5 comments about FitzRoy: The Remarkable Story of Darwin's Captain and the Invention of the Weather Forecast.

1. If not for anything else he did in his life, this man should be remembered for setting up the first weather forecasting service in England during the middle nineteenth century. That he was the Captain of the "Beagle" when Charles Darwin sailed on it as 'naturalist'; is not half as important as he was the one who set in motion the random currents that caused Darwin to be on the ship for its' full five year plus voyage.
   
   He was a remarkable man who because he was also humble and self-effacing never ended up getting the critical acclaim that his life's work demanded. His five year voyage on the "Beagle" resulted in the most detailed mapping of the South American continent from the Plate to Valpariso, and especially the area around Cape Horn and the Straits of Magellan. So detailed were his maps that they were used for over 100 years.
   
   During the voyage, he also determined all of the meridians and set-up their places on maps by which other sailors were able to determine their place anywhere on the earth at any time. Later, he devised a system by which ships could be signaled at sea that a major storm was brewing created the "gale warning" system. His work on meteorology was the first to use telegraphy to coordinate the capture of weather statistics so that information could be printed in newspapers the same day. He also devised the first two day weather forecasting, including the coining of the word 'forecast'.
   
   The story of his life and accomplishments is well written, and well documented, besides being entertainingly presented. Great Biography.



2. This work, by John and Mary Gribbin, combines a deep respect for Robert FitzRoy and his achievements with sound research. The end result is a book that is accessible to anyone with an interest in this complex and multi-faceted man.
   
   Described by Charles Darwin as being 'A very extraordinary person', Robert FitzRoy served Britain as a naval captain (most famously as Captain of HMS Beagle), as a Governor of New Zealand, and in the field of weather forecasting.
   
   While covering the voyages of HMS Beagle, this book provides information on FitzRoy's governorship of New Zealand as well as his achievements in weather forecasting. Along the way, we obtain glimpses of the struggle between a greater understanding of science and a deep innate religious conservatism. Robert FitzRoy tragically took his own life a few months before his 60th birthday.
   
   A fascinating book about a fascinating man.
   
   Highly recommended
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith



3. I got this book because I am playing Fitzroy in Timberlake Wertenbakers play After Darwin. It has a wealth of information on the good Captain and enabled me to find a pathway into his mind that would not have had otherwise. The combination of excepts from the Narrative, Sullivan and Usborne's journals, and the record of Darwin himself paint an honorable picture that Fitroy would have been happy with. The recounting of the loss of a ship to the Fuegians on the voage preceeding Darwin is particuary interesting.



4. The father of weather forecasts and explorer of South America. Robert FitzRoy will be remembered by me. This book tells us about a great British aristocrat who gave more than he took. I love Patrick O'Brian and this could have been his but it is real story about a real person. FitzRoy was a remarkable man who history has pushed back to the shadows and labeled Darwin's Captain. FitzRoy, whose family is descended from Charles II, becomes a beloved British Man-o-war Captain, explorer, politician and eventual Vice Admiral. Mr. Gribbin gives us a picture of one of the last explorers and scientific innovators who charts South America, tries to support native rights in New Zealand and gives the world weather forecasting, yet is forgotten. His end did not justify his life. He was an amazing man who deserved more. He was faithful to his family, his country and religion. A good man and a great read.



5. The figure of Fitzroy lurks in the background of the Darwin saga and it is actually quite refreshing to draw him out on this score, both because of the interest in his life and work on its own terms and also for the light it throws on Darwin's early explorations in biology. Fitzroy's achievements in weather forecasting are little known, and his contribution to Darwin's education no doubt proceeds indirectly from the context of disciplined and meticulous scientific work in the Beagle's prime mission.

No comments about Albert Einstein (Grandes biografias series).

No comments about Pierre Simon Laplace, 1749-1827: A Determined Scientist.

5 comments about The Beat of a Different Drum: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman.

1. This book isn't for everyone. What the-3-star-and-1-star (hoping-for-zero-stars) reviews describe is true.
   
   I just find the unedited style somehow comforting. It make me feel less lonely.



2. There are two type of reviews of this book. Those who were interested in the man from a personal, non science perspective and those who know science, are interested and can read and understand Feynman's scientific work. Those who interested in the more entertaining books on Feynman, e.g., Gleick, and some of Feynman's own books should tread on this book lightly for it includes mathematical and scientific analysis you cannot get from the other books. On the other hand, Jagdish Medra does an excellent job in reciting some of the personal stuff between him and his father, which were crucial in forming both Feynman's personal and scientific personality. This is the only book you will get that. Mehra did not include some of the more interesting andecotes that are in Feynman's books, so it is not a complete biography despite its length and breath. If you are interested in some of Feynman's reasons for his ideas and the context of those ideas, then you must read this book. If you are not interested, for example, in Maupertuis, Lagrange, Hamilton ideas on minimum action -- you might have to skip large parts of the book because Mehra recounts Feynman's ideas in detail (including all his equations).
   I have found the best way to understand science and personality (Feynman was of a temperament Inventor Rational) is to read detailed biographies of the principles -- Jagdish Mehra did excellent job with this biography, you can pick up the other details of Feynman in his own books. I am sure Richard would give Mehra five stars.



