1 comments about 101 Things You Didn't Know About Da Vinci: The Secrets Of The World's Most Eccentric And Innovative Genius Revealed!.

1. This book was as interesting as any other biography could be, however, the authors did manage to use a very nice and flowing format. Organized from point to point, never spanning more than three pages, and following in chronological order from Leonardo's illegitimate birth to his ordinary death, the books writing style is very easy to follow and is easy to pick up at any spot.
   Priwer and Phillip's book is very informative, and anyone looking for research information about Da Vinci would likely consider this a Holy Grail with its factual yet interesting points. On an overall reading scale, however, for anyone simply looking for good read, this book would probably not suit as well (unless the reader has a terrible Leonardo fetish).
   In the end, this book is great for someone more interested in facts rather than an interesting story line. Another strong point of the book is that it suits readers of all ages because of its easy to follow format. I would have to rate this book as a 3, don't be afraid to check it out, it's not bad!

3 comments about Fox at the Wood's Edge: A Biography of Loren Eiseley.

1. There are only two other reviews of this biography, and both lament similarly perceived shortcomings. One needs to read a fair amount of Eiseley to really appreciate Christianson's work. And the more Eiseley you read, the more you begin to realize that however enchanting and entertaining the story, the storyteller-very skillfully-remains veiled and in the background. Loren Eiseley reveals himself on his own terms, and once you have had a glimpse of his childhood world, it is easier to understand why. "The Lost Notebooks of Loren Eiseley" is required reading for anyone who wishes to look inside of-to the degree that it is possible-Loren Eiseley. Loren embodies elements of character seen in Hilton's Robert Conway, J.L. Carr's "A Month in the Country," and perhaps even Antonio Porchia's "Voices." This biography gives the reader about as much as one is likely to get... I am grateful to Christianson for all the nuances that he has added to the evanescent beauty and delicacy that was Loren Eiseley.



2. 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.



3. 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?

No comments about The Education of a Mathematician.

No comments about The Wonderful World of Simon Stevin.

No comments about Double Stars: The Story of Caroline Herschel (Profiles in Science).

5 comments about Leonardo: The First Scientist.

1. This is a book which is not worthy of serious consideration. Author, tries to darken middle ages even rinascimento as possible for the sake of lighthen the star of Leonardo. There are many unconvincing and poor arguments(!). I do not mention its non-exist, bad bad bad bibliography scattered in notes. Throughout the book, the author shows his ignorance of renaissance, science, art, middle age, history of since etc.



2. Known as one of the most advanced thinkers of his time, Leonardo da Vinci explored technology, art and science much beyond that of his era and surroundings. This novel delves into Leonardo as a scientist, his struggles, accomplishments and overwhelming amount of knowledge in more fields than any one scientist should endeavor into. From a rough childhood to the center of Renaissance society, Leonardo's life isn't easy, whether he is dealing with societal pressures, or just pressures he puts on himself, there is always something occupying his mind. He defies popular belief in his works in anatomy, making over 30 successful dissections accompanied by thousands of detailed and nearly perfect diagrams and drawings of the human body and its systems. In exploring technology, he diagrams countless ideas for flying machines and military warfare, most of which were years ahead of the current technology and technology in centuries to come. From his struggles in homosexuality to his coded notebooks, Michael White explores the lasting influence that Leonardo da Vinci has had on his society and ours as well.
   Michael White wanted to make known the scientific side of da Vinci, emphasizing not only his artistic abilities, but his scientific knowledge as well. Many people disagree about Leonardo's role as the world's very first scientist, but White defines what he believes it to be: "...exploration, it is questioning, it is the application of imagination, it is analysis." As Leonardo fulfills all these requirements and more, White finds him to be the first true scientist. White's fascination with this man is understandable, stemming from Leonardo's knowledge, ambition and overall figure of humanity. If you enjoy thrilling stories about knights, thieves and princesses, don't read this book, but if you enjoy the thrill of discovery, passion and overwhelming genius of a man, jump right in. This book is a clue to why humanity and society is shaped the way it is today, and why science in the 21st century is advanced as it is, all influenced by one man: Leonardo da Vinci.



