Customer Reviews (1)

this is a good book, but it lost me in the first pages.
this book was ok.I dont recommend it for anybody that is dumb like myself casue it lost me about half way through it. ... Read more

Product Description
This work lists and describes, on the basis of direct examination, all of the 560 located copies of the 1st and 2nd editions of Copernicus' "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium" that survive in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia, plus copies of known provenance destroyed, stolen or lost. ... Read more

Product Description
Mr. Crowther's selection of scientists gives not only a clear idea of the effort needed to arrive at new truths but of the changing climate of religious opposition through which scientific investigation passed from Copernicus in the fifteenth century to Darwin in the nineteenth. - Times Literary Supplement ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Synopses of the lives of six phenomenal people
This is a great, informative book for those interested in the great minds that have molded science and spawned human technological progress. If you're already a seasoned student of the history of science, you might want more comprehensive accounts of the great individuals' lives. If on the other hand, like myself, you're fairly new to the subject, this is a great book to start with.

Each mini biography is concise enough to be read and absorbed quickly. Each is very informative as well. Citations for published, full biographies are found at the end of each chapter if you'd like to read more about one or more of the featured scientists.

The struggle between science and religion is a dominant theme through the nineteenth century. Galileo's struggles with the Vatican are covered in a fair amount of detail. Copernicus' political savvy enabled him to dodge conviction and punishment from the clergy during his lifetime; however, his heliocentric theory of the solar system was long discredited by the Catholic Church after his death. Galileo wasn't so fortunate as he endured much persecution during his lifetime and was only recently pardoned by the Church. I learned much about Newton the alchemist, Darwin's struggle with heart disease, Curie's struggles through obtaining an education and Einstein's disdain for the educational process.

An underlying theme is the persistence associated with genius, i.e. clinging to an idea or problem for decades - mulling it over countless times. Each of these scientists pursued his or her respective interests with inexorable tenacity.

Many interesting tidbits concerning the progression to genius and discovery are revealed. Examples include: Darwin beginning but not finishing medical school, Einstein's dependence on others for the higher math required to sort out his space-time continuum. The common perception of genius, i.e. the day's winner on Jeopardy, is likely flawed. Possession of large amounts of trivial knowledge doesn't seem to be a common trait in pure geniuses that have made immense contributions to human progress. It's very interesting to peak into the lives of these pioneers only to find that some had significant difficulty in mastering some of the basic subjects in school.

A quick read full of details about the lives of some of the greatest minds in science!!!
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Product Description
Nicolaus Copernicus' inquiring mind probes the secrets of the universe during a time when such behavior is considered heretical. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nonfiction
Dance of the Planets is a biography written by Nancy Veglahn about Nicolaus Copernicus, the scientist known as the founder of modern astronomy. During the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, he questioned the theories that the Church accepted and formed hypotheses of his own. These ¡§correct¡¨ ideas were based on the observations of the second-century Egyptian astronomer Ptolemy, who claimed that the Earth was in the center of the universe and that the sun and other planets traveled around it in circles. Copernicus, on the other hand, wrote that the sun was in the center and that all of the planets, including the Earth, made circular paths around the sun. He also questioned the accuracy of the Almagest, the book that Ptolemy had written, which was considered to contain the entire truth of the heavens. Such courage in challenging the Church laid the foundation for the field of astronomy that exists today.
This book is worth reading because the author uses subtle yet powerful techniques to make the story enjoyable. For one thing, she incorporates dialogue, which makes this book unusual because most biographies¡Xbeing nonfiction¡Xdo not include elements that would make them seem fictionalized. In addition, the author describes world events, like the voyage of Christopher Columbus, to help the reader fully understand what was going on during the time in which Copernicus lived. Also, the illustrator of this book, George Ulrich, draws helpful visual aids to enable readers to visualize the story¡¦s text more clearly, especially when certain portions can seem confusing. These include a map that shows how Ptolemy viewed the universe as well the heavens from Copernicus¡¦s perspective. The dialogue, information, and illustrations in this book make it unique.
This was an excellent book overall, yet perhaps my favorite part is after the close of this story. Scientists in the United States launched a satellite on August 23, 1972 containing a thirty-two-inch reflecting telescope. This was the largest instrument ever sent into space, and it was used to gain valuable information about the universe. The satellite carrying it was named Copernicus. I found the fact that a satellite was named after Copernicus was very significant because this showed the importance of Copernicus to modern-day astronomy. During his lifetime, Copernicus was not recognized for his achievement in astronomy, but he is now credited for his theories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

First Class Detective Story
First Class Detective Story

The author chronicles his 30 year search for fate of the original copies of the Copernicus's revolutionary text. This makes for a first rate detective story. The book is as hard to put down as any good mystery.

Gingerich shows that the history of astronomy is interwoven with the entire history of mankind.

See Also:

The Book Nobody Read: Chasing the Revolutions of Nicolaus Copernicus

and

God's Universe

Highly recommended.

... Read more

Product Description
The man and the idea that created modern science, as seen by one of today's most celebrated writers.