3. The book is already out of print, which perhaps indicates a
   collective wisdom of the technical readership. As others (e.g.,
   "zero stars") have pointed out, this is a carelessly compiled
   assortment of facts. And it is too bad, because Feynman
   deserves a fine technical biography. There do exist
   excellent books on Feynman's life and work. Gleick's "Genius"
   is a masterful personal biography (Gleick is a fine writer
   for the technically literate; e.g., see his "Chaos").
   Schweber's "QED and the men who made it" is an excellent
   historical presentation of QED, in which of course Feynman
   plays a major role. But Mehra's book fails in all aspects.
   In particular, the technical parts are disorganized and
   full of errors. I gave up half way through the book in disgust.

   Feynman's technical work went well beyond QED and
   the introduction of path integral methods. It was
   so broad that few scientific biographers could have done
   it justice. Mehra failed. Pais didn't try.
   Schweber has covered Feynman's early contributions well.
   But there is much good writing on (and by) Feynman.
   If you want to know more about Feynman's life and personality,
   see "Genius", along with Ralph Leighton's wonderful 2-volume
   retelling of Feynman's stories and his "Tuva or Bust".
   Also, see the 1990 memorial issue of Physics Today, devoted to
   his work style and relationships with his colleagues.
   Feynman was often described as a "teacher's teacher," and
   the 3 volume "Lectures" demonstrate that well. Feynman's
   no-nonsense, intuitive approach also comes out in his
   1960-era monographs "Quantum Electrodynamics" and "Theory of
   Fundamental Processes", which, though written before
   the Standard Model, still give a fine introduction to relativistic quantum mechanics.




4. Jagdish Mehra is, to be sure, not one of the great literary stylists, and his notion of historical writing is to throw in every available fact and save evaluation and historical analysis for a later date. Fair enough, I say: his is not the final word on Feynman, nor does he think so. Feynman's contribution to Quantum Electrodynamics is the central problem for any real biographer, and here Mehra is on stronger grounds. By its very nature, the book is steeped in math, and you will need to be up on calculus and Fourier expansions, not to mention the basic points of QED to read it with profit. It is good, solid history of science, but hardly a page-flipper for reading on the beach this summer.



5. I read this book about Feynman with great interest and I found it better than Gleick's book. Some people might not like the amount of detailed info about all sorts of Feynman trivia but how can a true fan of his not be delighted with all this great stuff! The technical parts are very thorough and detailed; it was well beyond anything you find in "popular" books like Gleick's. In that sense this is not really for general readers but there is enough interesting stuff for the interested layman too. I highly recommend this very thoroughly researched masterpiece!

5 comments about Boltzmanns Atom: The Great Debate That Launched A Revolution In Physics.

1. Lindley states upfront that this book is not a proper biography. There is not much on Boltzmann's early life, and the account of his adult family life is very sketchy. Actually, I found this an advantage as I was most interested in the development of Boltzmann's physics and how Boltzmann related to other famous figures. Lindley is very good on this, showing exactly what Boltzmann's contributions were and how figures like Gibbs and Maxwell inspired him and were inspired by him. The accounts of his philosophical battle with Mach for the soul of physics were particularly intriguing - a battle that ended in Boltzmann's suicide. Mach had won the battle, but not the war. Einstein and others later came down on Boltzmann's side.
   
   Of course Mach can't really be blamed for Boltzmann's suicide. Boltzmann comes across as a depressive, neurotic character. He could not relax, was forever traveling, and incessantly pursued social and academic advancement. When given the leading post at the University of Vienna he sought posts at German universities, but then didn't want to leave Vienna when he got them. This 'having his cake and eating it' situation left him distraught, torn between two great opportunities. Also, he became upset when followers of Mach did not admire him, even though his own followers held him in the greatest esteem.
   
   It is surprising how much physics Lindley manages to convey without using equations. Differences between his ideas and others are conveyed with subtlety. For instance the difference between using a distribution of velocities and the earlier idea of just using average velocities for working out the statistical mechanics of gasses is brought across with verve. (Read the book if you don't know what I'm going on about!)
   
   Lindley makes impressive use of original sources. You will find material in this book nowhere else in English as he translates many letters and works from the original German.
   