3. It is appropriate that Leonardo da Vinci painted the woman with the mysterious smile, the Mona Lisa, perhaps the most famous painting of all time. For just as there are many questions surrounding the subject matter, and why she is smiling (or is she), and whether her eyes follow you around the room, there are also many unknowns surrounding the artist. He is an enigma himself, so THAT is why he painted the Mona Lisa.
   
   Michael White gives a broad picture of the artist, and how he broke new ground, both within art, and also is his investigations. Da Vinci also managed to bridge science and art. He was able to see science from the perspective of an artist, to visualise art with the mindset of a scientist, and capture architecture from the viewpoint of the artist-scientist.
   
   White postulates that da Vinci was the first scientist. However, we have to remember that the 21st century of a `scientist' is very different to that in 15th century Florence, or Milan. There was still the scope for individuals to engage in an all-embracing approach, so the body of knowledge was sufficiently small as to be able to be grasped. Furthermore, this was so for about 250 years after da Vinci's time.
   
   Da Vinci was a very talented man, and it is tempting to question what he might have achieved if he had been more focussed. He tended to flit from one thing to another, leaving many incomplete projects, and ever two or three books-in-the-writing, not finished, or indeed, hardly started. White does bring out the breadth of the tasks that the Italian tackled, correctly giving emphasis to some achievements not generally known.
   
   However, whereever you look, there is the enigma that is da Vinci. He is a peculiar mix of old and new, showing in his studies of eyes that he was far ahead of his time. Da Vinci goes some of the way towards the notion of blood circulating, but not quite making the impossible leap that William Harvey was to make over 200 years later. What White does is show that da Vinci was one of the first to systematically investigate, to move from the cognitive to the experimental scientist.
   
   Da Vinci left a huge collection of notes, drawings and "scribblings", and these were firstly lost for over 200 years, and then dissipated into private collections and archives. It is always possible to show tenuous links with hindsight. Maybe there is some over eagerness on White's part, but da Vinci was a marvellous man.
   Geology, rain, water and clouds, anatomy, fortifications and machinery of war, canals, and the list goes on. He was forward looking, and many have claimed that da Vinci invented helicopters, and other diverse items of machinery. Yet he was steeped in the Aristotelian view of the four elements; earth, air, fire and water. He also did not spend large amounts of time investigating cosmology, as many of his age did.
   
   Da Vinci had feet of clay, yet a very freethinking mind. He used science to aid him, to help him as an artist. His only published work, a book on art gives views ahead of his time, on distance, perspective, light and shade. That in itself would have made the man worthy of praise. He also continued to study, to both aid his art, and for scientific discovery. The fact that he was a bridge between the old and the new is another facet of the enigma that is Leonardo.
   
   Peter Morgan, Bath, UK (morganp@supanet.com)



4. I find this book very aweinspiring. It reveals the
   unpublished works of this great artist, engineer
   and scientist.



5. Michael White does not seem to be a researcher in history of science. It seems he picks up some books written by historians and selects what he wants according to his own personal views and contemporary marketing needs (he wants to sell books). This is not serious. For me, reading this book was a waste of time and a waste of money.

5 comments about The Boy Who Invented Television: A Story Of Inspiration, Persistence, And Quiet Passion.

1. This book gave an in depth of how TV was invented, who invented it, and the corporate war with the big monopoly based/financed by government companys like R.C.A, AT&T, G.E, etc.
   
   Here is some excerpts of this book:
   "Only one man stood between David Sarnoff and his dreams of an ethereal empire-Philo T. Farnsworth. Sarnoff knew that in order to add television to the existing cross-licenses, each side would have to have patents central to the new art to exchange. AT&T was well prepared to begin negotiating around its contribution, the coaxial cable, and apparently RCA was expected to deliver its end of the bargain in the form of patents that covered the art of sending and receiving video signals. But as things stood in the middle of 1937, RCA didn't own any of those patents. They belonged to Philo Farnsworth. " -- David Sarnoff was the President and CEO of R.C.A. at that time.
   