In 1543, the Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus lay on his deathbed, his just-published masterpiece On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres in his hands. At that time, religious doctrine and common sense dictated that the earth ruled the universe, with the sun, moon, planets, and stars all rotating around it. By putting the sun at the center of that cosmology, his book fomented another kind of revolution—a scientific one—that would lead to a completely new view of the universe, and humanity's place in it.

As contemporary cosmologists explore the universe's vastness and the nearly insignificant role we play in it, the repercussions from Copernicus's radical step continue to resound. With the energetic prose and powerful intelligence for which he is known, William T. Vollmann provides an enlightening and readable explication not only of Copernicus's book but also of Copernicus's epoch, and the momentous clash between the two. 20 diagrams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

How one of those humanities guys looks at science
Probably how he looks at all us technology guys too!

Technology guys need to get past our thin skins and ignore the well-written, deep-disguised digs, ostensibly (and literally) aimed at all sorts of scientists back in the days of Copernicus, to include belittling the Man himself from time to time.Vollmann is an excellent writer, and brings to the world of 16th century astronomy more than just a colorfully descriptive style, but also a profound compliment for what science does through the ages.He's a fiction writer "normally," and uses color effectively -- otherwise, he couldn't sell much fiction!Think about how matter-of-fact so much of what is published in science fields today, and wonder how much more interesting they might be if a fiction writer took a turn at nonfiction as Vollmann did!

True, there are much better texts on any of the science topics treated in "Uncentering the Earth."True also, the author probably did deep research on those specific pieces of science about which he wrote, sometimes in considerable detail; and these spots of good reporting sometimes seem poorly connected with each other.Still, the reader might be delighted that a fiction writer could actually pull this off.Nevertheless, if the readers seek a detailed account of Copernicus and his work, or of the advances of science in the 16th century, or of which persons passed along what bits of knowledge at that time, then this book will probably not do.Understandably so.If instead one would like a fresh (and sometimes slightly insulting) way to look at this particular famous person of Copernicus for perspective, then "Uncentering" might be just the distraction.

It can be frustrating in this work, though, to pin down specifically why the author admires Nicolaus Copernicus.Although he speaks those words a couple times through the book, the reasons are fuzzy and somewhat unconnected with the text around it (see if you can find them!)This reviewer personally concludes that Mr. Vollmann believes that Copernicus changed astronomy (and hence science?) into a predictive way of thinking, rather than a reactive way.That's would be an excellent compliment indeed.

The Universe Screams


I completely understand the negative reviews this book has received.But I would like to defend this book, which I believe is worth the time and effort.

This is a disappointing book if you are reading it for the wrong reason.The wrong reason is if you are reading this book as an astronomy buff who wants to learn more about Copernicus.Again, that is a very understandable mistake to make.By all appearances, it looks to be a serious academic discussion of the work of Copernicus and its role in the scientific paradigm shift.

The right reason to read this book is not as an astronomy buff but as a William T. Vollman buff. I can't get enough of Vollman's writing.And he can't seem to stop writing so it's a good match (this is a writer, for example, who has completed an over 3,000 page essay on the nature of violence).Vollman has the gift of being able to encompass the full depth of the human experience in every sentence he writes.When he writes of ecstatic happiness, he manages to imbed it with hints of cruelty and suffering.When he writes about tragedy and death, there are twisted traces of sweetness and cathartic joy.

I'm a fan of the history of science and good science writing too.And while this book might not be the most straightforward way to learn about Copernicus, there is factual information here about Copernicus' "On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres."We are also given Vollman's meditations on the nature of scientific revolutions and the way science as a process will always be hampered by human imperfection, by our individual investments in our beliefs, and by the stubborn drag of institutional momentum."'Revolutions' was profoundly dangerous in its epoch, and hence profoundly necessary."

Why would Vollman take on this task?He tells us this book is the result of an "exercise in explicating a subject slightly beyond my intellectual competence."But, when he marvels at the effort, "the immensity of the force required" and the "solitary years" behind Copernicus' work, we get a sense of the parallel process driving Vollman's own desires to nudge the universe.

Very Disappointing
I bought this book with high hopes of finding an interesting and illuminating look at how Copernicus revolutionized astronomy. I was so disappointed that I did something I virtually never do: after about 90 pages, I put the book away with no intention of finishing it. Vollmann is a writer of note, but in this case his writing is so mannered and his exposition seemingly so convoluted that the reader quickly grows fatigued. At least, this reader did.

Snoozefest
This is the most uninteresting book on science or a scientific personality that I have read in recent times. I was looking forward to reading about the middle ages, the environment in which Copernicus grew up, the scientific world view at the time, the social mileu, what Copernicus himself was like, what his religious beliefs were, how he arrived at his conclusions, and what his book meant in terms of courage and conviction in that time. And, of course, a lot of actual science.

Instead we get such hard to read, boring, insipid prose dissecting the text of his work that it's a real effort to turn each page. I felt like giving up at every turn till I was half-way through but only sheer will and expectation that it would get better kept me going. But I gave up at the half-way mark.