   All in all, a must read. There are many popular books centered on Galileo, Newton, Einstein and Heisenberg. It is interesting to read a book where these giants hardly figure, and instead Boltzmann, Gibbs, Maxwell and Mach take center stage. So give yourself a novel treat and read about the harrowing fight for Boltzmann's atom.



2. David Lindley succeeds in this book in what escaped him in "Uncertainty: Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, and the Struggle for the Soul of Science", where the narrative lacks structure and is not sufficiently persuasive. "Boltzmann's Atom" reads as a biography proper, if a very brief one, where Lindley shows (appropriately) broader historical picture, not just in scientific and philosophical ideas of that time.
   
   Boltzmann is shown in this book as a real human being - in development, both intellectual and emotional - and one can actually empathize with him. The book is somewhat too short for a real biography, which all run nowadays to 500 and more pages, but especially so considering the scope of Boltzman's personality, as well as very complex & rapidly changing situation in science during his lifetime. Still, the book is a very good introduction to Boltzman's life & work.
   
   Even in this short a book, Lindley managed to outline Boltzmann's scientific & philosophical ideas, show clearly what was his conflict with Ernst Mach about, and give the reader enough understanding to see that modern physics is based to a high degree on Boltzmann's works. Lindley also succeeded in giving a persuasive picture of Boltzmann's idiosyncratic personality.
   
   Hope David Lindley won't consider a short quote from his book to be a copyright violation: http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dhcsjrmw_192cpz88x&revision=_latest



3. David Lindley's book is a beautifully written and subtle portrait not only of a very important scientist, but of a place and time in scientific history. Some rather slippery scientific concepts are expertly communicated at the same time -- that Lindley manages to do all of this in the space of about 230 pages makes this book a model, in my mind, of concision and expert communication. It is a joy to read.
   
   If anything mitigates that joy, it is the intense sadness that hangs around the titular figure, Ludwig Boltzmann. Although his work is of primary importance in physics, few laypeople are aware of him. Boltzmann died in 1906 but -- much like his fellow Viennese Gustav Mahler, who died in 1911 -- seems like a kind of presage of 20th century uncertainties and anxieties. This is probably saying too much. But there is little of the heroic and the ironic and the certain in Boltzmann, and much of the anxious, needy and depressed. He is a figure we all recognize: whether in our alcoholic uncles, our desperate mothers, or our sleepless selves. He does not and cannot rest easy.
   
   Boltzmann was far from anyone's stereotype of the "mad" scientist. His mental illness was all too real, his struggle with inner demons all too tragic. If you are interested in science, in scientists, in the occasionally sick world of academia, or even simply in fin-de-siecle Vienna, read this book. It's extremely good.



4. The scientific community of the late 19th century were scandalised when Boltzmann introduced his Atomic theory. First his attribution of probability, and using statistical methods to explain thermodynamics went against the longstanding trend of assuming absolute fixed laws. In comparison the implication of probability in Quantum theory, caused bewilderment rather than stringent criticism of the theory. Second, due to lack of observable evidence, atoms were considered a figment of Boltzmanns imagination. This is not very dissimilar to the opposition faced by String Theory proponents even today who have no way of confirming existence of Strings.
   It was not until Einstein used Atomic theory to prove Brownian Motion that people began to consider it seriously.
   
   Boltzmann got one more hunch right . In 1905, touring Berkeley , he notes 'Happy the land where Millionaires hold ideals and idealists become millionaires'. Though bitter about its food, and worker strikes, he concludes 'America will accomplish great things in the future. I believe in these people'
   
   Couldv been 50 pages short atleast.



5. I loved this book. I was very wrapped up in it throughout. I highly recommend it to any physics students who are about to undertake a course in Thermo or Stat Mech. Amazingly, Lindley does a better job of explaining some things than many textbooks. I learned a lot from this book. I think seeing the historical development aides in learning the science.
   
   One downside is the lack of more in-depth science. Only one equation is written (S=klnw). It would be nice to see more of the physics being developled...possibly an idea for a new textbook...
   
   All in all, very fun. I would love to read more history of physics books that are written similarly.

1 comments about Ptolemy of Egypt.

1. This study provides great details on this ancient ruler's life. Although he lived part of it in the shadow of Alexander the Great, much is owed to Ptolemy I Soter : the birth of the Hellenistic state, the creation of the Museum, the addition of the Great Library and the Lighthouse to the city of Alexandria, as well as other extraordinary achievements both in and beyond Egypt. Alexandria, his capital, became known as an intellectual center. This book not only tells the story of a leader, but also of his satrapy, his kingship, his family, the wars he fought, and his role during Alexander the Great's reign. With several black and white pictures, it is a recommended biography of interest to students of Greek and Ptolemaic history.

No comments about Inagua: An Island Sojourn.

2 comments about Your Little Black Book, Vol. 1 African American Inventions and Inventors (Your Little Black Book).