   Here is another quote:
   "Thus RCA started out with a comprehensive pool of patents, combining those of Marconi with those of Hertz, Tesla, DeForest, Fessenden, Alexanderson, Armstrong, and other lesser known pioneers of radio, giving RCA a virtual lock on all aspects of the art & science of radio. RCA was, in other words, a government-spawned and sanctioned monopoly." - page 85 in book.
   
   Extra Bonus: Conspiracy within the Big 3 Electronic Giants -
   "The relationship between the corporate elders of electrical industries -- AT&T, GE, and Westinghouse -- with the new kid on the block -- RCA -- was always an incestuous one. These companies pooled their patents, and then agreed on which businesses each would pursue to exploit those patents. Still there were great rivalries between them over which companies would control the emerging new field of radio broadcasting. "
   
   
   I highly recommend reading this book...what you see back at that time is what we are witnessing right now...or what goes around, comes around...!



2. This Biography reads as a Suspense!
   Will Philo Farnsworth get the money to develop his invention?
   Will he get a patent?
   Who will be the first to get the patent?
   Who is "the other woman" in his life?
   You have to read it to find the answers!
   
   O.K.



3. 
   We know the inventor of electric lighting, and we know who turned mass production assembly lines into affordable automobiles. Nicola Tesla invented the alternating current motors we use today, invented radio, invented fluorescent lighting, discovered X-rays, and yet failed to cash in or get credit, and wound up dying at an advanced age in a transient hotel.
   
   This book is the bio of an Philo T. Farnsworth, a young man who walked away from the obscurity of his rural agricultural background into a Teslian style obscurity, after a lifetime of brilliant work.
   
   This American inventor eventually turned to inertial containment as the solution to controlled fusion for electrical power generation.
   
   The account in this book of his fusion work is interesting, and includes a tantalizing incident in which fusion may have been achieved, briefly. Much more important than who invented the intelligence vacuum (TV) vs. who got the credit for it is the discussion of Farnsworth's breakthroughs in fusion and his being frozen out by the US government et al.
   
   The current laser inertial containment research (Sandia Labs' Z-Machine dumps 290 trillion watts of X-rays onto a sample target as of four years ago) owes a debt to Farnsworth. While I personally doubt that fusion will ever reach breakeven regardless of the money poured into it, should it bear fruit Farnsworth will probably get flipped out of the picture.
   
   



4. The Boy Who Invented Television is the astonishing biography of Philo T. Farnsworth, who at age 14 dreamed of trapping and transmitting light, and while plowing on his father's farm looked at the parallel rows he had been making and conceived of a practical and effective way to wirelessly beam information from one point to another which concept resulted in his 1930 fundamental patent for modern television. Farnsworth's struggle against challenges from the Radio Corporation from America, his fight to protect his vision from reticent investors, and his work that would forever change the world and modern communications, is presented in a highly readable narrative enhanced with black-and-white photographs. The Boy Who Invented Television is very highly recommended reading -- especially for television buffs who want to learn how it all really began!



5. I really enjoyed this engaging biography of Philo T. Farnsworth. The science of the book was mostly understandable to a layperson, and I found myself rooting for Farnsworth all the way. I could really sympathize with his triumphs and his losses, and I was so saddened and angry at the way he was treated toward the end of his life. It seems a real shame that he has not gotten the recognition he deserves, and I'm glad this book is out to give him the publicity due him.

5 comments about The Diana I Know : An American Mother's Warm Memories on Her Child's Nanny Who Became the Princess of Wales.

1. Mary Robertson tells of a Diana that could have been one of our daughters or the girl next door who babysat for us. She explained several incidents, such as Diana eating out of their refridgerator that were so human. One wanted to reach inside the book, pull out Diana, and hug her. The way she opened up to the Robertsons is detailed and the pictures are so special. Mary Robertson writes as she knew Diana; she doesn't brag about knowing the Princess, but truly explains "The Diana She Knew." Highly recommended-definately one of my most favorite Diana books because the author is not intending to capitalize or sensationalize.