I had learned very little that stayed with me and I had hardly enjoyed it. For those interested, Bill Bryson's "A short history of nearly everything" is one that succeeds quite well at this attempt to dispense science to the laymen.

save your money and time
If you are interested in what Copernicus did, save your money and time and don't buy this book.Instead, get ahold of Thomas Kuhn's masterful account "The Copernican Revolution".

This book is one of a series in which non-scientists present popular accounts of mostly great episodes in science.I say mostly great because there seems to be a certain amount of political correctness in the choice of scientists to write about in the series.But I digress.

Some of the books in this series are successful, for example the one by Madison Smartt Bell on Priestley, Lavoisier, and the chemical revolution.But when you have fiction writers expounding technical subjects, there is potential for trouble, and that is what we get with Vollmann's book on Copernicus.

Vollmann's explanations of the technical aspects of Copernicus' work are superficial and hard to grasp.Kuhn is much better.Vollmann also has a complusion to say snotty things about everyone involved, about their thoughts, motives, habits of mind.One would think that the ancients who constructed early science and astronomy were a bunch of idiots who had to wait for Copernicus to come along, who of course was a dolt because he was "obedient" to Aristotle for the most part, and was incapable of writing clearly to boot.Kuhn is incomparably better at explaining the philsophical, religious, scientific, and historical contexts in which the ancients, Copernicus, and the other early moderns worked.For example, you get a real sense of why the ancient earth-centered system was the reasonable system, that the ancient heliocentric precursors of Copernicus didn't have much in the way of evidence or reason on their side.You get a sense from Kuhn of just what it was that made the heliocentric theory attractive to Copernicus -- the changing context of observational astronomy, and above all the clarity which the heliocentric view gave to the matter of the oddities of the motion of certain of the planets.

If you really want a sense of the greatness of ancient scientific thought, of ancient astronomy, of the magnificence of the accomplishment of Copernicus and his followers in the modern scientific revolution, get ahold of Kuhn's book. ... Read more

Product Description
This is nonfiction commentary. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Chapters: De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium, Commentariolus, Monetae Cudendae Ratio, Locationes Mansorum Desertorum. Source: Wikipedia. Free updates online. Not illustrated. Excerpt: De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres) is the seminal work on the heliocentric theory of the Renaissance astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (14731543). The book, first printed in 1543 in Nuremberg, Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, offered an alternative model of the universe to Ptolemy's geocentric system, which had been widely accepted since ancient times. Heliocentric model of the solar system in Copernicus' manuscriptCopernicus initially outlined his system in a short, untitled, anonymous manuscript that he distributed to several friends, referred to as the Commentariolus. A physician's library list dating to 1514 includes a manuscript whose description matches the Commentariolus, so Copernicus must have begun work on his new system by that time. Most historians believe that he wrote the Commentariolus after his return from Italy, possibly only after 1510. At this time, Copernicus anticipated that he could reconcile the motion of the Earth with the perceived motions of the planets easily, with fewer motions than were necessary in the Alfonsine Tables, the version of the Ptolemaic system current at the time. Observations of Mercury by Bernhard Walther (14301504) of Nuremberg, a pupil of Regiomontanus, were made available to Copernicus by Johannes Schöner, 45 observations in total, 14 of them with longitude and latitude. Copernicus used three of them in De revolutionibus, giving only longitudes, and erroneously attributing them to Schöner. Copernicus' values differed slightly from the ones published by Schöner in 1544 in Observatio...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=1028515 ... Read more

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This Book Is In German. ... Read more

Product Description
Chapters: Nicolaus Copernicus, Jean Carondelet, Ferry Carondelet, List of Renaissance Commentators on Aristotle. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 52. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Nicolaus Copernicus (German: ; in his youth, Niclas Koppernigk; Polish: ; Italian: ; 19 February 1473 24 May 1543) was a Renaissance astronomer and the first to formulate a comprehensive heliocentric cosmology, which displaced the Earth from the center of the universe. Copernicus' epochal book, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres), published just before his death in 1543, is often regarded as the starting point of modern astronomy and the defining epiphany that began the scientific revolution. His heliocentric model, with the Sun at the center of the universe, demonstrated that the observed motions of celestial objects can be explained without putting Earth at rest in the center of the universe. His work stimulated further scientific investigations, becoming a landmark in the history of science that is often referred to as the Copernican Revolution. Among the great polymaths of the Renaissance, Copernicus was a mathematician, astronomer, physician, quadrilingual polyglot, classical scholar, translator, artist, Catholic cleric, jurist, governor, military leader, diplomat and economist. Among his many responsibilities, astronomy figured as little more than an avocation yet it was in that field that he made his mark upon the world. Birthplace on St. Anne's (now Copernicus) Street, ToruNicolaus Copernicus was born on 19 February 1473 in the city of Toru (Thorn) in Royal Prussia, part of the Kingdom of Poland. His father was a merchant from Kraków and his mother was the daughter of a wealthy Toru merchant. Nicolaus was the youngest of four children. His brother A...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=323592 ... Read more