1. This book is riddled with historical errors as well as grammatical and punctuation errors. This book clearly was not edited. The author does not list any references or sources for the facts he cites. The book is not organized in a coherent manner. These criticisms have been recognized and affirmed by the author, yet he would rather make money off of an inadequate product than devote the time and effort to create a true literary piece. This book lacks credibility. This book should be avoided as a tool to teach children or any one else. If you are seeking a book that highlights African-American accomplishments, this book will be a great disappointment. Search Amazon for a myriad of books on the topic of African-American inventors and achievement. However, do not waste your time with this shameful attempt at a book.



2. THIS BOOK GAVE ME A LOT OF INFO...I RECOMMEND THIS TO ALL AGE GROUPS...VERY HELPFUL WITH HISTORY PROJECTS....

1 comments about A Venomous Life.

1. A very interesting book by a man whose work has affected the lives of many. This book should prove an inspiration to all, not just those in research.

3 comments about Frank Whittle: Invention of the Jet (Revolutions in Science).

1. This is a fascinating and well written book, however it is not about the history of the jet engine. It is primarily concerned with identifying which corporate and government interests were involved and how valid their claims to the invention were. While interesting, I was hoping to learn more about the invention of the jet engine from a technical point of view!
   
   There's a nice chapter at the end which sheds a little new light on the Comet disaster, and another chapter describing the lineage of the present day Concorde and Rolls Royce fanjet engines back to the immediate post-war planning by Brabazon. There are also bits of interesting trivia about the ultimate fate of the German jet designers.



2. Higly disappointing. Hardly any new information, almost none insight or analysis, and it gives close to none of technical insight or technical history. As usual the book is focused in the buracrautic battle, that always gets the focus as soon as Frank Whittle's name is mentioned. - So much has been written in defence of Frank Whittle one way or another it starts to get embarassing. - Perhaps he really was so unproductive as someone obviously thought..



3. Those readers who have believed that Frank Whittle invented the jet engine may be in for a surprise. Andrew Nahum's incisive book, Frank Whittle - Invention of the Jet, aims to dispel the myths surrounding this topic and Whittle's role in it.
   
   As with so many important inventions, the development of the jet engine was to a large extent driven by the necessities of war. Particularly the British, Germans and Americans worked feverishly to produce a war-winning jet fighter during the Second World War, but the Germans won this particular arms race by being the first to get effective and combat-ready jet aeroplanes in the air, though it came too late to influence the eventual outcome of the war.
   
   Britain's inability to beat the Germans in this respect, and its subsequent failure to lead the way in the postwar jet aircraft industry despite Whittle's pioneering work, have led many, including Whittle himself, to criticise those in authority in the wartime years for lack of government support and for failing to appreciate the work done by Whittle's Power Jets company, which was forcibly nationalised by the wartime government in 1944. It is this apparent failure of appreciation, feeding on the age-old stereotype of the misunderstood genius battling against reactionary conservatives still imprisoned by dated paradigms, from which grew the various misconceptions surrounding Whittle's role which Nahum seeks to dispel.
   
   Andrew Nahum is principal curator of transport technologies at the Science Museum in London and a visiting professor in vehicle design at the Royal College of Art. He is also the author of i.a. Flying Machines, one of the DK Eyewitness Guides.
   
   Nahum makes a convincing case for his main point that, in fact, the then British government was not at all indifferent to Whittle's foresight and energy and supported him and his colleagues as far as reasonably possible in a critical time when the needs of a conventional propeller-driven air force under intense attack from Germany had to be balanced with Whittle's demands for desperately needed funds to finance long-term and still experimental weapons such as the jet.
   
   The book includes chapters on Whittle's early jet ideas, wartime development and the difficult problems with the Whittle W.2 jet design, the rise and fall of Whittle's Power Jets company, jet developments in the US, and the first jet airliner (the Comet) and why it failed. In a fascinating endnotes section Nahum discusses jet development in Germany and if the jet would have been developed without Whittle. His answers to this question are particularly illuminating, for instance when quoting Sir Harry Ricardo who said, "... we are too fond ... of crediting a few particular individuals with a monopoly of inventive genius ... Most intelligent people come to much the same conclusion, at much the same time."
   
   Though this book aims to be a necessary correction to deeply-held perceptions and misconceptions it recognises Whittle's important contributions. Nahum credits Whittle for giving Britain an early launch into the turbine industry and discusses eventual developments such as the supersonic Concorde achievement as partly resulting from Whittle's pioneering work.
   
   This concise little book, only 177 pages, is not a biography and we do not learn much about Whittle the man. Being a layman I would have liked more diagrams than the three provided, and the book would also have benefited from a table clearly illustrating the various achievements together with dates, so as to provide a historical overview and draw the welter of information together. But then more illustrations would have increased the very reasonable price of this book.