2. I wanted to read this book for the longest but it was unavailable. I finally bought it used through Amazon.
   I was not disappointed! A truly readable and enjoyable book. Diana often was dismissed by critics as a shallow, self-serving woman who only "cared" about people when the cameras and press were recording an event.
   Mrs. Robertson refuted this often repeated attack of Diana's character by showing us that behind the scenes and away from the press, Diana continued a warm friendship with this American woman and her family. A common family who could in no way further Diana's reportedly selfish agenda.
   Why?
   The only explanation is that Diana truly was a very warm and caring person. The book captures that simple quality of Diana.
   Many books have been written to show the world what the real Diana was supposedly like.
   These books deride fans for believing in a media image of Diana and have attacked Diana's every move.
   Mrs. Robertson knew the "real" Diana and her memories are refreshing, honest and much in tune with Diana's worldwide image.
   Mrs. Robertson's friendship with the Princess of Wales was not based on a phony media image.
   Thank you Mrs. Robertson for writing this book and showing us the lovely "inner" Diana.
   Diana proved it was possible to be warm, unpretentious, radiant AND royal.



3. I bought this book as soon as it came into the shops and have read it so many times. It is good to read Mary's account of her relationship with Diana. One of the most readable books I have ever read. I wonder if Mary has written other books?



4. I guess that I'd have to give this book about 3 1/2 stars if I could do that, it's an interesting little book to read. Written by Mary Robertson, the American woman who once employed Diana as a nanny, it isn't nearly as bad as some critics would suggest.The book starts with an Aug 31-Sept 6th recap of learning about Diana's death and attending the funeral, in the next chapter and for most of the book details Robertson's experiences over the years with the Princess. While Mrs. Robertson does talk about herself (not particularly boastfully)she tells a lot of harmless little details about Diana, various meetings & so on, that you just don't see elsewhere. I wouldn't put it at the top of your list of books to accquire but it makes a nice little addition.



5. I've read most of the Diana books on the market, and this one is my all time favorite. The warmth, candor, and respect that Mrs. Robertson uses in describing her ongoing relationship with the late former Princess of Wales is refreshing (who else treats Diana with dignity anymore, anyway?), well paced (I can stay into it, even on the treadmill), and wholly respectable (staying exclusively in the realm of what Mrs. Robertson herself saw, learned, or experienced, and not crossing the line into lurid speculation, armchair psychology, or maudlin reflection). This is an idea purchase or gift with anyone having an interest in Diana, and I would recommend it wholeheartedly as a sweet (I know it's an overused word, but it's the RIGHT word) tribute to the relationship from one mother to another and their friendship which spanned 17 years.

1 comments about It's A Long Way From Llano: The Journey of a Wildlife Biologist.

1. This is one monumental book, in that the author weaves together his personal experiences from notes he kept in a journal, along with a fictional novel that he constructed from those events, during his tour. He also flashes backwards and forwards with his life before Vietnam and then returning on rice business much later. In so doing, he develops the very story we all went through as young men in college in the early to mid-sixties, who did not mind a military obligation or the hardships of deployment to SE Asia, and served well. (This is three books in one.)
   I was a helicopter pilot with the 175th Outlaws and know the Vi Thanh area well. IT was a very hostile province, and the VC owned it and all the territory to Rach Gia and the U Minh Forest. Tom Hargrove describes life with the MACV teams very specifically, and superbly addresses their thoughts and intentions while living so sparsely. The dangers of interactions with the local VN are so typical; it is a wonder we all survived our valiant attempts at pacification.
   
   This necessary book covers the Advisor side of the war, which was much more commonplace than the conventional war, being waged "Up North" with the American divisions. For those of you who want to read about this realistic Vietnam conflict in the hinterlands, read this book of outpost living and agrarian assistance to these poor rice paddy farmers. Way to go, Tom!! It was always nice to climb back into our Huey and return to Vinh Long after resupplying you guys! A lot of truth here, and maybe it has taken all these years to get it out--the way we lived our war in the Delta...

No comments about Women in Science: 100 Journeys into the Territory.