble's early life received too much attention, I would prefer to have seen his scientic career covered in more detail. I brief, an interesting book, it almost makes me feel that I've met the man.

One of the most remarkable astronomers of all time, and the one who generally gets the credit for the biggest revolution since Copernicus: Hubble was the one who recognized that the universe is expanding, and who first articulated the principle that bears his name, that of the expansion constant, the "Hubble" constant.

This outstanding work does a good job of tracing his early years, a task made difficult by the fact that his wife destroyed many of his personal papers after his death. Hubble was enigmatic, aloof, and possibly disingenuous. He shed his Missouri roots and donned the polished exterior of a Brit. He was a shameless anglophile to the end of his life.

He had a knack for asking the right questions at the right time, and being a talented enough observer to get the data needed to address those questions. (...)

Christianson's work is an honest treatment of a difficult and complex subject. She doesn't gloss over the rough spots or try to sugar coat his scientific accomplishments. This is thoroughly researched and well written work.

Gale Christianson has made the science of global warming and climate change accessible to the general public with his book "Greenhouse." He has a knack for bringing the quirky personalities of the many scientists involved in the discovery of the greenhouse effect to life. He helps the reader easily understand the significance of each scientist's contribution and makes their scientific inquiries read like a great mystery novel.

Gale's synthesis of material is creative. He includes the story of the Anasazi of the American southwest, the Viking settlement in Greenland and others when discussing the impact changing climactic conditions have had on humans in the past. The author includes profiles of scientists who theorized and then later documented the greenhouse effect (such as Svante Arrhenius) as well as the entrepreneurs whose inventions have contributed significantly to the problem (such as Ford).

The author addresses the issue of why the earth experienced a slight cooling trend from the 1940s to the early 1970s, prior to the more recent period of steadily rising temperatures: the period in question witnessed twice the normal amount of volcanic activity, which helped block sunlight from reaching the earth.

The evidence cited by the author strongly suggests that the earth is warming due to human activity. Yet, Christianson inexplicably accords the well-known greenhouse skeptic Fred Singer's criticisms of greenhouse theory more respect than this coal and oil industry-funded mouthpiece deserves. If the author did this in order to appear objective, he did so at the cost of confusing corporate propaganda with real science.

In fact, my criticism of the book is that it contains precious little analysis. Christianson is a gifted storyteller, and no doubt many will enjoy his entertaining narrative. But the reader who seeks insight and understanding into why our society privileges technology at the expense of nature will need to look elsewhere.

Still, I think Christianson has succeeded in his mission of writing a great book for the general interest science reader. It should help further the cause of making the science of global warming an increasingly popular topic of conversation in our society.

Gale Christianson gives a wonderful, dynamic historical account of global warming. Gale addresses so many aspects of the controversy we now know as global warming its difficult to summarize them. She explores 16th and 17th century scientists and their discoveries about the world, from evolution to the impacts of pollution, to the creation of the coal-burning engines that caused England to erect higher and higher smokestacks believing that the smoke would simply float away into the atmosphere. Gale also speaks of the global climate changes that have occurred across the history of humankind as we know it. She explains the tortuous trip that brought the Vikings to settle in Greenland, and the climate shifts that ceased their existence on the frosty continent. She explores the history of the Anasazi and the changes in their biospheres that chased them from their homes built high in the Southwestern US. Gale explains all the differing theories that address the effects of global warming, ending with the fact that we don't really know what the impact will be in the future. She dialogues the negotiations that occurred in Kyoto Japan and the political atmosphere that makes reductions in emissions so difficult. A wonderful account, reads like a novel with dynamic characters, interesting plot changes, and mysteries that may never be solved. Although it does not bring to light anything new to explain global warming, it is a superb overview of global warming as we know it, and why it is such a controversy today.

A beautiful book full of understanding and love for the planet. Somehow I had a sense of dread going into this that what I would find would confirm many of the ideas in Al Gore's great "Earth in the Balance," and in fact they site many of the same research studies and conclusions.

And the last chapter of the book details why it is so necessary for government to be responsive and take a leadership role in caring for what we have left of our great inheritance of land, air and water.

I loved the fascinating history of our planetary environment from back in the 18th and 19th century when men were sure that the answer to bad air was simply building a taller smokestack, all the way to Kyoto, where the Oil companies, in tandem with Republican Congressonal majority maneuvers, tried to sabotage any efforts at cleaning up the environment, and largely succeeded.

Now all we have left are the powerful forces of greed: Big Oil and Chemical money (read how they pandered scientists to join them against the Kyoto accords) against the fishes, the animals, the trees, and the health of humanity and our children and grandchildren. How can fish fight Big Oil company money and the politicians they control?

I fear for our planet. We are on a slippery slope and big money--the attitude of "get yours and get out" may carry the day.

"Nature never deceives us. It is always we who deceive ourselves." Rousseau

As to the quality of the scholarship, there can be little question. With few exceptions, it appears that all of the "i's" are dotted, all the "t's" crossed.

Christianson rightly avoids emotional involvement with his "subject," except for occasional pronouncements and conclusions about Eiseley's character, mostly negative. The author avoids hero-worship with a vengeance. This makes the book interesting in another dimension, because it starts one to thinking about Christianson himself. The downside is that this inevitable digression of thought gets in the way of thinking about the subject of the work. But at least it's not a starry-eyed whitewash.

One can't help wondering why the author, who does let some positive elements shine through via quotes by Eiseley himself, seems resentful of his subject rather than understanding. Perhaps he admired his subject so much that he went overboard and emphasized the "warts" too much. Perhaps he began as one seduced by his subject's work, but had his bubble burst when his research exposed the "warts." Perhaps he was jealous. Perhaps he took pleasure in attempting to topple one more successful than he, a practice known as "trophy hunting" in some circles. One way of "standing tall" is to put down, but it is a curious way.

Read this book for information but not for a sympathetic treatment of Eiseley. Just as an overly sentimental treatment would be flawed, this book lacks balance, lacks any depth of understanding of the complex relationships of insight and science and literature and how these were combined in Eiseley. It is linear in its "analysis," and many a reader will want that.

It is a fair guide to the facts, but not skillfully written in the sense of being "reader-friendly." While real contortions of prose are relatively rare, the writing is not easy to follow. Certainly the author knew his subject well (at least one guesses that this must be the case), but the reader does not close this scholarly tome with a coherent picture of the subject. One is left with more of a sense that one has been present while Eiseley's closets were not only emptied of their skeletons, but watched while they were scattered about. One imagines Eiseley's own skeleton among them, disarticulated, incomplete, broken, even pulverized. But dead men cannot protest, eh?

Christianson gave the work a hearty try. His facts, often presented in calendar fashion, are given in such a way that one can glimpse the character of Eiselely as he would appear to one who was observing him. In this fashion, the book is a success. But I strongly wonder that the book misses its mark in finding what was inside the man, rather than merely describing what the man did. Christianson seems to have made a real effort, but the many people he interviewed or researched that were acquainted with Loren and Mabel, seem also to have been observers of WHAT THEY DID rather than who they were. In this sense, I dont think that anyone will do a better job at an Eiseley biography, as both Mr and Mrs E seem to have made it plain that they werent to be really known.